Page 13 of A Court of Darkness and Dragons

I took a slow breath and held my palm toward the center of the veil. The mark flared to life—cold at first, then searing hot. Power surged through me, different from Kaelith’s warmth, more volatile, as though the magic didn’t flow from me but through me.

It latched onto the veil like a tether snapping taut.

The barrier rippled hard, stretching and groaning at the edges. Shadows within the smoke howled without sound. The pulse of the mark throbbed in time with something deeper—older.

I pushed harder.

Light bled from my skin in silver streaks, winding with my own magic, wrapping around the edges of the barrier like vines looking for a crack. The veil screamed, a high, distorted wail that rattled the air itself.

Then—

A tear appeared.

Thin. Jagged. The size of a dagger blade. And widening slowly.

“Yes,” I breathed. “Come on⁠—”

Ashe, stop! Kaelith’s voice cracked like thunder in my mind.

But I didn’t. I couldn’t. I shoved more magic into the wound in the veil, the mark now burning so bright it blinded me. My knees buckled, but I stayed upright, focused. Gritting my teeth.

Ashe—stop! Kaelith growled aloud now, her tail slamming into the earth. You’ll tear yourself apart! Hein is coming!

I gasped, finally stumbling back as the silver flared once more and vanished, snapping shut like a slammed door. The rift remained open. Still trembling. Larger than before.

My arm was shaking, the skin around the mark felt hot and blistered.

Kaelith moved beside me, crouching low and furious. Hein is close. You will not do that again until he is here.

I swallowed, still panting, still staring at the wound I had made in the veil.

“I think… I think whoever cast this knows I’m here.”

Kaelith didn’t respond.

But she didn’t deny it either.

Hein and Zander landed hard, wind and fury trailing behind them.

Kaelith lifted her head as Hein touched down, wings folding in a clean, fluid motion, but it was Zander who leaped from Hein’s back before his dragon had even stilled. His boots hit the ground hard, his jaw set tight, his eyes locked on mine with heat.

“You should have waited,” he snapped, voice low but intense.

I pushed to my feet, shaky but defiant. “I’m not sure Siergen has that kind of time.”

Zander exhaled hard through his nose. “Are you even sure he’s in there?”

“I saw red scales,” I said simply, pressing a hand to my burning shoulder. “I felt him.”

Zander didn’t argue. His eyes darted to the still-trembling veil, then back to me. He stepped forward and extended his hand. “Then let’s end this.”

I took it without hesitation.

Our magic met like colliding storm fronts, his Dark Fire curling into the silver-blue lightning still laced through my veins, pulled from Kaelith’s bond and Severeth’s cursed mark. But with Zander beside me, it didn’t burn out of control. It centered. His presence steadied mine, like an anchor in a raging sea.

Hein stepped beside Kaelith, and the dragons mirrored us, their necks lowering, horns nearly touching as their ancient bond flared bright between them.

The surrounding air sparked. The veil recoiled.