Page 75 of The Blood Moon Oath

Finn, the ever-earnest one, lifts his eyebrows and looks at me with all the seriousness in the world. "I don’t joke, Sable,” he says, deadpan, and I almost snort.

“No way. Itookyou for a comedian,” I fire back, giving him a challenging look.

Finn doesn’t crack a smile, but I see a hint of amusement in his eyes. “You’ll get used to me."

I can’t help but roll my eyes again, but I’m not reallymad. The situation just feels so ridiculous at this point. I’m sitting in a tub, naked, while both of them stand in front of me, one of them being all serious, the other pretending to have all the answers.

I sigh, reaching for the towel, finally deciding I’m done hiding. I stand, and both of their eyes snap to me—both of them a little too obvious in how they’re looking at me.

“Really, it’s nothing either of you haven’t seen before,” I mutter, stepping out of the tub and wrapping the towel around me.

Kael’s eyes flicker over me—quick, deliberate—but I notice the slight stiffening of his posture. It’s almost like he’s not sure if he should be... jealous?

I smirk. “Especiallyyou, Kael.”

His jaw tightens for a second, and I know that he heard me, but he doesn’t say anything. Instead, he turns away like he’s trying to hide the subtle change in his expression.

Finn seems to shift too, but it’s not the same. There’s an edge to his tension, something different. It’s almost like he’s trying to hide something else entirely. That’s when I realize.He wants me.

I finish toweling off and take a slow, deliberate step forward. "So, when are we getting started?" I ask, glancing at Finn, who finally looks like he’s ready to move on from whatever just happened in his mind.

“Once you’re dressed, we’ll start,” Finn says, his voice steady but with that underlying seriousness that makes me want to roll my eyes again. “I’ll meet you in my chambers. I’ll set up a force field around the area so no one can detect your power signature.”

“Fine,” I reply, letting the towel fall to the floor. “I’ll be right there.”

Finn glances down at my nakedness and I can see the shift in his eyes. He's practiced at not letting it show, but it's there. He nods and starts to walk out, but Kael stays behind, and I turn to face him, sensing something more. Something deeper.

"Are you done taunting my brother?" he asks with a bit of a smirk.

I give him a saucy grin. "Probably not."

"Keep standing there naked, little huntress, and I might just need to bend you over that tub and sate my lust for you again."

I shake my head at him. "Promises, promises."

But then I sense it. Something through our binding. It's not just his desire. There's something else there that makes me pause. I pick the towel back up, wrapping it around myself, suddenly more concerned.

“Why are you doing this?” I ask, my voice softer, my tone gentler. “Why help me train?”

Kael looks at me, his eyes dark but surprisingly vulnerable. "Because I shouldn't have left you, Sable," he says, the words coming out in a rush like he’s been holding them back for far too long. "You trusted me. You... gave yourself to me. And I shouldn’t have just walked away. I thought I was doing theright thing, but it wasn't. I shouldn’t have left you alone after your first time. It wasn’t right."

I study him for a long moment, watching his eyes flicker with something raw, something I wasn’t expecting to see.Guilt. And that’s when I know. I know that it’s not just about desire. Not just about the lust or the burning need that’s passed between us. There’s something else there. Something deeper.

“I know Torin got involved,” I say, my voice softening. “But it wasn’t as big of a deal to me as you think. I wasn’t expecting... warmth from you, Kael. Ididn’texpect it.”

Kael shakes his head, his expression hardening with resolve. "Regardless, I shouldn’t have left you. Not after that. And I want to make it up to you... by doing something that actually helps you. By training you, helping you with your powers."

I take a slow breath, my heart softening just a little bit more for him. “Your past,” I begin, my voice quieter, “it’s made you cold. Distant. But I can see it, Kael. The struggle in you. The guilt. I know what it feels like to have that kind of weight on you.”

Kael’s eyes flicker with something I don’t quite understand, but I feel it—the vulnerability in him, raw and unguarded. He’s letting me in, just a little, and it makes me want to reach out.

I raise my hand slowly, gently, and caress his cheek. He freezes at first, like he’s unsure if I’ll pull away. But I don’t. I let my fingers trace over the hard lines of his face, and he doesn’t move.

Then, almost shyly, he leans into the touch.

The moment feels too intimate, too real, but I don’t pull away. For once, I don’t want to.

And then, just as I’m about to lean in for a kiss, Kael pullsback slightly, his gaze turning intense. “Let’s go,” he says, his voice low. “I want to understand your powers as much as you probably do. But first, we need to get you dressed.”

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