Page 42 of Tempest Rising

“High praise coming from you,” I said, smirking. “Let’s hope it tastes as good as it smells.”

When the rabbits were finally done, we divided them up, each of us taking a portion. The first bite was tentative, but as soon as the flavors hit my tongue, I couldn’t help but grin. The meat was tender and smoky, the herbs adding just the right amount of brightness to balance it out.

“Damn,” Raze said, his amber eyes wide with surprise. “This is actually... really good.”

Kane nodded once, his expression inscrutable but his actions speaking volumes as he took another bite without hesitation. “Acceptable,” he said, which, coming from him, might as well have been a standing ovation.

Mason didn’t say anything, but the soft curve of his lips and the way he polished off his portion told me everything I needed to know.

“Looks like you’re not just the librarian anymore,” Raze said, flashing me a teasing grin. “You’re officially the team chef.”

“Don’t push it,” I said, laughing despite myself. For the first time since the storm had started, I felt a flicker of warmth—not just from the fire, but from the camaraderie slowly taking root among us.

It felt good to contribute, even in small ways like this. I’d always loved the feeling of being part of something bigger—a team working together, each person bringing their own strengths to the table. Sure, we were stuck in a makeshift shelter in the middle of the mountains, but this shared moment reminded me of why I wanted to be here. These people, even with all their jagged edges and secrets, were starting to feel like something close to a family.

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!”

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