“He’s a vampire. He’ll be alright,” Miles murmured. “But we won’t if we don’t find somewhere safe to hole up.”
I swallowed and forced myself to nod. I couldn’t let my fear get the better of me, not here. Together, the three of us pressed on once more until the swamp gave way to desert. Heat beat down, the horizon bending with mirages as thirst clawed at my throat. A sandstorm whipped up so fast it nearly blinded me. Through the grit and wind, I caught a flash of movement. My heart surged into my throat as I realized Gabriel was fighting against two towering beasts made of sand and wind. His hands clawed them apart, but they reformed as quickly as he struck.
“Gabriel,” I screamed, surging forward as fear for my mate ripped through me.
He turned, eyes burning at the sight of me. The momentary lapse cost him. One beast swung its arm, a pillar of wind knocking him to the ground. I froze, unable to do anything asmy heart stuttered to a stop. Shadrie and Miles dove forward, Miles’ voice ringing out over the raging wind.
“I’ll hit the sand beast with my electricity, and if I’m right, it should turn it to glass. You try to freeze the air beast.”
“How am I supposed to freeze air?” Shadrie called back as she stalked forward.
“Pray that the beast has water droplets within it like normal air!” Miles yelled back as his electricity arced from his hands toward the sand creature.
Seeing my friends act broke me from my panic. My fingers dipped into my pocket, and I pulled out the remaining vials, hunting for the fire magic potion. I let out a silent cheer as I found it, stuffing the others back in my sweats before uncorking it and swallowing it down. I felt the potion hit my well of power, mingling with the fire magic that lingered there from the pendant I wore. It twisted and twined together into something nearly uncontrollable, bubbling up until it burst out of me in a line of deep blue flames. It trailed across the sand, leaving glass in its wake until it wrapped around the sand beast, crystallizing it as it let out a final hissing shriek. Gabriel shoved off the ground and sprinted forward, slamming his fist into the creature, causing it to shatter.
“Uh, guys! This thing isn’t freezing!” Shadrie yelled. “What do we do?”
“Run!” Gabriel called back.
We didn’t hesitate, sprinting back toward the swamp lands the three of us had just left. Somehow, we managed to reach the muddy terrain, and the air beast turned back into the desert rather than follow us. Miles bent forward, hands braced on his thighs as he sucked down air.
“We need shelter,” I said, fighting the urge to launch myself at my mate.
Gabriel frowned, his eyes raking over me as if he were fighting the same urges I was. “The three of you stay here. Bechora, start a fire. I’ll find something we can use to build a structure for cover.”
“Be careful... please,” I replied, as I took in the firm set of his jaw that told me he was going whether I wanted him to or not.
Just as I thought he was going to turn away, he strode toward me and grabbed my shoulders. Pulling me against his body, he pressed his lips to mine, and I felt myself melt into him. “Don’t fucking die, Bechora,” he demanded when he pulled away.
I watched him disappear into the swamp before turning to find my friends smirking at me. Shadrie had the audacity to laugh before she pointed at the small pile of sticks she’d managed to gather. Shaking my head at her, I called my fire magic forth, more controlled now, and lit the fire. The fire snapped and popped, spitting sparks into the misty air as the three of us huddled close. I couldn’t say how long we waited there, each of us on edge, waiting for the next threat to emerge, before branches cracked in the distance. All three of us summoned our magic, ready to defend against the next elemental beast. A shadow emerged from the mist, striding purposefully toward us, and relief surged through me so violently my knees nearly buckled.
“Gabriel.” My voice broke on his name.
He carried an armful of scavenged branches and broad fronds, his shirt torn, black smears across his jaw. His gaze found mine instantly, relief flashing across his sharp features before his usual control snapped back into place. “Good. You built the fire.” His voice was low, gruff. But the way his eyes softened when they raked over me told a different story.
I couldn’t stop the laugh of disbelief that broke free. “I built a fire. That’s the first thing you say after going scavenging through this place?”
He shrugged, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. Dropping the pile of supplies he found, his eyes scanned the landscape behind us. “There’s a rise just there,” he nodded behind where I stood. “We’ll use this stuff to build a lean-to. Shadrie, you’ll use your ice magic to reinforce it. We’ll have to leave the fire, but Bechora is skilled enough with her flamesthat it shouldn’t be an issue.”
I couldn’t help the warm pride that swelled in my chest at his words before he ushered us into motion. We made the short trek in the direction he’d indicated, Gabriel carrying the fronds and twigs. As soon as we reached the rise, we set to work, quickly crafting the lean-to under my vampire mate’s guidance. Shadrie sealed it over with her ice magic, and we crowded inside. For a fleeting moment, it felt like safety. Then the screams started.
They weren’t close, not at first. Distant cries carried across the warped landscape—sharp bursts of terror that cut off too quickly. A shiver slid down my spine, every instinct urging me to cover my ears. One scream rose higher than the rest, echoing inhumanly before it was silenced with a wet, final sound.
Miles squeezed his eyes shut, whispering a curse. Shadrie buried her face against her knees, her icy bravado cracked. Gabriel stayed utterly still, jaw clenched, gaze fixed outward as if he could hold back the horrors beyond with sheer will. I pressed my hand into his, lacing our fingers together. His knuckles were white, but his grip loosened just enough to return the pressure.
And then, as suddenly as it had begun, it ended. A deep hum thrummed through the ground, rattling the lean-to and breaking Shadrie’s ice away in sheets. The mist outside shimmered, pulling like a tide. My stomach lurched as invisible hands hooked into my chest, yanking me forward. I yelped as the world seemed to tear apart. The swamp, the storm, even the air itself collapsed in on itself in a swirl of light. My body stretched and folded in ways it shouldn’t before I slammed back onto solid stone. We were back in the cathedral.
Gasps and groans filled the cavernous space as students reappeared one by one, some limping, some bloodied, too many not returning at all. I lay sprawled on the cold floor, chest heaving, the screams from the trial still ringing in my ears. A hand cupped the back of my neck, strong and grounding. Gabriel’s face swam into view above me, pale and fierce, hisrelief so raw it nearly undid me.
“We survived,” he breathed, pressing his forehead against mine.
Miles and Shadrie pressed close, the four of us standing in an awkward semblance of a group hug. Around us, other students gathered in trembling clusters. The Dean’s voice echoed over the cavernous space, calm and detached as if we hadn’t just been fighting for our lives.
“Congratulations, students. The second trial is complete.”
Chapter Forty-Four
Bechora
