Page 92 of Tempest Blazing
I followed his gesture to the scoreboard, its crystal surface shimmering with empty grids waiting to fill with names and numbers.
"If you are captured and held by an opposing team for more than two minutes, your amulet will mark you as "Compromised"—a penalty of fifty percent of your current points, deducted instantly. Most who reach this status do not recover enough to pass."
A low murmur passed through the crowd. Silvius waited for it to fade before continuing.
"The hazards you see before you are active. Injuries are expected. Withdrawal is possible at any time—but once you quit, you are eliminated for good. There are no second chances."
My heart pounded against my ribs as the rules hammered home just how much I had to lose. For every other applicant here, this trial was a chance to pass, to earn their place among the Dragon Riders. But for me, it was arequirement. If I failed, my bond with Thalon could be severed—nullified by Guild authority.
I wasn't just being evaluated as a candidate. I was being watched as a precedent. A test case. The first human to bond with a dragon, standing trial before the supernatural world's most powerful eyes.
My gaze drifted upward again, past the observers to the dragons hovering overhead. Their ancient eyes seemed to pierce straightthrough me, weighing something I couldn't name. I didn't know which of them were looking at me specifically, but Ifelttheir attention.
Were they measuring my courage? My worthiness? Or were they simply curious about the human who had somehow claimed a place among their chosen?
Silvius raised his hand, the amplification spells making his voice carry to every corner of the arena. "Team assignments will now be announced."
"Team One," Silvius called, his voice cutting through the murmurs. "Alana Cross."
A silver amulet materialized in front of a tall woman with intricate tattoos covering her arms, hovering at chest height before settling into her palm. The metal was plain and unadorned, with a leather strap attached like a watch band. A crimson armband appeared simultaneously, wrapping itself around her upper arm with a soft shimmer of magic.
More names followed—powerful mages with impressive combat records. Then, finally: "Draven Loto."
My heart gave a sharp, painful lurch as Draven's amulet and matching crimson armband appeared. His team was stacked, deliberate, designed for magical dominance. When he caught my eye, something passed between us—a flash of frustration, of regret. He didn't want to leave me. But he had no choice.
"Team Two," Silvius announced. "Viktor Crane. Sarah Mitchell."
The first two amulets appeared with soft chimes, accompanied by deep blue armbands that materialized around their arms. "Kane Ellesar."
Kane's name came third, and the names that followed were exactly what I'd expected—disciplined fighters with military precision, the kind of team that would follow Kane's strategic mind without question.
His jaw tightened almost imperceptibly, his gaze finding mine across the space between us. For just a moment, I caught something raw in his expression—concern, maybe calculation, definitely frustration—before he schooled his features back into that familiar mask of controlled authority.
"Team Three," Silvius called. "Anya Ravenspell."
The team she was placed with made my breath catch—all women, all with reputations for ruthless efficiency. They called themselves the Valkyries, and they'd never lost a group exercise. Emerald green armbands wrapped around their arms as their amulets settled into their palms.
"By the seven circles of hell," Anya hissed, "they wouldn't dare." Her violet eyes blazed with protective fury as she stared at the platform, her hands clenching into fists at her sides.
"Team Four," Silvius continued, his tone betraying nothing. "Celia Frost. Mason Sharpe."
Mason's dark eyes met mine, and I saw the same frustrated helplessness I was feeling reflected back at me. The shifters he was paired with were all top-ranking, all powerful—the kind of team that could hold any position through sheer physical dominance. Golden armbands gleamed against their arms. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, the protective instincts that ran so deep in his nature clearly warring with the rules that kept him from my side.
One by one, my anchors were being stripped away. The people who made me feel strong, who reminded me I belonged here—scattered to teams where they'd excel, where they'd prove themselves worthy of the bonds they'd already formed or hoped to form.
"Team Five," Silvius announced, and there was something different in his tone now. Something that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. "Selena Nightshade and Valen Beaumont."
The pairing hit the arena like a physical blow. Conversations stopped. Heads turned. Even some of the dragons on their perches shifted, their ancient eyes focusing with new interest.
No one even pretended this was random anymore.
Selena's cruel smile was visible even from where I stood, her blue eyes glittering with malicious anticipation. The violet armband that appeared around her arm seemed to pulse with dark energy. Valen's red gaze found mine immediately, and the mocking amusement there made my skin crawl. Heknew. They both knew exactly what kind of message this was sending.
The rest of their team was announced—all powerful, all connected, all the kind of applicants who'd never questioned their right to be here. It was a dream team designed to dominate, and the fact that it included my two most vindictive tormentors felt like a deliberate slap in the face.
Around me, the murmurs grew louder. Some of the other applicants were shooting me looks—some sympathetic, others calculating. Everyone could see the pattern emerging.
"Team Six," Silvius called, continuing through the assignments with mechanical precision.
