Sera fluttered her eyelids open, the harsh sunlight momentarily blinding her. She found her daughter's face hovering inches from her own, concern etched across Delena's young features.
"You're awake!" Delena exclaimed; her voice filled with relief.
Sera sat up slowly, a dull ache throbbing in her head. "Delena, what happened? Why am I in bed?"
A woman's voice, gentle yet firm, answered from beside her. "You fainted, Sera."
Startled, Sera turned to see Resi, their neighbour, seated on a stool by the bedside. She couldn't recall the last time she felt so disoriented, so unaware of her surroundings.
"Thank you," Sera mumbled, the words barely audible.
Resi rose to her feet, her face etched with concern. "Sera, you need to stop this madness. Claiming the red moon has risen will only bring trouble upon yourself and Delena. You have shouldered so many secrets already, surely you can bear one more," she said, her voice soft but firm.
Sera knew the truth in her neighbour's words. Publicly declaring the red moon's arrival would only invite persecution and fear. Yet, as she spoke, the chilling memory of the starless sky sent shivers down her spine. Instinctively, she turned towards the window, her gaze drawn to the horizon beyond the mountain peaks. The night had passed, leaving behind a sky painted in hues of blue and white. The crimson moon was gone, replaced by the familiar face of their moon.
"Delena, you should try to sleep a little," Resi suggested, her voice gentle. "You haven't left your mother's side all night."
Delena, exhausted from her vigil by her mother's bedside, agreed.
As she left the room, Sera noticed a strange sight flicker past the window. A black bird, its feathers glinting in the pale moonlight, crossed her field of vision in a fleeting moment.