“Some of you will run. Some of you will chase. Some of you will trip over a root and fall flat on your face, and let me tell you, the Divine is watching… nay, laughing. And it’d be a damn shame to disappoint.”
The crowd erupted in laughter, myself included. He had a way of easing a bit of the tension that had settled in my spine.
“Let no chain hold you. Let no fear bind you. The Divine does not favor the meek nor the slow of foot! Run! And if you’recaught, yield as all prey must—revel in the joy of the hunt. May we feast beneath the moon, drunk on victory and flesh!”
With that, he slammed his staff into the ground.“Run, you mad bastards, RUN!”
I balked like a startled deer at the shrill horns. The females bolted, clumping together in a pack. I followed until I saw where they were headed—north. Toward the river.
The one place Jase had told me to avoid.
Against my better judgment, I broke off from the group, picking up speed as I barreled through the trees.
At first, all I could hear were my bare feet hitting the ground and the frantic beat of my heart. The moon bathed the forest in silver, casting shadows that played tricks on my mind. Was the darkness moving? I could’ve sworn I saw something curl around a tree trunk.
My legs ached, but the fear had taken over. Excitement was gone—only survival remained.
A branch snapped behind me and my steps faltered. I stumbled over a root—only to be caught. The darkness rising to meet me, steadying me before I could hit the ground. I froze, my breath ragged and curling into the cold night air in thick, ghostly plumes.
“Jase?” I called. “Is that you?”
No answer.
A fluttering of wings from the bushes broke the silence. I turned, backing away slowly. I was too exposed. How far should I go? What happened if someone other than my princes found me out here?
A strange grumbling chuckle rolled from behind the trees and terror crawled up my spine. Something wasn’t right. I jolted back into motion, my tired legs finding new life as I ran. Someone was following me, but I didn’t dare look back. The shadows at my feet writhed and seemed to push me forward. Thesounds behind me grew louder—branches snapped, as if a giant was barreling through the trees. Panic threatened to swallow me whole.
Then suddenly, everything stopped. A low, guttural groan echoed through the woods, followed by complete silence.
I ducked behind a tree, desperate to catch my breath. My lungs burned, and my ears rang in the stillness. Damn Fallon. Damn this ridiculous outfit. I hadn’t had a place to bring my eidris with me and I felt more vulnerable than ever.
I chanced a break, trying to retrace my steps—only to crash into something solid.
A rune-painted chest.
A scream tore from my lips as large hands encircled my arms. “I like it when you scream, little bird,” Nico’s deep, gravelly voice cut through my panic.
I threw my arms around him, letting the fear melt from my body. Every muscle turned to liquid, and I let the strength of him hold me up. Leaves rustled behind us, and my body went rigid in Nico’s arms.
“Looks like you found our prey. She’s faster than I thought,” Luca said, an edge to his voice I hadn’t heard before. “Our younger brothers may have gotten their way with her first, but it looks like we won the race.”
“I’m beginning to think the lady prefers our baser instincts. She likes it when our beasts come out to play,” Nico said, the two of them circling around me with hungry eyes.
“Now we get to enjoy our prize,” Luca added.
Fear and excitement warred for dominance, but I couldn’t stop the warmth blooming in my core as anticipation took hold.
“She’s my prize. I got to her first,” Nico asserted, the two of them locking eyes as they continued to circle.
“She’s my fated, too!” Luca growled. I wasn’t used to my happy-go-lucky beast being so aggressive.
“You can watch while you wait your turn. Or, by all means—challenge me.” Nico beckoned him forward, and a part of me wondered if he was hoping for the fight. I stood frozen, watching the spectacle, feeling more like prey than ever before.
“You may be older. You may be bigger. But for her—I will take down anything standing in my way.”
Nico growled in turn. “Are you going to watch, or are you ready to fight?”
Luca bowed slightly. “I’ll wait. Someone has to finish her off when you leave her wanting.”
