Page 72 of Fate's Wicked Oath

“You know I don’t like to repeat myself, Castor,” Mariana threatened.

Castor’s lip curled, revealing a chipped tooth. He lifted his flail a little higher. “Neither does the boss.”

More cracking from Faren’s left. He spotted a hand—human, no longer claw tipped—but then Castor rattled his weapon, demanding Faren’s attention.

“Ah, ah,” Castor warned. “What did I say about peeking?”

Faren was getting annoyed. He saw Mercy and Honor lying in the grass just past Castor, and wondered now if it was worth rushing the man, retrieving his swords, and engaging in a proper brawl.

He decided to try de-escalation, first. Surrounded by criminals,someonehad to be reasonable.

“You really want to threaten a Mighty Knight?” Faren asked.

“What do you think got me sentenced in the first place?” Castor spat.

A squeal came from behind Faren. “Fuck!” Brom hissed through his teeth. “She fucking cut me!”

“I’ll do it again if Castor doesn’t stand down,” Mariana said.

Castor narrowed his eyes at Faren. “He knows too much.Seentoo much.” He took a menacing step closer. Faren kept his hands raised, body braced. Hand fighting against flail wasn’t ideal, but he knew he could take this shithead. The man reeked of mediocrity. “’Sides, he’s outnumbered,” Castor added.

“He is not,” Mariana said.

“Ow, ow, ow!” Brom wailed.

“Remember your place, you disloyal bitch,” Castor snarled, andfuck de-escalation.

Faren barreled into Castor’s breastplate, knocking the man down before he had a chance to lift his cumbersome weapon. In seconds, Faren had the other man pinned with a dagger against his jugular. “Don’t youeverfucking speak to her like that again.”

Castor’s broad forehead crinkled. Then he laughed. “Ah, I see,” he said. “It’s not her loyalty I ought to be questioning.”

Faren angled his dagger, poking until blood beaded. “What are you doing here?”

“Just keeping your lady in line,” Castor taunted.

Faren heard a swift thunk, then a thud. He didn’t look away from Castor’s beady eyes. “Is fighting a Morta not a part of her duty—and yours?”

“‘…and the safe keeping of its secrets,’” Castor recited.

Faren leaned into the blade, causing more blood to well from Castor’s neck. Then he felt a hand on his shoulder, bidding him to stop.

Mariana. The moon loomed behind her, veiling her face in shadow. “We need to go.”

Brom was on the ground, rubbing his temple, looking dazed.

“Yes,” Castor growled. “Go.”

“What’s going on?” Faren asked.

Mariana dipped her chin, eyes sliding toward the monster.

It was slumped in the grass—but it was no longer an abomination. Its body had changed, shrunk. It now resembled a man, but not quite.

Shock cracked through Faren like a whip. “Fates,” he breathed, turning back to Mariana. “What the fuck?”

Her voice was soft, quavering. “We need. To go.”

Castor wrenched out of Faren’s grasp and shoved him off. When he stood, blood slid from his neck into his filthy shirt. He spat in the grass. “Remember your loyalty, Mariana. Remember yourtask.”