Tempest Rising (The Dragonne Library #2)

Chapter 17

Tess

“What’s wrong?” I murmured, my voice thick with sleep as I pushed myself up onto my elbows. My glasses sat askew on my face, and I adjusted them, squinting in the dim light. Mason loomed over me, his broad silhouette cutting a solid, reassuring figure against the chaos outside.

“Raze heard something,” he said simply, his gaze flicking toward the entrance of the shelter. His dark eyes, usually calm and grounding, held a sharpness now—a predator’s focus. “We’re not alone.”

Instantly, I was awake. My pulse quickened as adrenaline surged through me, chasing away the lingering fog of sleep. Around us, the others were already stirring. Raze crouched near the entrance, his amber eyes glowing faintly in the dim light as he peered out into the storm. Kane was sitting up, his white hair disheveled and his expression sharp as he quietly murmured a spell under his breath, gathering faint tendrils of elemental energy that coiled around his fingers like living things. Even in the dim light, his intensity was palpable.

“What did he hear?” I asked, my voice hushed but steady as I looked toward Raze.

“Footsteps,” Raze said, his voice a low growl. He didn’t look away from the darkness beyond the shelter, his entire body coiled like a spring ready to snap. “Moving too quietly to be anything friendly. Stopped just outside the tree line. They’re watching us.”

I exchanged a glance with Mason, his jaw tight and his scarred face set in a grim expression. He didn’t need to say anything—I could feel the unspoken promise in his presence: he wouldn’t let anything happen to me.

Kane rose smoothly to his feet, his movements precise and deliberate as he stepped closer to Raze. “How many?” he asked, his voice clipped but calm, his elemental magic still swirling faintly around his hands.

Raze shook his head, his eyes narrowing. “More than two. Maybe five. Hard to tell with this damn storm, but I can feel them. They’re circling us.”

Another flash of lightning illuminated the clearing, and this time, we all saw them—the figures circling our shelter like vultures.

And then she appeared, stepping into the storm’s dim light as if she’d been summoned by the thunder itself. Selena. Her dark hair clung to her face, her lips curved into a mocking smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. She was beautiful in the way a venomous snake was beautiful—sleek, graceful, and utterly lethal.

“Rise and shine, little mortals,” she purred, her voice cutting through the storm’s chaos like a blade. The ease with which she spoke, despite the roaring wind and pounding rain, sent a chill down my spine. “Did you really think you could sleep through the night without someone testing your worth?”

“Or your patience,” Valen added smoothly, stepping out of the shadows. His crimson eyes gleamed with an unsettling, malicious amusement, and his smile—sharp and predatory—was enough to make my stomach twist.

I didn’t recognize the other two who flanked Selena, their faces unfamiliar and their postures equally threatening. One, a wiry man with silver streaks in his dark hair, had a cold, calculating air about him, his piercing gaze assessing us like we were prey. The other, a muscular woman with jagged scars running down her arms, radiated raw aggression, her lip curling in disdain as her eyes locked onto mine. Whoever they were, I had no doubt they were trouble.

“Nothing says ‘team-building exercise’ like sabotage,” Raze growled, his fists clenching at his sides. The faint glow in his amber eyes betrayed the wolf within him, inching closer to the surface with every passing second.

“Don’t give them the satisfaction,” Kane snapped, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. He stepped forward, his posture radiating authority. “You’re wasting your energy,” he said coldly, his gaze locking onto Selena’s with icy precision. “If you wanted to win this competition, you’d focus on your own performance instead of tearing others down.”

Selena tilted her head, her grin widening. Her teeth flashed white in the storm’s light, a predator baring its fangs. “Oh, Kane, darling,” she said, her tone dripping with mockery. “You should know by now that winning isn’t just about strength or strategy. It’s about knowing how to eliminate the competition.”

As she spoke, her fingers flicked subtly behind her back, and I felt a sudden shift in the air around us. A barely audible hum, like the charge before a lightning strike, vibrated through the shelter. My eyes darted to the walls of our makeshift refuge, and I saw it—thin veins of crackling energy snaking through the branches and leaves, pulsing with Selena’s dark magic.

“No—” I started, but it was too late.

The shelter exploded outward in a cascade of shattered branches and flying debris, the magical blast ripping through the fragile structure like it was paper. I was thrown backward, the force of the explosion knocking the air from my lungs as I hit the muddy ground hard. Rain pelted my face, and for a moment, the world spun in a disorienting blur of sound and light.

Through the chaos, I heard Kane shout, his voice sharp and commanding. “Regroup! Now!”

Mason’s strong hands pulled me upright, his steady presence cutting through the panic. “You okay?” he asked, his voice tight with urgency.

I nodded, though my chest ached, and my ears rang from the blast. “Yeah,” I managed, my voice hoarse. “I’m fine.”

Raze was already on his feet, his eyes blazing with fury as he squared off against Valen. “You son of a—” he snarled, taking a step forward, but Mason’s arm shot out, blocking his path.

“Not now,” Mason growled, his tone firm. “Focus.”

Selena’s laughter rang through the storm, sharp and mocking. She stood a few feet away, her posture relaxed and her expression infuriatingly smug. “Oops,” she said, her tone dripping with false innocence. “Did I do that?”

“Sabotaging us won’t win you the Guild’s favor,” Kane said coldly, his voice cutting through the rain like a blade. His pale violet eyes burned with controlled fury as he stared her down. “It only proves your desperation.”

Selena’s grin faltered, just for a heartbeat, but then Valen stepped forward, his crimson eyes glinting with amusement. “Oh, please,” he drawled. “The Guild loves a little chaos. Consider this… motivation.”

“Enough!” Kane’s voice cracked like a whip, the air around us suddenly charged with the hum of his magic. The storm seemed to hesitate, the lightning pausing mid-flash as if bowing to his command. “Let them think they’ve won. It’ll make it all the sweeter when we outlast them.”

Selena’s grin faltered, just for a moment. It was subtle, but I saw it—the flicker of doubt in her eyes. She waved a hand, her movements languid and practiced. “Have it your way,” she said, her voice tight. “But don’t pretend this is over. It’s only just begun.”

Selena held her smug grin as she turned on her heel, her dark hair whipping around her in the storm’s winds. Valen followed, his crimson eyes gleaming with amusement as he cast a mock salute in our direction. “Sleep tight,” he called out, his voice dripping with condescension. “If you survive the night, that is.”

The four of them disappeared into the darkness, their forms swallowed by the storm. For a moment, the only sounds were the howling wind and the relentless patter of rain. The oppressive weight of their presence lingered, though, like the echo of a venomous snake’s hiss.

“Cowards,” Raze muttered, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. His amber eyes glowed faintly, the wolf within him still bristling with the urge to fight.

“They’re not worth it,” Kane said sharply, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. He stood tall, his white hair plastered against his face by the rain, and his pale violet eyes burned with a cold, controlled fury. “They’re not here to fight us—they’re here to rattle us. Don’t give them the satisfaction.”

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart. Mason’s hand was still on my arm, grounding me, his dark eyes scanning our surroundings with practiced vigilance. “We need to move,” he said, his voice low and steady. “This spot is compromised. We can’t stay here.”

Kane nodded, his sharp gaze darting around the clearing. “Agreed. But we need shelter, and fast. This storm isn’t letting up anytime soon.”

“I’ve got an idea,” Mason said, his tone firm. He turned to me, his expression serious but calm. “There’s a rocky outcropping not far from here. It’s not perfect, but it’ll give us a windbreak and some cover. We can ride out the storm there.”

Raze frowned, his brows furrowed. “A rocky outcropping? That’s not exactly going to keep us dry.”

“It doesn’t have to,” Mason replied, already moving. “It just needs to keep us alive. Trust me.”

There was something in his tone—a quiet confidence that made it impossible to argue. I nodded, following as he led the way through the rain and wind. Kane and Raze fell into step behind us, their movements tense and purposeful. The storm raged around us, the rain soaking through my clothes and chilling me to the bone, but I focused on Mason’s steady presence, his broad shoulders cutting through the storm like a shield.

We reached the outcropping within minutes. It was a jagged formation of stone jutting out from the hillside, creating a narrow overhang that provided some protection from the wind and rain. Mason stopped in front of it, his dark eyes scanning the area before he turned to us.

“Stay close,” he said, his voice carrying a reassuring weight. “I’ll cover us.”

Before I could ask what he meant, Mason stepped back, his form shifting in an instant. His dark skin seemed to harden and ripple, his muscles expanding as his body transformed. His broad wings unfurled, their stone-like surface glistening with rain, and his imposing gargoyle form loomed over us. Despite his size and the sheer power radiating from him, there was nothing threatening about his presence—only a profound sense of safety.

“Under here,” he said, his voice deeper and rougher in this form, but still unmistakably Mason. He crouched slightly, his massive wings extending outward to create a makeshift shelter. The stone-like texture of his wings blocked the wind and rain, creating a small, dry space beneath them.

Kane and Raze exchanged a glance before stepping under the protective canopy of Mason’s wings. I followed, hesitating for only a moment as I looked up at him. His dark, stone-like eyes met mine, and he gave me a small nod, his expression unreadable but steady.

As I crouched beneath his wings, the difference was immediate. The howling wind was muted, and the relentless rain no longer soaked through my clothes. It wasn’t perfect—I was still cold, and the storm’s roar was still loud in my ears—but it was a world away from being out in the open.

Kane sat with his back against the rocky wall, his pale violet eyes scanning the storm beyond Mason’s wings. His elemental magic still coiled faintly around his fingers, a testament to his ever-ready vigilance. Raze crouched near the edge of the makeshift shelter, his amber eyes glowing faintly as he kept watch. Despite his earlier frustration, he was calm now, his sharp senses focused on the task at hand.

I turned to Mason, who remained in his gargoyle form, his wings spread wide and unwavering against the storm. “Thank you,” I said softly, my voice barely audible over the wind.

He glanced down at me, his stone-like features softening just slightly. “You’re safe,” he said simply, his deep voice carrying a quiet assurance. “That’s what matters.”

I leaned back against the rocky wall, my body aching from the earlier explosion and the cold. My mind raced with thoughts of Selena, of her smug grin and the venom in her words. She’d made it clear that this wasn’t over—and I knew she wasn’t bluffing. But for now, we had shelter. We had each other.

I just hoped this storm passed quickly.