Page 31 of Saints & Sinners

A shaky breath fell from my lips as I turned to Hunter. I wanted to feel grateful—he had just saved me from Matias’s taunts—but the way he was now looking at me, as if I was a puzzle he couldn’t solve, made my chest tighten.

His words from a while ago echoed in my mind.You don’t belong here.And yet, he kept stepping in when no one else would.

He strode toward me and my heart began to hammer as hestopped just a foot away from me.

His imposing presence made the air around us feel charged with energy—nothing like the Celestial beams that were supposed to be full of it.

I opened my mouth, the hesitant “thank you” lingering on the edge of my tongue, but it vanished as soon as his hand wrapped around my waist and drew me close to his chest.

My breath escaped me in a surprised oomph as I tilted my head back to meet his gaze. His eyes held mine, and before I could demand an explanation, something firm was pressed against the small of my back. There was a sudden burst of heat, and a faint crackling sound followed. The impact wasn’t painful, but it sent a ripple of energy through me, leaving me stunned. Hunter held me steady with one arm while raising the other, revealing his hand alight with blue, glowing Celestial energy.

Oh. My. Fuck.

“What the hell!” I yelled, shoving at his chest with both hands. He stumbled back slightly, his smirk only deepening as I stared at him in disbelief.

“Rule number one, Bambi,” he said, his voice laced with infuriating amusement. “Never trust someone on the opposing team, even if you believe they’re on your side for just that one split second.”

My fists clenched as I glared at him, but before I could deliver the scathing retort clawing its way up my throat, the sharp sound of a whistle echoed through the woods, signaling the end of training.

Hunter’s smirk widened, showing off a set of dimples as he took a few steps back. “Think of it like gravity. Even the smallest things can pull you under if you’re not paying attention.”

“What the hell does that mean!”

He chuckled and without saying another word, he turned on hisheel and disappeared into the trees.

Asshole.

Chapter Sixteen

Today was different than usual. It wasn’t just Warriors outside training this time. Everyone was here. The massive open space had been divided into sections as if it were an exhibition for Ascendants.

The rising sun bathed the grounds in gold light, and the sound of murmured chants, bursts of Celestial energy and weapons clashing filled the air.

I stood near the edge of the pit, arms crossed and feeling small amidst the crowd.

The Warriors, of course, were hard to miss.

Their section dominated the center of the grounds, where Ascendants were sparring with brutal intensity. Hunter was there with Silas as they both moved with skill and precision, their Celestial blades colliding with sharp metallic clangs.

I watched as Hunter ducked under Silas’s swing, pivoting with an ease that made it look effortless. It was terrible of me to want him to fail, but it was all I could think of as Silas lunged forward, and Hunter sidestepped, spinning his blade until the tip hovered at Silas’s throat.

I almost rolled my eyes before glancing towards the othersections.

To the right of the Warriors, the Healers were gathered in a quieter circle, their hands glowing faintly as they worked. Marnie was among them, kneeling beside a volunteer with a nasty gash on his arm. Her brows furrowed in concentration as she pressed her hands to the wound, and a soft golden light spilt from her palms, weaving itself into the torn skin. Slowly, the tear closed, leaving only smooth skin behind.

“That’s incredible,” I whispered, unable to hide the awe in my voice.

“It’s amazing, alright.” Lucas came to stand by my side, and I nodded.

Farther down, the Guardians trained in a more shadowed part of the grounds. I watched as one of them—a tall girl with dark hair—closed her eyes, her hands moving in slow, fluid motions. It was honestly ethereal—all of it.

The Warriors.

The Healers.

The Guardians.

Even the Messengers worked in pairs, communicating telepathically, sending and receivingmessages without a single spoken word.

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