Page 101 of The Onyx Covenant

“Wait,” I say, my smile fading. “Something’s wrong.”

Theron follows my gaze to the stone. His brow furrows. “What is it?”

“It’s not… it shouldn’t be—” My words are cut off by another rumbling beneath our feet, different from before. Not the walls descending, but something else—something changing.

In the middle of the now-exposed field, the ground shifts and rises. Earth and stone rearrange themselves, forming a perfect circle approximately thirty feet in diameter. And at its center, a stone dais emerges from below, rising to waist height.

“The Sacred Circle,” Theron breathes, his body tensing against mine.

Kieran, who had been halfway to Aria, stops in his tracks and looks back at us. “Wait, what’s happening?” he calls, confusion clear on his face.

“We’re not done,” I whisper, horror dawning. “Tarek said the first team to retrieve the stone and return it to the Sacred Circle would win.”

“Melian’s warning,” Theron says urgently. “The stone must be freely given to the Sacred Circle.”

As if in response to his words, every competitor still on the field turns toward us—toward the stone in my hand. The celebration dies in an instant, replaced by a predatory stillness that makes my skin crawl.

“Oh, fuck,” I breathe. “They all know.”

“Lyra!” Aria shouts from across the field, pointing frantically at the Sacred Circle. “The ritual’s not complete!”

Without warning, Selene and Erebus turn back toward us, their expressions transformed from defeat to renewed determination. Selene’s eyes lock on the moonstone, calculating the distance between us.

“We have to get to the circle,” Theron says, his voice tight. “Now.”

“Run,” I gasp, clutching the stone tighter. “We need to run!”

We break into a sprint toward the Sacred Circle, but we’re not the only ones. The field erupts into chaos as every remaining competitor makes a desperate dash toward either us or the circle itself.

“Don’t let them take it!” Theron shouts as a pair of competitors cut across our path. He barrels into them without slowing, clearing our way.

My lungs burn as I push myself faster, the moonstone clutched in my fist. From the corner of my eye, I spot Selene gaining on us, her face twisted with determination. Behind her, Erebus is plowing through anyone who gets in his way.

“They’re gaining!” I yell to Theron, who glances back and curses.

Ahead of us, I see Aria purposefully place herself in the path of an opponent rushing toward us. She feigns a stumble, crashing into her legs and sending her sprawling.

“Go, Lyra!” she shouts as she scrambles to her feet.

Kieran appears at our flank, intercepting Erebus with a shoulder check that sends them both tumbling across the dirt. “Get to the circle!” he roars as he grapples with the larger man.

We’re close now—twenty feet, fifteen, ten. The symbols around the Sacred Circle come into view and begin to glow.

“Almost there,” Theron pants beside me.

A flash of movement to our right—Selene lunging toward us, fingers outstretched for the stone. Theron shoves me forward, placing his body between us as he collides with her.

I stumble the final few steps into the Sacred Circle alone, its perimeter tingling against my skin as I cross it. The dais at the center beckons, a small hollow carved into its top—perfectly sized for the Onyx Moonstone.

My hands shake as I place the stone on the dais, expecting it to fit seamlessly into the hollow.

Nothing happens.

“No,” I gasp, pressing harder. The stone refuses to settle, rolling slightly to one side. “No, no, no!”

Theron vaults into the circle behind me, his breathing ragged. “What’s wrong?”

“It won’t fit!” Panic rises in my throat as I hear the sounds of others approaching. “The stone won’t go in!”

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