Page 41 of Tempest Rising

We huddled together, the sturdy walls shielding us from the relentless rain. Outside, the storm roared on, but at least we had a barrier between us and the worst of its fury.

“This storm isn’t random,” Kane said, his tone clipped but thoughtful. He sat cross-legged near the entrance, his sharp features shadowed in the dim light. “The Guild’s testing us. They’re watching how we handle adversity—and each other.”

“No kidding.” Raze stretched out on his back, his hands tucked behind his head as if the chaos outside were nothing more than a minor inconvenience. “Bet they’re watching us right now, rubbing their hands together like the sadistic bastards they are.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Mason said quietly, leaning against one of the shelter’s supporting branches. His massive presence seemed to anchor the entire structure. “We’ll get through it.”

The storm raged on outside, relentless as ever, but inside the shelter, we were finally starting to settle. My clothes clung to me, damp and cold, but at least I wasn’t soaked anymore. The makeshift roof Kane had created held strong, keeping the worst of the rain out.

Raze stretched his long limbs and smirked. “Well, since we’re stuck here and not likely to die in the next hour, I think it’s time we eat.” He reached into his pack and pulled out two limp rabbits, holding them up by their back legs.

I wrinkled my nose at the sight, but my stomach growled audibly, betraying me. I hadn’t realized just how hungry I was until now. “Please tell me you’ve done this before,” I said, eyeing the rabbits warily.

Raze let out a bark of laughter. “Oh, sweetheart, I’ve done this more times than you can count. Trust me, I’m a professional.” He crouched near the edge of the shelter, pulling his knife from his belt. The blade gleamed even in the dim light. “You might not want to watch if you’re squeamish.”

I turned away, not particularly eager to witness the butchering process. Instead, I focused on Kane, who was already inspecting the damp pile of sticks I'd managed to collect earlier. His pale hands moved methodically, sorting through them with the clinical precision of someone who hated inefficiency.

“These are soaked,” he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. “Give me a minute.” He closed his eyes, and a faint hum of magic filled the air. His fingers twitched, and I watched as the sticks began to dry before my eyes, the moisture evaporating into thin wisps of steam. The faint scent of pine filled the shelter as he worked.

“That’s handy,” I said, genuinely impressed. “Can you do that with all laundry, or just wood?”

Kane’s lips twitched, almost imperceptibly, but he didn’t dignify my comment with a response. Instead, he arranged the now-dry sticks into a neat pile and crouched over them, his hands moving in a fluid, practiced motion. A spark of flame danced to life between his fingertips, then leapt to the kindling. Within moments, a small but steady fire crackled in the center of the shelter, its orange light casting flickering shadows on the walls.

“Fire’s ready,” Kane announced, his tone clipped but satisfied. His gaze flicked briefly to me before returning to the flames. “Try not to burn yourself.”

I scooted closer to the fire, its warmth chasing away the lingering chill as I extended my hands toward the flames. My fingers tingled, coming alive in the heat. “Thanks for the vote of confidence,” I said dryly. “I’ll do my best.”

Raze finished his work with the rabbits, his mood as light as ever. His hands moved with the quick, practiced efficiency of someone who’d done this countless times. “All right, they’re ready to cook.”

Before he could say more, I reached for the rabbits, surprising him. “I’ll cook them,” I offered, my voice more certain than I expected. “I’ve got this.”

Raze raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Feeling ambitious, are we?”

I shrugged, already rummaging through my pack for the small bundle of herbs I’d gathered earlier. “I just... want to help more. And, well, I’m actually a decent cook when I get the chance.” I pulled out the sprigs of wild thyme, rosemary, and the vaguely oregano-scented leaves I’d picked along the way. “Besides, you all deserve something more than a handful of blackberries.”

Raze smirked. “Fair point.”

With a quick glance around, I knelt near the fire and laid the herbs out on a flat rock to keep them dry. Mason appeared at my side with a clean stick, wordlessly holding it out for me to use as a makeshift skewer. “Thanks,” I said softly, flashing him a small smile.

I began to work, using Raze’s knife to split the rabbits and carefully season them. Crushing the herbs between my fingers, I rubbed the fragrant oils into the meat as evenly as I could.

“Didn’t know you could cook,” Mason said, breaking the silence. His deep voice was quiet, almost tender, as he glanced at me. He was a few feet away, reinforcing one of the shelter’s supports. His dark eyes flicked toward me, their warmth cutting through the evening chill.

“Yep,” I replied, glancing up briefly. “Or at least, I like to think I can. I had a lot of time to experiment when I lived on my own. Cooking became... therapeutic, I guess. I figured if I was going to eat, I might as well learn how to make it taste decent.”

“Well, here’s hoping your experiments paid off,” Raze quipped, leaning back on his elbows. “Because if this tastes like charcoal, we’re calling you out.”

“Noted,” I said, rolling my eyes at him. “Now, shut up and let me concentrate.”

As the scent of rosemary and thyme began to mingle with the smoke from the fire, I couldn’t help but feel a small spark of pride. This wasn’t much, but it was something—something I could do to contribute, to take care of the people who had, in their own ways, started to feel like family.

Once the rabbits were seasoned and skewered, Kane used his magic to create a makeshift grill over the fire, arranging a few flat stones to hold the skewers in place. I had to admit, for someone who didn’t seem to care much about teamwork, he was surprisingly good at making things work.

As the meat began to cook, the shelter filled with the mouthwatering aroma of roasted rabbit and herbs. Even Kane, who seemed determined to maintain his usual aloof demeanor, glanced toward the fire with a hint of interest.

“Smells good,” Mason said, his voice low but genuine.

“Better than I expected,” Kane added grudgingly.

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