As I walked through the forest path, my mind wandered to the Blood Moon last night.

I had never seen anything so mystical as I had in the night sky yesterday.

The big, bold moon was a heavy crimson red, and the color seemed to stain the stars a light shade of pink.

It was such a strange sight.

“You know, Lyra, the Tale of the Blood Moon Prince might actually happen today,” Mabel said, skipping happily beside me.

I scoffed. “That is just a childish fairytale.”

Mabel stopped in her tracks. “Lyra! Is not. I’ve heard rumors that the Blood Moon Prince has been seen before, right after a full moon. And you know the tale, Lyra, ‘Once a Blood Moon rises, the Prince will find his queen. She’ll be his equal, yet difference will still be seen in between. Red roses are her cheeks and golden eyes like wheats. His bride he’ll love, as she loves thee.’”

I rolled my eyes.

“You could be his bride, Lyra. Your eyes are quite like the color of wheat.”

“How romantic!” I sang jokingly.

We laughed.

After I said goodbye to Mabel, I walked home under the stars.

Distant wolves howled. The memory of my father sank within.

On nights like these, we’d hunt the wild beasts. A young boy would join us. A past love, a past memory.

I suddenly felt a shiver run down my spine.

Something was off, I felt it the moment I awoke.

But what?

Slowly, I walked through my door, when I found petals of roses in a trail before me.

“My queen, my love, my Blood Moon Bride…” I heard a low, velvet voice say.

In the shadows, a tall, devastatingly handsome man stepped out.

It was the Blood Moon Prince.

“How-how are you real?” I whispered in awe.

“Someone has to rule over the inhabitants of the stars and the moon, dear.”

He stepped closer. His eyes shone a vibrant familiar silver.

“Why chose me as your bride? We hardly know each other.” I asked.

“Hardly?” He laughed. “Do you not recognize me, at all, Lyra?”

He said my name as if it were a song. I wanted it to replay on repeat.

I studied him harder, trying to invoke my memory, when it finally hit.

The Blood Moon Prince was Atlas Dair, the boy my father taught how to hunt. And the boy I quietly loved.

It had been years since I last saw him.

He disappeared after my father’s death.

“Atlas…” I whispered. “I convinced myself you were only a childhood dream. How could you leave after my father died?”

He looked down. “Death changes people, Lyra. Now come, we have a celestial celebration to attend.”

Do I dare venture into the unknown with a man I used to know?

Yes, my heart sang.

I grabbed his hand and hoped my heart was right.