Page 45 of Tempest Rising

Her golden-brown eyes flicked to mine over her shoulder, questioning but amused, as if she could read my thoughts. A faint smirk tugged at the corner of her lips, and my pulse quickened in response. Heat crept up my neck, and I turned away quickly, pretending to adjust the strap on my pack, though my fingers fumbled against the buckle.

She’s my mate,the voice of the gargoyle rumbled in the back of my mind, low and insistent.Ours. Why do you hesitate?“Because now isn’t the time,” I muttered under my breath, tightening the strap more than necessary. My tone carried a bite, but the gargoyle didn’t care. It never did.

Every moment without the bond leaves her vulnerable. She’s safer if she knows. If she’s ours.

“Safe is all that matters,” I hissed, keeping my voice low enough that no one else would hear.

The beast’s growl vibrated through my mind, a low thrum of discontent. Its possessiveness grated on my nerves, but it wasn’t entirely wrong. Every instinct I had screamed that Tess was the missing part of me. But that wasn’t my decision to make. Tess had enough to deal with without me adding to her burdens.

She’s stronger than she knows. That’s why she’s ours.

“Careful,” I said gruffly when her boot slipped in the mud. My hand shot out to steady her, brushing against her arm. Her skin was warm despite the chill in the air, and the faint citrusy scent of her soap lingered, fresh and grounding.

“Thanks,” she said, her voice soft and a little breathless. She looked up at me, and for a moment, the world narrowed to just the two of us. The warmth of her gaze, the curve of her lips—it was enough to make my chest tighten.

I stepped back quickly, muttering something about keeping pace. Her expression flickered with something I couldn’t quite read before she turned back to the trail.

Raze sidled up next to me not long after, his smirk firmly in place. “You’re staring again.”

I shoved past him, muttering, “Mind your own business,” under my breath. My focus sharpened as I moved forward, my senses on high alert. The forest was unnervingly quiet, the kind of silence that crawled under your skin and refused to let go. Every creak of a branch, every rustle of unseen movement made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

The path ahead opened into a small clearing, but it was far from comforting. The edge dropped off sharply into a steep ravine, the kind that promised a long, unforgiving tumble if you weren’t careful. Shadows from the canopy above stretched and twisted across the uneven ground, their shapes shifting with the faint breeze that stirred the leaves.

“Something’s nearby,” Raze muttered, his voice low and taut, like a drawn bowstring ready to snap. His usually confident demeanor was edged with tension, a sure sign that whatever was out there wasn’t small or friendly. “Big. And pissed.”

Kane’s hand instinctively went to the hilt of his knife, the single, pitiful weapon the Guild had allowed him for this gods-forsaken trial. His sharp gaze flicked around the dense forest, scanning for any sign of movement. “How close?” His words were clipped, but his tone betrayed a readiness that sent a chill through me.

“Close enough,” Raze growled, his shoulders coiling tight like a predator ready to strike. “It’s circling us.”

Every muscle in my body coiled tight as I stepped closer to Tess, my fingers curling into fists. The instinct hit me fast and hard, the gargoyle in me surging forward with a single, primal urge—Protect her. Shield her. Keep her safe.

The first warning was a low rumble, barely audible over the wind. Then a bear burst through the underbrush. It was a monstrous sight—easily ten feet tall when it reared up on its hind legs, its hulking frame covered in matted fur that shimmered unnaturally under the faint light. Its eyes glowed an eerie crimson, like embers in a dying fire. Foam dripped from its gaping maw, its teeth long and jagged, and the way it moved—jerky, almost puppet-like—sent a chill racing down my spine.

“Shit!” Tess yelped, stumbling back, her wide golden-brown eyes locking onto the beast.

“It’s bespelled,” Kane shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos like a blade. “Valen’s work, no doubt.”

I moved without thinking. I stepped in front of her, my body a wall between her and the beast. “Stay back!” I growled over my shoulder, my voice roughened by the stone-like tension in my throat.

The bear charged, and I braced myself, letting my gargoyle side take over. My transformation was instant, instinctive. My skin darkened and thickened, hardening into a rugged, stone-like surface that gleamed faintly in the moonlight. My claws extended, sharp and deadly, curving from my fingertips. My wings erupted from my back with a sound like cracking rock, their span wide enough to cast shadows across the clearing. Jagged ridges formed along my arms and shoulders, adding tomy already imposing frame, and my face contorted with a feral snarl, my teeth sharpening into predatory fangs.

I roared, the sound rumbling deep from my chest. The bear didn’t hesitate—it barreled toward me with raw, animal fury. I surged forward to meet it, stone meeting flesh in a thunderous collision. Its claws raked down my chest, but the hardened surface of my skin deflected the blow, leaving only shallow scrapes. The force of its charge sent tremors up my spine, but I planted my feet, anchoring myself like living bedrock. I wouldn’t move. I couldn’t move—not while she was behind me.

Raze was at my side in seconds, his partially shifted form a terrifying blend of man and beast. Clawed hands slashed through the bear’s flank with brutal efficiency, each movement a testament to his raw power. On the other side, Kane darted in, his movements sharp and calculated. He wielded his Guild-issued knife with precision, though it was pitifully small against a creature this massive.

Even with the three of us working together, the fight was brutal. The bear’s strength was unnatural, and the magic driving it made it relentless. I grappled with it, feeling its claws scrape against my hardened skin as its snarling maw snapped inches from my face. The coppery tang of blood filled the air, making my senses sharper, more focused.

“Tess!” I called, sparing a glance over my shoulder. She stood frozen, her hand clutching a rock, her face pale but determined. She didn’t move toward the fight—thank the gods—but her wide eyes stayed locked on me. The sight of her, so vulnerable yet so resolute, sent a fresh surge of strength through me.

My claws sank deeper into the bear’s side, and with a guttural snarl, I threw my weight against it, forcing it to stumble. Raze took the opening, his claws tearing into its back, while Kane—blade glinting—lunged low, slicing at the back of its knees. The knife wasn’t enough to sever the tendons completely, but it was enough to destabilize the beast for a crucial moment.

That moment was all we needed. Together, we brought it down. My weight pinned it in place as Kane plunged his knife into its throat, and Raze delivered the killing blow, his claws raking across its jugular.

“Aah!” Tess’s voice ripped through the post-battle stillness. The sharp edge of her cry pierced the air, sending a jolt of dread coursing through me. My heart plummeted as I whipped around, every instinct screaming that something was terribly, horribly wrong.

The ground beneath her feet had given way. The path, already weakened by the chaos of the bear’s rampage, crumbled in chunks, dragging Tess with it. She tumbled down the steep mountainside, her figure rolling uncontrollably as dirt, rocks, and loose branches followed in her wake.

“Tess!” I shouted, my voice raw, but the distance between us grew as gravity pulled her further down. She struggled to grab hold of anything, her fingers clawing at the earth for purchase, but the slope was relentless. Her momentum only stopped when her body collided hard with a tree, the impact wrenching a pained cry from her lips.

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