Chapter 4: The Mark Appears
Lily Carter POV
I woke up yelling, the pain on my wrist so intense it felt like someone was burning me with hot iron. Morning sunlight streamed through my window, but I barely noticed as I clutched my arm to my chest.
The bandage I’d wrapped around my mark last night had fallen off, showing the three moons glowing bright silver against my skin. Each pulse of light sent waves of pain shooting up my arm.
I stumbled out of bed, knocking over my small nightstand in my rush to reach the water bowl. The cold water did nothing to ease the pain. If anything, the mark glowed brighter when wet, like moon reflected on water.
A anxious knock came at my door.
"Lily! Open up!" Elder Iris’s voice called. "I felt the mark awakening!"
I yanked open the door with my good hand. Elder Iris stood there, her white hair wild around her face like she’d run all the way to my house. Her eyes immediately fixed on my bright wrist.
"Oh, child," she whispered. "It’s true then. The Triple Moon Mark has picked you."
"What’s happening to me?" I gasped, the pain making it hard to think. "It hurts so much!"
Elder Iris rushed inside, closing the door behind her. From her pocket, she pulled a small jar of green paste that smelled like mint and something earthy.
"This will help with the pain," she said, gently putting it to my wrist. Almost instantly, the burning eased to a dull throb. "The mark is finishing itself. Last night was just the beginning."