Saphira moved cautiously, each step slow, deliberate, barely rustling the forest floor beneath her. The fire she had glimpsed was growing clochs so illuminating the dense trees in flickering orange hues. She pressed herself against the thick hedges, Inovering her breathing, Isteing herself to bas

Carefully, she parted the branches just enough to see.

Her breath caught.

Two dragonsb. /b

One of them–massive, twice the size o mer–was pure ck, its scales absorbing the dim firelight like a living void. It was the one thrashing, its

movements restless, distressed. It let out a guttural foar, deep and raw, vibrating through the air with something close to pain.

The second dragon was smaller, though still formidable, its scales a muted shade beneath the night sky. But unlike the first, it was still. Unmoring–bexcept /bfor the subtle tilt of its head, shifting just barely, as though watching something.

Saphira squinted, trying to follow its gaze, but from her angleb, /bshe couldn’t see who or what it was looking at.

Her pulse quickened, uncertainty wing at her bchest/b. Was it Niksb? /b

Saphira stilled, her breath catching as a figure stepped into view.

Draped in flowing white robes, hood pulled low, their bface /bremained hidden–only the firm,manding posture visible. Medium in buildb, /byet bevery /bmovement carried weight, precision, an unmistakable presence that sent an bicy /bshiver crawling up her spine.

Even at a distance, she knew. Whoever this wasb, /bthey were powerful. Dangerous.

She pressed herself further into the hedges, barely daring to breatheb, /bwatching bas /bthe bfigure /bstrode forward with deliberate purpose.

Then they spoke.

A deep, resonant voice sliced through the air, calm yet unwavering. “So, Niks, have byou /bmade a choiceb?/b”

Saphira’s chest tightened.

Niks.

Therger dragon–pure ck, twice the size of the other–roared in response, a bfierce/bb, /bguttural cry that shook the very ground beneath her bfeet/b.

It was him.

She found him.

But now, standing frozen in the shadowsb, /bshe had no idea how to bsave /bhim.

Saphira remained motionless, pressed tightly against the thick hedges, heart pounding so fiercely she feared it might betray her presenceb. /bAll she could do was listen. And wait.

The figureughed–a sharp, twisted sound that sent a fresh bwave /bof unease down her spine. “I take that as a no,” he mused, his voice deep, deliberate. “But the choice isn’t one you can refuse.b” /b

He pacedb, /bslow and measured, his movements carrying him dangerously close to where she stood. Her breath caught, pulse hammering in bher /bbthroat/bb. /bbShe /bbhad /bno idea who he was, only that power clung to him like an unseen forceb, /bsomething she could feel even from this distanceb. /b

And she could not risk him sensing her.

“I think I might change the offerb,/bb” /bhe continued, pausing slightly. A beat of bsilence /bstretched before his next words cameb, /bcruelb, /bcalcted,

bCHAPTER /b34

b“/bInstead of trading your life for your sister… how about the life of byour /bbmate/bb?/bb” /b

Saphira’s body went brigid/b.

Mateb. /b

Her chest tightened, blood roaring in her ears.

Niks.

“You chose to save her once already,” the figure added, voice dripping with amusement. “Will you do it again?”

The massive ck dragon thrashed violently, an agonized snarl tipping through the air, shaking the very ground beneath her.

Then–it hit her.

Something invisible, something unseen mmed into her, gripping her with an unnatural force.

A pull, sharp and unrelenting.

And suddenly–her feet moved forward.

No–no, no, no!,

This cannot be happening.

She fought against it, fought against the invisible force dragging her from the shadows. But it was bstronger/bb–/btoo strong–pulling her toward the clearingb, /btoward the figure.

Saphira stumbled forward, her body no longer her own, dragged by an invisible force until she stood right next to him.

The figure barely reacted, as bif /bher sudden appearance was nothing more than a mild inconvenienceb. /bSlowlyb, /bdeliberately, he turned btoward /bbher/b, band /bshe was finally able to bsee /bhim.

Her breath hitched.

arsb–/bthin, jagged lines across his face, brutal reminders

White hair, stark against the darkness, hung just past his shouldersb. /bHis skin, weathered, bore deep scarsb–/bt of battles long past. But it was his eyes that sent a chill down her spine.

White. Hollow. Void of anything human.

Power radiated from him, thick and suffocating. This was not a man who needed brute strength to be terrifying. bHis /bbvery /bexistence demanded bfear/b.

Then–her gaze dropped, catching a glint of metal pinned to his robe. A bcrest/bb. /b

Saphira’s stomach twisted violently. She knew that symbol.

Days ago, she had seen it while learning about the Elders. A mark of authority. Of control.

bHe /bwasn’t just powerful. He was an Elder.

The Elder turned his gaze bon /bSaphira, his white eyes gleaming with amusement as he regarded her like a piece in a game only he controlled.

“So, my dear,” he mused, voice smooth, deliberate. “Your mate has a choice. What do you think he will bda/b?”

Niks let out a fierce roar, the sound ripping through the clearing with an intensity that made the bvery /bground tremble beneath her bfeet/bb. /bIt bwas /bbmore /bpowerful than beforeb–/bmore desperate.

The Elderughed, slow and mocking. “I’m surprised,” he said, pacing slightly, hands sped behind his back bas /bif they bwere /bdiscussing something trivial.

“He bwasn’t /bthis intense when I threatened his sister.b” /b

Saphira’s breath hitched, her heart pounding violently as she locked eyes with the massive ck dragon.

Don’t do it. Not again.

The words left her lips in a whisper, barely audible, but the subtle movement of Niks‘ head told her he heard her. The tension in his body shifted, like bhe /bwas listening, thinking. But she had no idea if that would be enough.

The Elder merely tilted his head, feigning curiosity, before he spoke again–this time, with unmistakable finality.

“Well. You’ve had a chance to choose,” he said, turning back toward Niks, steps slow, measured. “Now it’s my turn.”

Saphira remained frozen, held captive by whatever unseen force had dragged her forwardb, /bunable to move, unable to stop what wasing.

Then–the Elder lifted his hand. And in an instant, a sword materialized from thin air–golden, massive, glowing with raw, pulsing magic.

Saphira’s breath caught violently in her chest.

No.

A scream tore from her throat before she could stop it.

“No!”

The de gleamed under the moonlight as the Elder advanced.

And Niks roared–one final, earth–shaking sound of resistance.

But Saphira had no idea if it would be enough. And she had no way to stop it.

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