Page 87 of Of Flame and Fury

The Howlers CAPR team have taken Vohre by storm. Since arriving in Cendor’s capital just two months ago, they’ve already snatched two gold prizes, almost at the cost of their young rider’s life.

The most recent race at the edge of Vohre Forest—already dubbed a once-in-a-decade tragedy—seems to have revealed more than cultish sabotage, though. An inside source has claimed that, once more, the Howlers’ phoenix is a danger to Vohre’s citizens.

The Howlers’ tamer—Kelyn Varra, the sweetheart of their dashing rider—was riding the volatile phoenix in the most recent race. Not long into the race, the phoenix, Savita, abandoned Varrato engage in a lethal fight with wild phoenixes. Varra remains in critical condition at Cristo Private Hospital.

Was this a consequence of the race’s unexpected mishaps? Or is their phoenix truly out of control? After beloved rider “Coup” was injured previously, the latter seems more and more likely. Our source confirms that multiple employees at Cristo Industries are wondering when the Cendorian Council will take matters into their own hands.

Many have speculated on whether tech billionaire Canen Cristo has already spoken with the council, given his close relationship with several councillors. It is suspected that the council will soon assume control of the situation, if they have not done so already.

Rage threatened to explode through Kel. It quickly drowned out the unsettling, knotted emotions she felt when she thought of Sav letting her fall.

She threw the paper to the floor. “When didNova Pressbecome a gossip magazine? I can’t believe this.”

“It’s disgusting,” Coup muttered. “But nothing is going to happen to Sav.”

“Is there any truth to the article? Have councillors contacted Cristo?”

Coup shrugged apologetically. “If they have, he hasn’t told us. He’s been locked in his office for the last week. No one has seen him.”

“I need to visit Sav,” Kel said, feeling breathless.

She’d heard the horror stories of council interferences. It was rare. CAPR was a deadly sport, and the council all but endorsed its risks. They only interfered when they decided a phoenix was not just a danger to people, but to their spectacle.

They killed the phoenix and destroyed its remains.

Kel tried to push herself up again, but anger had sapped what little strength she had.

Coup sighed. “Dira’s spent every night with Sav since the race. She’s given me updates—with pointless, Kelyn-level detail—every morning. Nothing’s changed. No more scientists.” Coup paused. “We won’t let anything happen to Sav.”

Coup had no way to fight the council—and yet his words washed over Kel in cool, reassuring waves. She ached to reach out for his hand, to twine their fingers and thank him for being at her bedside when she hadn’t been able to offer him the same. She didn’t know how to sculpt the crushing relief she’d felt at the sight of him, slumped in that chair with a book on his lap.

“Thank you for being here,” she forced out, the words stilted and brittle.

Coup smiled, a small hitch of his lips, so different from his usual, all-consuming grins. Kel stilled as he reached out and, gently, traced his thumb across the space between her brows.

“It was so strange watching you sleep for the past week,” he murmured. “Seeing you without a frown was unsettling.”

He’d stayed by her side the entire week? The thought flushed her cheeks. She hoped she hadn’t drooled too much.

“Don’t get used to it,” she warned. “I’ll be back to my usual scowling self soon.”

Crescent dimples dug into Coup’s cheeks. “I hope so.”

He leaned his forearms on the side of her bed. Kel tried to swallow her rising pulse. “Careful, rider. It almost sounds like you missed me.”

Coup’s eyes darkened to bronze and a strange laugh escaped him. It was a full-body, disbelieving sound that bathed Kel in the same unusual mix of dread and weightlessness as Savita’s screams.

Kel frowned. “What’s so funny?”

Coup shook his head. His smile turned oddly sheepish. “Can I tell you a secret, tamer?”

Her breath hitched. “Sure.”

Despite the shadows, Kel swore she spotted the faintest blush creeping up his neck.

“I lied to you, weeks ago,” he admitted.

“What? When?”

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