Page 102 of The Blood Moon Oath

Then the door bursts open, and Finn and Torin rush in, their eyes scanning the room before landing on me.

“Where is she?” Finn demands, his voice sharp with urgency.

“I—I’m sorry,” I say, the words tasting bitter on my tongue.

“There’s no time for that,” Torin snaps, his usual humor nowhere to be found. “The runes broke. They sensed her powers.”

My heart stops. “Who?”

“Rothgar,” Finn says grimly. “He has her. She’s in the square.”

The weight of their words crashes down on me, and I feel the cold, unrelenting grip of fear clawing at my chest. Sable is in danger. And it’s my fault.

Without another word, we’re moving, the three of us united by a single purpose. To save her. To protect her. To bring her back where she belongs.

Chapter

Fifty-Four

SABLE

The world comes into focus slowly, painfully. My head throbs, and my arms ache from being pulled taut above me. I blink against the harsh light, the glow of torches flickering in the darkness. The cool air bites at my skin, and the murmur of voices fills the space around me, growing louder with every passing second.

I know where I am before my vision fully clears. The square. The heart of the keep. The place I swore I’d never find myself again.

And yet, here I am.

I look down to see chains binding my wrists, my arms stretched above my head and secured to a thick iron post. The cold metal bites into my skin, and when I try to move, the chains rattle, a sound that makes my stomach churn.

“Awake, are we?” Rothgar’s voice cuts through the noise like a blade.

I lift my head, my heart sinking at the sight of him. He’spacing around me, his expression one of smug satisfaction, like he’s already won some twisted game. His black cloak billows behind him, and his sharp features are illuminated by the flickering firelight.

“What is this?” I demand, my voice hoarse, laced with a mix of fear and anger. “What do you want?”

Rothgar’s grin widens as he steps closer, circling me like a predator savoring his kill. His eyes gleam with malice, the flickering torchlight casting shadows over his angular features. “What do I want?” he echoes mockingly, his voice a venomous purr. “Why, I want what’s mine. And you, little witch, are mine now.”

His words send a chill down my spine, but I refuse to cower. I force myself to meet his gaze, my own eyes blazing with defiance. “I’m not yours,” I spit, my voice sharp and unyielding. “I’m not anyone’s.”

“Oh, but you are,” he says smoothly, leaning in closer, his breath hot against my skin. “You see, you’re the perfect little bait. The sabers think you belong to them. They’ll come for you, and when they do…” He leans back, a cruel smile twisting his lips. “I’ll clip their claws and skin their pelts. It’ll be quite the spectacle.”

His hand snakes out suddenly, grabbing the edge of my tunic. My breath catches as he yanks at the fabric, tearing the neckline slightly. The crowd murmurs, their collective energy vibrating through the square.

“Stop,” I snap, twisting against the chains, but his grip only tightens.

“Why should I?” he sneers, his voice loud enough for the warlocks to hear. “You’re a danger to all of us. A hunter. A killer of warlocks. And now we find you’re something even worse—a witch.” His hand trails down the ripped edge of my tunic, and I feel the fabric slacken further.

“Get your hands off me,” I growl, venom dripping from my words, but Rothgar only chuckles.

“Oh, don’t worry, little one,” he whispers, his voice just for me now. “When I’m done here, I’ll make sure you regret every moment of your miserable existence. And when I claim your soul, it’ll be delicious.”

I can feel the heat of his touch through the thin material of my clothing as he pulls at the fabric again. My anger surges, my powers struggling against the chains that suppress them. I grit my teeth, yanking harder against the bindings as his hand ghosts lower, but the chains hold firm.

Before he can go any further, a deep, guttural growl cuts through the air. Rothgar pauses, his head snapping up, his smug grin faltering for the first time. My heart leaps as I see them—Kael, Torin, and Finn, their power radiating off them like a thunderstorm ready to strike.

“Let her go,” Torin snarls, his eyes blazing with fury. His voice is low, lethal, and it silences the square.

Rothgar smirks, his hand still resting on the torn fabric of my tunic. “Ah, the cavalry has arrived,” he says, his tone dripping with mockery. “Here to save your little pet, I see.”

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