The Night Bound Pact

e. Mina moved carefully, her footsteps muffled by the thick carpet of leaves underfoot. She clutched a bundle of herbs, candles, and a small silver knife-a makes

's fingers trembled as she arranged the candles in a circle around her, placing the herbs and the knife in the center. She took a d

pirits. The book had warned that these entities were ancient and capricious, that they had their own desires and rules that mortal minds could barely com

grew colder, the sounds of the forest fading until only her voice remained, echoing through the trees. The moonlight seemed to brighten, illu

t see it, but she could feel it, a weight pressing down on her, filling her with a mixture of awe

ome to you in need," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "I seek to break a

lence in its wake. Mina held her breath, her heart

nheard, a voice, deep and resonant, echoed through the clearing. It was neither

d your understanding, mortal?" the voice in

he Nightbound," she said, her voice trembling but determined. "He is bound to the moon,

, filling the air with an unsettling sense of amusement. "The Nightbound are bo

c didn't choose this. His ancestors did, but he didn't. He des

as if it is something so simple. But the blood that flows within him is ancient, woven wi

what's the point? Why should he have t

here was a hint of curiosity in its tone. "Why do you care so deep

t anticipated that her own motives would be examined. But as she thought about Alec, about

quietly. "Because no one should have to carry a burd

r skin prickle. She could feel the presence considering h

ally. "If you are willing to pa

of fear laced her excitement. "What

consequence," the voice explained. "To free him from this cu

sion clouding her m

must take his place. You must bind yourself to the night, to the wild, to

here willing to risk her life, but this... this was something different. To take Alec's

e. Mina moved carefully, her footsteps muffled by the thick carpet of leaves underfoot. She clutched a bundle of herbs, candles, and a small silver knife-a makes

's fingers trembled as she arranged the candles in a circle around her, placing the herbs and the knife in the center. She took a d

pirits. The book had warned that these entities were ancient and capricious, that they had their own desires and rules that mortal minds could barely com

grew colder, the sounds of the forest fading until only her voice remained, echoing through the trees. The moonlight seemed to brighten, illu

t see it, but she could feel it, a weight pressing down on her, filling her with a mixture of awe

ome to you in need," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "I seek to break a

lence in its wake. Mina held her breath, her heart

nheard, a voice, deep and resonant, echoed through the clearing. It was neither

d your understanding, mortal?" the voice in

he Nightbound," she said, her voice trembling but determined. "He is bound to the moon,

, filling the air with an unsettling sense of amusement. "The Nightbound are bo

c didn't choose this. His ancestors did, but he didn't. He des

as if it is something so simple. But the blood that flows within him is ancient, woven wi

what's the point? Why should he have t

here was a hint of curiosity in its tone. "Why do you care so deep

t anticipated that her own motives would be examined. But as she thought about Alec, about

quietly. "Because no one should have to carry a burd

r skin prickle. She could feel the presence considering h

ally. "If you are willing to pa

of fear laced her excitement. "What

consequence," the voice explained. "To free him from this cu

sion clouding her m

must take his place. You must bind yourself to the night, to the wild, to

here willing to risk her life, but this... this was something different. To take Alec's