Chapter 19
The warriors gathered at the center of the training field, the morning sun glinting off of the tygers’ pelts. Blake stood before us, tall and grim, Kingsolver sitting at his side. He swept his assessing gaze over us before he spoke.
“You are the elite Tyger Warriors,” Blake said, his voice carrying. “You were chosen by your tyger. You are fast, brutal, and disciplined. But that is no longer enough.”
He paused, letting the silence stretch, the weight of it settling into our bones.
“The Raveling is not a tournament. It is not a game. The seals to the Demon Realm are failing. If we lose, it will not be titles or crowns at risk. It will be the lives of everyone in this dominion, and the dominions beyond.”
A low murmur stirred the crowd.
Blake’s eyes sharpened. I felt the force of his will and the cold certainty that he would see this through.
“Train hard. Fight harder. Anything less, and you will die before you reach the field. The Culling Trial of the gods is in just a few weeks. No one knows what it will be.”
Blake stepped back, giving a sharp nod.
Jace stepped forward then, his eyes warmer than Blake’s as he looked over the warriors and called out a few names, including mine.
“You’re with me, in the ring for weapons.” He looked back at Blake. “The rest of you and your tygers, with Axefire.”
The warriors broke apart without a word, moving into drills, the heavy sense of purpose hanging over us all.
Blake did not move toward the side of his training group. Instead, he stalked toward me, Kingsolver matching his every movement.
“Where is Flame?” I asked. Kingsolver rumbled low in his throat.
Blake didn’t blink. “She will join you once you’ve found your footing. For now, I want to see if you can use something other than ribbons to defend yourself.”
“Riling up my trainee?” Jace said with a grin as he approached between us. His arms were crossed, hair gleaming in the morning sun. “C’mon, Axefire, you have to share the new blood.”
“She’s not your trainee,” Blake said. “She is the tygress’s rider. Remember that.”
Jace rolled his eyes. “How could I forget?”
Blake gave me one last look before walking away without another word.
“So you’re not his favorite either?”
Jace laughed lightly but shook his head, guiding me toward the other side of the yard.
“Not exactly. He’s tough but fair. I think it might be something else.
” His voice dropped lower, almost a whisper as he bent toward my ear.
“I…he used to work with his brother, before. Ever since they came of age. The Twin Blades.”
I looked over my shoulder, finding Blake’s eyes on me again. His jaw clenched, gaze darting away.
“Perhaps he dislikes seeing my face across the field because it is not his brother’s.” Jace shrugged.
For a moment, I could imagine it. The Twin Blades—Zayden as the former Ambush Master and Blake as Captain of the Guard, like one soul in two bodies, guiding the Tyger Warriors and leading the guard.
I could imagine the safety of family, the steady presence of a sibling who made you feel protected, even when everything around you was dangerous. It was something I longed for myself.
Then we joined the others and Jace grinned wickedly at our group. “Well then, let us begin.”
—
It was brutal.
The unfamiliar grip and heavy weapons shredded my palms. And this was while training on solid ground.
I would need to hold a weapon on the back of Flame while moving—an entirely different skill.
We broke for a short lunch, but otherwise it was endless drill after drill on the correct grip, stance, striking movement.
I was thankful for the daily exercises I’d done with Edith, but this was on a whole other level.
Exhausted, I lay in the dirt, heart thundering. I saw a hand enter my line of vision and thought it might be Jace, helping me.
But the wrist was too delicate, ringed in bracelets made of woven grass and braided leather, glistening with bright stones. I grabbed the hand and dusted myself off as I stood to look at my companion.
Her sky blue hair spilled over one shoulder.
She crossed her muscled arms, but there was a lightness about her, like she could break into a dance without warning.
Power rippled beneath her smooth skin. She wore a pale moss-colored tunic, cinched with a sash, and her loose cotton trousers shifted like wind over water with every step.
“I’m Calla,” she said, her hazel eyes bright with mischief.
“Rubi,” I offered.
“Nice to meet another Azure here.” She hummed beneath her breath.
Her hand slipped into her pocket, pulling out something round wrapped in a piece of cloth.
“I overheard you in the kitchen this morning as I was about to grab this—” She tossed it to me, and I fumbled to catch it with my sore muscles.
“Saw your hair and uniform. Knew I’d run into you later. Got you an extra.”
I unraveled the fabric—a sweet bun, no longer warm but still just as delicious.
My brow furrowed, but I didn’t hesitate to bite into it. “Why?”
A male voice came from behind me. “You should just say thank you, ribbon girl.” The sudden, crushing embrace caught me off guard, the scent of pine and earth wrapping around me.
Quinn.
I sank into him. I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed him until now, staying in our embrace a few seconds.
Then I stepped back, incredulous. “What are you doing here?!”
His eyes glimmered in that familiar way. Warmth. Affection. No judgment. It was a relief after a day of stares measuring my worth in magic and power.
“The Culling,” he said. “They’ve allowed us to volunteer.” His voice dropped lower as he stepped closer to me with his predator’s grace. “It’s our one shot to reclaim our dominion. That’s why you’re here, isn’t it? To fight for the Azures. From the back of the tygress queen.” He winked.
I hesitated, the truth sitting like a stone in my throat.
My hatred of the king had only grown—but I had Bonded with one of his tygers. Would fight under his banner. Whose side was I on? What was I doing?
“Not exactly.” Before he could question me further, I asked, “So you’ll be training with us?”
“No, they’ve got us in another section.” Calla grimaced.
Quinn, in contrast, smirked. “They say we spook the tygers. Lucky your magic is so weak you don’t even warrant a snarl,” he teased.
I gave a rueful laugh before a rumble started in my head.
Where are you? I asked telepathically. I missed my tygress.
Flame didn’t respond, just another growl.
“You okay?” Quinn asked, stepping back. Then he tilted his head to Calla, dropping a quiet “I’m Quinn.”
Calla smirked. “Calla—we sparred earlier.”
Their conversation drifted from me as I spotted Blake Axefire walking purposefully toward me.
“Azures,” he said, “see yourselves out of our pen before the tygers arrive.”
Quinn and Calla turned—though Calla made a little mocking gesture behind his back that made me smile, and Quinn winked at me again.
“See you at dinner, Rubi,” he tossed over his shoulder.
I moved to follow them. Blake’s hand wrapped around my arm, snapping me back toward his side.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m Azure,” I reminded him. “You said we should see ourselves out.”
“Don’t act stupid,” he said, gesturing at my clothes, tygers embroidered everywhere.
I started to retort, “Just because—”
“One last run with your tygers,” he announced over me, garnering the attention of the tired group. “You can thank Morningtail. Perhaps she will be on time tomorrow.”