Page 247 of Knot Their Soldier: Part Three

The tour gets worse from there.

Or better.

Possibly both, depending on how I look at it.

A narrow snare between two rocks is named Zero's Apology because, according to Blaise, anyone caught in it owes an apology for being stupid enough to step on it.

A weighted net tucked into the branches is called Knox’s Mood.

"Practical, precise, heavy, and comes down on your head like a ton of arrogant bricks if you ignore warnings," Blaise explains.

I press my lips together, holding back a smirk. "I’m telling him."

Blaise goes still, doubt creeping onto his features. "He’ll respect its efficiency."

"Wanna make a bet?"

His eyes narrow. "Oh, you're a tricky one, little Omega."

I scoff and gesture at the surrounding forest. "Says the man with a thousand traps."

He frowns. "It's only fifty-four."

When we reach the next trap, Blaise drops his chin to my shoulder, wrapping his arms tightly around my waist. His body is warm and strong against my back, and the bond between us thrums at our closeness.

This stretch of forest looks almost pretty. Moss over stone, pale winter light through the branches, and a thin path curving between two pines.

Then I notice the concealed razor wire above an old animal track, the small hooks along the trunk, and the way every easy step leads exactly where Blaise wants an intruder to go.

"This one is Viper’s Aim," he says.

"It never misses?"

Blaise purrs. "This is why you're my Omega. You understand my art."

Blaise guides me around Viper’s Aim, and we walk for ten minutes before he raises his hand in warning. I halt immediately.

"This is Shade’s Smile," he says.

I glance at him. "That sounds suspiciously polite."

"Yep, that sums it up pretty well."

He leads me toward a narrow gap between two mossy rocks. At first, I see the obvious danger, a thin wire stretched low across the path, almost hidden under leaves, but glinting in the afternoon light filtering through the canopy.

"That’s the trap?" I ask with raised eyebrows. This seems far too innocent after the monstrosities I have been shown so far.

Blaise’s grin spreads. "Shade helped me create this one and I think you're going to love it."

He points to the left, where a patch of mud looks wetter than everything around it.

"It's… mud?"

"And?" he prompts, vibrating with excitement as he watches me piece the trap's design together.

"The wire is bait," I say slowly. "And when they notice it, they step around it."

Blaise nods vigorously. "Right into the mud."