Page 51 of On Burning Paths

“Don’t even think about it.” I’m not the boss of him, but I am the de-facto leader of this group, and I know I’ve earned his trust. “I know you think you’re stronger than this, but this shit will fuck you up, Talon.”

He shrugs. “No matter. I’m sure we’ll find more.”

But when he flashes a smile in my direction, it’s not a challenge.

“It’s more than just berries back here,” Fenric calls, and I realize he’s disappeared into the thicket again. The three of us follow him in and find a nearly perfectly concealed entrance, no bigger than me, that descends down into the earth.

Once again, Nyx swallows.

“I don’t know…”

“Come on.” Talon knocks his shoulder against mine and forges ahead, turning his body to fit into the entrance. “Let’s check it out, big dog.”

We’re the only ones who will be able to really see in the dark. I’d rather not get trapped in a cave tonight, or have to fight whatever we find in there, but night is still falling. It might be our best bet.

Together, the vampire and I slip into the sliver of an opening. Fenric stands protectively between Nyx and the rest of the forest as we disappear. I don’t like leaving her, but I also don’t like the idea of the vampire having to fight whatever cave beast is in here on his own.

A minute later, the cramped passageway, which threatened to narrow to a stop, opens into a cavern, and Talon sucks in a rare, surprised breath.

“Well, holy fuck,” he mutters, swiping the back of his hand over his forehead.

The cave is enormous, far larger than I expected from the narrow opening hidden between the cliffs. The stone ceiling stretches high overhead before opening to the night sky near the center of the cavern, allowing moonlight to pour inside in shimmering silver beams through a small opening. It spills across a broad, flat outcropping of pale stone polished smooth by centuries of water, making it glow against the darkness surrounding it.

At the back of the cavern, a waterfall tumbles down the rock face, its steady roar echoing through the vast space before disappearing into a wide, opalescent pool. The water is so clear I can make out the smooth stones scattered across the bottom, each one gleaming beneath the rippling surface. Tiny crystals embedded in the cave walls catch the moonlight and sparkle like stars, filling the cavern with a soft, ethereal glow. Moss blankets the edges of the pool in deep emerald green, and delicate vines trail from the rocky walls, their pale blossoms swaying gently in the cool breeze drifting through the opening above.

It’s like something out of a children’s book.

“I’ll stay behind and check for any creatures we might not want to share our sleeping area with,” Talon says, waving a hand at me. “You go back and get the others.”

Too stunned to be upset at him giving me direction, I turn and make the uncomfortable walk through the sliver of a hallway. When I emerge, Nyx stands at attention, her eyes skimming first over me, then darting over my shoulder.

“Talon—?”

“He’s fine.” I put a hand on her shoulder. She’s been skittish since the berserker took a fall into the canyon. I can’t even blame her. “We’re going to⁠—”

But the words fall from my mouth when I see a glimpse of red over her shoulder, and realize it’s coming from the moon.

“Thorian?” Nyx asks, raising her hand to cover mine. “What is it?”

I stare at the moon, dread coursing through my body. Fenric turns to look, muttering, “A bloodmoon.” Then, laughing, he turns back to me. “What, are you superstitious?”

There’s a reason that superstition exists in the other realm, where mortals live. And it’s because here, in this forest, during the Trials, the bloodmoon means more than just a fun astronomical occurrence. It marks the Bloodmoon Hunt. It’s only happened once before, but I’ll never forget that night.

“Thorian, what’s wrong?” Nyx asks, and I can feel her pulse picking up. Her hand tightens on mine, and I force myself to pull it together.

My instinct is to lie to her, not tell her what this moon means for her. For our team. For all the competitors in the trials.

But she entered this competition of her own volition, and she deserves to know the truth, as if she was just another member of the team.

“The Bloodmoon Hunt is signified by that moon,” I say, my voice rougher than I want it to sound. “When it finishes its ascent, the hunt begins.”

“…the hunt?” Fenric asks, standing very still.

I nod. “Yes. The gods will unleash… the grath.”

When I pause, waiting for their reaction, it’s clear that neither Fenric nor Nyx has any idea what a superchanger is. I wish I didn’t have to, but I sigh and tell them, “They smell fright, track it. Feed on it. And target those who are afraid. Then, they find you and torture you until they finally kill you. The grath are relentless. They’ll ram through trees, stone, dirt… anything. Once they catch the scent of your fear, they don’t stop until they can tear you to pieces with it.”

“Gods,” Nyx mutters, dropping her face into her hands. “Well, we should get into the cave, then, right?”