Chapter 105
Chapter 105
5 vouchers
The silver cut burned so badly I forgot how to breathe. I grabbed my arm and stumbled back, teeth clenched, eyes watering. The marked boy behind me held the back of my top. “Luna?” he whispered.
I looked down at him. His lips were trembling. I swallowed the scream sitting in my throat and pushed him behind me. “Stay behind me,” I said.
Damien moved at the edge of the ring. His fists were clenched, eyes almost black. Linda had one hand lifted near his chest like she was ready to stop him if he stepped forward. “Don’t,” I said, pointing at him.
His jaw flexed. “Sienna, that is silver.” I nodded fast, breathing through my teeth. “I know.” His eyes dropped to my arm. “You are bleeding.” I swallowed hard. “I know that too.”
He took one step forward anyway. I shook my head fast. “No. You promised.” His eyes locked on mine. “You said trust,” I said, breathing hard. His chest rose and fell like he was fighting himself. Then his hand curled into a fist and he stayed where he was.
I turned back to the warriors. “Keep going.” One of them looked at Marcus. “She is injured.” I laughed once, but it came out wrong. “Wow. Amazing observation. Move.”
Marcus cleared his throat. “The task continues.” The first warrior rushed me with the staff. I ducked and shoved the marked boy behind my back. Pain shot up my arm so fast my knees nearly folded. The second warrior came from my left. His blade flashed silver again.
Damien growled. I snapped my head toward him. “Damien.” He stopped, breathing through his nose. “Stay,” I said. His eyes narrowed. “Do not talk to me like I am a dog.” I glared at him. “Then stop acting like you’re about to jump the fence.”
The boy whispered, “Are you okay?” I grabbed his wrist and moved him toward the marked stone. “Not even a little. But you are going to be.” He nodded.
The warriors circled again. I watched their feet. One stepped forward, and I blocked him with my forearm. The silver burn screamed through my skin, but I shoved him back. Another warrior tried to slip past me toward the boy.
“Nope,” I muttered, grabbing his sleeve and yanking him backward. He almost fell. I kicked his knee, just enough to drop him. Restraint. Cute little trial requirement.
“Move,” I told the boy. He ran two steps, then froze when another warrior blocked him. I placed myself in front of him again. My arm was wet with blood now.
“Touch the stone when I say,” I told him. He nodded quickly. The warrior with the silver blade came again. I waited until the last second, then twisted sideways. The blade cut my sleeve, and I shoved his elbow up. The weapon hit the dirt. “Now,” I shouted.
The boy ran and slapped his hand on the marked stone. Marcus lifted his hand. “Task complete.” No one clapped. I did not need applause from people who needed a whole trial to decide if I deserved respect.
I bent forward, pressing my good hand to my knee. Damien stepped into the ring this time, and I did not stop him. He came to me fast. “Let me see,” he said.
11:49 Thu, May 21
Chapter 105
5 vouchers
“I finished.” He nodded, eyes still on my arm. “I saw.” His voice was rough. His fingers touched my wrist, then stopped. “Can I?” That almost got me. Him asking before touching me when everyone else had spent days grabbing, accusing, dragging, testing.
I nodded. He lifted my arm gently. His face changed when he saw the silver burn. “I’m going to kill whoever switched that blade,” he said. I swallowed. “Can you schedule that after the trial?” His eyes snapped to me. “This is not funny.” I looked away. “I know. I’m trying not to cry.”
His face softened immediately. I raked my fingers through my hair. “Don’t look at me like that.” He stepped closer. “Like what?” I blinked hard. “Like I’m breaking.” He blocked part of the crowd from my view. “You are allowed to break.” I shook my head. “Not right now.” His voice lowered. “Sienna.” I repeated it slower. “Not right now.”
Something pulled under my skin. I froze. Damien noticed instantly. “What?” I pressed my hand to my chest. “I don’t know.” My wolf went still inside me. Not angry. Not loud. Just still.
“Sienna?” Damien said. I backed away from him. “Give me space.” He lifted both hands and stepped back. The mark near my collarbone burned under my shirt. I grabbed the fabric and gasped. My knees hit the dirt. The crowd started moving, whispering, backing up. “Do not crowd her,” Damien snapped.
My fingers pressed into the ground. They bent wrong first. That was the part that made me panic. My nails sharpened and dug into the dirt. I tried to say Damien’s name, but my jaw hurt so badly the sound came out as a broken growl.
Damien dropped to one knee in front of me, still far enough not to touch. “Look at me.” I shook my head, breathing too fast. His voice cracked. “Baby, look at me.” I forced my eyes up. His face was tense, but he stayed still. “You are still here,” he said.
My spine cracked. I cried out, and fur pushed over my arms. My clothes tore at the seams. I clenched my teeth, but my mouth changed, my hands changed, my whole body dragged itself into something else.
When it stopped, I was on four legs, panting hard, claws sunk into the dirt. Nobody moved. I looked down at myself, at dark paws, at the blood on my fur. Alice stood near Clara. Her face twisted before she fixed it.
Too late. I saw it. My wolf saw it. Damien stayed on one knee. He did not reach out. He did not order me closer. He just lowered his head slightly, like he respected me enough not to treat me like a monster.
My wolf stepped toward him before I even decided to move. He lifted his hand slowly. “Can I?” he asked. A sound rumbled out of my chest, but it was not a warning. I pushed my head under his palm. His fingers slid into my fur. “There you are,” he whispered.
Then the rotten scent hit me. Perfume. Smoke. Blood. My head snapped toward Alice. She froze. A growl came out of me, low and sharp, aimed straight at her.
11:49 Thu, May 21 ♬
