Chapter 24 Mountain Keeper

The carriage finally came to a stop, and Leon helped me out with gentleness. The road on both sides was covered with dense forests, and a dome-shaped white house stood in front of us. As I looked up, I saw the Moon Temple on top of the mountain. So this was the Moon Temple. But when I had asked Leon about it before, he had avoided the topic. Why had he brought me here today? He was such a fickle and elusive man!

“Let’s go!” Leon put his arm around my waist and led me towards the white dome house. The carriage stopped behind us, and armored guards stood in two teams on both sides of the road. We entered the house through an open door. There were four huge circular pillars around the house, each carved with images of werewolves and the moon. A candlestick was placed in the middle, with countless burning candles standing on it.

“Did you bring her here?” A low female voice came quietly from behind us.

“Yes, she’s here!” Leon looked at the white woman behind him and introduced us. “Emily, this is the prophet Anna,” he said in a respectful tone. “Anna, this is Emily. My mate!”

I looked at Anna, taking in her appearance. She had no extra color except white, with silver hair tied into a braid that hung down behind her. Her skin was white and transparent, and I could even see every blood vessel under her skin. Anna was tall but thin, and her bare feet were covered with a long white floor-to-ceiling dress. She looked at me calmly, her golden eyes shining like stars in white clouds. I could tell that she was very old, and her eyebrows on both sides had turned gray.

“Hello, Emily!” Anna gave me a faint smile, the corners of her mouth just rising slightly before falling back down quickly.

“Hello, Prophet!” I nodded to Anna.

“I’m not a prophet, I’m just an ordinary mountain keeper,” Anna shook her head gently, her eyes fixed on the flickering light on the candlestick. “Protecting this mountain is my only mission!”

I didn’t know why Leon had brought me here, and I looked at him expectantly, hoping he would explain everything to me. However, he just stood in front of Anna and asked, “So, can we start now?” Anna nodded and gave me a look. “If you’re ready, we can start the ceremony at any time!”

“What ceremony, Leon? What are we supposed to do next?” I asked him anxiously.

Leon put his index finger to his lips and whispered to me, “It’s just a simple mate test. Don’t worry, honey. Relax and trust me!”

Oh, he did it again. Whatever he plans to do, he never tells me beforehand. He kept me in the dark every time. I actually find it hard to accept his actions.

Yet he has brought me hither. I can only co-operate with him in carrying out his plans.

At that moment, Anna asked us to stand in front of a round stone table in the center of the candlestick. She opened a silver rectangular box, revealing a semicircular white stone and a silver needle inside.

“Shall we begin?” Anna asked Leon.

Leon nodded, and he motioned for me to follow Anna’s instructions with his eyes. “Then, please hold out your left hands!” Anna told us. Leon and I held out our left hands at the same time. Anna took out a silver needle and pricked Leon’s left index finger, squeezing a drop of blood from it and dropping it onto the round white stone. She did the same to me.

Anna closed her eyes and recited an ancient spell to the white stone. With the melodious sound of the spell, the two drops of blood on the stone seemed to have a chemical reaction, and they began to move towards each other. Finally, Leon’s blood and mine merged, and the range of blood gradually narrowed until it was so small that it almost melted into the stone.

When Anna’s voice finally stopped, a small white smoke emerged from the stone. Anna opened her eyes and watched the smoke disappear. She said to Leon in a positive tone, “Yes, she is your mate!”

“Then why can’t I mark Emily?” Leon asked, frowning.

“I can’t answer that question. Maybe it’s just not the right time,” Anna said, putting the round stone back in the silver box. “The moonstone won’t lie, but it can’t tell you everything.”

“So, you will prove to everyone at my wedding that Emily is my mate, right? As you promised me before, if I bring her and the moonstone can prove our mateship, you will attend my wedding!” Leon asked, more like he was making a decision for Anna.

“Yes, I will attend your wedding. At the same time, I will also tell the people that the great Prince Leon has finally found his mate!” Anna said coldly. “If you hadn’t threatened to burn this mountain, I’m afraid I would never have left here!”

“Very good!” Leon gave a conspiratorial smile.

I still didn’t understand what was happening, and I felt lost in a fog. Anna glanced towards the door and gave Leon and me an elusive smile. “It’s already raining heavily! Your Highness, I’m afraid you need to stay here a little longer.”

Just as Anna was speaking, a huge roar sounded above our heads, followed by the sound of rain around the house and the whirring of the wind. The weather had changed just as she had said! In addition to the sound of the wind, my ears were filled with whispers. Those sounds were like the sound of many bees shaking their wings at the same time.

“You are mine!” A hollow and distant voice echoed in my ear.

Who was it? Who was speaking to me?

The voice was distinctly in my ears. I felt frightened, it was a sound I had never heard before. What did she want to say to me?