"Moonlight sculpting?" I echoed, intrigued by the concept.

The hag nodded affirmatively. "Yes, the ability to manipulate moonlight, to shape it according to your desires. It requires the presence of moonlight, of course, but it's a remarkable skill! Combined with your family lineage, you're bound to stir quite the trouble at court."

"And what sorts of things might that entail?" I inquired, my curiosity piqued.

"Well, moon fey often use moonlight to give life to their illusions. Things of that nature. But first, you must learn the fundamentals of such magic," she explained, grasping my arm and guiding me towards the door. "Remember, the art of illusion isn't about creating something from nothing. It's about manipulating existing elements – light, plants, shadows, and so forth. Master this, and your illusions could be so convincing, they might even become lethal."

Abruptly, she opened the door and pushed me out, nearly causing me to tumble over the edge. "Are you serious?" I exclaimed, my annoyance clear at the near mishap.

"Find your way back home, dearie, and avoid getting caught," she said with a cackle, before slamming the door shut.

"Caught by whom?" I asked the silent air. No answer came. I tried the door again, but it wouldn't budge. After a moment of contemplation, I resolved to make my way back to my humble abode.

As I continued my journey home, a nagging thought occupied my mind. Who exactly was I supposed to be avoiding? With a shrug, I turned my attention towards the path leading back.

The day had been anything but ordinary. I had sought the hag's assistance, yet I left with more questions than answers. She revealed my ability to sculpt moonlight, but what of the times when the moon was hidden? What limitations did this power hold? And what about the magic inherent to the Cheshire clan? A visit to Purrlyn seemed in order, not just for answers but also to inform her of the measures taken for her protection, though she might dismiss them.

Crossing the bridge that connected the two trees, I felt a stir within me – my Fey nature, my other self, seeking attention. I almost instinctively pushed it down, but then remembered the Goddess's advice about embracing my true self. Curious, I began to explore this part of me. "What?" I asked aloud, apparently conversing with myself.

To my surprise, when I gestured to the surroundings, there was an eerie silence. There wasn't a soul around. To any passerby, I would have seemed like I was talking to myself – which, in a way, I was. The realization that I was utterly alone in that moment struck me, heightening my senses to the stillness of my environment.

Feeling my Fey nature envelop us in tendrils of power, I realized my vulnerable position on the bridge. As soon as this thought registered, I dashed across and pressed myself against the tree on the other side. An instinctual voice inside me screamed to stay hidden. I didn't understand the reason, but I knew better than to ignore such a primal warning.

After a few tense moments of listening, with my heart pounding in my ears, nothing happened. I wondered if I was just being overly cautious or paranoid.

"Alex?" came a voice from behind, startling me. Instinctively, I lashed out with my Fey power towards the source.

Adrian was there, effortlessly deflecting my attacks. "Adrian? What are you doing here?" I managed to ask, still recovering from the shock.

"I came looking for you. I was told you might need my assistance," he replied, pausing briefly before adding, "Our mutual friend sent me."

Puzzled, I asked, "Where is everyone?"

He answered nonchalantly, "With the envoys from the Wild Hunt arriving, most are staying indoors. No one wants to be caught up in that."

"The Wild Hunt?" Is that who I should be avoiding I wondered.

He shrugged. "They could be potential allies or foes against the mankin. Let's get you home," he said, offering his hand.

I hesitated, my Fey nature still on high alert, warning me against going with him. Adrian was trustworthy, but then a thought from my Fey side whispered, "Unless it's not him." I let out a nervous chuckle at the irony.

Adrian's eyebrow arched in concern. "Alex, are you alright?"

I clamped my mouth shut abruptly, my teeth clicking together. "Yeah, I'm just dealing with some things. I'm fine. I'll make it home on my own."

A smile spread across Adrian's face. "Alex, I've come all this way. Could you at least let me accompany you?" He extended his hand towards me.

I instinctively retreated, causing him to halt. His gaze pierced into mine. "No, Adrian. I said no," my inner Fey voice asserted itself, speaking through our shared mouth.

"Alex, this isn't a request. I couldn't forgive myself if something happened to you. What if you fell into the wrong hands?" His pupils started to dilate unnaturally, his form shimmering subtly. I couldn't see the shimmer when I focused directly, but it was perceptible in my peripheral vision.

This couldn't be Adrian. Another Fey deception, no doubt. I yearned for the straightforwardness of the human world. "Stop that!" I admonished my Fey nature.

"No, Alex, I refuse to stop," the imposter Adrian insisted, advancing as I backed away. Soon, I found the edge of the cliff at my heels, a perilous drop awaiting below.

"Not you!" I blurted out, realizing how it looked when I was talking to myself. The imposter Adrian had me cornered, but I wasn't out of options yet. Channeling power into my hand, I readied my next move. "I wonder, do those dilated pupils serve a purpose?" I mused aloud. Without hesitation, I closed my eyes and thrust my hand forward, releasing a surge of Fey energy directly at the fake Adrian.

The scream that followed was a gratifying sign of success. I quickly sidestepped, eyes snapping open, and grabbed what I thought was Adrian's shirt. But the figure before me had transformed into a bizarre creature with a long beaked mask, black feathers, and avian legs.

As I seized the creature, it spun around, its beak-mask beginning to peel back, revealing a grotesque, lipless mouth filled with jagged teeth. It grasped my wrist with a strength that far surpassed mine, immobilizing me.

Yet, I couldn't suppress a smirk, my Fey nature delighting in the cunning plan forming in my mind. I stared defiantly into the creature's dark eyes and delivered a sharp kick to its lower region. I had no idea if the creature had vulnerabilities there, but I knew from experience that even a near miss could be painfully effective.

The creature grunted, its grip loosening slightly. Seizing the moment, I pushed with all my might. It reached out to grab me, but I swiftly dodged, shifting my shoulder just in time. I watched as the creature, its hand grasping at thin air, tumbled over the edge.

As I stood there, expecting some sort of Fey trickery, the world around me began to shimmer. Suddenly, I found myself encircled by Fey, their expressions a mix of surprise and curiosity as they discovered me standing there. They cautiously moved around me, seemingly assessing the situation.

I approached the edge and peered down, observing the steep drop. No sign of the creature's body was visible below. "I guess we'll be seeing him again," I mumbled to myself, half-expecting the creature to reappear in some mischievous Fey fashion.

Reflecting on Ms. Daisy's advice to learn illusion magic, I pondered whether she would find fault in my recent encounter. She had emphasized that Winter was not for the meek. With this thought, I gathered my resolve and continued my journey home.

The remainder of my walk was surprisingly quiet and uneventful. Despite frequently glancing over my shoulder, anticipating my pursuer's return, there was no further sign of them. The stillness gave me time to contemplate my recent experiences and the lessons they held, especially about embracing my Fey nature.

As I entered the glade near my home, an unexpected scene unfolded before me. Tiger and a large troll were engaged in a fierce training session.

"Nice of you to join us," Lord Cheshire greeted me with his characteristic enigmatic smile.

I nodded in acknowledgment. "You wanted to speak with me, Father?" I guessed.

His smile widened. "Indeed. I'm eager to hear about your encounter with our mutual acquaintance. Also, it's time we discussed your mother."

I watched as Tiger, with ferocious agility, launched himself at the troll, his claws and teeth a blur of motion. Yet, the troll remained unmoved, absorbing every strike with an unyielding stoicism.

"The cost of what you're asking will be high, Lord Cheshire. Can you even afford it?" I questioned, eyeing them cautiously.

Lord Cheshire simply nodded in response. In that moment, the troll, who had been passive until now, lifted his hand and swiftly brought it down on Tiger. The impact was audible, and Tiger crumpled to the ground. "No force behind the attack. Speed alone won't make you a threat to me," the troll admonished, his wounds healing rapidly.

Recognition dawned on me; this was the troll from the ceremony, now training Tiger. Concern flickered through my mind for Tiger, but he soon began to rise, albeit unsteadily.

"Let's talk in your cottage," Lord Cheshire suggested.

Wordlessly, I led the way to my home, preparing myself to negotiate with Lord Cheshire.