The Luna Trials by Marissa Gilbert

Chapter 52

Savannah tried to resist as they cuffed her wrists, not wishing to make things easy for the bears.

“Feisty!” One of the warriors chuckled as he managed to wrap the chains around her waist too. Silver usually did not have much effect on her, but today… today was a different day. And it seemed like there was no end to it.

She tried to break the chains just like back then, with Kai… but found it impossible now. One of the warriors pushed her, and she almost fell to the ground, but Bjorn caught her at the last moment, growling at his men.

“Careful! I need her in one piece!”

She gave him a withering glare. A promise that the second she regained her strength, she would end his life just like she had her mate’s. However, he only chuckled at that, confident as ever. His mood was getting better and better after he slaughtered everyone she cared about.

Brigit stood not far away from them with her hands crossed over her chest, watching the show and frowning. She wasn’t pleased with it, but she wasn’t exactly doing anything to help the Princess either.

Bjorn turned to give her a stern glance, “Make sure she looks presentable when we arrive. And take care of the twins. The cameras must be working at all times.”

Savannah looked around and found Chloe and Claude not far from them. The siblings were paler than usual, with their clothes and hair dishevelled. That sparkle they always had about themselves was gone entirely as they were cornered into submission. Their cameraman was right next to them, and the trio were surrounded by a group of fierce-looking warriors, ready to end them after one wrong move. Only Petra was still nowhere to be seen. Her crying couldn’t be heard now either.

Savvy’s train of thought was broken when someone pulled her chains back, much gentler this time. She didn’t mind, as it meant Bjorn’s hands were no longer on her.. He still had no clothes on and was about to shift when their eyes locked.

“Isn’t this exciting?” He purred.

“It will be when I get to kill you!” She hissed. The warriors around them cheered her on with excitement, enjoying their King and Queen’s banter. There was something wrong with those bears.

Just like the last time she saw him do it, Bjorn shifted into a huge snow-white beast in seconds. He was both magnificent and menacing, but she hated his guts with all her heart and soul, regardless.

His men led her to him, making her get onto his back while she tried to fight them

off.

The white bears’ leader roared, warning her. At the same moment, Brigit appeared at

her side.

“Listen,” she whispered, “he will find a way to make you do this either way. Why do you think they bothered to bring Petra? Disobey, and she will be paying the price!”

“I don’t care about Petra!” Savannah thundered, secretly hoping that this would help them both.

“Too late for that! You saved her in the Maze!” Brigit reminded her.

“It was a deal! Nothing more, nothing less!” The Princess lied through her teeth. She had a soft spot for Petra, but admitting it now would be a mistake. “The joke is on you! You shouldn’t have killed Riannon! I would have done anything for her and the baby! But Petra is no one to me!”

“Don’t say that!” Brigit grew grim. “They will test your words! And as I said, Petra will be the one to bear the consequences!”

“Why not you?” Savvy chuckled darkly. “We have known each other longer! I like you so much! Why don’t they test my stubbornness on you?!”

The she-bear lowered her gaze. “I will not apologise,” she breathed out.

“Even if you do, Aspen nor I would ever forgive you!” Savannah found herself to be this cruel for the first time in her life. Brigit flinched at her words, and her fingers trembled. She barely managed to hide them so that no one else could see her weakness.

One of the warriors yanked the chains on the other side, forcing Savannah to climb on Bjorn’s back; the other pushed her feet up from the ground. She hated them touching her. When she was up and where they wanted her, they surrounded her again, adjusting her shackles and ensuring she stayed exactly where they needed her.

now Bjorn was going to take her to his castle on

her cape so that it was covering her restraints and saving

approving growl and started to move. Slowly, everyone else followed them in a victorious

it anymore. The last bits of strength left her,

in the North, chained to her enemy who claimed her as his

procession entered a mountain chain that looked vacant at first. Savvy wondered if it was really necessary to try and show her off when no one was even around to see. However, she soon realised how wrong she

on top of the hills. They

Dozens of them. Hundreds!

Chloe commented on what was

and future Queen!” Claude stated dryly.

in right next to him,

a buzz as Savvy observed the area around her. Now there were bears and people

was where

with pride. It was his victory march, and he was enjoying

worse. Her nausea was getting worse, the stress of the day finally catching up with her. In

cosy houses peppered on the tops of the white hills.

listening to her anymore. She

hill, and she saw something she didn’t expect. Below them was a castle built into a mountain. A work of a rough master, it was a fortress in its own right. She instantly knew this was where they were heading. He told her he had a castle of his own before.

Savannah didn’t even realise they got this far, but it made sense because the white bears

quite some time to get to the castle. The gates opened as soon as they reached

was so exhausted she couldn’t keep her back straight. Her nausea was getting stronger, the pain of her broken bond still rippling through her body, even though it had gotten slightly duller. But her soul was aching more. She wasn’t mourning yet. She still couldn’t believe what

greeting them inside the castle, and she didn’t know how to take this any longer. She

bowed before them as Bjorn stood in the inner courtyard, still in his bear form. “And my

to say something, and she looked him straight in the eye… right before she emptied her stomach, parts of it

feet.

his hands. The Northern King knew what would

Kai’s voice rasped through his

battle is over, King,” the stranger told him, his voice void of any emotions. He had seen this way too many times before to feel something now. “Time to move on to a better

the spear. “I can’t… He… He took her… I… have to-” Words were hard to form because

happen will happen. This is why the human world is so awful. The next one

teeth, and the stranger felt something he hadn’t felt in a while. This brought back some memories. He once begged for a chance with a woman he loved too.

this was different. The King wasn’t him, and the woman he loved wasn’t-he still couldn’t pronounce her

on the other side,” he said, sighing and hoping that this information would help the wolf to accept his death faster. It wasn’t like he was in any kind of a rush, but for some reason, he wanted to be

and coughed blood. “But she is everything. She needs me, and I- I can’t leave her. Not yet. Not… ever. She

time. He would try to reason with

Fenrir!” The Lycan king furrowed his brows, watching how the light

Binding people together without them getting to know each other, giving them chances to hurt one another if they wanted to, making it next to impossible to break the bond- what could be

matter! It

cut him off, revealing the sad truth.

the first time ever. “I served you my whole life the best I could! The whole North worships

Fenrir admitted, feeling guilt rising inside of him. Something he didn’t feel in a while.

fight! Give us something, and then leave! Do whatever the hell you want. It’s

words wisely, boy!” Anger rose from the pit of his stomach. He should have pulled that thing out now and forgotten

from

wouldn’t have

though, because she was long gone. He

had the right to be mad, looking at the one who abandoned him when he needed