Page 79 of The Blood Moon Oath

I hate that I feel this way, but I can’t deny it anymore. I’m starting to care for them. All of them. Even though I shouldn’t. Even though I’m supposed to be plotting their downfall.

Torin leaves, and I hear him speaking softly to someone in the hall before the sound of footsteps fades away. As I wait, my mind drifts back to everything that’s happened. Finn. Kael. My powers. I still don’t fully understand everything I’m capable of, but now I have someone like Finn helping me, thanks to Torin’s insistence.

Torin returns with a tray of food, and I can’t deny the relief in my stomach. I push my wayward thoughts aside once again. I’m starving. Maybe I'll think better with food in my stomach. He sets the food down in front of me, the rich aroma making my mouth water. There’s a plate of roasted meats, vegetables, and freshly baked bread, a small dish of fruits on the side, and a pitcher of cool water.

“Help yourself,” Torin says, his tone a little softer now. He sits across from me, watching me as I take a bite.

“I’m glad you helped get Kael to ask Finn to train me,” I say after a moment, looking up at him. I feel his eyes on me, but I don’t mind it anymore. Not in the same way. “Finn’s good. Ifeel like... maybe I can get somewhere with...well whatever it is I have.”

Torin leans back casually and folds his arms. "Magic," he says and I look at him with confusion. “Finn thinks you’re a witch,” he adds.

I stop mid-bite, my stomach tightening. “What?” I ask, my voice almost breathless with shock. I glance up at him, needing clarification. “What do you mean, a witch?”

Torin shrugs nonchalantly. “Yeah, he mentioned it after Kael bound himself to you. That maybe the prophesy is true.” He pauses, eyes narrowing slightly. “Does that surprise you, kitten?”

I blink, my heart racing. I try to process it. A witch. I thought... I didn’t even know what I thought I was, but that—that? “I... I don't know,” I whisper, my hand freezing mid-air as I reach for more food. "My bloodline had witches, but I didn't think it passed to me.”

Torin watches me, his expression unreadable. But there’s something about the way he looks at me now—like he’s weighing every word he’s about to say. “It’s not as big a deal as you’re making it out to be,” he says, the words soft, almost reassuring. “Finn didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just... part of what we do. But it’s also why he had you tested. We need to understand what you’re capable of. If the prophesy is true, it could shift a lot of things in our realm.”

My mind is racing, but I can’t ignore the fluttering in my chest. A witch. Could I really be one? What does that mean for me? For us?

I feel the weight of everything pressing in on me, but Torin’s gaze never wavers. He doesn’t say anything else, just watches me with that ever-present smirk.

I take a deep breath, trying to push my anxiety down. “Idon’t know what this means for me,” I murmur, frustration creeping into my voice.

Torin’s expression softens, just barely. He leans forward slightly, his tone lighter now. “Hey, relax, kitten. We’ll figure this out, yeah? You’re not alone in this.I’mhere. We all are.”

His words settle over me, and for a moment, I feel like I can breathe again. He’s right. I’m not alone in this. I’m notjusta prisoner anymore. I’m starting to be something more. I allow myself not to question his words. To just take comfort in them.

I reach out, my fingers brushing his arm as I slide over beside him on the couch, the tension between us growing thick in the air. I look up at him, heart pounding. He’s looking at me like he wants to say something, but it feels like the room is closing in on us.

“Thank you,” I whisper softly, not just for the training, but for everything he’s done—forme.

Torin’s hand moves to rest on my knee, his fingers brushing against my skin, sending a shiver up my spine. His touch is electric, his warmth seeping through me in a way that makes everything feelalive.

“I don’t need to be thanked, kitten,” he murmurs, his voice hushed, but intense. “But you can show me in other ways.”

I catch my breath, but I don’t pull away.

He leans closer, his lips brushing the side of my ear. “You want me to show you something, don’t you?”

The question hangs in the air between us, thick with the tension that’s been building for days now. And I feel it—that pull, the one I can’t seem to escape.

I let out a breath, my heart racing, my body already aching for him.

"Yes."

Chapter

Forty-One

TORIN

My gaze rakes over Sable's petite form, drinking in the sight of her. She's perched on the edge of the plush sofa, legs crossed demurely, arms wrapped tight around herself as if to shield some vulnerable part of her soul. But I see right through those defenses. I can smell her arousal, taste the fear and anticipation hanging heavy in the air between us.

"Kitten," I rumble, my voice low and husky with barely contained hunger. "Look at me."

Slowly, hesitantly, those wide green eyes lift to meet mine. There's a flicker of uncertainty, of trepidation, but also a spark of defiance. Good. That's what I want to see in my mate. Because, that's what she is.

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