Page 100 of The Blood Moon Oath

As the post-coital bliss begins to fade, my thoughts drift unbidden to Kael. His distress seeps into my consciousness like an unwelcome chill.

I tense slightly, my brow furrowing as I try to push the intrusive emotions away. Finn and Torin notice the change in my demeanor immediately.

"What's wrong?" Finn asks, propping himself up on one elbow to look at me with concern.

"I...I don't know," I hedge, not wanting to admit the truth. "It's just...I can feel Kael. He's upset."

"Let him stew," Torin says, stretching out on the bed more and putting his hands behind his head.

I sigh heavily, torn between the lingering warmth of our lovemaking and the growing unease emanating from Kael. As much as I hate to admit it, the bond we share, twisted though it may be, still holds sway over certain aspects of my emotional state.

"I can't just ignore it," I murmur, sitting up slowly. "As much as I wish I could, he's still a part of me, whether I like it or not."

Finn sits up beside me, his hand coming to rest on my thigh in a gesture of support. "We understand, Sable. It's okay to feel concerned." His tone is gentle, but I can hear the undercurrent of tension.

I take a deep breath, trying to center myself. The conflicting emotions swirling within me - the residual passion, the budding affection for Finn and Torin, and the inescapable pull towards Kael - create a maelstrom of confusion and turmoil.

"I need to talk to him," I say finally, my voice heavy with resignation. "Not because I want to, but because I have to. For my own peace of mind, if nothing else."

As I slip out of the bed to gather my clothes, I see Torin look between me and then at Finn. "Still want to cuddle without her?" he asks.

Finn glares at him, deadpan. “Torin, if you get within five feet of me, I’ll shove one of your blades somewhere you’ll never find it again.”

Torin smirks, leaning back lazily against the pillows. “Feisty. I like it.”

Chapter

Fifty-Three

KAEL

The fire crackles softly in the hearth, casting flickering shadows across the walls of my chambers. I stare at it, my hands braced against the edge of the desk as though the weight of my thoughts might physically break me. The bond hums faintly in the back of my mind, a constant reminder of what I have and what I don’t.

Sable.

She’s bound herself to Finn now, too. I told myself I’d accepted this—that we’d come to an understanding. But the truth is, I can’t get past the way it gnaws at me. The way it carves out pieces of me and leaves them raw and exposed. I’m not used to these feelings. Not the desire, not the jealousy. Definitely not this... yearning.

The idea of sharing her, of knowing she’s as much theirs as she is mine, tears at something primal inside me. I can’t make sense of it. I’m a warlock. I’ve ruled tribes, conquered lands. I’ve made decisions that have cost people their lives withouthesitation. Yet this woman—this stubborn, infuriating, fiery woman—is unraveling me.

The door creaks open behind me, and I know who it is before I even turn around. Her presence is unmistakable, a spark that sets everything in me alight.

“Kael,” she says softly, stepping into the room.

I don’t respond. I can’t. Not when I feel this storm raging inside me, threatening to consume us both.

“Kael,” she says again, firmer this time. “Don’t shut me out. I can feel you, you know. I can feel what you’re feeling.”

“Then you know I don’t want to talk,” I bite out, still staring at the fire.

She exhales sharply, the sound tinged with frustration. “We talked about this. You said you understood. You said you were okay with?—”

“I thought I was,” I snap, cutting her off as I whirl to face her. Her green eyes flash with defiance, her lips set in a hard line. “But I’m not, Sable. I’m not okay with it.”

She blinks, startled by the sudden intensity of my words. “Why not? What’s changed?”

“What’s changed?” I repeat, my voice rising. “You’ve bound yourself to Finn. Do you know what that means? Do you even understand the depth of what you’ve given him?”

Her jaw tightens, and she steps closer, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. “Of course I do. I understand it better than you think. But I’m not just bound to him, Kael. I’m bound to you, too. You were the first. I gave my innocence to you. Doesn’t that mean anything?”

---