A CONTRACT WRITTEN IN BLOOD

ARIA’S POV "Do you really think I want this?" My voice barely rises above a growl, but Kade’s glare cuts sharper than any blade. He doesn’t flinch. “Neither do I. But here we are, bound by fate and old blood debts.” I pull my hand back, but his iron grip stops me. “You killed my family,” I spit, my eyes burning with a fire I can’t put out. His jaw tightens. “Based on forged lies. Your so-called family deserved judgment for their sins, not mercy.” “Lies?” I scoff, voice shaking. “My family was slaughtered because you believed a damn lie! Your brother died in that war, and you blame me? I blame you.” Kade’s gaze drops to our joined hands, the contract glowing ominously between our palms. “I never wanted this... this cursed marriage.” I want to scream and tear the contract, but my fingers twitch, reluctant to let go. Despite everything, the warmth of his skin beneath mine unsettles me. “Why did they make us do this?” I whisper, barely audible. Kade’s eyes flick to mine, his voice low and raw. “Because only one of us can survive to carry the power the world needs. The Blood Moon’s curse isn’t just ceremony—it’s a death sentence.” I freeze. “What?” The ancient seer’s voice cuts through the tension, cold and grave. “You both think this bond is your salvation. It is a contract written in blood, but it carries a price. Only one may live to wield the combined power.” I jerk my hand free, stumbling back, breath hitching. “You’re lying. This can’t be true.” Kade steps forward, voice tight. “Neither of us was told. This clause... it’s the real curse.” I glare at him. “So, we’re forced into this marriage to kill each other in the end?” He looks away, pain flashing across his face. “It seems that way.” I swallow hard. “And yet here you stand, acting like we might be something else.” Kade’s eyes catch mine, the faintest hint of something I can’t name flickering in them. “Because maybe... I don’t want this to be the end.” I want to believe him, but the rage is still too fresh. “Save your lies, Blackthorn. You’re the enemy.” He takes a breath, his voice low. “Then why does it feel like you’re the only one keeping me from falling apart?” I narrow my eyes. “Because I hate you.” “And I hate you,” he says quietly, “but it’s the kind of hate that burns... and maybe something else.” The seer’s voice interrupts again. “Your contract will bind you tighter than chains. You will share blood, power, and pain. But know this — only one will survive the next Blood Moon.” I take a step back. “One of us?” Kade’s face hardens. “One of us has to die.” A cold silence falls between us. “Why?” I whisper. “Why force us into this madness?” The seer folds his hands. “Because the darkness rises. Only their union can unleash the power to fight it. But it demands sacrifice.” Kade clenches his fists. “So, we’re pawns.” “Pawns who might have to kill each other,” I say bitterly. His eyes flicker with something sharp. “You’ll be the one to die.” I snort, anger rising. “I’m the last Moonfall. You forget who I am.” “And I’m the last Blackthorn. Don’t forget who I am,” he shoots back. We stare, neither blinking. Suddenly, the glowing contract pulses violently between our hands. I feel a surge of heat, and then the seer’s voice fills the chamber again. “The ritual begins. Your fate is sealed.” I meet Kade’s eyes — hate and something dangerously close to need swirl between us. The Blood Moon hangs heavy above us, casting crimson shadows. “You ready to bleed for this?” Kade asks, voice rough. I swallow hard. “Ready or not, this nightmare just started.” The seer’s chanting grows louder, echoing off the stone walls. The power between us crackles. The contract’s glow deepens. I grit my teeth. “One of us will die.” Kade’s gaze darkens. “And one will rise.” We both know which side we want to be on. But neither of us is ready to say goodbye. The air thickens. And then the seer’s voice cuts through the chamber like a blade: “One of you will die before the next Blood Moon. Which will it be?”