The Luna Trials by Marissa Gilbert

21. Break A Leg

A splitting headache turned every movement into pure torture as Savannah desperately struggled to open her heavy eyelids. She couldn’t figure out what was going on for a while until the recollection of the accident formed in her mind.

She fell down, rolling, slipping, and hitting rocks, dry, sharp twigs and other debris on her way down. She tried her best to grasp onto something, but the hill was too steep, and everything was happening too fast. The Princess couldn’t see much thanks to the helmet, but if she was honest, this was probably what helped her stay alive.

One thing was for sure. The fall was over, and she was now half-sitting, goddess knew

where.

Every bone and muscle in her body ached, bringing temporary agony. Her lycan accelerated healing was already kicking in, but it would still take her a few good minutes to simply come to her senses. The worst thing was that one of her feet felt as if it was broken, and this one injury would probably take a while to heal and get back to normal.

She saw two large palms moving in front of her and felt someone removing her helmet. Savvy instantly hoped it was Kai, thanking the Moon Goddess for keeping him safe. However, she

tensed when she met the gaze of just one blue eye and noticed white hair sparkling in the moonlight. This time at least, he was adequately dressed-black pants, boots and an aviator jacket made of rough leather and black fur. A modern pirate, no less.

The familiar stranger carefully took the helmet off, supporting her head, and scanning her with his eye. The other was covered with a black eye patch with some kind of northern pattern.

“You!” Savvy breathed out, and a vague smile curved his lips.

“Me,” the werebear shifter confirmed and stretched his hand to her neck, making her shudder uncomfortably. “You are bleeding,” he stated calmly as if it wasn’t an extraordinary situation.

“Yeah, it happens sometimes when you fall down a cliff!” Savvy lifted her chin up defiantly. “And you are just passing by, of course.”

“No,” he chuckled and still touched her skin, causing stinging sensations. “I arranged all this.”

His bluntness made her part her lips, and he liked the effect he made on her. At least she respected him for not pretending he had nothing to do with it.

“So, this is an assassination attempt then?” she clenched her lips tightly and looked around in search of Kai, sadly realising she was the only one to fall down the slope. Nonetheless, it was probably for the best, meaning that the King of The North must be in a much better state than she was.

“No,” the bear started to unzip her jacket, and despite her protests, he overpowered her with ease and pulled it off her shoulders as carefully as he could, shocking her even more with his gentleness. “I just wanted to create a distraction so we could talk. Who knows when the next time will be that you can get out of the castle, Savannah?”

She gulped involuntarily. He knew who she was! This couldn’t mean anything good.

“Relax, Princess,” he coaxed, his healthy eye glowing red. “If I wanted to kill you, you’d already be dead, and I wouldn’t be tending to your wounds either.”

“Is that what you are doing?” she shot him a wary glance.

“Of course. Though if Fionlagh dies, I wouldn’t mind. But that’s unlikely. Someone like him will never die in a battle!”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Savvy narrowed her eyes suspiciously. That didn’t sound like just a random set of words.

“Maybe one day you will find out,” he retorted as he sneered and brushed his palm over her bare arm, checking for injuries and leaning in closely so that his hot breath was now burning her skin.

“I think I am fine! Thanks!” she exclaimed, trying to distance herself, despite the lack of space she had to move. Images of their last encounter, where he quickly overpowered her flashed before her eyes. The white werebear was very strong. So strong that to have a chance against him, she would have to let out what was inside of her. No matter the situation, her inner beast had to be her last resort.

“Does this look fine to you?” he asked, raising one of her legs so she could see her foot turned out at an unnatural angle. It also hurt like hell.

“I will heal,” Savvy insisted, pressing her lips. She did not like being vulnerable at all.

“You will be in agony for quite some time,” he explained patiently, undoing the straps of her sandals. “Terrible choice of shoes for the North by the way.”

“Where is Kai?” She was slightly fed up with the small talk. He had just admitted that he arranged this attack, causing her to fall. There was no way he was getting away with acting like her saviour right now.

His eye glinted dangerously, and in the next moment, he tore the fabric of her jeans to gain better access to her foot, yet the predatory look he gave her made her squirm.

in place,” he advised, sliding his palm up her calf and gripping

you a question!” Savannah was getting angrier by the second, and more frustrated, but the werebear twisted her broken foot to set her bones back in place. Excruciating pain overtook her as she

pressed her against the ground, maintaining a

feel her healing speed up and khew that, thanks to the corrected

slightly, and saw a displeased expression

raised his brow while one

girl insisted, trying not

“that prick,” he spat out, not even trying to

about that.” She shook her head and tried to remove his hands from her. As if to prove a point, he

the one to fall and not you. This,” he offered as he gestured his

her agitation. “But to what do I owe

you first, I didn’t know who you were,” he started, only to be

you introduce

am.”

watched the show after all. Rewound it a few times to get a

his eyes, his gaze endeavouring to pierce hers, but she looked up the slope to see if Kai was all right. She could hear faint sounds of a fight, which meant that he was alive at least. He was also too far from her at the moment. She regretted that they couldn’t stay and faced the battle together. Now he was on his own up there,

watch the twins. I liked that other one better” He

starting to fear where all this would lead them. “My

caressed her again, and now she knew he was simply playing with her. For him, she

did not help when she heard movements in the dark behind them and saw a few pairs of eyes dangerously glinting in the depth of the woods. He wasn’t alone, although even if he was, it would be more than enough to cause

out with him.” The bear decided to change the subject. “I would assume you would be the one

don’t hate him?”

his hands off her. “I have eyes everywhere. You were watched today, and the two of you looked like you had the time of your

yet, and she stumbled. However, the bear did not let her fall, catching her in time. Catching a glimpse of his facial expression, Savvy

in the first place, and this is your reaction? A date?” She knew he was testing her, so she managed to stay calm, simultaneously controlling herself and her wolf. Savannah knew too little to make any conclusions or decisions at this moment. Luckily, she was brought up as a royal and knew how to play the game

watchful gaze, “there is hardly one girl in the Trials fighting for Kai Fionlagh. Each

what is your reason, Savannah?” He tried to take her chin into his hand, but she managed to

question, considering you still haven’t

to apologise for that. My name is Darius Bjorn, and I am at your full service, Princess.” He bowed and took her hand into his, brushing his lips over her delicate fingers, as if he was a gentleman and not one of the white

them, tickling her nostrils and unsettling Athena in her mind. She searched for its source, only to realise that it was the werebear

wrong, Princess?” he taunted, an innocent smirk

after he killed the first five who dared to attack him. How many more were hiding nearby, biding their time? The metallic taste of the werewolves’ blood was still on his tongue. Werewolves, not lycans. From

at this moment, none of this

He was worried sick for the girl he stupidly took on a date, purely out of his selfish desires. He shouldn’t have done it. If he hadn’t, Savannah would now be in the safety of her bedroom, sleeping peacefully, but he got greedy. He wanted her to see the real him. He wanted to have her all to himself for once. He wanted her to stop seeing the cold northern king and start seeing the man he knew she could fall in love with one day. If he tried hard and proved

his mistake, and Savannah

the last few seconds before he was attacked. Kai didn’t even get to shift or see what happened to the western princess because

to lose it here and now.

lunged at the bigger one, easily escaping his smaller companion’s claws and sharp teeth. Without wasting time, Asgard went for the main artery in its neck, tearing it off and spitting it out on the ground with the rest of his flesh.

at the second werebear, who was also much slower. He had to take them out first. He dug his claws in the

Fenrir’s justice. The last one came at him, desperate for a win yet unable to get to anything

blood still gushing down its neck where the first werebear had a piece missing from their first encounter. Asgard quickly stepped

down in one huge strike. The bear fell to the ground, twitching and gasping for

even spare him a last glance, knowing that he was as good

and knew he had just seconds

they were attacking him in small groups, it was obvious they had only one

Lachlan and Aspen, to let them know what happened and knew help would be here soon. However, he was not going to wait for it. There was

***

smirk on Bjorn’s face indicated he