MasukSAGEFor a few heartbeats, everything was smoke and dust. My chest heaved as I stared at the motionless dragon sprawled across the field, its once-majestic form now dimming under the glare of the sun. My arms trembled, my magic thinned to threads. Please, stay down. I mused, struggling to catch my breath.But luck wasn't on my side.With a shimmer of silver and gold, the dragon's body began to fold inward—like fire curling into itself—and Darius emerged from it, human.He landed on his knees first, gasping, before his body glowed again. A shift—faster this time—until where the man had stood was now a cougar, large and sleek, its pelt as dark as wet stone, eyes glowing amber. The air rippled with his fury and exhaustion.For a second, I almost laughed. A dragon to a cat. Quite the downgrade. But my amusement didn't last long.I knew he was conserving strength. Smart. Dangerous. His movements were lithe, a silent shadow slinking toward me, golden eyes fixed and unblinkingI tried to st
SAGEAn ancient.That was my first thought when I saw the dragon.For a heartbeat, my brain refused to process what I was seeing. Then the sight before me swallowed every other sound, every other thought, until there was nothing left but awe.The creature towered before me—no, loomed—scales gleaming like molten bronze under the glare of the sun, streaked with veins of dull gold that pulsed faintly, as though alive. Each breath it took was accompanied by a low rumble that shook the earth beneath my feet. The smoke drifting from its nostrils carried the scent of ash and iron, and each exhale left trails of heat curling through the air.Its eyes—bright, molten gold with a slit of darkness in the center—fixed on me with the eerie intelligence of something far older than the present world. Its massive body stretched out behind it, wings half-folded but still wide enough to cast a long shadow that swallowed half the arena. Its tail, long and ridged, swung lazily from side to side, carving d
SAGE Today was the day. The fight. The final one. The last piece before things go downhill.I sat on the edge of the low cot inside my tent, staring at the glimmering surface of the water bowl before me. My reflection looked composed, calm even—but that was a lie. Beneath the surface, I was vibrating. Not from fear, but from the pulse of something electric. Anticipation.The tent smelled faintly of oils and incense—the kind Isla swore would "soothe the soul." I didn't need soothing. I needed the opposite. I needed chaos, the sound of magic splitting the air, the thrill of someone trying to hit me and failing spectacularly.I needed to spar with someone that wouldn't make me think twice of the power in my arsenal. Someone, I could go all out with. And already, I was sure that Darius was that."You're smiling again," Isla's voice came from the corner.I turned slightly. She was leaning against one of the tent poles, arms crossed, that faint line between her brows deepening. "That smile
ADAMThe meeting had left a strange weight in my chest—like a knot I couldn't quite untangle. Even now, as I sat at the long dining table with my family, the echoes of Sage's voice lingered in my head. The confidence in her tone, the way her eyes had met mine—steady, unyielding. It had been years since anyone dared to look at me like that.And then there was Darius.The way those two had exchanged glances and laughed as if they shared an old secret—it gnawed at me. I couldn't decide what irritated me more: their ease with each other or the fact that she had laughed at all. Laughed, in my presence, when every other soul in that room could barely breathe under the tension.Now, the table buzzed with conversation. Everyone had something to say about her."She's a spy," my father said bluntly, his voice cutting through the murmurs. "No woman that unpredictable can be trusted. She's hiding something."He wasn't wrong. I'd thought the same more than once. Sage didn't just walk into a room
SAGEBut the royal family was more stunned by Darius and I's seemingly good relationship, more than my smart mouth. Very evident, when I smirked at my next contestant and winked at him in the same vein, when he laughed and leaned toward me as if wanting to whisper.Nothing was whispered, but the royals wouldn't know it. They were probably thinking we were clothing our words from their ears with magic.If I had known our little greeting would stir the entire royal family into silence, I might have done it sooner. The looks on their faces now—shock, disbelief, and a pinch of fear—were almost too delicious to resist. I leaned back slightly, watching them through lowered lashes, my lips curving into the faintest smile. They didn't know what to make of me and Darius laughing like old friends. Perfect. Let them stew in their confusion.Too bad that same Darius and I were supposed to kill each other in two days—or maybe not. Who knows? Fate could be unpredictable. Maybe we'd both live long
SAGEI left a message for Isla before following Catel.It was either that or risk having the girl tear through the entire quarters thinking I'd been abducted.When I saw him waiting at the door, expression carved from granite, I knew whatever was brewing had gone beyond petty irritation. The Beta himself, Claire's brother had come to fetch me.I should have been worried. Instead, my pulse fluttered in excitement."Lead the way, Beta," I said, falling into step beside him.He didn't reply, of course. Men like Catel had no taste for conversation—or humor. His silence only made me want to ruffle his feathers."So," I began, glancing sideways at him, "tell me, Beta Catel, do all of Adam's men come with that same permanent scowl? Or is it just a family trait?"His jaw flexed. "It's called professionalism.""Oh, of course," I said lightly. "The great Beta who never smiles. Do you ever relax, or would that make the muscles in your face disintegrate?"He ignored me, and that was just too temp







