The Second Chance Of The Rejected Moon (Celine and Bastian) novel Chapter 177

The Second Chance Of The Rejected Moon

Chapter 177

76

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I glance at him from the corner of my eye as we continue moving through the destroyed streets. I don’t know what makes me more uncomfortable, the ease with which he rebuilt an entire street with a snap of his fingers or the calmness with which he talks about having been feared for centuries. He walks beside me without hurry, his hands relaxed and his overcoat moving with every step, as if we weren’t crossing a city devastated by a war that has left hundreds dead, but walking through a place he has known for far too long.

I, on the other hand, keep all my senses alert. There is something about him I can’t ignore. It isn’t just power. I’ve known powerful beings, I’ve seen vampires capable of ripping heads off with their bare hands, witches who could destroy entire buildings, and creatures whose existence defies any logic.

This is different. My body knows it before my mind does. Every time Erik moves, a part of me remains focused on him, calculating distances, watching his hands, his posture, his eyes. Not because I believe I could defeat him, but because my instincts tell me it would be a mistake to forget for even a second who I’m walking with.

“That’s not your real name.”

Erik turns his head slightly toward me. He doesn’t stop. The corner of his mouth curves, but it isn’t a kind smile. It’s a calm, almost indulgent expression, as if he expected exactly that question.

“And why would I be stupid enough to give you my real name? Do you want to have power over me? Use me as your puppet?”

I don’t answer.

I know exactly what he’s talking about. A true name isn’t just a word when it comes to certain creatures. It’s a bond, a door, a way of establishing power over someone that can be used by those who know enough magic to do it. And even if that weren’t the case, I have no intention of testing how far this demon’s patience extends. I’ve survived too long to make such a stupid mistake.

I let out a slow breath and run a hand over my face. I’m tired. Much more than I want to admit. My body is still trying to adjust to everything that has changed inside me, my mind won’t stop thinking about Celine, and now I have the being humans have feared even naming for centuries walking beside me as if this conversation were completely normal.

I don’t know what the hell he wants from me, and that irritates me almost as much as it unsettles me.

I look toward the street he rebuilt a few minutes ago. The intact facades, the clean windows, the lights turned on. Everything looked real. For a few moments, even I wanted to believe it.

“I liked it better when everything looked good. You’re good at creating illusions.”

Erik continues walking for a few steps before answering. Then he raises one hand and points toward the destroyed buildings surrounding us. He doesn’t need to snap his fingers this time. He doesn’t want to change anything. He only wants me to look.

“All of damn creation is an illusion.”

His voice has lost some of its earlier lightness. He doesn’t sound angry, nor solemn. He simply speaks with a

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The Second Chance Of The Rejected Moon

certainty that is difficult to question.

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“Look around you, boy. This world is an imitation of the human world. Asphalt, traffic lights, stores, banks… every damn thing that exists in the human world also exists here. Humans built cities, and these men did exactly the same thing. The only difference is that they grow fur, howl at the moon, and have the wonderful habit of turning every problem into a war that no one knows how to stop afterward.”

I look at the remains of an overturned vehicle beside the sidewalk and then at the blackened buildings. The image of the intact city I saw a few minutes ago is still in my mind.

“Is that what you think of werewolves?”

Erik tilts his head.

“That’s what I think of most of the beings I know.”

I don’t smile this time. Something about his answer keeps me from doing so. He doesn’t seem to be trying to insult them. He says it as if he were describing a truth he considers far too obvious to argue about. And maybe that’s precisely what’s unsettling. To him, entire kingdoms, wars, families, species, and generations seem to carry the same weight as a passing conversation.

We keep walking. The sound of our boots against the wet pavement mixes with the water still dripping from the rooftops and the occasional creak of some damaged structure. Erik seems completely comfortable. I’m

not.

Then his expression changes.

It doesn’t happen dramatically. There is no sudden transformation or obvious threat. He simply stops smiling. His gray eyes lose every trace of amusement, and for an instant, I feel the air around us grow heavier. My body tenses before I can stop it.

“I’m only here, walking through this shithole, because of her.”

I know exactly who he’s referring to.

Celine.

“And because of you.”

I frown and finally stop.

“Because of me?”

Erik continues walking for a couple of steps before stopping. I don’t need to call him. He knows I’m behind him. He slowly turns and looks at me from a few yards away. The darkness seems to surround him in a strange way, although I don’t know whether it’s the night or something that belongs solely to him.

“To convince you to stay, protect her, and do whatever is necessary to prevent her from going to the human

world.”

I stare at him in silence. There is something about the way he says it that leaves no room for interpretation.

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The Second Chance Of The Rejected Moon

It’s not a suggestion. It doesn’t seem like a threat either.

It’s a warning.

“Why?”

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