The Rise Of The Betrayed Luna (Amorah and Holmes) novel Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

AMORAH

67

I turned sharply, my heart already racing before I fully understood what was happening. A group of armed guards rushed in, their movements urgent and uncoordinated in a way that immediately disrupted the order of the ritual space.

“What is the meaning of this?” one of the elders demanded, his voice cutting the the sudden noise.

No one answered him at first.

The runes beneath our feet flickered, the steady glow breaking as the flow of power shifted unevenly across the markings. I felt it immediately through the air, the balance of the rite faltering in a way that made my wolf tense.

“Hold your positions,” the healer said quickly.

The guards did not stop moving.

One of them stepped forward and bowed stiffly toward the elders. “We received a report of a breach near the outer boundary of the council grounds,” he said. “We were ordered to secure the chamber immediately.“.

A breach.

The runes dimmed again, the light no longer steady. I turned back toward the basin, my attention snapping to the blood that had been moving only moments ago.

It had slowed.

“Do not interrupt the rite,” he said sharply. “Step back and maintain order.”

The guards hesitated.

That hesitation was enough.

The flow of power across the floor broke again, the light flickering unevenly as the ritual struggled to hold its form. I felt a sharp shift in the air, like something had been pushed out of alignment.

Beside me. Holmes remained still.

I turned my head slightly. He was watching the guards again.

My chest tightened as the realization settled deeper.

This was not an accident.

“Stabilize the circle,” the healer said, moving quickly toward the edge of the markings.

Another elder stepped forward, placing his hand against one of the runes to reinforce the connection. The glow brightened briefly under his touch, but it did not return to its previous strength.

The blood inside the basin moved again.

But this time, it did not follow the clear pattern it had before.

It separated, then twisted back into itself.

“That is not correct, the healer said under her breath.

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Chapter 13

I stepped forward slightly, my focus locked on the basin. This was the moment that was supposed to expose everything. I

could not lose it like this.

“What is happening?” I asked.

No one answered me immediately.

The elder closest to the basin frowned, his gaze fixed on the shifting blood. “The flow has been disrupted,” he said finally. “The rite cannot complete under unstable conditions”

Unstable.

My fingers curled at my side.

“You said this would reveal the truth,” I said, my voice sharper now.

“It will.” he replied. “If the connection holds.”

“It is not holding.” I said.

The healer moved closer to the basin, her expression tightening as she observed the movement. “The energies are conflicting,” she said. “Something has interfered with the process.”

Interfered.

The word settled heavily in the room.

Behind me, I heard Bethany’s voice.

Soft.

“Perhaps this is what happens when a rite is forced under emotional distress,” she said.

I turned immediately.

Her expression was calm again, her posture steady as she stepped forward slightly. “The Luna is not in a stable state,” she continued. “It is possible the bond itself is affecting the outcome.”

My jaw tightened,

“That is not how the rite works,” I said.

She tilted her head slightly.

“Are you certain?” she asked gently.

Her tone carried just enough doubt to shift the attention in the room.

Several elders exchanged glances.

Holmes finally spoke.

“This is exactly why I advised against rushing this process,” he said, his voice calm and controlled. “The council is witnessing the result of forcing a sacred rite under unstable circumstances.”

I felt the anger rise, but I held it down.

“You agreed to this,” I said.

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Chapter 13

“I agreed to clear my name,” he replied. “Not to compromise the integrity of the rite.”

The blood in the basin moved again.

Then suddenly it stopped completely.

The light in the runes flickered once more before dimming to a low glow.

The chamber fell silent.

The elder stepped forward, his expression now fully serious. He looked into the basin for several seconds before straightening.

“The rite has failed.” he said.

The words landed heavily.

“No.” I said immediately. “It did not fail. It was interrupted.”

He shook his head.

“The result cannot be confirmed,” he replied. “The connection between the samples has been broken.”

“That is not acceptable,” I said.

My voice came out stronger than I expected.

Every eye in the chamber turned toward me.

“We were moments away from the truth,” I continued. “You cannot dismiss this.”

“The rite does not produce partial truth,” the elder said. “It either completes or it does not.”

I took a step forward.

“Then perform it again.”

A murmur spread through the chamber.

The healer spoke before the elder could respond. “The rite cannot be repeated immediately,” she said. “The blood has already been used. The connection has been disrupted.”

“Then prepare it again,” I said.

“It requires time,” she replied.

Time.

That was exactly what they needed.

Time to hide.

Time to prepare.

Time to destroy anything that could expose them.

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