Page 16 of Tempest Blazing
I glanced up from my own book—a collection of theoretical magical applications that made my head spin. "What did that one say?"
"Same thing as the last three. The Concordance Matrix requires a power source of 'divine magnitude' to function properly." He rubbed his temples, leaving smudges of dust from the ancient pages. "But no specifics. No names. Just vague references to 'primordial energies' and 'creation-level magic.'"
My fingers dug into the edges of my book. We'd been at this for hours, cross-referencing everything we could find about the Matrix, and the picture emerging made me sick. The spell wasn't just designed to sever bonds—it was designed to destroy them so completely that they could never be reformed. A magical lobotomy. The thought of our connection being severed, of Thalon's warmth and strength ripped away from me, sent ice down my spine.
"Here," I said, sliding another book across the table. "This one mentions power sources specifically. Maybe—"
I stopped. My eyes caught on a passage I'd somehow missed before. The words seemed to shimmer on the page, drawing my attention like a magnet.
The Matrix, when properly constructed and powered, requires energies equivalent to those used in the First Creation. Only artifacts of divine origin possess sufficient resonance to activate the spell's full potential.
"Mason." My voice came out thin. "Look at this."
He leaned over, his shoulder brushing mine as he read. I felt the exact moment he understood—his entire body went rigid. The dread radiating off him hit me like a physical thing.
"Divine origin," he said slowly. "Like..."
"Like the Heart of Creation." The words tasted like ash. "It's the only artifact we know of that fits the description."
Mason was quiet for a long moment, his dark eyes fixed on the page. When he finally spoke, his voice was carefully controlled. "So the Harbingers aren't just looking for the Heart to gain power. They need it to make their weapon work."
I nodded. The motion felt heavy, wrong. "Which means..."
"Which means they're not going to stop until they find it." He straightened, running a hand through his short hair. "Tess, if they get their hands on both the Matrix and the Heart—"
"They could sever every bond in existence." Panic flared, hot and sharp through my chest.Thalon.Mason. The world tilted. The thought made my magic recoil, pulling tight against my ribs like it was trying to hide. "Dragon bonds, mate bonds, family connections—everything that ties us together."
The silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating. I turned back to my research, desperate for something—anything—that might tell us how to stop this. The next book was older than the others, its pages yellow with age and covered in script so faded I had to squint to make out the words.
But when I found the section on the Heart of Creation, the text was crystal clear.
Forged in the union of divine love, the Heart of Creation stands as the ultimate symbol of balance between Order and Chaos. Created by the Progenitors Alaia and Sovrax as both wedding gift and cosmic anchor, it embodies the perfect harmony of opposing forces.
My breath caught. "Mason, listen to this."
I read the passage aloud, my voice growing stronger as I continued. The text went on to describe Alaia as the embodiment of chaos, growth, and change, while Sovrax represented order, structure, and stability. Together, they had created not just the Heart, but the entire supernatural world—a realm where both forces could exist in balance.
"The Dragon Riders," I continued reading, "were established as the original guardians of the Heart, sworn to protect the artifactfrom those who would use its power to tip the cosmic balance toward either extreme."
Mason's eyes widened. "We're not just disaster response. We never were."
"No." I set the book down carefully, my hands shaking. "The Library, the Guild, the entire Rider system—it was all built around protecting the Heart. Everything else came later."
The implications slammed into me. Moriyana's words from our conversation echoed in my mind:You have a natural balance that resonates with the Library's very essence. Order and chaos, structure and freedom—you embody both.
"Oh," I whispered, the pieces clicking into place. "Oh, that's why..."
"Why what?" Mason leaned forward, concern creeping into his voice.
"Why the Library chose me. Why Thalon bonded with me." I looked up at him, and I could feel the blood draining from my face. "It's not because I'm special or powerful or any of that. It's because I'm balanced. Chaos and order, just like Alaia and Sovrax."
Mason's eyebrows shot up. "Tess, thatisspecial. You're talking about a connection that no other being has ever achieved with the Library. That kind of perfect balance—it's not exactly common."
A beat of silence. Then his expression shifted, and I watched the exact moment when a new, darker realization hit him.
"Tess." His voice dropped low, almost a growl. "If the Harbingers know about the connection between the Heart and the Matrix—"
"They might know about the balance requirement too." The words tumbled out as understanding crashed over me. "They might know that someone like me would be the ideal person to—"
