Chapter 49. The Fused Claw

Eryndor’s POV

The two days fled past in the blink of an eye, and suddenly my fate stood waiting: it was time for my sacrifice. At dawn, two sword-bearing women arrived to claim me. I suspected that rumors of my battle with that counterfeit Lycan had reached their ears and that they were wary I might try to flee. Obviously, I intended to do just that.

They led me deeper into the forest, the underbrush growing ever more tangled as we approached the island’s heart. My pulse raced with each step, the weight of my chains dangling from my bound wrists. Every broken twig beneath my boots felt like the final countdown. I knew this was the moment to strike.

When I saw my opportunity, I leapt backward. My sudden movement startled the woman trailing behind me; her sword clattered to the ground. In one smooth roll I recovered the fallen blade, coming up to face her companion. The second woman lunged at me with a vicious slash, but I met her blow and drove my own counter