Chapter 30 Trial By Blood $ 14 Finished " Is that ... Nyssa ? The blood - witch ? " someone from the High Council whispers . " But she's dead " No ," Kade growls from his seat . " She's not . " I don't know how he's holding himself back from immediately killing her. Nyssa spreads her arms as if welcoming the moonlight . " Did you miss me , Silvercrest ? " Her voice carries smoothly to the rows . " You burned my name , buried my memory , but blood remembers ." Her gaze cuts to Thane . " And blood calls for balance . " Thane doesn't flinch . He smiles faintly . " You took your time ." She smirks . " Chaos ripens best when left to rot . Shall we begin the Trial by Blood ? " Rowan rises to his feet , voice thunderous . " The High Council can't allow this ! It's an outlawed rite ! " Esme protests , " We no longer recognise such a trial ." " How the fuck did you get into the council ? " Thane asks irritably . " Shut up , girl . A Trial by Blood will happen ." The High Council murmurs in agreement , silencing Esme and the chaos that ripples among those seated . Izel joins her mother . " I won't lose this time , Freya ," Izel sneers . I step into the center , realising it's me against the world now . " We'll see . " The blood moon hangs right above us now . The drums begin again , faster . Thane announces , " You know what's most interesting about this trial ? There are no rules . " Nyssa raises her hands , and black flame bursts from her palms . Izel mirrors her , witchfire glowing green . The crowd recoils , shouts breaking out , but Thane only watches , pleased . I let go of restraint . Nyx roars in my mind , wild and eager , ' It's time . ' My bones crack , reshaping rapidly . My vision sharpens , silver bleeding into everything . My skin ripples , fur erupting from the surface - pale as moonlight , veined with silver fire . Gasps rise . 1/4 21:39 Wed , Oct 15 d Chapter 30 Trial By Blood " A High Luna ? " someone whispers . Izel stumbles back . " Impossible- " I lunge . : . ( 14 Finished Our bodies collide midair - flame against fur , witchfire against silver . The impact shakes the ground . Her claws slice through my flank , and pain bursts bright and sharp . Nyx howls through me , the sound echoing through the clearing , wild and strong . I slam her to the ground , jaws clamping around her shoulder . She shrieks , the witchfire flaring between us , scorching fur , flesh , air . Sparks rain down like falling stars . " Yield ! " I snarl through Nyx's throat , our voices doubled - one human , one wolf , both divine . " Never ! " Izel screams . She twists , eyes blazing , summoning a pillar of green flame that engulfs us both . I charge through it . Fire licks my fur , but cannot burn me . The silver veins across my coat pulse brighter - moonlight drawn to fury . I leap , crashing down with enough force to crack the marble beneath her . Izel gasps , clawing at the ground , witchfire guttering out . I pin her throat beneath my paw . " Yield ," I say again , trembling with rage . I will not kill her . Not yet . Death will be a mercy . Her gaze flickers from defiance to disbelief . She tries to speak , but no sound comes . The fire in her palms dies to ash . For a heartbeat , the world holds its breath . Then she collapses , chest heaving , eyes rolling back . Slowly , I step away . My body reshapes - bone , fur , skin - and I'm standing again , clothed and breathless , moonlight washing over my shoulders . The silver glow still threads faintly across my arms like veins of light . I look down at her . " It's over , Izel . You've lost ." The words ring across the silent arena . Izel stirs faintly , whispering something I can't hear . Then Esme's hesitant voice cuts through the stillness : " Freya Vale - Thorne is victorious . " Cheers rise , but I barely hear them , my attention shifting when I see Nyssa step forward . " No , " she says softly . " My daughter does not lose ." 2/4 21:39 Wed , Oct 15 d Chapter 30 Tilal By Blood She lifts her hand . The sky splits . 114 Finished A ring of shadow spirals outward from her palm , sweeping through the arena . Wolves collapse , choking , their eyes turning black . Fire leaps from brazier to brazier , devouring cloth , wood , flesh . Esme drops to her knees , followed by another elder from Ravencourt . Everything is chaos . I gasp in shock , my concerned gaze flicking to my children , Ivy and Finn . Tamsin protects them , forming a human cover . Then I look at Rowan , who's shielding himself using a dagger that keeps the shadowy fire at bay . " Mother , stop- " Izel gasps . Nyssa ignores her . " You wanted to see power , Thane ? Here it is ." Thane backs away , face pale . " You were meant to control her , " he hisses to the other elders . Nyssa laughs , high and manic . " Control ? You should have learned - witches don't kneel to wolves ." The wind shrieks . Izel is lifted into the air like a doll , her scream strangled . Nyssa turns her toward me . " See what power costs , child ." She hurls Izel down . The impact shakes the ground . Izel doesn't rise . I stare , horror and fury tangling in my chest . " You killed your own daughter ." " She was weak , " Nyssa says . " I'll birth something stronger from her ashes ." She raises her hands again , fire gathering , and then directs it to the seats where Ivy is peeking between Tamsin's arms , calling for me , " Mama , Mama , Mama ." I move . Rowan moves . But the flames are faster . Kade leaps . The blow hits him square in the chest , letting his body become the target . He crumples , smoke curling from him . " No ! " My scream rips from both throats - mine and Nyx's . Blinding rage floods me . Nyx's voice booms inside my skull . ' End her . ' I run , every heartbeat sounding like the drum . Nyssa laughs , raising her arms to strike again , claws meet her chest before the spell leaves her lips . but my She stumbles back , blood and fire spilling from the wound . Still , she smiles . " You think killing 3/4 21:39 Wed , Oct 15 d 444 Chapter 30 Toal By Blood me ends this ? " " Not killing you , " I whisper . " Judging you . " ( #Finished 1 raise my head toward the moon . " By the Moon's law and the pack's blood , I name Nyssa- traitor , murderer , and corrupter of wolves . Judgment is death . " The silver light pours through me , through Nyx , through every bond that ties me to this land . My claws ignite with pure moonfire , and the Moonshard sword materialises in my hand . I strike once , hard and final , cutting her from the middle . Nyssa's scream rips the night apart . Her body bursts into shadow and ash , twisting upward until even her voice is gone . The arena falls silent . Smoke drifts . The fires shrink back to embers . When the dust clears , Izel's body lies still . Kade's chest barely rises . Rowan kneels beside him , shouting for Brin . I stand in the center of the arena , breathing hard . Elder Maelin from my pack , who emerged from the seats approaches slowly , his voice reverent and proud . " The High Luna has spoken . " Send Gifts B