Dorian held his breath as he turned.
And then his insides caved.
This was no ordinary creature.
Dorian recognized it from the great painting in the Temple—the painting Hagen had droned on about for longer than the others.
The Ghost of Fire in his creature form stood just feet from him.
A great smokey brown cat larger than the Ulfram. Mane of fire that shook like dreads of hair. Flares of shadow settled around it. Its nose was flat, blackened eyes that stared through Dorian. Every time it stepped, smoke rested in the paw print. Its long tail twitched.
"Dorian, get out of there!" Reverie shouted.
The beast jumped at him with its front feet. Its bellowing roar cut the still air.
Dorian ducked to cover his ears. He didn't see its tail moving until it was too late. The tail wrapped around his torso and sent him flying backward.
Corbin and Reverie ran.
Dorian slammed into the dirt. The tail had wrapped his chest and blistered his torso.
They grabbed his arms and dragged him out of the ring.
"You cannot compete with this!" Reverie said as they reached the tent. "You have to forfeit. You cannot go against an Architect!He will kill you!"
But Dorian pushed to his feet and ignored her. He cringed at the blisters on his skin as the pain shuddered over him. He met Corbin's eyes, and he knew Corbin understood. Corbin gave him a nod and darted back to the table. The beast continued to blaze around the stadium. Disappearing and reappearing in clouds of dark amber fire and smoke. Blackhands once more stood to their feet.
"You cannot seriously be going back out there," Reverie said at his side.
Dorian didn't lose his gaze from the beast. A fit of anger pulsed through him. That an Architect had walked into the affairs of Lesser beings. Toying and manipulating with their fates once more rather than allowing them to be as they were and simply use a creature deemed worthy of it to decide.
Judge, jury, and executioner.
"How the fuck is he here?" he cursed under his breath. He snatched the wrist braces off the table and pushed them on. "Corbin!" Dorian snapped through clenched teeth.
"That's the Ghost of Fire," Corbin repeated.
"No shit," Dorian grumbled. "How is he here?"
"I don’t—“
"Reverie, find out," Dorian demanded.
"You want me to leave you?"
He rounded on her, every muscle in his body fuming with anger. "I want you to go to Hagen and find out how the fuck an Architect is roaming these grounds when he and the Ghost of the Sea should still be caged by Haerland," he said in a firm growl.
Reverie swallowed, eyes darting nervously over his face. "Yes, Prince," she surrendered in a breath.
"The only way you match this is in your form and maybe with this," Corbin said as he stepped between them. He shoved a whip in Dorian's chest. "You have to tame him and put him in a bind. No blade will penetrate his form. He's too fast."
"That one might," Dorian said with a nod to Amaris.
"Do you really want to kill an Architect?"
"I thought that's what I was doing."
"No," Corbin said fast. "You're showing him who he's dealing with. You're showing him a Lesser being will not cower before him simply because he is an Architect. And you're showing these people what a real King of Promise will do to secure aid for his allies and friends despite the treachery of his family's kingdom." His hand clapped around Dorian's neck. "You're Dorian fucking Eaglefyre. Make them remember your name."
