Page 65 of Tempest Blazing
"It does more than that," he admitted, his voice carrying a weight that made me sit straighter. "The bond enhances my strength, sharpens my senses. Like drawing power from stone itself. Makes me more than I was."
He paused, meeting my gaze with an intensity that made the air feel heavier. "But it's not about strength or power. Becoming a Dragon Rider is about Kali. About proving to myself—and to her—that I can protect her. After everything we've been through... after everything I failed to stop... I need this. I need to be someone she can count on. Someone who won't let her down again."
I stayed silent, sensing the weight behind his words. Mason rarely talked about his past, and when he did, it was like pulling teeth. I didn't want to interrupt and risk shutting him down.
"But now…" He hesitated, voice softer. "It's more than that. I want this for me. To prove that I'm more than what they made me. And…" His gaze lifted, meeting mine with an intensity that stole my breath. "I want to be with you. To protect you. To stay by your side, no matter what happens."
My throat felt tight, his words sinking deep. Mason wasn't the type to say things lightly, and the raw vulnerability in his voice was a rare glimpse beneath that steady exterior. I managed a small smile, my chest tightening with something I couldn't name. "You're already doing that, Mason. You don't have to prove anything to me."
He didn't respond right away, gaze dropping to his hands. When he finally stood, his movements were deliberate, almost careful. He offered me his hand, and I took it without hesitation, his grip warm and steady.
As he pulled me to my feet, his hand lingered on mine just a moment longer than necessary. Not much—just a flicker of contact—but it sent warmth spiraling through me.
"You're stronger than you think," he murmured, voice low and rough. "You always have been."
The words hit me harder than I expected, something warm and fragile blooming in my chest. I looked away, trying to hide the sudden rush of emotion, but he caught my chin gently, tilting my face back toward him. His thumb brushed against my jaw—a fleeting touch that sent shivers down my spine.
"Mason…" I started, but whatever I was going to say dissolved into nothing.
His dark eyes searched mine, unspoken words swirling in their depths. "We should get back to training," he said, his voice returning to its usual gruffness.
I nodded, swallowing hard as I tried to steady my racing heart. "Right. Training."
I didn't want to disappoint him. I wanted to be worthy of the bond between us. I just hoped I was strong enough when it really mattered.
Chapter 28
Theron
I stood with my arms crossed at the scorched edge of the training ring, watching Thalon's massive form descend through the darkening sky. Tess dismounted with an ease that shouldn't have surprised me anymore, but every time I watched her slide down from his obsidian back like she'd been born to it, something kicked hard in my chest.
Her fingers brushed along the dragon's scales as she landed—casual, unconscious. The gesture made heat crawl up my neck despite the evening chill.
Yrdren lifted his massive rust-colored head from where he'd been resting nearby, rumbling a greeting that vibrated through the ground beneath my boots. The sound made Tess laugh—bright and unguarded—and I had to clench my jaw.
Yrdren doesn't warm to just anyone.
I'd been attracted to her since the moment they first met—a fact that was becoming more problematic with each passing day. This is how it starts. The losing. The caring. And I can't afford to lose again.
"She carries herself well," Yrdren's deep mental voice rumbled through both our minds, his tone respectful. "There is strength in her that runs deeper than magic."
Natural instincts, maybe, but raw power isn't enough. Not against what's coming.
Now she was my student. Forbidden territory in every way that mattered—and that didn't stop me from noticing the determined set of her shoulders as she approached, or the way the dying light caught the purple in her wind-tangled hair.
When those golden-brown eyes met mine with that unflinching focus, heat crawled up my neck despite the evening chill.
Don't be a fool, Blackwell. She's forbidden.
I wanted Tess to be safe. And for that to happen, she needed to be stronger. Much stronger. She had less than a week to prepare for whatever Silvius had planned, and I'd be damned if I let her walk into that unprepared.
Tess stopped in front of me, brushing windblown strands from her face with fingers that still sparked faintly with residual magic. "You said you'd push me today," she said, her voice steady despite the exhaustion I could see creeping in at the corners of her eyes.
Those eyes burned with that particular fire I'd come to recognize—too sincere, too damn bright, like she could see straight through all the walls I'd spent decades building.
I gave her a curt nod, shoving down the dangerous warmth that threatened to unfurl in my chest. "We're working on magical control transitions," I said, not bothering to soften the edge in my voice. "The kind that'll keep you alive when everything goes to hell."
Her gaze held steady, accepting the challenge with quiet determination. Good. She'd need every ounce of that resolve.
