Page 103 of The Blood Moon Oath

Kael steps forward, his expression cold and unyielding. “Take your hands off her, Rothgar,” he says, his voice like ice. “Now.”

Even Finn, who is usually composed, looks murderous. “You’ve crossed a line,” he says darkly. “Touch her again, and you’ll wish you hadn’t.”

Rothgar looks between them, his smirk returning as if he thrives on their rage. “Interesting,” he muses, his fingers tightening on my tunic just to provoke them further. “Do you all care for her this much? How touching. I wonder how long that bond will last when the Trials begin.”

Torin takes a step forward, his hand already reaching for ablade. “Touch her again, Rothgar,” he says, his voice deadly calm, “and I’ll carve out your heart.”

Kael’s control cracks, his eyes darkening with unrestrained fury. “Let her go, or there won’t be enough of you left for the Trials.”

Finn narrows his eyes, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. “You know the rules, Rothgar. She’s challenged you in the Trials. If you harm her now, you’ll be branded a coward in front of all these warlocks. Or are you too weak to face her when the time comes?”

The crowd murmurs again, and I see the flicker of doubt in Rothgar’s expression. He knows they’re right, and the warlocks surrounding us are beginning to nod in agreement.

Grinding his teeth, Rothgar releases my tunic, the torn fabric slipping back into place. “Fine,” he growls, his voice low and filled with venom. “The Blood Moon truce ends in two hours. We’ll settle this then.”

He steps closer one last time, his breath hot against my ear. “You’ll regret crossing me, little witch,” he whispers, his tone soft but deadly. “When the Trials begin, I’ll make sure you suffer.”

Torin growls again, Kael’s fists clench, and even Finn looks ready to snap, but Rothgar simply smirks and strides away, his followers trailing behind him.

As the crowd begins to disperse, the three of them rush to my side, their hands working quickly to free me from the chains. Torin pulls me into his arms as soon as I’m free, his grip firm and protective.

“You’re safe now, kitten,” he murmurs, his voice trembling with restrained anger. “We’ve got you.”

“Get her down,” Kael orders, his voice sharp with barely restrained fury.

Finn and Torin move quickly, undoing the chains that holdme. As soon as I’m free, I collapse into Torin’s arms, my body trembling from the adrenaline and fear. He holds me tightly, murmuring something I can’t quite hear.

Kael steps closer, his icy blue eyes scanning me for injuries. “Are you hurt?” he asks, his voice softer now.

I shake my head, unable to find the words. Finn places a steadying hand on my shoulder, his gaze filled with unspoken concern.

“We’re here,” Torin says firmly, his arms tightening around me. “You’re safe now, kitten. No one’s going to touch you again.”

But as I look at the wreckage of the square, at the faces of the warlocks who watched me like prey, I can’t help but feel the weight of Rothgar’s words. The Trials are coming, and I’m more of a target now than ever before.

Chapter

Fifty-Five

FINN

The air in my chambers is tense, heavy with the weight of what’s to come. Sable sits in the center of the room, her legs crossed, her eyes flashing with defiance. Torin is perched lazily on the arm of a chair, flipping one of his blades between his fingers, while Kael leans against the wall, his arms crossed and his expression as stony as ever. And me? I’m pacing, the familiar roll of my ring between my fingers as I try to focus.

“There are ninety minutes until the Trials begin,” I say, breaking the silence. “We haven’t practiced enough as a team, we haven’t finalized a strategy, and we haven’t even decided who will fight first.”

Torin snorts. “What’s there to decide? I’ll go first. Let me slice up a few of those cocky bastards and show them why they shouldn’t mess with us.”

Kael glares at him. “This isn’t about showing off, Torin. We need precision. Strategy.”

Torin raises an eyebrow, twirling his knife in a lazy circle. “Oh, forgive me, Alpha. I didn’t realize we were playing chess.”

“Enough,” I snap, shooting them both a sharp look. “This isn’t the time for bickering. We need to act like a team, or we’re going to lose. All of us.”

Sable’s voice cuts through the tension like a blade. “You’re forgetting something.” She stands, her gaze shifting between the three of us. “I’m part of this team too. And if you think I’m going to stand back and let you fight for me, you’ve got another thing coming.”

Kael stiffens, his eyes narrowing. “Sable, you’re our?—”

“Our what?” she interrupts, stepping closer to him. “Your prisoner? Your little plaything? You think you can just lock me away and keep me safe while you fight my battles?”

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