Chapter 19 #2
Jax shoved him before he could finish, sending Tae stumbling into his bunk. Laughter rippled through the room, and for the first time that morning, I felt like the ground wasn’t about to crumble beneath me.
Naia came and sat down on my bed, her expression softer than usual. She twirled her dagger absently between her fingers, the light glinting off its blade.
“I didn’t really have a choice in coming here either,” she said quietly. “Sure, I could’ve said no... but my family was starving. The outer villages have been plundered by the nobles. Until this war ends, the commoners will keep suffering.”
I shifted, the weight of her words heavier than I expected. “I’ve visited a few kingdoms,” I admitted. “But mostly the ones closest to Warriath. I didn’t realize it was so bad. We never struggled in the Order.”
Naia’s fingers stilled on her dagger. “The Order actually takes care of its members,” she said. “But you’re required to enter a life of crime. A lot of people can’t stomach that.”
I gave a bitter smile. “I’m aware. I wouldn’t have chosen it myself.”
“And yet,” Naia murmured, “you’re an accomplished assassin. I see it in the way you fight.”
“That’s thanks to Solei.” My throat tightened at the thought of my sister. “She and Remy made sure I could hold my own. I’m not as good as them, though.”
Naia reached over and patted my leg. “You will be.” Her fingers lingered for a moment, warm and reassuring.
She stood just as a sharp knock echoed at the door.
I instinctively reached for the dagger hidden beneath my pillow. Naia’s fingers flexed on the hilt of her own blade.
Her hand hovered near her dagger, but she relaxed as the door swung open, revealing a court courier. The man’s dark uniform was crisp, his expression stoic.
“You are requested in the Ascension Grounds,” he announced, voice flat and impersonal.
Naia shot me a look, and we both grabbed our gear. We walked together in silence, the cool morning air biting at our faces. Something felt... off.
When we reached the courtyard, my stomach tightened. There were no other guilds. The sprawling yard was eerily empty. No soldiers training, no recruits sparring—just Major Ledor standing on the podium, arms crossed like he’d been waiting.
He gestured for us to gather. “It is time for you all to enter the Runebound Threshold.”
I blinked. “Where are we going?”
Major Ledor’s sharp gaze landed on me. “Call your dragons. As soon as they arrive, we will begin.”
Kaelith, I sent through our mental link. We’ve got another trial.
She grunted in irritation. I swear I will eat that fool, if he keeps summoning me for these pointless games...
Despite her complaints, I spotted her moments later, streaking from the tree line of the Dragon Isle, her massive form a flash of purple among the other approaching dragons.
They emerged from the forest together, their scales gleaming as they soared above the castle walls before circling down toward us.
I noticed my squadmates instinctively touching their pendants.
Cordelle’s scale was fully emerged—a burnished brown set solidly in the gold.
Naia, Jax, and Ferrula’s pendants had distinct patches where their scales peeked through, gleaming faintly.
I reached for my own and pulled it from beneath my shirt.
A spec of purple glimmered beneath the gold.
It wasn’t like the others, as Kaelith couldn’t quite bring herself to fully commit. But it was something.
The dragons landed in unison, shaking the ground beneath us. Kaelith huffed, arching her neck away from Hein’s smugly watchful gaze.
“Your trial begins now,” Major Ledor announced, stepping forward. He raised his hand high above his head.
The air shifted.
The stone courtyard beneath our feet trembled, the ground rippling outward like someone had dropped a pebble into a pond. The walls of the castle blurred at the edges, the sky twisting into unnatural hues.
The landscape itself began to change.
Rocks pushed up from the earth, jagged and uneven. Trees curled and gnarled, their branches blackened and twisted. Faint lines of glowing runes spiraled across the ground, crackling with blue and white energy.
“This place is bound by magic,” Major Ledor warned. “The Runebound Threshold is a realm of illusions, traps, and trials. Your dragons will guide you—but you must trust them.” His gaze hardened. “Those who fall behind… will not return.”
The warning settled like a rock in my chest.
Kaelith’s voice slid into my mind, sharp and cold. I do not like that human.
The world was unnervingly quiet.
I turned in a slow circle, my breath curling in the chill air.
The air shimmered before twisted trees and jagged rocks replaced the Ascension Grounds.
There was no sign of my squadmates or the trial’s starting point.
Just endless, uneven terrain that stretched upward like a mountain swallowing the sky.
Where are the others? I sent the question to Kaelith.
Scattered, she replied with irritation. The human who created this illusion is a reality weaver. He’s siphoning your power to maintain this trick. Follow the path so we may be done. I find his magic irritating... and unworthy of my time.
Typical Kaelith—unbothered by the danger and annoyed to be involved.
A narrow path snaked upward through the jagged peaks, and I stepped forward, ignoring the dull ache in my limbs. Kaelith padded silently beside me, her scales darkening to a muted violet beneath the shadow of the mountain.
The climb was steep—sharp rocks shifted beneath my boots and gusts of wind lashed against my face. Kaelith stalked beside me, her gaze flicking up the mountainside like she expected something to attack.
About halfway up the slope, the air shifted. The wind stilled, the world holding its breath.
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.
“This is awkward,” I muttered.
“For both of us,” he agreed, but his tone was almost teasing.
I turned my head slightly, enough to catch the faint curve of his mouth. “Since when are you capable of being awkward?”
“Since a stubborn white-haired rider with a death wish started invading my personal space.” His gaze flicked down to me, something unspoken lingering there.
“Invading your personal space?” I huffed. “I’m not the one holding on like I’m about to fall off a cliff.”
His eyes sharpened, humor giving way to something deeper. “You almost did.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but no words came. Because he was right—if he hadn’t caught me, I’d be bleeding out on the stone.
“Kaelith’s right,” I muttered. “I am going to die out here.”
“No,” Zander said firmly. “You’re not.”
His hand shifted, fingers grazing my arm just enough to make me shiver. “You’ll get her to anchor you,” he said quietly. “You’re stronger than you think.”
“Even Kaelith doesn’t believe that,” I whispered.
“She will,” Zander said. His voice was certain. “You just need to give her a reason to.”
I tried to ignore the warmth in his voice—the quiet faith I wasn’t sure I deserved. But I clung to it anyway, because right now, it was the only thing keeping me from falling apart.
The world shimmered, the illusion peeling away like smoke caught in the wind.
I blinked as the false mountain landscape dissolved, leaving me on the solid ground of the Ascension Grounds.
My squadmates were scattered around the clearing, some leaning on their dragons, others still shaking off the remnants of whatever nightmare they’d faced.
I was now standing, and Zander had stepped away from me, making me wonder if our interaction was real.
They all turned when they saw me.
“Are you alright?” Riven was the first to reach me, her gaze raking me over like she expected to find a wound.
“Yeah,” I rasped. My throat was dry, and my limbs still felt like dead weight. “I just about fell at the end. Zander saved me.”
“That would have been a long way down,” she said with a breathless chuckle that didn’t quite mask her concern.
Jax rubbed his head as he joined us. “Was it real? I mean... would we have actually gotten hurt?”
Zander’s voice cut in before I could answer. “Yes,” he said roughly. “Major Ledor’s illusions are real because we believe them. If you fall from a height that you know should kill you… you die.”
“Reality weaver,” I muttered.
Zander’s sharp gaze landed on me. “Yes. How did you know that?”
“Kaelith told me,” I said simply.
“Lieutenant Rayne!” Major Ledor’s bark carried across the grounds, sharp and commanding.
Zander’s eyes lingered on me for a beat longer before he exhaled and turned toward the Major. His usual confident stride faltered, like he expected a reprimand—and judging by the Major’s furious expression, he was about to get one.
“I’m not sure he was supposed to help you,” Naia murmured.
“I was already done with the trial when he did,” I said, though the words felt hollow. None of this had felt like success.
We watched as Major Ledor jabbed a finger at Zander’s chest, his words lost in the distance but his gestures clear. Zander’s posture stayed rigid, his face expressionless.
Then the air around him darkened.
Dark Fire curled from Zander’s palms, licking up his arms like serpents made of smoke and shadow. The flames hissed and spat, coiling dangerously as Major Ledor stumbled back a step, clearly reassessing his strategy.
“Guess Dark Fire trumps illusions,” Jax muttered, slinging an arm around my shoulders.
“Yeah,” I sighed, feeling the bone-deep exhaustion in my muscles.
“That was one fucked-up trial,” Tae said.
“Come on,” Jax said. “Let’s get back to the barracks before they make us run laps or something.”
I let him steer me away, my legs heavier with each step. My mind kept circling back to the words the Blood Fae had whispered— Soon you will learn you’re on the wrong side —and Zander’s quiet certainty that I could get Kaelith to anchor me.
If I didn’t… I wasn’t sure I’d survive.