Page 104 of The Blood Moon Oath

Torin chuckles, shaking his head. “She’s got a point, Kael. Kitten’s got claws.”

“This isn’t a game, Torin,” Kael snaps, his frustration bubbling over. He turns back to Sable, his voice softer but still firm. “You don’t understand what’s at stake. If you get hurt?—”

“Then I get hurt,” she interrupts again, her voice rising. “That’s my choice. My fight. Or have you all forgotten that I’ve been hunting warlocks long before I met any of you?”

Torin grins, leaning back in his chair. “She’s feisty when she’s mad. I like it.”

I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Enough. All of you.” I turn to Sable, meeting her fiery gaze. “No one’s asking you to stand back because we doubt you. We’re asking because we care about you. Because if something happens to you out there, it’s not just you who suffers. It’s all of us.”

Her anger falters for a moment, her lips pressing into a thin line. “I don’t need protecting.”

Kael exhales sharply, running a hand through his hair. “This isn’t just about protecting you. It’s about surviving. Together.”

“We’re wasting time,” I say, stepping between them. “Sable, you’re fighting. That much is clear. But we need a plan, and we need it now.”

I glance around the room, meeting each of their eyes in turn. “Torin, you’ll go first. You’re aggressive, unpredictable. You’ll rattle them, make them doubt themselves.”

Torin grins. “Now we’re talking.”

“Kael, you’ll go second,” I continue. “You’re the powerhouse. Once Torin’s shaken them, you’ll finish them off with precision.”

Kael nods, his expression serious.

“Sable,” I say, turning to her. “You’ll go third. Use everything you’ve learned so far. Your powers, your instincts. Don’t hold back.”

She nods, her jaw set in determination.

“And I’ll go last,” I finish. “If it comes to that.”

Kael frowns. “If?”

I meet his gaze evenly. “It won’t.”

The room falls silent, the weight of the plan settling over us. Just as we’re about to leave, Sable speaks up. “Wait.”

We all turn to her, and she hesitates for a moment before taking a deep breath. “I need to tell you something. All of you.”

She moves to the center of the room, her hands clasped in front of her. “I haven’t been honest with you about why I came here. Why I started hunting warlocks in the first place.”

Torin tilts his head, curiosity flashing in his eyes. “Go on, kitten.”

Sable’s voice trembles slightly as she begins. “My family was killed by warlocks. I was just a child. They destroyed my village, slaughtered everyone I loved. I swore an oath that Iwould avenge them. That I would hunt warlocks until I couldn’t anymore.”

The room grows heavy with her words, the pain in her voice cutting through even Torin’s usual humor.

“But then I met you,” she continues, her eyes shifting between us. “And I realized... not all warlocks are the same. You’re not monsters. You’re my... you’re my family now. And for the first time in years, I feel like I belong somewhere.”

I feel my chest tighten. Torin is the first to break the silence, standing and pulling her into a tight hug. “Damn it, kitten,” he says gruffly. “You’re gonna make me cry.”

Kael steps forward, his hand resting gently on her shoulder. “You’re not a prisoner, Sable. You never were.”

She looks up at him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Thank you,” she whispers.

The moment stretches, and then, to my surprise, she leans up and presses a soft kiss to Kael’s cheek. He looks stunned for a moment, but then his expression softens, and I see the faintest hint of a smile.

Torin clears his throat. “Not to ruin the moment, but if we’re all admitting feelings, I think I should say?—”

“Not now, Torin,” I say, cutting him off with a smirk.

---