Page 59 of Tempest Rising

In the distance, the sky glowed a sickly orange. Smoke churned, rising in pillars like the twisting limbs of a vengeful spirit. I clenched my jaw as the knot of dread in my gut tightened into a vice. This wasn’t part of the challenge. It couldn’t be.

But the flames didn't care about plans or challenges—they were consuming everything in the exact area where my mate was supposed to be.

Chapter 24

Tess

The first thing I felt when I stirred was warmth. Not the dry heat of the fading fire or the slight chill of the wind from outside the cave, but something deeper. Something alive. It radiated across my back, steady and grounding, anchoring me to the present in a way that dreams never could.

Mason.

His body was pressed against mine, solid and warm, his arm possessively draped over my waist. His breaths, slow and steady, stirred the hair at the nape of my neck, and for a moment, I let myself justbe. No dragons, no quests, no impossible destinies—just this. Mason, and the quiet rise and fall of his chest against my back.

But the peace couldn’t last, not entirely. My heart started to flutter, caught somewhere between the comfort of his presence and the awareness of how good it felt to be held like this. His arm tightened slightly, pulling me closer, and my breath hitched.

He stirred behind me, his hand flexing against my side. “Tess...” His voice was a low, gravelly murmur, still thick with sleep. I felt my name more than heard it, the rumble of it vibrating through me. “You’re awake…”

“Yeah,” I whispered, my voice softer than I intended. I didn’t move, unsure of what might happen if I did. Unsure if Iwantedto move.

His nose brushed against my neck, a slow, deliberate movement that sent the smallest shiver cascading down my spine. Then his lips followed. Soft. Warm. Testing. I swallowed hard, every nerve alight at the feel of him.

“Mason…” I said his name, a half-breath of protest that neither of us believed. When his mouth brushed the curve of my neck again, this time with more intent, I couldn’t hold back the small sound that escaped me. A quiet, betraying moan that seemed to undo something inside both of us.

He froze for a heartbeat, then shifted. With a deliberate slowness, he turned me in his arms until I was facing him. His eyes, dark and searching, locked onto mine. There was something raw there—something vulnerable, yet unyielding. His hand moved to my cheek, calloused fingers tracing a light path down to my jaw.

“Tell me to stop,” he said quietly, though there was a tremor in his voice, a hesitation that wasn’t like him.

I didn’t. Neither of us moved for a second, suspended in that fragile space between caution and desire. And then he leaned in.

The first press of his lips against mine was careful, measured—as if he was testing the waters. But when I responded, leaning into him, meeting his kiss with equal want, all of that restraint unraveled. His hand slid to the back of my neck, tangling in my hair as the kiss deepened, becoming something more urgent.

I gasped softly against his mouth, and his hand pressed against the small of my back, pulling me flush to him. His heat, his strength—it was impossiblenotto feel consumed.

Until I heard the voice.

“Tess.” Thalon’s deep, resonant tone cut through the haze of the moment like a sharp blade. Somewhere between startled and mortified, I pulled away from Mason, trying to catch my breath. His forehead dropped to mine, and he groaned softly, his breaths labored.

“What is it, Thalon?”I asked, willing my voice to steady as I drew my fingertips to my still-tingling lips.

“There’s a problem,” Thalon said through our bond, the unshakable weight of his words snapping my mind to attention. “Something urgent. Wake the others. I'll be outside in minutes.”

I exhaled sharply, turning my head away to clear my thoughts. Mason’s arm lingered against my waist, as though reluctant to let go. He opened his mouth to say something, but I quickly shook my head.

“We’ll talk later,” I said, my tone firmer than I felt. “Right now, we need to get moving.”

Reluctantly, Mason released me, and I stood, brushing off the lingering haze of that kiss as I moved toward the others. Kane was already awake, sitting cross-legged by the cave’s entrance. Raze, on the other hand, was still sprawled near the fire.

I crouched beside him, giving his shoulder a light shake. “Raze, wake up.”

He stirred instantly, blinking up at me with narrowed eyes. His nostrils flared, and he sniffed once, then stiffened. “Why does it smell like smoke?”

That got Kane’s attention. He rose swiftly, his expression shifting to one of alarm. “I noticed it during my watch,” Kanesaid, stepping toward us. “The air’s wrong. There’s no breeze, but the forest… it’s too quiet.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Thalon contacted me,” I began, addressing the group. “There’s something happening. He didn’t say much, only that it’s urgent. He’ll be here in a few minutes.”

That was all it took to propel everyone into motion. Within moments, the quiet cave erupted into the chaotic pressure of readiness. My heart hammered as I tugged my jacket tighter around me against the chill I could no longer feel.

The sound of wings and a displaced gust of air announced the arrival of the dragons. Thalon landed first, his huge form radiating an almost palpable energy. His scales shimmered, shifting from molten gold to a darker, more shadowed obsidian as his formidable frame settled near the cave’s entrance.

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