Page 12 of The Blood Moon Oath

Finn, the one Kael called Ghost, rolls his silver ring between his fingers, his sharp eyes assessing me like a puzzle he can’t quite solve. “She hasn’t given her name yet,” he murmurs, his tone softer but no less dangerous. “Isn’t that a little rude, huntress?”

I press my lips together, my heart hammering in my chest. Their presence is suffocating, each of them radiating a different kind of menace. Yet there’s something magnetic about them, too—something I despise as much as I can’t seem to ignore.

“I don’t see why you need to know it,” I say finally, forcing my voice to steady. “It’s not like I’m staying.”

Kael’s smirk widens, but his eyes remain cold and calculating. “Oh, you’ll stay. One way or another. But let’s make this easier on everyone, shall we?” His voice drops, smooth as silk. “What’s your name?”

I hesitate, the name catching in my throat. “Sable.”

Kael repeats it slowly, testing the word on his tongue. “Sable. A fitting name for a huntress.”

My pulse quickens. How much do they know? How much have I given away?

Kael sets the goblet down, folding his hands in front of him. “Now, Sable. Tell me—what are you?”

Chapter

Eight

FINN

“Idon’t know what you mean,” she says, her voice steady but her jaw tightening just enough to betray the effort it takes. Her defiance is admirable, but there’s something else there too—a flicker of confusion that makes me pause. For a moment, I wonder if she’s telling the truth. Maybe she really doesn’t know what she’s done or what she’s become.

But then my gaze drifts, betraying me. The firelight casts a warm glow across her features, highlighting the sharp lines of her jaw and the fierce determination in her eyes. Her lips are slightly parted, still tight with anger, but full in a way that stirs something low and unwelcome in my gut. The dark waves of her hair frame her face, tumbling over her shoulders and down her back, wild and untamed like the woman herself. The dress she wears clings to her every curve, the deep red fabric emphasizing her strength and vulnerability in equal measure. She’s a contradiction in every sense—primal and raw, yet poisedenough to face the three of us without flinching. My fingers twitch against the edge of the table, and I force my thoughts to steady. This isn’t the time to indulge, no matter how much my body betrays me.

But gods, it’s not easy. Everything about her—her fire, her fight, the sheer audacity she carries in every breath—sets me alight in a way that’s both maddening and magnetic. She’s dangerous. Not just because of her power but because of what she makes me feel. Feelings I swore I’d buried long ago. Feelings that I can’t afford to have.

I force my gaze back to Kael. He leans back in his chair, the flickering firelight catching the sharp edge of his jaw. His tone is calm, collected—a predator in no rush to strike. “Alright," he says coolly. "Let's take it step by step and start with the obvious? Why do you hunt our kind?”

The woman stiffens, her eyes narrowing. “Your kind? You mean soul-stealing monsters who prey on the weak?”

Torin chuckles darkly, but I can see Kael’s patience thinning. “Soul-stealing monsters,” he repeats, his voice laced with dry amusement. “How poetic. But let’s not play games. You’ve been doing this a long time, haven’t you? Tracking us, fighting us, even killing us. That takes knowledge—intimate knowledge. Where did you learn it?”

She crosses her arms, defiance rolling off her in waves. “I don’t owe you answers.”

I roll the silver ring between my fingers, watching her carefully. She’s brave, I’ll give her that, but bravery has its limits. So does Kael’s restraint. “You might want to rethink that stance,” I murmur. “He’s not asking out of politeness, you know.”

Her gaze flicks to me, fire sparking in her eyes. “And I’m not answering because I don’t care.”

Torin snorts, clearly entertained. “Feisty. I like her more every second.”

Kael raises a hand, silencing both of us. His focus remains on her, sharp and unrelenting. “You may not care now, but you will. Why not spare yourself the trouble and tell us?”

The room feels heavier, the air charged with tension. She looks between us, weighing her options. Finally, she scoffs. “You want to know why? Fine. Because your kind destroyed everything I had. My family, my home—everything. And I won’t stop until I return the favor.”

Her voice shakes, but her resolve doesn’t. It’s almost admirable, the way she stands her ground. Almost.

Torin’s grin fades, replaced by something darker. “Destroyed everything, did we? Funny, I don’t remember you.”

“That’s because I’ve never let you get close enough,” she snaps back, her voice dripping venom.

I exchange a glance with Kael, who’s still maddeningly calm, though I can see the sharp calculation behind his eyes. This isn’t just about revenge for her—it’s personal. But how personal?

What drives someone to hunt our kind so ruthlessly, with such precision and venom? I understand vendettas, better than most. A grudge like that can hollow you out, consume everything else until it’s the only thing you’re made of. I’ve seen it in others—and felt it in myself.

For a moment, my thoughts wander, unbidden, to my own past. The taste of betrayal is something I know all too well, its bitterness lingering even now. I understand the way it poisons you, the way it sharpens every edge, every instinct. It makes you stronger, yes, but it also corrodes. It leaves scars you can’t ever heal. My fingers brush over the silver ring I wear, the cool metal grounding me. I remind myself that vendettas are double-edged. They cut deep—on both sides.

Kael’s expression doesn’t shift, but I know he’s thinking the same thing I am: there’s more to her than the rage thatbubbles to the surface. And we’ll uncover every piece of it, even if it means tearing her apart to get there.

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