The Luna Trials by Marissa Gilbert

Chapter 45

Savannah and Kai could hear the sounds of the water threatening their friends’ lives. Water was merciless to shifters unless they were

sirens. Thanks to their regenerative abilities, they could survive if they were thrown into a fire. Bullets were useless because most shifters

moved faster than them. Cold weapons were dangerous only in another shifter’s hands and only if special conditions were met; it had to

be a special type of metal or poison, plus it had to go through the heart. Decapitation was also an option.

But water… water did not need special conditions. If a shifter was trapped under it, it would kill him sooner or later from lack of

oxygen. In the middle ages, it was one of the three types of executions for lycans and werewolves.

The stakes were ridiculously high.

“Where is the entrance to the catacombs?” The Princess demanded as she followed the Northern King.

“Not here,” he informed her, and she froze just for a second bclore anger made her clench her fists.

“What do you mean not here?1” She was furious as this wasn’t the time for jokes or mistakes. The stakes were too high.

“We wouldn’t get there in time if we went to the main entrance that should be unscaled. ” Kai replied, “That is why I am looking for

… this!”

He pointed at a carving on one of the walls, and Savannah stared at him with a raised brow.

“How does that help us exactly?” she wondered, but the Northerner brushed his palm over the carving.

“Everything is not what it seems in the Forgotten City,” he explained and then, as if by magic, the stone with the carving moved,

revealing a small window with metal bars. “This was done for security reasons so that guards could watch over the priests while they

performed rituals in the catacombs.”

But Savannah wasn’t interested in the explanation anymore. There would be time for that later if they survived today. And if not.it

wouldn’t matter.

The little window gave them a view of a closed room full of water, but it was too dark, and they couldn’t see anything else. If there

was some light before, it was gone now. The water level was rising rapidly, and one could tell it would soon reach the window.

“Da.mn it!” Kai swore under his breath, sensing his Beta close. There was no other place for him to be. “Sawy, step away!” he

ordered and closed his eyes, preparing for the shift. He knew very well that he would have to use his third form for this task.

Savannah gasped as she saw his bones breaking as he stood. A transformation to the royal lycan form was different from shifting into

a wolf. It was painful, and usually, it took more time. But not for Kai. He made it look so… easy. Almost effortless. She was nowhere close

to that. However, she was happy that he was able to become the lycan beast. They sure needed one now!

Their eyes met just for a second as she nodded to him in approval, and he knocked the metal bars out of the window, destroying a

generous chunk of the wall along with it.

without hesitation, he shifted back into his human form and dove into the water, his eyes glowing to illuminate the area around him.

Kai followed his instincts and soon saw his Beta floating unconscious, chained to the werebird, who also didn’t show any signs of

life.

He was too late, and he would never be able to forgive himself. He wasn’t sure that Savannah would

fault they still went through with the stupid Luna Trials.

take the werebear prisoner. It was all

the chains, silver coating burning his palms slightly and swam back to the surface as fast

the cavity he created, and the first

grasped the chains to

the chains from different sides and broke them,

silence, they started performing CPR as they heard yet another explosion

leave!” Kai told her when they dared to look at each other

out of Zara’s mouth. Immediately, Savannah helped her turn to a side

was taking breaths on her own. The werebird still had shackles around her wrists, and the Princess suspected they

healing and preventing her from

her suspicions as she caught her

and somehow managed to become even paler. She didn’t

the

her up, and Zara took the

forming in her

his hands. Mechanically, tactically, not thinking. Not

wasn’t losing his best friend. Not today. Not like

guy!” Zara pleaded. “If I did it, so can you! Come back to

long, and the three of them knew Lachlan’s chances were

hold back tears anymore and rested her head on Savannah’s shoulder. “He…

fought them off or at least escaped, but he stayed because

aware of this. It was time to get his woman out of here, but every

gave up. And if nothing happened,

growled loudly and slammed his fist into his friend’s chest harder than he

cracking, but at the same time, water burst out of

help him

he was able to breathe, still facing the floor, muscles flexing and twitching from

voice hoarse. “This is awkward… but I have to tell you this. Although my as.s is truly irresistible, I have

Birdie. I am sorry,

The King growled through laughter, almost tearing up in relief. This was a

confessed. “Go and leave me behind.

because we just wasted all this time saving you to leave you behindl” Kai

they helped him back to his

broke the shackles on Zara’s wrists, freeing her from binding

back to the surface,” Kai said,

though?” Savannah chewed on her lower lip, and they all looked at her. “Kai, if you are right about Bjorn

not to go back up there for now? This

is exploding the city borders

his brows. “We don’t know if the bears

here.”

Sawy smiled for the first time as she pointed

the

“it’s ancient, We haven’t done any adjustments to the catacombs since the city was sealed, but it’s pretty clear now that Bjorn and his people were using those. And

insisted. “It

guess so,” her chosen

me?” She

life,” he did not hesitate with his answer, and she felt warmth spreading over her chest.

this was how mates

and we will leave the city through the catacombs, giving everyone

while

with me,”