Page 107 of Silent Oaths
“Thereshe goes,”Juliangrowls eagerly beside me.
Ilunge forward, heart hammering wildly asIchase after her,JulianandTheodorefanning out on either side.Twigssnap sharply underfoot, blending with our ragged gasps, creating an intoxicating symphony of fear and excitement.
Sheturns abruptly, andIcan hear her footsteps ricochet to my left, then right, teasingly close yet always just out of reach.Theodore’slow chuckle rumbles like distant thunder,Julian’ssteady breath pulses behind me, the rustle of their movements weaving seamlessly with mine.We’reclosing in on her.
“Keeprunning,Isabel,”Theodore’staunts. “Youknow how much we love this game.”
Herstartled cry rings out, bouncing chaotically through the darkness, sending another burst of adrenaline racing down my spine.
“Run, littleStarling.Fly, fly, as fast as you dare.Thedeeper you go, the closer the snare.”
She’sours.It’sonly a matter of time.
* * *
Julian
Imove through the shadows like a silent predator among the trees, heart pounding with excitement as we close in onIsabel.
It’salmost unbelievable that a full year has passed since the night we ended the nightmare withCeleste.Sincethen, everything has changed, especially me.
Iwas always the quiet one, the observer.IexpectedIsabelto overlook me in favor ofTheodore’sstrength orMaxwell’smadness, but somehow,Ifound myself woven deep within her heart, a place uniquely reserved just for me.Maybeit was becauseItook care of her, cooked for her, drew her likeness again and again, capturing every soft curve and stubborn tilt of her chin on paper.Maybeit was becauseIsaw her differently in a way my brothers never could.
She’snow permanently etched in my life—and on my skin.Afew months into our new normal,Itattooed her name over my chest, directly above my heart.Atestament to her permanent place within me.
I’veonly loved three people in my life—my mama,Theodore, andMaxwell—and now,Isabelmakes four.I’ddo absolutely anything just to see that beautiful smile she sometimes hides behind her tough exterior.
Asudden crack of a twig breaks me out of my thoughts, drawing me back to the chase.Myheartbeat quickens, ears tuned to every small sound in the darkening forest.
Weburst through the trees in perfect unison, andIsabelcries out in surprise, stumbling back as we surround her.Theodoreblocks her escape, andIstep forward, my gaze locked firmly on her.
Shetries to wriggle away, but her movements lack conviction.She’sbreathing hard, cheeks flushed deep crimson.
She’sexactly where she wants to be.
“Oh, corazón,”Iwhisper gently, reaching out and brushing my thumb across her flushed cheek.Sheleans into my touch instinctively, even as she trembles. “Didyou think we’d go easy on you?”
Isabellets out a shaky breath.
Maxwellmoves behind her, tilting her head back gently, exposing the vulnerable curve of her neck.Theodoresteps closer, eyes dark and possessive.
Unlikethe first time, when we caught her and carried her back home, tonight, we have no intention of keeping things quiet.
Tonight, the entire forest will hear exactly how wellIsabelfits into our twisted little family.
* * *
Theodore
Aftereverything that happened—the truth, the blood, the headlines screaming the names ofVanguard’smost powerful—Ibanished every man who stood against whatIbelieved in, every coward clinging to rituals and gods no one should’ve ever worshipped.Vanguardwas never meant to be a temple for sacrifice—it was supposed to be a legacy of influence.Ofpower, yes, but not the kind that bled women dry under candlelight.
So,Itore it apart.
LatibulumNoctisis gone, andIwon’t let it rise again.Slowly,Vanguardis becoming the vision my brothers andIalways dreamed of, back when we thought the world could still be shaped by our hands.
Aplace for men who want to build, grow, and succeed.Aclub for the sharp, the brilliant, the ruthless—in business and in ambition.Withjust enough pleasure to keep things interesting.
Sincethen,Isabelhas returned toTheBlackQuill, and damn, if she hasn’t started lighting more fires acrossEbonridgethanIever could.Everyweek, another truth is unburied, another secret laid bare.She’snot just changing the narrative—she’s rewriting the whole damn book and people are finally listening.
