THE MOON-BINDERS

Chapter Five: The Gray Lands

Arielle POV:

Lucien carried me in silence.

The forest thinned as we moved deeper, trees giving way to jagged stone and pale, lifeless soil. The air grew colder, heavier and less healthy, making me wonder how anything, except vampires, could survive out here.

The whispers of the lost souls returned again.

"Save us. Save us"

I clenched my jaw trying hard to distract myself from listening, and pretend not to hear.

“This place is wrong,” I muttered.

Lucien glanced down at me. “That’s because it’s honest.”

I frowned. “What does that mean?”

“The Gray Lands, unlike other lands, doesn't pretend to be safe,” he said. “It doesn't't protect the strong or spare the innocent. It only reward those who survive in it.”

I exhaled quietly. Being in a land that has no rules for protection didn’t sound very reassuring to me, but I had no choice.

'Why did Nyax asked to come here?' I thought.

I saw ripple moved through the shadows ahead. A distortion, like the ground is inhaling.

Lucien stopped instantly.

“Rule one,” he said quietly. “If the land goes still, don’t move.”

"Why?" I whispered curiously.

He glanced at me from beneath half-lidded eyes. “I see you’re fond of questions.”

I gave a faint shrug. 'Now you know.'

His mouth twitched. “There are worse things here,” he murmured. “Things you’ve only met in nightmares.”

I wanted to give him a scornful laugh — a what do you know about my nightmares? kinda laughter, but held back, even my breath as I felt something passed nearby.

I didn’t see it, but my skin prickled, every instinct were at alert. Even the talisman at my chest grew warm, it faint runes pulsing once, then dimming.

Lucien watched it with open interest.

“That charm won’t hide you forever,” he said. “The Gray Lands notice anything that doesn’t belong in it.”

“And do I belong?” I asked.

His mouth curved faintly. “That depends on how fast you learn the rules of survival here.”

The presence faded. The land exhaled.

Lucien moved again.

“Rule two,” he continued, almost conversationally. “Never bleed openly. Blood is an invitation here.”

“I noticed,” I muttered.

"He glanced at my arm, his gaze narrowing. “Then why aren’t you healing?”

I stiffened.

“You’re a wolf,” he went on. “You should’ve closed that wound already.”

I swallowed. I didn’t have an answer. My wolf had been quiet for a long time now, but healing had never failed me before.

'Why am I not healing?'

His stare lingered on me, suspiciously.

“Healing takes time,” I said quickly. “I’ll be fine.”

He didn’t look convinced, but he looked away.

“And rule three,” he continued, eyes forward. “Never show weakness unless you’re prepared to weaponize it.”

Something in his tone made me look at him more closely.

“You’re not telling me this to help me. Are you?” I said.

“No,” he admitted easily. “I’m telling you because if you die, I lose something interesting.”

There it was. The truth. Cold and selfish and very vampire.

I shifted slightly in his arms, pain flaring, but I didn’t make a sound.

“You could put me down,” I said. “I won’t slow you.”

Lucien arched a brow. “You’re injured.”

“I’ll heal,” I insisted. “And you don’t strike me as someone who tolerates liabilities.”

A pause.

"Yeah, you're right," he said lightly. "I hate liabilities. Especially if it's coming from a wolf."

Slowly, he set me down as I rolled my eyes for some unknown reason, slightly irritated by his admission.

The moment my feet touched the ground, my knees buckled. I caught myself before he could, teeth gritted, refusing his help.

Silver light pulsed faintly beneath my skin, responding to the strain.

Lucien’s gaze sharpened.

“You’re doing that on purpose,” he said.

“Standing?” I shot back.

“No,” he replied softly. “Resisting the moon.”

That had gotten his attention.

“You said it earlier, I'm a warden and not fully claimed by the moon.” I said, lifting my chin despite the tremor in my legs. “Which is why I resist it."

His eyes darkened, something dangerous stirring beneath his calm.

“Careful,” he warned. “That kind of defiance gets people in worse trouble... or executed.”

“I’ve seen both,” I said. “Neither ends well.”

For a moment, we just stared at each other and I was afraid he might see the grief I carried. The weakness deep down the bravado facade I had on. But instead he gave an intrigued smile.

“Interesting,” he murmured. "You’re adapting more quickly than I expected.”

“I don’t have a choice,” I said quietly. "I have to survive."

“That’s where you’re wrong,” he replied. “You always have a choice. You just don’t always like the options.”

A distant howl echoed.

My breath caught. “What was that?”

Lucien’s jaw tightened. "Werecoyotes. They hunting."

"Is that bad?"

"Terrible might be the word," he replied.

Another howl followed.

“That’s our cue,” he said. “You can walk?”

“I am walking.”

He huffed softly. “Stubborn.”

“More like survival trait," I replied looking up. "I'm not going to die easily, Lucien Vale."

That earned a real smile.

“Fair,” he said. “Stay close. If anything approaches, don’t run.”

“Because that worked so well last time?”

“Because,” he said calmly, eyes glowing faintly red, “running marks you as prey, puppy.”

I swallowed.

“And if something attacks me?”

Lucien’s eyes now gleamed red in the dark as he gave a sly smile.

“Then,” he said, “we’ll see which one of us it wants more for dinner.”

'Dinner?'

Those words drained the blood from my face.

'Why does everyone here want to eat me?'

Just then I heard a snapping set of teeth right behind me!

"Got any last wishes?" Lucian muttered.