Page 103 of A Court of Thralls and Thorns

Before us, the path narrowed into a crumbling archway. An ancient stone carved with runes that flickered an eerie crimson.The Tempest Gate.

This is it?I reached for my pendant, gripping it tightly.

Be careful,Kaelith warned.The runes will feed on your magic the moment you pass through.

I swallowed hard and stepped forward. The second my boot crossed the threshold, the runes ignited, burning bright as they latched onto my power like leeches.

It felt like molten metal crawling beneath my skin—my magic bleeding away faster than Kaelith’s body could pull it back.

My vision blurred, darkening at the edges. Every breath scorched my lungs. My limbs throbbed, muscles spasming under the strain. I gritted my teeth, stumbling as my strength bled from me like water slipping through my fingers.

Kaelith…I reached for her through the bond.

Keep moving,she snapped.I’ll manage the drain. Just don’t stop walking.

Her presence coiled around mine, a cool pressure against the wildfire racing through my veins. But her help came in sharp bursts—fleeting moments of relief before the pain roared back to life.

You’re holding back,I accused.

You’ll survive.Her voice was tight, strained.I won’t waste my strength until you prove you’re worthy of it.

Anger surged in me, burning brighter than the agony twisting my muscles. I forced my legs to move, step by grueling step. Each pulse of power she gave me felt like breathing air through smoke—not enough to ease the burn, just enough to survive it.

The summit crested ahead, and I staggered forward, my fingers numb as I reached for the final stone marker that ended the trial.

Magic surged through me, twisting and crackling along my skin. The glow beneath my flesh intensified, veins illuminating like molten gold. My body felt like it was on fire from the inside out.

I stumbled—and fell.

The last thing I remembered was Kaelith’s growl fading into the wind before her massive wings beat the air and she soared away.

A pair of strong hands caught me before I stumbled backward.

“Easy,” Zander’s voice murmured close to my ear. His arm tightened around me, his warmth cutting through the icy burn searing my body.

I managed a rasping breath. “Did I... pass?”

He shifted me in his arms, lowering me to the cool earth. “You’re alive,” he said, brushing my sweat-soaked hair away from my face. “That’s enough for now.”

The pain clawed at me, burrowing deep into my bones like fire curling beneath my skin. I gasped, struggling to breathe, my chest tight and my limbs numb.

“Stay still,” Zander’s voice was softer than I’d ever heard it, like he was afraid I might shatter.

“I… I can’t…” My words broke into a ragged breath, my body convulsing.

“You can,” he murmured, his arm shifting to cradle me closer. His other hand hovered just above my ribs, fingers curling in concentration. Darkness seeped from his palm, curling like smoke before sinking into my skin. The cold tendrils coiled through my body, weaving their way along my veins. The burning began to dull, ebbing away like a receding tide.

“What did you do?” My voice was hoarse, my body shivering from the absence of pain. My muscles trembled from the sudden release.

“Darkfire can consume... or stabilize. In small doses, it can smother magic that’s spinning out of control,” Zander said, his tone almost reluctant.

“So you just snuffed me out like a candle?” My voice was weak, but the bitterness still crept in.

His mouth quirked in something close to a smile. “I’d say you’re more like a wildfire than a candle.”

I tried to push myself up, but my arms refused to cooperate. My head lolled back against his chest. “I can’t move,” I muttered. “I think I’m broken.”

“You’re not broken,” he said, his arm tightening slightly around me. “Just spent.” He didn’t seem in a hurry to let me go, and truthfully, I didn’t mind. His warmth radiated through my battered body, and my head spun too much to argue.