Page 9 of Lera of Lunos
“Are you insane?” For a moment, I truly mean the question. “I can face my bloody fears in a practice arena, when your life doesn’t hang on my staying in control.”
“Practice arena?” Coal’s eyes blaze. “How has that been working out these past few days? Because I’ve seen no more progress from you than from that punching bag over there.”
“That’s enough,” Shade growls, flashing his teeth at the male.
“No, it isn’t.” The restrained violence in Coal’s lithe muscles sings loudly enough to fill the room. “There is not enough stress in the practice arena to truly make her understand her power. We have tried that already—we’ve tried everything. The council is, for once, bloody right—itistime for a change. Time for her to stop hiding from the colossal power she carries within.” Coal turns to me, his eyes blue flames. “Because when we leave here, mortal, the stakes will be higher than losing our lives in a trial.”
Blood pounds in my head. “You want to lecture me on facing fears?” I advance on the male, my fingers curling into fists. “Let’s start with how you’ve barely touched me since—”
“Enough.” River steps between Coal and me, his heavy hand settling on my shoulder. “You are both right, and it doesn’t matter. Coal’s motivational strategy aside, the council wasn’t making a suggestion, Leralynn. When that gong rings, you will need to take the lead.”
“Fine.” I raise my chin, moving out of River’s reach as I swallow the bile creeping up my throat. “The council wants me to go after the flag, I’ll go after the flag. You lot can stay as far away from me as you wish. Better yet, as far away as possible.” I rub my face, the reality of it finally sinking in, replacing the fury—if not the fear. “The fewer of you I need to worry about maiming, the better.”
“We aren’t going to abandon you, cub,” Shade says, turning me to face him. With his long black hair tied back, the lantern light plays over the strong angle of his jaw and gives his yellow eyes a golden tinge. His thumb traces my cheekbone and brushes lightly over my lips. “We are your pack, and we’re trusting you to lead us in the trial. You are a warrior in your own right, now. You just need to see it to believe it.”
The warmth of Shade’s words spreads over me. Pack. Yes. We are a pack, and the strength of that knowledge slows my pounding heart. Before I can say as much, Shade grips my hips and lifts me into the air until my face is inches from his own.
“But youaregoing to be careful, cub,” he adds in a low voice, the command filled with enough power to send it pulsing down my spine. His nostrils flare delicately, taking in my scent, while his masculinity whirls around me, saturating my senses.
I start to nod my agreement, freezing when Shade’s eyes flash with a predator’s hunger. With a wolf-quick snap, his teeth catch my lower lip, the canines forceful enough to draw tiny beads of blood. When my mouth opens with a gasp, Shade seals his lips over mine. His tongue invades my mouth, claiming me with strokes that are nothing short of possession. None of the other males dare approach while Shade marks me thus. While I kiss him in return.
The wolf might keep his mating instinct well under control most of the time now, but the pack knows when to give him space. Just as they knew to give River and me our time last night. A warmth spreads through me, the connection of all five of us cocooning my soul.
“I love you,” I whisper when Shade returns me to the ground, my gaze sharing the words among them all. Even Coal. “I love you.”
Shade growls his agreement. Coal nods, his eyes blazing into mine. River lets a corner of his mouth rise with pleasure. When my attention turns to Tye, the redheaded male stretches lazily.
“Of course you do, Lilac Girl,” he drawls. “Who wouldn’t?”
Before I can respond, the arena gong echoes through the room. Shade shifts in a flash of light, making my breath catch in my throat. Then two hundred pounds of lethal wolf presses against my thigh, keeping me company to the slowly opening arena door.
Our final trial has begun.
6
Lera
Sand, great dunes of it, shimmer in the sun. The desert stretches around us on all sides, filling my vision. I know the vastness is an illusion of the arena’s wards—the same wards that keep the spectators above from entering the arena or hearing what’s said within—but the sensation of being in another place altogether is nonetheless disconcerting.
The arena’s magical sun bakes the earth, us, everything in sight. It’s hot—hotter than I’ve ever felt it before, though I might just be imagining it. The heat is an equalizer, making sure we’re all uncomfortable and all motivated to win and get out of here. Sweat springs from my temples within moments.
“Is that wee Viper’s quint over there?” Tye says, holding a hand over his eyes and jerking his chin toward the other side of the arena. He bends to secure our team’s wine-red flag to his belt. “They’re a decent lot of males. Nothing like Malikai’s.”
Without the fae’s preternatural senses, all I see is a group of five warriors in matching sky-blue tunics. The smallest of the five mirrors Tye in fastening the flag to his clothing.Smallest—even the tiniest of fae warriors outweighs me by half. I lick my dry mouth. “Does Viper turn into a Viper?”
“No,” Coal growls. “Pay attention, mortal. It’s your magic, not Viper’s, that we’re here to test.”
Putting a hand on my shoulder, River turns me away from Coal. “The objective is simple: Obtain possession of the other team’s flag and bring it back here.” Calm, easy words. “Where is the flag?”
“Viper has it.”
“Correct. So I want you to use your magic to isolate Viper from the others. We are going to add the cords of power one at a time. Go as slow as you need. Do you understand?”
No.My heart hammers, banging against my chest. “And once I isolate Viper?”
“Once you isolate Viper, the rest of us will hold back his quint mates while you take the flag.” The calm confidence in River’s voice is both supportive and terrifying.
“But—” I cut off at a flash of Coal’s eyes. Glancing back at Tye, I find our own flag on his belt, waving like a kill-me-now target. The burgundy cloth clashes with Tye’s mess of red hair. If all goes according to plan, the male will stay back and out of the way, protect the flag, and leave the fighting to us. To me.
