Page 147 of Feralheart

“Yes.”

I walked toward where Selira stood with Aristus.

Fen approached from the other side.

We stopped with our dragon’s snouts between us, close enough I could hear his breathing. Controlled, but not steady. People breathed like that when they were trying not to show something.

He wore clean leathers. I still wore yesterday’s, stiff with dried sweat and dragon smoke. The old Eradin would’ve felt small. The new Eradin said fuck it. He’d sat next to me last night, and I hadn’t been dressed any finer.

“It appears our dragons made a choice,” he said.

Selira pressed closer to Aristus, satisfaction purring through our bond.

“We should discuss strategy,” he said.

My pulsed jumped in a way I didn’t have time to examine. “Survival is the strategy.”

Our dragons rumbled to each other, low sounds that vibrated through the ground beneath our feet. Contentment. The sounds animals made when they felt safe.

“Your dragon is happy,” I said, because someone had to fill the silence before it swallowed us both.

His mouth curved before he caught it. “Yours too.”

The almost-smile made it impossible to breathe.

“Thank you for the supplies,” I said.

His throat worked. “You don’t have to⁠—”

“I know I don’t have to.” I met his eyes. “But you did something kind when you didn’t need to. So. Thank you.”

His posture loosened. “You’re welcome.”

The silence between us felt different than it had yesterday. Less like a wall and more like a threshold we were both standing at, trying to decide whether to step through.

A herald’s voice cut through the cavern before I could figure it out. “All pairs are formed. What you need will be delivered to you. What you do with it, and how, decides whether you live. The trial begins now.”

We scrambled for our packs.

I forced myself to focus on checking my gear. Not on how the prince had looked last night when he’d burned his mother’s letter or the gentle way he’d been caring for Aristus.

Around us, other pairs were mounting.

I climbed onto Selira’s back, the motion a bit easier today. My thighs settled into place, and my hands found the spike between her shoulders.

Fenian mounted Aristus with the grace of someone who’d been doing it since childhood. No wasted movement. Except his hands shook when he gripped the spike. He’d find this a challenge without the harness.

Thirteen doors opened in the cavern wall, stone grinding against stone, revealing darkness beyond. Runes had been carved into the archways, and they glowed with magic I suspected was as old as the kingdom.

I spied a narrow corridor through the closest door, lit by something that wasn’t quite light.

Other pairs were already entering.

Screaming started almost immediately.

More screaming.

Then silence, followed by the boom as their doors shut behind them.