Page 58 of Tempest Rising

Approaching the pedestal, I leaned closer. The Flameborn crystal rested atop its intricate stand of woven iron and stone, pulsing softly with life. I took a breath, steadying the flare of anticipation that raced through me. This was no longer a game of curiosity. This was a moment that might change everything.

With a flick of my wrist, I called forth a tongue of dragonfire, tinged black as midnight. Shadow Fae like me weren’t supposed to wield such magic—it was antithetical to our chaotic nature. And that, perhaps, was why the Council had never foreseen this moment. Their arrogance, as always, left blind spots to exploit.

The fire licked at the surface of the crystal, dissipating like mist. The glow intensified, like molten amber, until my vision blurred, and I was pulled into the story embedded within the artifact.

???

I was no longer in the alcove of the Library; I wasn’t evenme. I was watching through eyes that didn’t belong to me, feeling emotions so enormous they threatened to tear me apart.

I was no longer in the alcove of the Library; I wasn’t evenme. I was watching through eyes that didn’t belong to me, feeling emotions so enormous they threatened to tear me apart.

An immense dragon stood atop a dais of black volcanic stone, her scales shifting between gold, obsidian, and deep amethyst, flickering like living flames. Power radiated from her in waves so intense that even in this borrowed memory, it prickled against my skin. Above her, the sky churned with fire and storm, the air thick with the raw scent of magic and destruction.

A battle raged around her. I could hear the distant roars of other dragons, the clash of steel, the screams of the dying. Chaos reigned, and the balance she had once sworn to protect teetered on the edge of collapse.

Her voice trembled through the air, resonating deep within me.“For centuries, we thrived as stewards of harmony. But now, the world trembles. Unity has faded, splintered by hatred, greed, pride. I will do what must be done.”

This was no simple declaration. It was a vow, etched into the very fabric of existence. I felt her pain, her resolve, the weight of the choice she had already made.

The ground beneath her rumbled as she extended her claws, digging deep into the volcanic rock. Magic surged through her, a force so immense it made the mountain quake. The storm above howled in answer, the land itself recoiling in anticipation.

Then, sheroared.

It was not just a sound—it was sacrifice, defiance, love, and farewell all woven into one devastating cry. The force of it cracked the stone, split the sky, and sent a shockwave of power rippling through the battlefield. She unleashed everything—her life, her essence, her very soul.

Flames erupted from her body, golden fire laced with ribbons of shadow, engulfing her in an inferno so blinding that I had to shield my eyes. When the light finally dimmed, she was gone.

In her place, an orb of staggering brilliance hovered above the dais, pulsating with molten fire and shifting shadows. Waves of magic rippled outward from it, filled with intent, withpurpose. TheDraconis Hearthad been born.

It pulsed once. Twice. Then it reached outward—not with hands, but with something far deeper, more primal. It wassearching.

The vision blurred, flickering through time, revealing those the Heart had chosen. Not the strongest. Not the wisest. But those who could weave bonds where others saw only division. Those shaped by hardship, forged through creativity, bound by an unshakable will to unite.

The force of that realization slammed into me like a physical blow. I stumbled backward in the memory, gasping. It hadn’t been an accident.

The Draconis HeartchoseTess.

The Heart hadn’t chosen her out of coincidence. Tess wasn’t just part of this world. Shewasmeant to be here.

Which meant the Library had chosen her too. It had called to her, drawn her in, just as the Heart had. The thought sent a shiver through me. The Library wasn’t some passive archive of knowledge—it was alive, sentient in ways few understood. And ifit had reached for Tess, if it hadclaimedher, then it wasn’t just offering her a place among its halls. It had a purpose for her, something deeper than any of us had realized.

My feelings for her surged into something undefinable—primal, furious, protective. Tess wasn’t just mine to care for; she was mine to defend, mine to shield from everything this world and the next dared to throw at her.

And if the Library—if anyone—thought they could manipulate her, twist her,useher... they wouldn’t live long enough to regret their mistake.

???

The portal to Earth closed behind me with an audible snap, leaving no trace of where I’d come from except the faint buzz of residual magic.

The wilderness sprawled around me, vibrant yet perilous. Ancient trees rose like sentinels, their twisted branches allowing beams of filtered moonlight to dapple the leaf-strewn ground. Instinctively, I scanned the area, tension writhing in my abdomen. Tess.

The thought of her burned hotter than the power still faintly coursing through my veins. She should be finishing the Survival Challenge, nearing the finish line of the grueling tests the Guild had thrown at her. Every step of the challenge had been meant to gauge her strength, endurance, and wit—designed to weed out pretenders and reveal the truly worthy.

But something wasn’t right.

A shift in the air cut through my nerves like a blade. The acrid scent of smoke drifted on the wind, threading through the rich, earthy smells of the forest. At first, it was faint—a whisper of danger that could have been dismissed as the remnants of some campfire.

Until I saw the flames.

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