Page 73 of The Onyx Covenant

The other survivors are scattered throughout, some already changed into dry clothes provided in neat stacks at the tent’s edges.

He leads me to a stack of dry clothes that appear to be my size. “Get changed,” he says softly. “Then we’ll grab some food.”

The clothes are similar to what we’re wearing but dry. I change quickly behind a discreet screen, the fabric heavenly against my skin after so long in wet clothes.

When I emerge, Theron is waiting for me with a smile. “Feel better?” He’s changed as well into black pants, a charcoal tunic, and a dark jacket.

I nod, and we go to collect some food before settling on the cushions. The meal is simple but satisfying—slices of hard cheese and cured meat, rough-crusted bread still warm from the hearth, and small bowls of dried fruit and quince preserves.

As I finish eating, I gather our plates and cross the tent to place them on a stack near the entrance. A jug of water rests beside them, and I pour myself a cup, letting the warmth of the food settle in my belly.

Near the back of the tent, I spot Kay, Zephyr’s Omega, next to Maddox’s Omega, grief etched into their faces. They don’t speak, just pick at the food on their plates. My heart aches for them—for whatever horror they survived to make it back without their partner.

Across the space, I catch a glimpse of Theron speaking quietly with Erebus, their heads bent close, their voices too low to hear.

That’s when I feel it. A stare.

I turn slightly and find Selene watching me from her spot near the far wall. Her blue eyes are sharp as blades, her face is scratched, and her dark hair is tangled in a way that suggests more than just the storm is to blame.

I try to ignore her, sipping my water.

She rises and stalks toward me, her steps sure and stiff with anger.

“I almost died today because of you,” she groans with no subtlety, just venom.

I blink, caught off guard by the accusation. “Excuse me?”

“I bet you were safe with Theron at your side,” she continues, poison dripping from every word. “While we were attacked by fucking Bloodmoths.”

Ah. That explains the scratches, the tangled hair, and the storm of rage she’s barely holding back.

I raise a brow, tilting my head just slightly. “You were afraid of moths?”

Her eyes flare, the fury in them igniting like dry kindling. “They feed on your skin, you idiot… ripped through clothes like it was paper.”

“Sure,” I drawl, not even bothering to hide the edge in my voice. “If there’s a massive swarm. Was it?”

She opens her mouth, then hesitates, just for a second, but it’s enough.

I see the truth flash across her face before she can hide it.

It wasn’t.

She glares harder, jaw tightening like she wants to lunge at me, and grinds her teeth.

“I was supposed to be with Theron, not you, bitch!” She practically spits the last word, her hands curling into claws at her sides.

I step closer, keeping my voice low but razor-sharp. “Listen, Selene, I don’t care what little fantasy you had planned. I just found two of our kind with their skulls crushed, nearly died on a collapsing bridge, and my best friend is still out there somewhere. Your hurt feelings are the least of anyone’s concerns right now.”

Selene’s beautiful face contorts with rage, her body tensing as if preparing to spring. “You think this is about hurt feelings?” Her voice is a venomous whisper, barely audible to the others resting nearby. “This is about tradition. About bloodlines. About maintaining the purity of what we’ve built for generations.”

“Spare me the purity speech,” I hiss back. “We both know this is about your wounded pride.”

Her eyes gleam with cold fury. “You have no idea what you’ve stepped into, Elios trash. You’re nothing but a temporary distraction for him. When this is over—if you even survive—he’ll come to his senses.”

“The only thing coming to an end is your delusion,” I counter, feeling my own anger rising to match hers. “Theron made his choice. Deal with it.”

Something shifts in her expression then—calculation replacing blind rage. She leans in closer, her words meant for my ears alone. “You know, I should have made sure you died in the gorge that first night. My mistake.”

---