Page 41 of Tempest Blazing (The Dragonne Library #3)

Tess

The outdoor training area was unrecognizable.

In its place—this massive arena that made my chest tighten just looking at it. Magical wards shimmered along the boundaries, buzzing against my skin like live wires as I approached. Tiered seating stretched up and around us, big enough for dragons and the crowds come to watch us potentially die.

The scale of it hit me like a punch. This wasn't just a test. This was a spectacle.

I stopped dead at the edge of the field, scanning the crowd. Dragons perched on the upper tiers like jeweled gargoyles, their scales catching sunlight and throwing it back in violent streaks of green, blue, and gold.

My pulse hammered against my throat. Every instinct screamed at me to run, but I couldn't. Wouldn't. I'd come too far to back down now—no matter what they threw at me in there. I had to prove I belonged here, that I was worthy of standing among them.

"Tess."

That voice.

I turned to see Mason cutting through the chaos toward me, his towering frame the only steady thing in this madness.

"Mason," I breathed, relief flooding through me so fast it made me dizzy.

He didn't say a word—just wrapped me up, his arms tight around me as he pressed a kiss to my forehead. The bond between us thrummed, his emotions flowing into me—love, reassurance, and this unshakable belief in me that I didn't know how to carry.

"You've got this," he murmured, voice rough with certainty.

I nodded against his chest, stealing his confidence because mine felt paper-thin. But underneath the fear, something harder crystallized. I would not fail. Not here, not now. Whatever it took to pass this trial, I'd do it. When he finally stepped back, I could breathe again.

"Come on," he said, jerking his chin toward the seating area. "The others are waiting."

We pushed through to the section reserved for applicants, where Kane, Draven, Anya, and Raze were already seated. The group was a mess of nerves and bravado—Raze bouncing his leg like he might explode, while Kane sat perfectly still, unreadable as stone.

"Took you long enough," Draven drawled, hazel eyes dancing with that particular brand of asshole mischief as he leaned back in his chair. "We were starting to think you'd chickened out."

"Not a chance," I shot back.

Anya offered me a smile that was probably meant to be reassuring. "Don't let him get to you. We're all nervous. Even him."

Draven smirked but didn't bother denying it.

I dropped into the seat between Mason and Anya, and Kane leaned forward, those sharp blue-violet eyes scanning the arena like he was calculating something.

I followed his gaze. The lower seats were packed—vampires with their unsettling stillness, fae with their ethereal, too-perfect grace, and werewolves radiating barely leashed energy.

"The turnout is larger than usual," he noted, tone clipped and clinical. "The presence of so many faction representatives suggests heightened interest—or scrutiny."

"Because of me," I said softly, the weight of it settling on my shoulders like lead.

"Partly," Kane admitted, his gaze flicking to mine.

"You're the first human applicant. That alone would draw attention.

But the Harbinger threat has accelerated everything.

They need Dragon Riders, and they need them now.

Your success—or failure—will be seen as a reflection of their decision to allow humans into the Guild. "

No pressure or anything.

A horn blast cut through the arena, silencing the crowd like someone had flipped a switch. All eyes turned to the center of the battlefield, where Silvius Ellesar—Kane's father and the Guild's Lord Protector—appeared in a flash of light. His voice, magically amplified, boomed across the arena.

"Welcome, candidates, Guild members, and honored guests, to the Final Guild Trial!"

The crowd erupted, but I felt the weight of Silvius's gaze as it swept over us.

When those silver-blue eyes landed on me, even from this distance, it was like ice water in my veins.

He didn't want me here. Had made that crystal fucking clear from day one.

But his disapproval only fueled the fire burning in my chest. I'd show him exactly what he was wrong about.

Silvius raised a hand, and the noise died like he'd strangled it. "Today, we witness the culmination of your efforts, your training, and your resolve. The trials ahead will test your strength, your cunning, and most importantly, your worthiness to join the ranks of the Dragon Riders."

He paused, letting his words sink their claws in before continuing. "The first phase of the trial will be… a Battle Royale."

My stomach dropped straight to my feet. Of course it would be. A free-for-all where everyone turned on everyone else until half of us were eliminated.

"The candidates have been divided into groups of twenty.

Each group will compete within the arena until only ten remain standing.

You may use any and all skills at your disposal—magic, physical prowess, or sheer determination.

We've also scattered some weapons and shields throughout the arena. However, lethal force is discouraged."

I leaned toward Mason, my voice barely a whisper. "How exactly do they eliminate us? I mean, are we talking about actually—"

"Being knocked unconscious or sustaining serious injury will remove you from the trial," Silvius continued, as if he'd heard my question from across the arena. "Our staff will immediately teleport eliminated candidates to safety, where they'll receive full medical attention."

Relief flooded through me, though my heart still hammered against my ribs. At least I wouldn't have to kill anyone to prove myself. But I'd take whatever injuries I had to if it meant advancing. Pain was temporary—failure would haunt me forever.

His gaze swept the arena before landing on me like a target. "And let me be absolutely clear—those of you who have already bonded with dragons are forbidden from receiving any assistance from them during this trial. Dragon interference of any kind will result in immediate disqualification."

The arena began to shift beneath us. The ground rumbled, and sections of the battlefield rose and fell, creating this intricate maze of platforms, crumbling ledges, and what looked suspiciously like traps.

Fog rolled in from the edges like something out of a nightmare, obscuring parts of the terrain.

"Remember," Silvius continued, "the goal is to survive and prove your worth. The top ten candidates from each group will advance to the next phase. The rest… will not."

His words hung in the air like a death sentence. I swallowed hard, clenching my fists until my nails bit into my palms. This was it. My moment to prove that I belonged here, that I was worthy of everything I'd fought for. No turning back now—and I wouldn't want to even if I could.

"Let the trials begin!"

???

Desperately, I forced myself to focus on what mattered most—proving I belonged here. I couldn't let anyone down, not Mason, not Kane, not Anya, and especially not myself.

This trial was everything.

Without it, I'd remain nothing more than the girl who didn't quite measure up, the one who needed constant protection. I had to succeed, no matter what it cost me.

Isolde Northfall, the Headmaster of the Dragon Rider Guild's Academy, stepped forward. The crowd went dead silent. She raised a hand, though she didn't really need to.

"Candidates," she began, her voice cutting through the air with magical amplification, "you stand here today because you have proven yourselves capable.

But capability alone is not enough to earn the title of Dragon Rider.

This trial will test your strength, your cunning, and your resolve.

Only those who show true worthiness will advance.

" She paused, her stare sweeping across us.

"I will now announce the first group to face the trial. "

My stomach clenched as she began calling out names, each one landing heavily in the arena.

I listened with every fiber of my being, waiting for my name, my muscles wound tight enough to snap.

All those hours of practice, all the late nights with Mason drilling combat techniques, Kane helping me refine my magic control, Anya teaching me to read my opponents—it all came down to this moment.

This was my chance to prove I wasn't just someone who needed saving, that I could stand on my own and earn my place among the Dragon Riders. And then—

"Tempest Whittaker."

The words punched through me. I exhaled slowly, forcing my shoulders to relax even as my pulse hammered against my throat.

Mason's hand found mine, squeezing hard enough to bruise.

The warmth of his touch, rough and familiar, anchored me to the moment.

His dark eyes were all worry, but he didn't let go until my name stopped bouncing off the stone walls.

Then it hit me—none of my friends had been called. I scanned the group fast, my stomach dropping as I confirmed it. Mason, Kane, Draven, Anya… not one of them was in my group. I would be going into this alone.

The thought should have terrified me, but instead, it sparked something fierce inside my chest. This was perfect.

No one could say I'd succeeded because of their help.

No one could claim I'd hidden behind stronger allies.

Whatever happened in that arena would be entirely on me—my skills, my determination, my worthiness.

What if I freeze? What if my magic fails when I need it most? But what if I don't? What if this is exactly what I need to prove myself once and for all? The thoughts spiraled deeper, each one cutting sharper than the last, until—

"You are never alone, little one."