Page 37 of Tempest Rising

Kane, however, didn't seem to share Mason's confidence. His jaw tightened almost imperceptibly as he assessed our newly assigned teammate across the gathering. Raze was impossible to miss – tall and muscular with spiky brown hair. When our eyes met briefly, he gave a sharp nod of acknowledgment.

My attention was pulled away by movement near Draven's group. Anya looked even paler than usual as she stepped toward her assigned team, and my chest tightened with worry. She wasn't exactly known for her combat skills, and the wilderness...

As if sensing my concern, Draven caught my eye. That familiar playful smirk crossed his face as he mouthed, "I'll keep her safe." Despite everything, I found myself believing him.

"Well, well," a silky voice cut through my thoughts. "Looks like some of us got luckier than others with our assignments."

Selena's words dripped with sugar-coated venom as she passed our group, Valen's towering form a dark shadow behind her. The way they moved together, already in sync, sent a chill down my spine that had nothing to do with the morning air.

"Careful, Selena," Kane's voice was arctic. "Luck tends to run out quickly in the wilderness."

She merely laughed, the sound like breaking glass. "We'll see about that, won't we?"

As they walked away, I couldn't shake the feeling that we'd just witnessed the formation of something dangerous. Selena, Valen, and Jareth—it was like watching storm clouds gathering on the horizon.

"Don't let them get in your head," Mason rumbled, his hand finding the small of my back in a gesture that was both protective and grounding. "We focus on ourselves, on getting back on time."

Kane's calculating gaze swept over our newly formed team. "Mason's right. We need to strategize before—"

"Attention!" Aelar's voice cut through all conversation. "Teams will now be transported to their starting positions. Remember,you have until Friday at 0800 hours. The wilderness is unforgiving, and time..." his eyes seemed to pierce right through me, "...time is not on your side."

The morning mist began to thicken around us, swirling with unnatural purpose. The last thing I saw before the transportation magic took hold was Draven giving Anya's shoulder a reassuring squeeze, and Selena's triumphant smile as she looked our way one final time.

Then everything dissolved into smoke and shadow, and our real test began.

Chapter 15

Tess

The transport magic dissolved around us. I blinked against the sudden brightness, my stomach twisting as though the ground had been yanked out from under me. A wave of dizziness hit, and I staggered slightly, pressing a hand to my temple.

"Whoa," I muttered, my voice shaky. "That... felt like being turned inside out and then put back together wrong. Is it supposed to feel like that?"

Mason’s hand brushed mine, steadying me with a reassuring squeeze. His dark eyes softened as he glanced down at me. "First time’s always rough," he said, his voice low and soothing. "You’ll get used to it. Just breathe through it, Tess."

I exhaled slowly, nodding, though the queasiness lingered. "I'll take your word for it," I murmured, trying to muster a smile.

Beside me, Mason adjusted his stance, already scanning our surroundings like the seasoned protector he was. Kane stood a few paces ahead, his posture as rigid and perfect as ever, his sharp gaze sweeping across the forest like he was calculating the next fifty moves in some cosmic chess game.

And then there was Raze, crouching low to the ground, his long fingers skimming the moss-covered dirt as if it held the secretsof the universe. His expression was unreadable, but there was a kind of reverence in the way he moved, like the forest itself demanded respect.

We were here. No turning back now.

Kane stepped forward, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "Stay alert. We don’t know what’s waiting for us, and I doubt it’ll be friendly." He didn’t waste time, and neither could we.

“We each have a small backpack with the basics,” Kane said, his voice crisp and businesslike. He adjusted the strap of his own pack, which contained water bottles, knives, etcetera. “It’s not much, so we’ll need to ration carefully. And remember, using magic comes with consequences. We don’t know what those are yet, so we should avoid it unless absolutely necessary.”

We each took our packs and settled them on our backs.

Kane straightened, brushing pine needles from his clothes. "We have roughly forty-eight hours to get back," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "We need to be smart about this. Split responsibilities based on our strengths."

"We'll need shelter before nightfall," Raze added, studying a set of deer tracks pressed into a patch of damp earth. "And these tracks suggest there's a water source nearby. Animals always know where to drink."

Kane nodded. "I'll handle navigation—both magical and physical. I know how to work with the terrain and keep us on the right path." He glanced at the sky, calculating. "If we push hard, we can cover significant ground before dark."

"What about the other teams?" I asked, remembering Selena's predatory smile.

"That's why we need Mason's instincts," Kane replied, turning to our largest teammate. "You'll watch our backs and scout for potential danger. You've always had a knack for sensing threats before they hit."

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