Page 101 of The Blood Moon Oath

Her words hit me like a blow, and for a moment, I can’t breathe. Of course, it means something. It means everything. But the anger—the jealousy—is louder than reason.

“Then why does it feel like it doesn’t?” I growl. “Why doesit feel like you’re giving pieces of yourself away to everyone but me?”

Her eyes blaze with anger, her hands trembling as her emotions build. “Because you don’t let me in, Kael! You keep me at arm’s length and then blame me for not being enough for you. I’m trying, damn it! But you—” Her voice breaks off, her breathing uneven.

The air in the room shifts, crackling with raw energy. I can feel her powers surging, her emotions bleeding into her magic. The fire in the hearth surges, casting wild shadows across her face, and I step closer, my own anger rising to meet hers. "Don't let you in?" I bite out. "You have no idea what you're asking, Sable. No idea what it costs to let someone in."

"Then tell me!" she snaps, taking a step forward, her fists clenched tight at her sides. "Stop hiding behind your walls and excuses. You think you're the only one with scars, Kael? The only one who’s been hurt? Newsflash—I’m not some naive little girl. I gave myself to you because I thought it meant something."

"It does mean something," I hiss, the words slipping out before I can stop them. "But it doesn’t mean I’m okay watching you bind yourself to them. To Finn, to Torin—like it’s so easy for you to?—"

"Easy?" she cuts me off, her voice rising with every word. "You think any of this is easy for me? Do you even hear yourself right now? You're jealous, Kael. Admit it. You’re jealous because you want to keep me for yourself, but you won’t even let me be close to you!"

Her words hit like a slap, and I feel the crack in my armor widen. "I don’t share what’s mine," I say coldly, my voice sharp and unyielding.

Her green eyes blaze with fury. "You don't have to share. You never did. I gave you something your brothers don't haveand never can have. I thought we found solace together, but I guess all of it was a lie."

I flinch at the venom in her tone, but the words that leave my mouth next are raw, unfiltered. "Then why does it feel like I’ve already lost you?"

Her breath hitches, her face softening for just a moment before the anger surges back. "You’re losing me because you’re pushing me away!" she shouts. "You keep building these walls and pretending you don’t care, but you do. And you’re too much of a coward to admit it!"

My fists clench at my sides as her words strike something deep, something I don’t want to face. "You don’t know what you’re talking about."

"Oh, don’t I?" she fires back. "I know what it feels like to be alone, Kael. To be trapped, to be desperate for someone to see you for who you are and not what they want you to be. But you—you're too busy being afraid to feel anything real!"

Her accusations cut through me, and I can feel the bond between us pulsing erratically, mirroring the storm raging inside her. The air around us grows heavy, suffocating, as her power starts to bleed into the room.

"Enough," I growl, stepping closer, trying to contain her before things spiral out of control. "Sable, stop."

"Why?" she demands, her voice trembling with fury and hurt. "Why should I stop? Maybe it’s time you felt something, Kael. Maybe it’s time you stopped pretending you’re untouchable."

"You don’t understand," I snap, my own voice rising to match hers. "You don’t understand what it’s like to be me."

"Then make me understand!" she yells, her voice breaking as the air crackles with energy.

The room feels like it’s about to shatter under the weight of her emotions. The fire in the hearth roars, the flames lickingat the ceiling. Objects around us begin to tremble, the walls groaning as if they might collapse under the pressure.

"Sable, enough!" I shout, trying to reach her through the chaos. But she’s too far gone, her magic surging wildly, feeding off her anger, her hurt, her confusion.

The bond between us thrums violently, and I can feel her power growing, slipping out of her control. The air around her ripples with heat, the flames from the hearth exploding outward in a wave of raw energy. Books, furniture, even the heavy oak desk splinter and shatter, crashing to the floor in pieces.

"Sable!" I call again, but she doesn’t respond. Her eyes are wild, tears streaking her face as the storm inside her rages on. “Sable,” I say sharply, stepping toward her. “Control it.”

But she doesn’t seem to hear me. Her anger is too big, too wild. The bond between us hums erratically, and I can feel the pressure building in her like a dam about to break.

“Sable!” I shout, but it’s too late.

Her power erupts in a violent wave, shattering the windows and throwing books and furniture across the room. The fire surges, licking at the walls before snuffing out entirely. When the dust settles, the room is unrecognizable—broken, ruined.

Sable stands in the center of it all, her chest heaving, her eyes wide with horror as she takes in the destruction. “I—I didn’t mean to,” she whispers, her voice barely audible.

I step toward her, but she shakes her head, backing away. “I’m sorry,” she says, her voice breaking. “I’m so sorry.”

“Sable, wait,” I call, but she’s already running. The door slams shut behind her, and I’m left standing in the wreckage, my fists clenched at my sides. I should go after her. I should.But I don’t move.

I hate myself for not chasing her. I hate myself even more for making her feel like this.

I don't know how long I stand there. It could be seconds. I could be hours. Time seems to have no meaning to me in a moment like this.

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