Page 43 of Tempest Blazing (The Dragonne Library #3)

Tess

I planted myself near the center of the battlefield, Lunessa beside me. Around us, the sounds of combat were dying out—one by one, the remaining candidates dropped. Wouldn't be long now.

But something was wrong. Someone was still out there. I felt him before I saw him, a weight pressing against my awareness like a storm front moving in. The fog parted, and he stepped into view.

A werebear shifter.

Shit.

He was massive—bigger than Mason, which shouldn't have been possible.

A hulking mountain of muscle and fur, his human form bleeding seamlessly into his bestial nature.

Thick patches of dark brown fur covered his arms and shoulders.

His claws caught the light like knives. Those amber eyes burned with the kind of primal rage that made every instinct I had scream run.

He smiled at us like we were dessert.

Lunessa let out a low whistle. "Well, that's… unfortunate."

"Understatement of the year," I muttered. "Please tell me you have ideas."

Her amber eyes narrowed, the tattoos on her arms flickering to life as magic stirred beneath her skin. I caught the flash of uncertainty across her face before she masked it. "Slow him down first. You still good with distractions?"

"Oh, I'm fantastic with distractions," I replied, trying to sound like my heart wasn't trying to punch its way out of my chest. My palms were slick with sweat, adrenaline singing through my veins like a battle hymn, but there was no time for fear. If we didn't move fast, we were dead.

The werebear roared—a sound that made my bones vibrate—and charged.

The ground shook beneath his massive frame.

He moved fast. Too fast. The air around him shimmered with something that made my skin crawl—a ward so powerful it bent light itself.

I barely had time to think before Lunessa threw out her hands and shouted something that sounded like ancient magic given voice.

Thick, thorny vines exploded from the ground like living things, coiling around the werebear's legs and biting deep. He stumbled, roaring as he clawed at the vines slicing into his skin.

"My turn," I muttered, summoning Shadow Fire.

The dark flames came eagerly, like they'd been waiting for this.

I hurled two bursts in quick succession, aiming for his shoulders.

The first hit the ward and splattered like water against glass.

Panic spiked through me. The second glanced off as he twisted, but it was enough to shatter whatever ward he'd been hiding behind. The shimmer around him died.

For a heartbeat, I thought we had him. I was wrong.

The werebear bellowed, fury and pain bleeding together as his claws tore through the vines like they were paper. Lunessa's face went pale as she watched her magic crumble. She cursed under her breath as he broke free, those amber eyes locking onto her with predatory focus.

"Watch out!" I shouted, but he was already moving. A burst of impossible speed, claws slashing toward Lunessa. She threw up her hands, vines erupting in a desperate barrier, but it wasn't enough. His claws ripped through and sent her sprawling.

I didn't think. I just moved.

The Golden Shield blazed to life in my hands as I threw myself between them.

Heat flooded my arms, the magic burning through me like molten gold.

The shimmering barrier snapped into place just as his claws came down, deflecting the blow with a sound like a bell being struck by a hammer.

The impact rattled through my bones, sent shockwaves up my spine, nearly dropped me to my knees, but I held.

He reared back for another strike. "Lunessa!" I shouted, not daring to look away from those burning eyes. "Any time now would be great!"

I caught her movement in my peripheral vision—blood on her lip, magic swirling around her like a storm. Her eyes blazed with determination that hadn't been there before. "Fine, bookworm," she muttered. "Let's end this."

She raised her hands, and the earth trembled. Vines—thicker, thornier, angrier than before—shot out like whips, wrapping around his arms and legs. For a moment, it looked like they might actually hold.

Then he roared and tore free again.

My heart dropped. This was it. We were going to die here.

"Get out of the way!" Lunessa pointed to a crumbling stone pillar. "Now!"

I darted left, rolling as his claws whistled past my head. The wind from his strike kissed my cheek—too close, way too close. Lunessa unleashed her magic on the pillar, vines coiling around its base like a noose. The stones groaned. Cracked.

The werebear's eyes widened just as the pillar came down.

He raised his arms to shield himself, but stone doesn't care about claws. The crash drove him to the ground, and he crumpled beneath the weight. Unconscious. Alive.

Silence.

My lungs burned, each breath a searing pain in my chest. My thighs trembled, muscles screaming from the strain of dodging and shielding. Just my ragged breathing and the hum of magic fading into nothing. Lunessa turned to me, a crooked grin splitting her dirt-streaked face.

"Looks like we made it," she said, brushing dirt off her tunic.

The arena had gone quiet. No more combat. No more shouts. Just… stillness. The fog lifted slowly, revealing the battlefield's center where a handful of candidates remained.

"I think you're right," I agreed, a smile tugging at my lips despite everything. "Thanks for the save back there."

"Don't mention it." Her tone went surprisingly warm. "And, uh… thanks for trusting me." She hesitated, glancing away. "Most people wouldn't have."

"Most people aren't me."

She laughed, shaking her head. "No, they're not. You're alright, Tess. For a human."

"And you're alright for a gardener," I retorted.

A hum began building around us—low, resonant, unmistakable. The magical dome shimmered, then began to rise, the trial's end announced with golden light washing over everything. I watched it lift, my shoulders sagging with quiet relief.

"We survived," I whispered.

The crowd beyond erupted—cheers, shouts, thunderous applause from hundreds of spectators who'd just watched two relative unknowns take down something that should have been impossible. But it felt distant, muffled, like hearing it underwater.

I offered Lunessa my hand. "Come on. Let's get out of here before something else tries to attack us."

She clasped it, her grip firm and warm. "Lead the way."

As we crossed the arena floor, exhaustion settled into my bones like lead, but something else thrummed beneath it—something that made my spirit sing even as my body ached. Every muscle ached, my magic felt scraped to the dregs, but my spirit thrummed with something else entirely.

Recognition.

I did this. Without Thalon whispering guidance.

Without Mason stepping in to shield me. Without Kane calculating every angle or Draven reading intentions or Ciaran materializing from shadows to handle the threat.

This wasn't just borrowed strength or reflected power—this was mine.

Raw, untamed, and burning brighter than ever before.

I glanced up at the stands, searching for familiar faces.

I didn't know who had seen what, but I hoped they'd seen me fight. Not just endure, not just survive—but lead. Command. Win.

Lunessa nudged my shoulder. "You okay?"

I exhaled slowly, feeling the last of the battle tension unravel. "Not even close. But I will be."

We exited together—two warriors bloodied but unbroken, our footsteps echoing in the sudden quiet.

As we passed beneath the archway, a flicker of warmth brushed against my mind—like the ghost of Thalon's flame, distant but steady, a silent promise of his presence. He was there, but distant, letting me have this moment without commentary or guidance.

And for the first time in longer than I could remember, I didn't need his reassurance.

For the first time, I knew exactly what I was worth.

???

My legs felt like they might give out any second, each step back toward the stands sending sharp protests through muscles I'd forgotten I had.

The adrenaline was fading fast, leaving behind a bone-deep ache that made me want to curl up somewhere dark and sleep for a week.

But I kept moving, one foot in front of the other, because stopping meant admitting how close I'd come to getting myself killed.

Lunessa's hand touched my shoulder—light, brief, but warm. "I'll see you around," she murmured, those amber eyes softer than I'd seen them all day.

I managed a nod, too breathless to form actual words. My throat felt raw, scraped clean by magic and fear and the kind of screaming you do when a massive werebear is trying to turn you into paste. She gave me one last look—something almost like approval—before melting back into the crowd.

Mason was already rising before I could fully reach our section, his dark eyes scanning my face like he was memorizing every bruise, every scratch, every sign that I'd been in danger without him there to shield me. The worry in his expression made my chest tight.

"You did good, Tess," he said, voice quiet but fierce as thunder. His big hand wrapped around mine—warm, steady, grounding me to something solid when everything else felt like it was spinning. I squeezed back, letting myself lean into his strength for just a moment.

"Did I?" The words came out smaller than I meant them to. "Because it felt like I was about three seconds away from becoming bear food."

Mason's thumb brushed across my knuckles. "But you weren't. You fought smart. You trusted your partner. You won." His free hand came up to cup my cheek, gentle despite the calluses. "That's what matters."