ess

d was still frozen in the doorway, her hand over her mouth, eyes darting between the girl's mangled body

pped his fingers at her, voice s

ked into the sheets, splattering across the floor and walls in a grotesque pattern that would be hard to scrub out, but the maid did

was a storm of fragmented memories, of flashes of violence, of the sheer feral power that had

eyes piercing. "I don't know what that was, bu

ap my mind around it-how had it happened, why had it happened? But Finn's gaze held a warning, a reminder that any weakness

lood-slicked sheets. She stifled a sob, her hands shaking as she cleaned, but Finn'

voice low but dangerous. "You'll scrub every inch

ow. I watched her, the horror and loathing in her eyes as she avoided looking at me directly. She was terrified, but she didn't look away, h

ntly by the trembling maid. She'd scrubbed the walls and mopped the floor, though faint stains would undoubtedly remain, a memory of

, his gaze hard. "Now,

ld see her hands still shaking. Her breaths came in s

a blood oath, right here, right now. You will swear to the goddess and to the pa

lance from Finn silenced her. She swallowed hard, her gaze flickering

d?" Finn asked, h

to her, the blade catching the dim light, gleaming with an ominous edge. She looked at it, her face pale, understanding dawning in

," Finn

een us, her lips quivering, but she raised her left palm obediently. Her gaze held a flicker of defiance, b

welling up, and Finn nodded a

echoed his words. "I swear on my blo

f to continue. "I will not speak of what I saw here, to anyon

hing ancient and irrevocable, something that would follow her to the grave. She kn

in grim satisfaction. "Good. N

nd herself to our secret, her fate sealed with that oath. Finn's expression softened slightly, but only for a moment. He had no sympathy, only a ruthles

on her, calculating, ensuring that she was truly broken. He'd let her live, but only because he was certain she w

ard the door, signaling he

proof of her understanding, the resignation in her eyes was clearly because of the iron grip

ere cold, calculating, but beneath that, I could sense something else-a hint of f

nally asked,

ook away. "What happened here, Cypres

loodlust-it had been unlike anything I'd experienced. I felt the flicker of shame and fear creep

accident," I muttered, though t

f the truth, of the monster that had broken free last night. But after a moment,

e said, voice low. "Because if it does... I'