Chapter 28 The Blood Moon Conclave It takes us two days to arrive at our destination . Finished The path to the Blood Moon Conclave winds through silver pines and pale mist . The moon is already high , swollen and red , painting the world in shades of blood and frost . The clearing opens like an ancient amphitheatre , carved by wolves long before kingdoms were named . Rows of stone seats rise in a wide circle around a marble arena , enough to hold thousands . Fires burn in iron braziers along the rim , throwing restless shadows on faces and furs . Five large banners ripple in the wind - five great packs of the continent . Ravencourt , known for its seers . Ironfang , their warriors in onyx armor . Stormfell , the northern pack bound by ice and sea . And Nightfell , the rogue kingdom reborn under Rowan's rule . At the far end stands Silvercrest , once the strongest , now broken . Beneath us are the smaller packs with two hundred members or fewer . Kade walks ahead of me , his cloak dragging through wet earth . We're expected to appear side by side . Alpha and Luna - the perfect illusion of unity . But I keep my distance , just enough that our shadows don't touch . Jax marches behind us with other beta commanders , and Tamsin follows with Finn , who is clutching her hand tightly . Ivy is scooped up in my arms . I didn't want to bring them here . But the Blood Moon Conclave is no ordinary gathering . It's law , older than kings , older than the packs themselves . Even children of Alphas must bear witness . We take our seats in the Silvercrest row . The murmurs hush when the drums begin to sound- low and rhythmic , like the pulse at the very heart of our world . Across the circle , I see him . Rowan . He sits among the wolves of Nightfell , their cloaks black as ash . He is quiet , but when his gaze meets mine , he gives a small nod . My heart stumbles in my chest . Kade notices the look but says nothing . His eyes are locked on the center of the arena where the High Council begins to form a line . Nine figures in gray robes emerge from the shadows , the blood moon catching on the silver embroidery at their sleeves . At their head - Elder Thane . 1/4 21:38 Wed , Oct 15 Chapter 28 The Blood Moon Conclave Kade's hands clench into fists . " He dares show his face . " 200 fellshe Thane vanished after Izel disappeared , and now he stands as if nothing happened . He is calm , smirking A shiver crawls up my spine as I study the faces of the council members . The High Council hasn't come to preside . They've come to end something . They may have failed to turn Silvercrest and Nightfell against each other , but they won't let me ascend . A High Luna's word overrides theirs . If I claim the Moon Goddess's blessing under this sky , I'll have authority even they can't touch . This Conclave isn't a ceremony . It's a trap . The rituals begin the way they always do . The council elder in the middle raises his arms . " Brothers and sisters of the Moon , we gather under her blood to recall , to judge , to renew ." A chant follows , made up of old words that are no longer used in daily life . Then come the greetings , the rehearsed kindnesses between Alphas and Lunas . Then the recollections . " The Silver Severance , " one elder proclaims . " Last Conclave , Luna Seysha of Frostmark attempted the ritual to sever herself from her mate . She failed . Her wolf perished . She died at dawn . " The words are emphasised , and I know they're meant for me as a warning . All they do is make me sit straighter , hardening my resolve . Another elder continues . " And the Alpha Brothers of Shadowpine - both killed each other for dominion . The pack left leaderless until the High Council , through the Goddess's mercy , raised the Beta to Alpha rank ." Finn hides his face in my sleeve . Ivy buries herself in my lap . Tamsin leans close , whispering , " Remember your training . Hold steady . Eyes forward . After all the petitions are heard , you can go ahead and claim Severance ." Jax assures me . " Remember your strength . You shall succeed , Luna . " I nod faintly . My palms are slick . Petitions follow - territory disputes , blood feuds , stolen heirs . One is solved with a duel . Another with an execution . I cover Ivy's eyes . Finn presses his face into my shoulder again . Brin shakes his head beside me . " Children shouldn't see this , " he mutters . " I know , " I whisper . " But they have to know what the world really is ." At last , the drums fall silent . 2/4 Thi པ ན 14 : 2 : | : ཀ ན དེ དེ བ ན བ དསྙེནདེ ར་ མཆུན ། མང་ དང་ ཆེ་ གས་ དེ་ མ ོ ན་ བས ི མ ན ག ནམ་ རེ་ ཀནནས ན ས ོ དསོ ི་ བོ་ extrax er Strece under stouters bersie gen alone of sterg Uni Tail are Se the code Some laugh . Others look away Eine sowny heating as my dimers inchesis . Say wiht Kansi . Tell them , bey's eyes gater , but the sets . Fonts mail te duches my feeve um geny pro fee We love was Mama " they beat all men insan tawing tears from my eyes . I wipe my dit aut cas ten agan . Downer wel I may turn mi maybe somehow they Intern Sousa Kate on brought the on yourself Bur I won't let her win . " Fesags testing bows his heat in slear dame Ines par fim , my dos araling over une Suddenly I hear him speak . " I'm sorry . Freyn , " he 310 Elk 21.38 Wed , Oct 15 Chapter 23 The Boon Moon Conclave I don't turn back As I crows the arena's edge . Thane leas diyarly toward me his voice jus low eaught for me no hear Prepare to love , High Lottal " he murmur . The readic was writen before you arred I keep walking even though my pulse pounds like war danas If the game is rigged then I'll burn the board - and everyone playing L Send Gifts