Dusk

Seven

"I'm sorry, what? Weld a master stone?" I was on the verge of laughing maniacally.

Kierce stood, his eyes studying me as Nick kept talking, "We don't have proof yet, but everything so far has led us to you."

"Woah, okay wait," I said. "Proof? Led you guys? What are we even talking about?"

Nick was about to answer but Kierce laid a hand on his shoulder. A look passed between the two of them and Nick looked back at me. Nick got up from his chair and left the room.
I watched him close the door, "Why did he leave?"

Kierce walked forward from the wall he was leaning on and took the chair Nick just vacated. "Because, I'm the one who got you in this mess."

"What mess?" I was practically screaming. "How am I supposed to know anything when you keep telling me things that don't make sense!"

"If you promise to listen, I swear I'll start from the beginning." Kierce leaned forward in his seat.

I snorted, then stopped. It's not like I could leave, cuz I had no idea where this 'family mansion' was. I took a deep calming breath with my eyes closed. After ten seconds, I opened them and whispered, "Fine, but you better include why Vera doesn't know."

Kierce looked taken back with statement but nodded his head, "Okay, here goes."

"The Moon Clan was formed centuries ago. The very first generation was chosen to be welders of the Moon, hence the clan name. There are seven artifacts or what you call, trinkets. Each trinket gives the welder one power from the Moon. This necklace," Kierce reached inside his shirt and pulled out the silver tiny chained necklace, "welds the user shadowzap. It allows one to travel from a dark shadow to another dark shadow. The lighter the shadow, the harder it is to shadowzap.

There are two rings, one welds heat and the other ice. A pair of earrings welds crescent, meaning to become transparent or solid. A bracelet that allows moonlight to illuminate your body or parts. Moon gravity, an arm band that lets you weigh as much as you would on the Moon. Lastly, the master stone. It allows the user to use from any of the above-mentioned by touch. But no matter how much you train to be able to weld the master stone, one cannot do so without a crescent birth mark, chosen from the Moon."

"And since you seem to think that I can weld the master stone, you think I have a crescent birthmark on me?" I said. "Sorry, but I'm fairly positive that I don't have one."

"Maybe not right now, but after my family checks you over, you might have one."

"Uh.. isn't that a violation of privacy? I don't want anyone looking at me!" I worried. I hated taking clothes off in front of anyone.

"I'm sorry, no. Not my whole family, but my mom who has the moonlight bracelet will look over you and know without you taking off your clothes. This birthmark will glow when moonlight shines on it." Kierce cleared his throat.

"Oh, but what if I don't consent." I said.

"Then I guess we'll have to change your mind." Kierce sat back. "But let me explain why we think it's you."

"Fine, then you'll take me back home?" I folded my arms. Surely they have the wrong person? I mean the Moon gifts and all is cool, but if that means lying to Vera again, then it was not cool with me.

Kierce nodded his head, "We were gonna bring you back to your house anyways."

I didn't answer, just waited for him to talk again.

"Okay. So as you know, there is always one person with a birthmark to weld the master stone. Only once in history has it been someone outside the royal family. And that was two hundred years ago. Considering that my sister and cousins don't have it, we think the Moon chose someone else."

I cut in, "So you have it?"

"What?" Kierce's eyes widen. "...No. I don't have it."

"Oh okay, you didn't include yourself when you were saying everyone didn't have it."

"As I was saying, the first person not of royal blood showed some signs that they had the mark. First, the person obviously had the mark, it was on his shoulder. Next, our extra gifts from the Moon, such as the wound healer and forgetting spells which you have experienced worked on you."

My face was stuck in a 'huh?' mode.

"Let me clarify, the band aid I gave you at the restaurant only works for those in the royal family with a trinket." Kierce paused. "And the forgetting spray seemed to not work as strong on you. Which is why I was watching you. Even if you didn't remember the encounters, your body did."

"So... You were testing me? You purposely smacked my head into the door?" I exclaimed. "What kind of sick person does that?"

"No, i-no! That was honest, an accident. I really didn't know you were in the hall." Kierce hurried to explain. "And since I was 90% sure the band-aid would work on you, I gave you one. Then you walked out with no blood, it only confirmed my theory." He paused looking at me. "You are the one the Moon has chosen."

"Okay... But that still doesn't explain why I was lying! Vera knows me so well she knows when I'm lying, yet she took my words as the truth!"

Kierce sighed. "That... must've been you. The Moon didn't give lying qualities, so you must've learned how to lie."

"Whatever," I said, "But please tell me you weren't using Vera."

"Using Vera?" Kierce said, "Why would I do that?"

"To spy on me?" I said slowly. "Vera tells me that the two of you haven't even kissed!"

"Okay, we are getting off subject here-" Kierce began.

The door banged opened. Nick, Kennedy, and an older woman walked in.

Kennedy spoke, "I assume you had sufficient time to explain?"

Kierce nodded his head once.

Kennedy turned to the woman, "Do your thing, Sophia."

The woman walked to me till she was three paces away. She held out her hand, and I noticed a chained bracelet. This woman was Kierce's mom if I remembered correctly.

Suddenly light shot out of her palm. I finched when it impacted me in the chest. The beam continued down my right side and then back up on my left. The beam stopped when it reached my left upper arm.

"There," the woman said, "There are traces of moonlight in her arm."