Page 72 of The Onyx Covenant

“Aria!” I call out, scanning the gathered entrants. “Aria, where are you?”

The rain continues to fall, gentler now but persistent, but I can’t see her and hurry toward the tent.

Tavian steps forward, his expression grave. The relief of seeing him alive is immediately overshadowed by the absence at his side.

“Where’s Aria?” I demand, my voice breaking. “Has she returned?”

His jaw clenches. “She, Orion, Kieran, and Rachel haven’t returned.”

Panic rises, sharp and acidic in my throat.

He shakes his head and moves back into the tent, out of the rain.

Theron steps up beside me, his presence solid and reassuring. All I can think about are the trolls in these mountains. Aria could be injured, trapped—or worse.

I wrap my arms around myself, shivering.

Nearby, several elaborate attached tents have been erected. They’re constructed of a gray and faintly luminescent material, as if woven from moonlight itself. Small glowing orbs hover above each entrance, casting cool blue light across the muddy ground.

“We need to go look for them,” I say, already turning back toward the mountainous path we just descended.

Theron catches my arm. “Lyra, wait.”

“No, we can’t just?—”

“Priestess Mooncrest.” A stern voice cuts through my protest. I turn to see Tarek and Melian approaching from within the tent.

Unlike the rest of us—battered, soaked, and filthy from our journey—the two Covenant representatives look immaculate. Their ceremonial robes are perfectly dry, without a speck of mud or a single wrinkle. Their hair and skin are clean, as if they’d just stepped out of a bath rather than traveled the same treacherous mountain we did.

“We need to find my friend,” I say, facing Melian directly. “There are four of them still out there somewhere.”

Melian’s expression remains impassive. “The Harvest Ritual continues regardless of individual circumstances. Those who have arrived may proceed. Those who have not must find their own way and will be eliminated if they don’t arrive.”

“Are you serious?” I step closer, disbelief making me reckless. “There are trolls out there. We found Zephyr and Maddox dead already. And you’re just going to… what? Leave them to die?”

“We do not interfere,” Tarek states firmly. “Each participant is responsible for themselves and their partner. This is the way it has always been.”

Theron continues at my side, hand at my back, urging me to move away from the Covenant members. He leans in close, saying, “Kieran has survived worse than this. If anyone can find a safe path through this mess, it’s him. Let’s not panic yet.”

I want to believe him. I need to believe him. But the image of Zephyr’s crushed skull flashes before my eyes, and my throat tightens.

“You leave, you nullify your continuation in the ritual,” Melian says, her voice as cold as mountain stone. “Everyone is responsible for themselves. This is why your team member is most important.”

“We wait,” Tarek states with finality. “They have until midnight. If they don’t arrive by then, they forfeit their positions in the final trial.”

The declaration falls like a stone. Midnight. Hours away still, but with the storm and the mountain’s dangers…

“Come,” Melian gestures toward the tents. “There is food and dry clothing. You’ll need your strength for what’s to come.”

I want to refuse on principle, to stand in the rain until Aria appears, but Theron’s hand on the small of my back guides me into the tent.

“We’re no use to them exhausted and hypothermic,” he murmurs close to my ear. “Besides, Aria would kick your ass if she knew you were standing in the rain like an idiot instead of getting dry.”

Despite everything, a small smile tugs at my lips. He’s right. Aria would absolutely give me hell for being dramatic.

“Fine,” I concede.

Inside, the space is larger than it appeared from outside—impossibly so, as if the canvas walls contain more space than they should. Soft rugs cover the ground, intricately patterned in blues and silvers that remind me of Elios ceremonies. Plush cushions are arranged around low tables laden with food, and several braziers provide warmth without smoke.

---