Page 60 of Trial of the Cursed Egg

A scream echoes from below, the sound piercing as someone else falls from the spinning barrel below. I grip the beam tighter, the raw sensation of pain and adrenaline merging into something fierce. I steady myself, taking a breath, and press on.

The vertical gauntlet looked so much easier than my father’s trials. Boy, was I wrong. Knives and spikes jut out randomly from the structure, gleaming like hungry teeth in the dim light. But there’s a pattern—I can feel it. I count the timing, my eyes tracing the dance of each deadly obstacle, then I make my run. A spike grazes my thigh, slicing through skin, but I barely register the pain. I grit my teeth and use the momentum to launch myself at the ring hanging just out of reach at the peak.

My fingers wrap around the cold metal, and for a split second, I feel the victory burning through me. But the rush is short-lived. Suddenly, I’m yanked through time and space, my stomach flipping as the world blurs around me. Before I know it, I land hard on the platform beside Ziggy, disoriented and breathless.

“We have a winner, Willamina Havock!” Ziggy’s voice booms, holding my arm up high with the ring still clenched in my fist.

Spots dance before my eyes, and the world tilts off-axis. I blink hard, trying to steady myself, but my knees buckle slightly. Maybe I’m more injured than I thought.

I don’t know how long I was out, but it feels like there’s a lead weight crushing my chest. Slowly, I blink my eyes open, squinting at the dim light filtering through the room. I’m back in my bed at Malivore, and Abraxis and Callan are close by, their faces etched with worry.

“What happened?” My voice comes out raspy as I run my hands over myself, fingers brushing the thick bindings wrapped around my ribs.

“You broke several ribs and needed medical attention.” Callan’s voice is calm, but his eyes flicker with barely concealed tension as Abraxis leans forward to kiss the back of my neck, sending a reassuring warmth through me. “This one wouldn’t let anyone get near you,” Callan adds with a pointed look, motioning over my shoulder at Abraxis, who gives a low growl at the memory.

“I seem to attract a lot of people who want me dead.” I try to shrug it off, but a sharp pain shoots through my ribs, and I catch my breath, wincing as a cough escapes me.

“The fourth quarter starts tomorrow,” Abraxis murmurs, his lips ghosting over my shoulder and neck, each touch light but grounding. “Only eight more weeks before the year is over.” His words are soft, like a reminder of what’s left to come—and a hint that the worst may not be behind us yet.

“Where will we take our nest for the summer break?” I murmur, reaching out to pull Callan closer, resting my head against his chest. His warmth settles into something deep within me, the steady thrum of his heartbeat grounding me.

“Your mother offered her nest to us,” Callan replies softly, his fingers threading through my hair.

Behind me, Abraxis stiffens. I feel him shift, digging into his pocket. The rustle of paper is louder than it should be in this quiet moment, and then he hands Callan my drawing. The delicate sound of it unfolding hangs in the air.

“You already saw yourself taking over your mother’s nest…” Abraxis says, pressing a tender kiss to my temple, lingering there as if to imprint something deeper than words.

“Yeah,” I sigh, snuggling into the heat radiating from both of them, “but it’s temporary. We’ll build our own nest in the mountains above it.”

“How temporary?” Callan’s voice is a gentle murmur, stirring the air against my ear.

I yawn, my words growing heavy with sleep. “Klauth helps tear the mountain down with Abraxis and me. He’ll help Abraxis make dragon glass for the structure.” The picture of it forms dreamily in my mind, a sanctuary built by our hands.

“Sleep,” Abraxis’s voice wraps around me like a warm blanket, his arm sliding around my waist and pulling me back against him. “The nest is the least of our concerns right now. Taking care of you is our priority.”

Wrapped in their warmth, their strength bracing me on all sides, I let sleep pull me under, the steady rhythm of Callan’s heartbeat guiding me into the darkness.

Callan

The endof the year is almost here, and Mina has blazed through everything Shadowcarve offers—except weapons. It makes me wonder if it’s because it’s the class Abraxis teaches or the one skill she feels she actually needs help with.

The walk back from the faculty meeting feels longer than usual, maybe because I’m about to settle into an actual dragon’s nest for the summer. They favor spaces without windows, buried deep in mountains or underground—places that feel more like fortresses than homes.

“Callan!” Nigel’s voice echoes through the hall, and I stop, waiting as he jogs to catch up.

“Everything alright?” I study him, still thrown off by the difference between his human form and the sheer hulking size of his gargoyle shift.

“Yes, and no…” He glances around, almost nervously, and draws a deep breath. “I’m just going to say it. My nephew … he thinks your mateis also his.” He steps back, hands raised, as if ready for a reaction. “As the non-dragon in the bond, you might know how open Miss Mina is to … another mate.”

I blink, eyebrows shooting up. My gaze sweeps the area, half expecting Mina or Abraxis to appear out of nowhere. “I’m … not sure. She knows that for a strong nest, having more than one mate is often best.” I sigh, already feeling the weight of the conversation I’m heading into, and start walking back toward Shadowcarve, where I know Mina is.

Nigel falls into step beside me, a trace of hope in his voice. “My nephew tested into Shadowcarve as a transfer for next year.”

I rub my hand over my face, a low chuckle escaping. “Mina will eat him alive…” I shake my head and pat Nigel on the shoulder. “But I’ll start the conversation with her. See how she feels about it.”

“Maybe I’ll have Vaughn join us for art class. Have him be the subject of the painting for the day in his shifted form.” He muses to himself and nods, having decided.

Art is in two hours, and I need to go warn Abraxis and the others before the shit hits the fan. Nigel’s words linger, and I know this is going to explode if I don’t get ahead of it. I bolt across campus, slipping between shadows until I reach Shadowcarve. Everyone’s gathered, saying goodbye to Mina and Cora as they head to class. I barely pause, ducking in to press a quick kiss to Mina’s lips. She purrs, soft and satisfied, her fingers grazing my jaw.

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