Page 87 of The Blood Moon Oath

Chapter

Forty-Five

SABLE

Iam him.

The realization slams into me as soon as the world shifts, as soon as the cold darkness that consumed us fades away into something more... tangible. My hands, larger, rougher, covered in tattoos that seem to burn under my skin, feel like my own, yetnot mine. Every detail falls into place, the disorienting feeling of becoming someone else settling deep into my bones.

I am no longer standing in the soft, warm light of Torin’s chambers. I’m in a dark room, the ground beneath my boots cracked and dry, the scent of blood and dust hanging heavy in the air. It’s hot, unbearably so. I recognize it, though I have never seen it before. It’s his home—a place of harsh, unforgiving stone walls and long shadows, a world I’ve never imagined.

But I feel the connection immediately. Iknowthis place. Ifeel the hate, the anger, the rage that has been buried deep inside me—the pounding of my heart, the thrum of blood pumping through my veins. The world feels... too small for me, too suffocating, and I can feel myself growing, expanding, a part of me that’s ready tosnap.

The sound of voices snaps me out of the fog in my mind, the anger, the pain, the shame—all of it swirling like a storm inside me. I lift my head, slow, my vision blurry from the blood dripping into my eyes. The world feels distant, muffled, as if I’m seeing it through a thick layer of fog.

I’m tied up. My wrists and ankles bound with chains that dig into my skin, the sharp edges of the metal cutting into me with every slight movement. My chest aches from the blows. My body is bruised, battered. But that’s not what hurts the most.

What hurts the most is the laughter. The taunting, cruel laughter of my siblings.

They stand in front of me, their faces twisted in mockery, eyes alight with malice. The air between us is thick with disdain. I can feel their hands trembling with their excitement of what’s coming next.

“You know, little brother,” the oldest one sneers, stepping forward. His tall, imposing figure leans over me, his hand tightening around the hilt of a blade. “You should be grateful. We’re giving you what you’ve always wanted.” He presses the cold steel against my chest, the sharp edge grazing my skin, sending a shiver through me.

“I bet you love these knives,” the next one, my middle brother, says with a mocking grin. “All you ever do is stare at them, play with them. That's because you don’t have anyrealpower, do you? Not like us.” His voice drips with contempt, the words sinking into my mind like poison.

I grit my teeth, refusing to respond, but the truth stings. They’re right. I don’t have any power. Not like they do. I’m nothing. I’m weak. They’ve always known it. The first of my tribe born without magical abilities. Always rubbed it in my face. I can feel my heart pounding, the thrum of blood in my ears, but I don’t dare to look up at them. Not now. Not when they’re so close to breaking me completely.

“Look at you, Torin,” the youngest sneers, her voice laced with venom. She pulls a sharp knife from her belt and traces the blade down my chest, cutting deep enough for the blood to pour freely. It burns, searing against the rawness of my skin. The pain is blinding, but it’s not enough to make me scream. It’s not enough to break me.

Yet.

They laugh again, louder this time, enjoying the spectacle. I close my eyes, trying to block out the sound, but it’s impossible. The cruelty in their voices echoes in my mind, repeating over and over. “Weakling.Nothing.”

And then it happens.

The blade digs in deeper, and the pain slices through me like a hot knife. The chains cut into my skin, digging deeper with every shift. I feel the rage surging, building. It starts in my gut, a fire igniting inside me, hotter and faster than anything I’ve ever known.

“Youreallylike knives, huh?” The oldest one mocks, turning the knife in his hand, pushing it harder into my flesh, twisting it. “So much better than powers, isn’t it?”

The words blur in my mind, lost in the fire growing inside me. My skin feels like it’s on fire, my heartbeat roaring in my chest. I can feel the heat growing, spreading from my core to every inch of my body. The chains rattle as I strain against them, my fingers and toes curling in pain, but somethingelsestarts to stir. Somethingdifferent.

I try to ignore it. I try to push it down. But it’s too much.

The air in the room grows thick, a heavy, suffocating pressure. I feel it pushing against me, clawing at the edges of my control. It’s not just rage. It’s somethingelse. Something wild, something feral. It’s my power—the one I’ve been hiding from for so long.

Because it's too strong.

I can't control it.

And then iterupts.

The chains snap like twigs, the metal grinding against itself in a cacophony of noise. My body is no longer just me. I amraw power, an unrelenting force that bursts from the depths of my soul. I don’t even know what’s happening. The air crackles with energy, the ground beneath me shakes. I can hear my siblings' voices—shocked, terrified—but I don’t care.

"They are cruel. They are filled with hate. They deserve to die," the power whispers into my ear.

Isnap.

The walls around me tremble as the force of my power radiates outward. The floor cracks open, and the room feels like it’ssinkingbeneath my feet. My vision goes black with the power surging through me, but I can hear them. I hear the screams of my siblings as they try to flee. They can’t.

---