Page 86 of Tempest Blazing
But what I had wasn't much—my magic was still unpredictable, and my physical strength was laughable compared to the brute. But I did have one thing on my side: the element of surprise.
The brute lunged first, his massive frame barreling toward me. Without a second thought, I summoned my magic and activated theInvisibility Shroud.Shadows rippled over my skin, swallowing me whole.
"Where the hell—?" the brute growled, skidding to a stop as I vanished from sight. His momentum sent him stumbling forward, right into the sniper's line of fire.
"Move, you idiot!" the sniper snapped, but it was too late. The enchanted arrow he'd released mid-charge slammed into the brute's shoulder, the impact throwing him off balance. The brute roared, rounding on the sniper with murder in his eyes.
"You shot me!"
"Maybe if you weren't so damn reckless—"
Their argument devolved into snarls and curses, and I took advantage of their distraction. Keeping silent, I crept along the edge of the arena, scanning for anything I could use to tip the scales further. My gaze landed on a precariously balanced boulder perched atop a ledge a few feet above the brute.
Perfect.
Still cloaked in invisibility, I climbed the crumbling stone wall leading to the ledge. My hands scraped against rough surface, but I ignored the sting. The brute and sniper were still at each other's throats, their voices carrying over the din of the battlefield.
Reaching the top, I crouched low and pressed my palms against the boulder. It was heavier than expected, but the bond with Thalon coursed through me, lending me a surge of strength I didn't know I possessed. With a grunt of effort, I shoved the boulder forward.
It teetered for a heart-stopping moment before gravity took over.
The brute had just turned back toward the fight when the boulder crashed down, slamming into him with a sickening thud. He let out a strangled cry before collapsing, his massive frame pinned beneath the weight of stone.
The sniper spun toward the sound, his expression shifting from shock to pure fury. "You're going to pay for that," he hissed.
I dropped the shroud, stepping out of shadows as his eyes locked onto me. "You'll have to catch me first," I shot back, my pulse hammering.
He moved fast—faster than I expected. In one fluid motion, he nocked another arrow and drew the bowstring taut. The runes flared brighter, the air around the arrow shimmering with raw magic. I barely had time to react.
Reaching deep, I summoned theShadow Fire,feeling its heat coil in my core before releasing it in a controlled burst. The dark flames licked at bow and arrows, igniting them in an instant.
The sniper cursed, dropping the weapon as flames consumed it. His quiver caught fire next, the enchanted arrows crumbling to ash. Weaponless, he turned on me, his eyes blazing.
"Big mistake," he snarled, charging with surprising speed.
I braced myself for a fight, my body coiled and ready to dodge, when a blur of motion intercepted him. Another candidatesmashed the sniper over the head. The sniper crumpled, unconscious before he hit the dirt.
My gaze darted to the new arrival—a petite woman standing amidst the chaos, her lavender braid swaying as she adjusted her stance. Amber eyes glowed faintly, locking onto mine with an intensity that spoke of both confidence and calculation. Vines tattooed her arms, crawling like ivy over her tawny skin, and I could feel the faint hum of magic radiating from her—earthy and alive.
She raised her hands, palms out, in a gesture of peace. "Hold your fire, Whittaker. Truce?" Her voice was low, urgent. "Lunessa. We either work together or we both lose."
I frowned, still crouched low, my hands itching to summon Shadow Fire if this turned out to be some elaborate trap. "You've got about ten seconds to explain why I shouldn't assume you're just another threat."
The woman tilted her head, a crooked smile tugging at her lips. "Oh, I'd say I'm definitely a threat," she replied dryly. "Just not to you. Not unless you give me a reason to be."
"Not helping."
"Fair enough." She took a cautious step closer, her hands still raised. "Look, I just saved your ass, in case you didn't notice. And unless you've got a death wish, you and I both know we don't stand a chance solo against what's left out there. Temporary truce? We team up, take down the heavy hitters, and then… well, we'll see what happens after that."
Recognition flickered through me—the woman from dinner the other evening, the one who'd quietly slipped me an extra dessert. She hadn't been aggressive then either, just watchful, calculating. If anything, she'd seemed almost... kind.
I exhaled sharply, the tension in my shoulders loosening just a fraction. "Fine," I said, rising to my feet. "But if you try anything—"
"Relax," she interrupted, grinning. "I'm better with vines than daggers."
Lunessa nodded, her amber eyes already scanning the battlefield, searching for our next target. "We've got this." A sudden roar cut her off. The arena's magical wards flickered violently. Whatever was left standing, it wasn't human.
Chapter 36
