Page 72 of The Blood Moon Oath

She pushes off me with a laugh, setting herself up for the next round. She’s already moving, positioning herself, but I’m faster. I can already feel the shift in the air between us, the charge of energy that comes before a fight.

I lunge, quick and precise, but she’s ready, deflecting my strike with a move of her own. We’re back in the rhythm, circling each other, both of us laughing like maniacs.

She’s a wild one, this kitten. I can’t wait to see how far she’ll push me.

And then, in a flash, I hear her voice, calm and still full of mischief. “So,” she says as she lunges, catching me off guard with the swift movement, “you’re not just some savage animal who enjoys the fight. You’replanningsomething with me, aren’t you, Torin?”

I pause, just enough for her to pin me for a split second, and I grin. “You think I’mplanningsomething, kitten?” Ichuckle darkly, my fingers sliding along her skin. “I’m not the one who has plans for you. You, kitten, are playing a game with me.”

Her smile is savage, hungry. She doesn’t even wait for me to recover. The game is on, and I know we’re both going to enjoy it.

Chapter

Thirty-Seven

KAEL

The room feels colder than it should, despite the warm fire crackling in the hearth. The dim light from the flames flickers across the stone walls, casting long, eerie shadows that stretch like ghosts across the floor. I’m sitting at my desk, papers scattered in front of me—one eye on the door, one on the reports about Rothgar's movements that got sent over earlier. There's word of unrest, rebellion, and movements I can't quite place. He's not adhering to the Blood Moon Truce. But, I must respect our sacred traditions, so my hands are tied and I'm fucking frustrated about it.

Two weeks until the Trials resume, and it feels like the whole damn world is on the edge of a knife. I don’t know how much longer I can hold everything together, but I’ll be damned if I let it fall apart before we finish what we started.

The door creaks open, pulling me from my thoughts. I don’t need to look up to know who it is. The heavy footfalls, the air of confidence mixed with a whiff ofinsanity—Torin.

He strides in without a word, and the temperature in the room seems to rise a few degrees, like he’s heating up the place with just his presence.

“Kael,” he says, voice low but thick with irritation. Well, irritation as far as Torin is concerned. “We need to talk.”

I raise an eyebrow, still not bothering to look at him. “What’s there to talk about?” I mutter, my fingers tracing the edge of the parchment in front of me.

Torin’s footsteps stop behind me, and I can feel the weight of his presence, the pressure building in the room like a storm ready to break.

“Don’t play stupid with me,” he growls, his voice laced with something darker now. “You left Sable alone after your first time with her. What the hell is wrong with you?”

I finally look up, meeting his gaze. The firelight dances in his eyes, but there’s a coldness there that I can’t ignore. He knows I’m not a man who gives a damn about much, but Sable is different. For me and for him.

I shrug, trying to brush it off. “What do you want me to say, Torin? She fell asleep. I didn’t want to wake her up, so I put her in her own bed. End of story.”

Torin snorts, clearly unimpressed. He steps closer, his boots clicking against the stone floor with a steady rhythm that grates on my nerves. “You’re really gonna stand there and tell me that’s all? You just... left her, Kael? After everything?”

I lean back in my chair, folding my arms across my chest. The last thing I want is to get into this right now, especially with him. But I know Torin too well. He won’t let me off that easy. He’s not the kind to leave things unsaid.

“You’re pissed because I left her in her bed?” I ask, my voice flat, masking the frustration I feel inside. “It’s not like I don’tcare. I didn’t know what to do. What was I supposed to do, Torin? Let her sleep in my chambers? In mybed?”

Torin stands there for a beat, just looking at me like I’m the biggest idiot he’s ever seen. “Yes, Kael,” he says finally, voice dripping with sarcasm. “You should’ve done that. You should’ve stayed with her, held her. Done somethingright.”

I bite the inside of my cheek, my fingers curling into the wood of the desk. The last thing I want to do is open up about it. But Torin’s not giving me an out.

“Youdidn’t stay with her,” I mutter, more to myself than to him, the words escaping before I can stop them.

Torin grins—shit, I knew that was coming. “And? I didn't fuck her for her first time. I left that honor to you, so she could experience what that felt like through a binding. And, what did you do with the privilege?” he asks, his tone far too smug for my liking. “You left her, you idiot. You’re not some heartless bastard, Kael. I know you’ve got it in you to actually give a damn about someone.”

I sigh, rubbing my temples. The last thing I need is a lecture from him. But I’ve never been able to escape his damn insight. His ability to read people—especially me—is uncanny. Even more so when you consider that he comes off as certifiable.

“Fine,” I growl, giving in, “maybe I wasn’t sure what the right move was. She fell asleep in my arms, Torin. She looked...peaceful. I didn’t want to fuck that up. So I thought I’d let her sleep. And I didn't think she'd want to wake up looking at me. Maybe she'd regret everything if she did.”

Torin’s eyes soften for a split second, just a flicker of understanding before that same confident smirk returns. “You really are a fucking idiot, Kael. But at least you’re aself-awareidiot. I’ll give you that.”

I can’t help but laugh despite myself. Torin’s grin widens, his usual arrogance rolling off him in waves. The tension in the room feels lighter now, just enough for me to exhale.

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