Page 49 of Kiss of Embers

Now, he listened as Bolveg stood at the front of the crowd and described the challenge.

“As you can see, we stand at the foot of the mighty Temple of Ozzan. Tonight’s challenge will test your physical prowess as you navigate obstacles inspired by the four arcane elements.”

A few feet ahead of me, a werewolf turned to the man next to him. “Well, that’s giving the witches a big fucking advantage.”

He wasn’t wrong. The witches would be able to use their gifts. The vows they took at the Fountain of Truth only prevented them from using magic they didn’t ordinarily possess.

“As you know,” Bolveg continued, “the arcane elements include earth, water, fire, and air. Every obstacle poses unique dangers.”

For about the dozenth time, I searched the faces around me for Brader. If he was present, he’d chosen to stay hidden. Unease flooded me as I recalled his parting words. No,threats.

“You’ll regret this.”

“Good luck tomorrow. You’ll need it.”

I rubbed my forehead. How had I misjudged Brader’s character so badly? Had he changed, or had I simply failed to pay attention?

But that wasn’t exactly fair. I’d spent the past year battling moon sickness at every turn. Lately, I’d faced pressure from the Council, as well as the threat of mutiny from within the pack.Maybe Braderhadchanged, but I couldn’t beat myself up for not noticing.

Bolveg raised his voice over the murmuring crowd. “Now, some of you are shifters. Others possess hyperlocation magic that allows you to dematerialize and then reappear within your visual range or in places you’ve visited before. You’ll find that the obstacles require you to engage fully.” He adjusted his glasses, his gaze briefly landing on a cluster of vampires. “In other words, you can’t leapfrog from one side of the obstacle to the other. You must touch and experience this challenge. There are no shortcuts.”

The murmurs swelled again, with several competitors grumbling their displeasure. But no one challenged Bolveg outright, probably because the rule made sense. Without it, every vampire in the competition could simply channel from one end to the other. The witches and fae would still have an edge, but everyone hadsomesort of edge depending on the nature of the challenge. Based on what I’d read in theHistory of the Firstborn Games, the competition’s organizers were supposed to take this into account when they created the challenges.

“We’ll begin at once,” Bolveg announced. Inessa appeared out of nowhere right next to him. Tonight, she wore gleaming white cargo pants, a white tube top that exposed her midriff, and a wide-brim bucket hat with a string dangling under her chin. When Bolveg’s eyes widened, Inessa gave a decisive nod.

“You’re right. It needs a scarf.” She snapped her fingers, and a brilliant white scarf appeared around her neck. “Thanks, demon,” she said, flashing Bolveg an equally brilliant smile. Then she turned to the crowd and raised her arms. “All right, party people. You ready? Who am I kidding, of course you are.” She turned and flung both hands toward the temple. Golden light streaked from her fingertips and slammed into the ancient stone.

A roar like a jet engine ripped through the surrounding trees, and then a pair of massive stone doors at the temple’s base slowly opened.

Murmurs ran through the crowd. My heart sped up, and I pushed my concerns about Brader from my mind. The elixir was the only thing that mattered. I had to stay focused.

But that was going to be hard to do with Struan and Finn close enough to touch. Even as I trained my gaze on the temple doors, I couldn’t help stealing glances at the dragons flanking me. The moments in the tent ran through my mind like a movie reel. Struan and Finn had been so warm when they pressed me between them. Warm…and dominant. Aggressive. I’d waited for my wolf to rouse—to rush to the surface and warn me away from the pair of superior predators.

But she hadn’t. Instead, she receded, leaving me to twist in the wind of my desires.

And that was all it was. Raw desire. The past year had hardly left time for dating. Sporadic bouts of rushed self-care in the shower were poor replacements for the kind of satisfaction only a lover could bring.

Ortwolovers. My heart pounded. Struan’s shoulder brushed mine, and my breath hitched as my nipples tightened. My lips tingled. More tingles gathered low in my stomach and then slid south.

Gods, what was wrong with me? Light spilled from the temple’s doors, which continued to open. The sound of stone scraping stone filled the air.

Inessa waved a hand, and a glowing scroll materialized. It unfurled with a snap, displaying rows of names.

Bolveg spoke in a booming voice. “These are the standings after last night’s challenge. Competitors will enter the temple in two-minute increments based on their rank.” He looked overthe crowd. “Struan MacLure will enter first, followed by Finn MacAlasdair.”

Struan touched my arm. For the first time since entering the clearing, I dared to look at him directly. His eyes gleamed, torchlight dancing in his dark pupils surrounded by midnight blue irises. He spoke in a voice low enough that only I could hear. “You won’t be alone in there. Finn and I will see to it there’s no repeat of last night.”

Warm fingers stroked down my other arm, and I turned to meet Finn’s glittering stare. “We’ll see you after the challenge, Zara lass.” He flicked a look at Struan, then bent and spoke directly into my ear. “The three of us have unfinished business.”

I held my breath as they strode away from me, moving with a predatory grace that turned heads as they passed. When they reached Bolveg, he motioned toward the doors. Struan walked forward, his black hair gleaming in the torchlight, and entered the temple.

Drute appeared in front of me. “The witches will excel at this challenge,” he murmured, “but speed is your strength. Stay calm and trust your gut. This challenge is yours to win.”

Gratitude swelled my chest. He didn’t like that I’d visited the dragons’ tent, but that didn’t stop him from rooting for me. He was firmly on my side. Always.

“Thank you,” I said.

He nodded, his steady gaze letting me know he understood I was thanking him for more than the advice. “Anytime, Alpha.”