Page 9 of Daring the Drakarn Warrior Lord
I hooked my tail around his ankle and yanked. He went down, but took me with him, and we crashed into the pedestal.
I was faster.
"I win."
Nyx lay on his back, chest heaving, and started to laugh. Deep, genuine laughter that filled the sanctum and probably violated a dozen different temple protocols. I couldn't help it. I laughed too, the sound mixing with his until we were both shaking with it.
"You cheated," Nyx managed between gasps.
"I was creative."
"You nearly broke the pedestal."
I gave it a gentle shove. It didn't move. "It's sturdy. It's fine."
Nyx sat up, wings dragging on the floor, and shook his head. Soot and dust covered both of us, and I was pretty sure I was bleeding from at least two places. Worth it. Entirely worth it for this moment of pure, uncomplicated joy.
"Warrior Lord Darrokar, what exactly do you think you're doing?"
We both froze.
Jalliun stood in the sanctum entrance, arms crossed, expression caught somewhere between exasperation andamusement. He looked at us, at the disturbed pedestal, and sighed.
"Desecrating sacred space," he said. "Disturbing holy relics. Brawling in the inner sanctum. Shall I continue?"
I carefully placed the blood-flame back on its pedestal. "We were … testing the defenses."
"Testing." Jalliun's tone suggested he didn't believe that for a moment.
"Thoroughly," Nyx added, climbing to his feet. "Very thorough testing."
"I see." Jalliun stepped into the sanctum, and I caught the twitch at the corner of his mouth. He was trying not to smile. "And your professional assessment of these defenses?"
"Adequate," I said.
"Could use some work," Nyx said at the same time.
Jalliun did smile then, brief but genuine. "I'm sure the trainees will appreciate your dedication to their safety." He moved to the pedestal, checking for cracks. "Fortunately, no actual harm done. Though I shudder to think what Karyseth would say if she'd witnessed this."
"She'd probably declare us both corrupted beyond redemption," I said.
"She might not be wrong."
Maybe this year's Skalanth wouldn't be the burden I'd anticipated. Maybe, with the right perspective, it could be something more. A celebration of what we were and what we were becoming.
"The blood-flame will be ready," Jalliun said, his tone shifting back to business. "I'll have the sanctum cleansed and re-blessed before the trials begin. Try not to destroy anything else in the meantime."
"No promises," Nyx said cheerfully.
Jalliun shook his head and left, his footsteps fading into the temple's depths. Nyx and I followed at a more leisurely pace, our earlier race abandoned in favor of walking side by side through the corridors.
"Your human's changed you," Nyx said after a while. "In a good way."
We emerged into the main temple corridor, and I paused, looking back toward the inner sanctum. In a few days, trainees would attempt that same path we'd just raced. They'd struggle and fail and try again, pushing themselves toward something greater. Some would succeed. Most wouldn't. But all of them would learn.
That's what the Skalanth was supposed to be. A crucible, yes. But also a forge. A place where warriors were shaped and tempered and made stronger.
"This might actually be enjoyable," I said.
