Moonlight In Chains (Trinity and Asher) novel Chapter 139

**TITLE: The Day He Forgot He Hated Me by Evangeline Marrow**

The forest, once alive with the rustle of leaves and the songs of birds, fell into an eerie silence.

Not a whisper of wind stirred the air. No chirping of birds broke the stillness. Even the very act of breathing seemed to pause, as if the world itself was holding its breath.

Then, an unsettling hum began to fill the void. It started low, a steady vibration that reverberated through the trees, gradually growing louder and more intense.

Suddenly, a flicker of silver light danced between the trunks, spreading rapidly, enveloping the surroundings in a ghostly glow.

It was at that moment they emerged.

Three towering figures stepped out from the shadows, cloaked in an ethereal blend of light and darkness. Their movements were fluid, almost too graceful, as if they were not bound by the laws of this world. The radiance emanating from them was blinding, yet it lacked warmth; it was a cold, piercing light, reminiscent of moonlight reflecting off a frozen lake.

Eryx stood frozen in place. For the first time since our paths had crossed, I saw fear etched across his features.

“Asher,” I breathed out, instinctively inching closer to him, seeking the comfort of his presence.

Without uttering a single word, he positioned himself protectively in front of me, his shoulders squared, a low growl rumbling deep within his chest. The air around us thickened, vibrating with an energy foreign to this realm. Even the forest seemed to pause, as if it too was aware of the impending confrontation.

The lead figure halted a few paces away, its face obscured by the shifting glow. When it spoke, its voice resonated from every direction, echoing ominously in the stillness.

“Eryx of Eclipse.”

Eryx swallowed hard, the sound audible in the silence. His power flared momentarily, only to retreat as if he had been struck. “No,” he murmured under his breath. “Not now.”

The second figure’s voice was softer, yet carried an emptiness that sent chills down my spine. “You believed you could conclude this matter alone.”

Eryx’s hands clenched into fists, his frustration palpable. “I sealed the fracture. The balance has been restored.”

The third figure tilted its head, its movements unnaturally fluid. “You have merely postponed it.”

Asher shot me a glance, his expression taut with concern. “Who are they?”

“The Eclipse Guardians,” Eryx replied quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. “The original keepers of this power. They are the architects of our bloodline.”

I gazed at the luminous figures, their outlines flickering like candle flames caught in a tempest. “Why have they come?”

Eryx hesitated, his jaw set tight, muscles in his neck coiling with tension. Finally, he spoke, his voice heavy with dread. “They are here to complete what they began.”

The middle guardian stepped forward, its voice rumbling like distant thunder. “We bestowed purpose upon your bloodline, Eryx. We granted it balance. You have betrayed that purpose.”

A sudden gust of wind swept through the clearing, scattering leaves and ash in its wake. It struck me with a jolt that the light radiating from them was not merely light; it was alive.

“I tried to safeguard it!” Eryx shouted, his voice raw and echoing off the trees like a wound that refused to heal. “You turned it into a curse! You left us with nothing but death and shadows!”

The guardians’ light pulsed, intensifying…alive, almost wrathful. “You toyed with a power that was never meant to be wielded by a single family. Now, the price must be paid.”

Before I could fully comprehend my actions, I stepped between them, my heart racing in my throat. “Enough!” I declared sharply. “If your intention is to destroy him, you will have to go through me first.”

The lead guardian’s head turned in my direction. Though its face remained hidden, I felt the weight of its gaze upon me—ancient, eternal, as heavy as the moon itself.

“Blood of Eclipse,” it spoke softly, almost reverently. “The last true heir.”

A chill coursed through my veins, freezing the air in my lungs. “You know who I am.”

“We have always known,” the guardian replied. “Your birth was the catalyst that altered everything. The moment your blood was spilled, the seal was broken, and the balance began to unravel.”

Eryx moved closer to me, his expression fierce and protective. “You will not lay a finger on her.”

The guardian remained still, but the air thickened around us, pressing down like an invisible weight. Even the trees seemed to hold their breath, their branches creaking under the strain of something ancient and unseen.

“Eryx,” it intoned slowly, “you have defied the cycle. You concealed her from us, from her destiny. Do you truly believe you can shield her now?”

He glared at them, his voice trembling yet resolute. “I would rather die than allow you to take her.”

The second guardian’s light dimmed slightly, its tone shifting…almost sorrowful. “That choice is not yours to make.”

I could feel Asher’s hand tighten around mine, anchoring me as a cold wind whisked past, carrying the faint hum of their power. “Trin,” he murmured, “what do they seek?”

The forest returned to silence. No wind. No sound. Just the acrid smell of burnt air and the faint shimmer of light where they had once stood.

I turned to Eryx, my chest constricted with anxiety. “What did they mean? What choice?”

Eryx avoided my gaze, his hands trembling. “They have come to finish what they started thousands of years ago. When they forged the bloodline, they struck a pact with something ancient. Something we never truly comprehended. That is what they are here to fulfill.”

I took a step closer, urgency flooding my veins. “And what about me?”

“You are the key,” he said quietly, the weight of his words hanging heavy in the air. “You are the last of the true line. The balance within your blood is what they seek to exploit. If they take it…”

His voice trailed off, but the unspoken truth was clear in his eyes.

“They’ll use me to reignite the cycle,” I whispered, realization dawning. “To bring it all back.”

Eryx’s expression flickered, a tumult of fear and guilt battling within him. The moonlight pierced through the canopy, illuminating the faint markings burned into the earth. The runes pulsed, resonating with a heartbeat that wasn’t mine. I felt it calling… drawing me toward something vast and ancient, whispering promises I could not grasp. The air thickened, and somewhere deep in the woods, something stirred in response.

Eryx nodded once, a somber acceptance in his eyes. “And if they succeed, there will be no world left to save.”

Asher stepped between us, his tone sharp and protective. “Then they will not take her. I don’t care who they are or what they’ve done. They will not have her.”

Eryx’s voice dropped to a low murmur, urgency threading through his words. “We must act swiftly. They will not relent. They will return… stronger. The eclipse approaches faster than we anticipated.”

The weight of his words struck me like a thunderclap.

The moon was already beginning to wane.

That meant time was running out.

I gazed up at the dark sky above the treetops, where silver clouds drifted past the moon. It appeared serene, tranquil. But I understood the truth lurking beneath that facade.

Something ancient had awakened once more.

And this time, it was coming for me.