Page 38 of Trial of the Cursed Egg

“What happens if you do?” Her voice is deceptively calm, each word like a drop of molten metal hitting ice.

Her gaze shifts back to Callan, pinning him in place. The room falls silent. Every heartbeat seems amplified, a deafening roar in the stillness as she waits. Callan swallows, a bead of sweat slipping down his temple. The pressure mounts, the tension palpable. He winces before he speaks, his voice a strained whisper.

“Most die.”

The words hang heavy in the air, a dark promise of what could go wrong. Mina’s eyes narrow, her fingers flexing against my chest as she considers him. The temperature seems to drop a few degrees, the air thickening with her displeasure.

“Good to know,” she murmurs, her tone dripping with icy resolve.

The quiet stretches, thick and suffocating, until I squeeze her waist gently, grounding her in the here and now. “We’ll make sure that doesn’t happen,” I promise, my voice a low rumble meant for her alone.

She nods, the edge of her dragon receding just a fraction, but the warning is clear. No mistakes. No room for error. I glance around at my team, meeting each of their gazes. They know what’s at stake. We all do.

Mina

The choosing…

I spend the morning pacing the cramped space of my apartment, every creak of the floorboards making me jump. My stomach twists into knots as I think about the Malivore Conservatory. The Choosing—just the thought of it sends a ripple of anxiety through me. I glance out the window, glimpsing Abraxis in the courtyard below, his blade flashing in the early light as he instructs the third years.

His movements are sharp, precise. I watch his muscles ripple under his shirt as he parries an attack, the force of it sending his opponent stumbling back. Despite my unease, a small smile tugs at my lips. The power, the control—there’s a strange comfort in seeing my mate like this. He said he’d be coming with me to the Conservatory, that no rule in the school’s bylaws can deny a mate the right to follow and protect their own.

I want to believe him, but I can’t help the prickling fear crawling up my spine. What if they find a way? What if the bond isn’t enough?

I need a distraction. Taking a deep breath, I step outside, drawn to the clang of steel and the familiar scent of pine and earth that clings to Abraxis. I settle by the courtyard’s edge, leaning against the cold stone wall. Abraxis shifts his stance as he faces the next challenger, and I marvel at the way his movements blur with raw energy.

“How are you holding up?” Ziggy’s voice startles me, and I turn to see him standing close, his expression a mix of concern and curiosity. He tilts his head, studying me with those unnervingly sharp eyes.

“Adjusting,” I admit, though it’s not quite the truth. “It’s weird not being able to hug my friends anymore without feeling like I’m going to hurl. Whatever the bond does to their scents is just … horrible.” I grimace, rubbing at my arms as if I can ward off the lingering discomfort.

Ziggy’s laugh is low, almost rumbling. “Yeah, it’s not exactly pleasant on our end, either. My beast hisses in my head, trying to drag me away from you.” He lifts a brow, as if to challenge me to argue otherwise.

Tilting my head, I glance up at him. “Is it because of the whole ‘bigger predator’ thing or the mate bond? Or both?” My voice is lighter, curious, but there’s a tension coiling tight in my chest. How do the others perceive me now? Do they all feel that instinctual fear, that urge to avoid me like I’m a huge threat?

“All the above,” Ziggy replies, nodding as if that’s the simplest explanation. “Before, you didn’t have your dragoness, so it was a non-issue. Now she’s freaking huge compared to my shift. Add the mate bond, and boom—instinct says to run.”

“Run?” I echo, surprised, but Ziggy just motions towards Abraxis with a grin.

“Relax, your guy’s almost done,” he murmurs.

Just as I turn my attention back to Abraxis, a figure steps into view, her movements deliberate and measured. She’s slender, with her dark hair pulled back in a severe bun, and her gaze flickers warily to my mate as he strides over. My pulse quickens as she addresses me.

“Willamina Bladesong?” Her voice is soft, her head dipping slightly in a show of deference. She doesn’t meet my eyes, a clear sign she knows exactly who I am. Or rather, who I’m mated to.

“Yes?” I force myself to sound calm, even as my heart pounds. The girl reaches out, a cream-colored envelope pinched between her fingers. She doesn’t say another word and quickly turns, hurrying off campus like she’s fleeing a crime scene. I frown, watching her go.

“What do you think that was about?” I mutter, staring at the envelope in my hand.

“Let me see.” Ziggy plucks it from my grasp, and I glance up at him, surprised at the sudden wariness in his eyes. “I don’t trust Arista,” he murmurs, more to himself than to me. Tension thrums through the air as he carefully tears open the envelope, his fingers working with deliberate slowness.

The flap gives way, revealing a simple card. My breath catches. It’s white, almost stark against Ziggy’s tanned skin, with a single number printed on it.

Thirteen

“It’s your draw order,” Ziggy explains, his voice flat. He waves the card in the air before handing it back. “Number thirteen out of fifty.”

Thirteen. The number feels heavy in my hand, and I swallow hard,unease tightening around my chest like a vice. Abraxis appears at my side, his arm slipping around my shoulders, grounding me.

“We should get going,” I murmur, leaning into him. He scoops me up effortlessly, and a surprised laugh bubbles out of me as he launches us into the air, his wings slicing through the sky. Wind whips past, tugging at my hair and clothes as he pulls me closer, his chest rumbling softly with every beat of his powerful wings.

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