The Matchmaker
Saphira couched low, her breath steady but spr hammering as she kept a sharp eye on both the guard and the mounding area. Asher sat beside her. <b>equally </b>focused, though she could feel the tentin rolling off him in wave
Across the clearing, Finn and Amara <b>had </b>positioned themselves carefully, watching Raven and Jasper’s backs. Their presente e Saphira an added prof reassurance—no one was moving blind. If anything went wrong, Finn and Amara would see it before it escted
She kept her fons locked on Niks and led, watching them inch closer to the guards, their movements precise, deadly in their quirt approach.
They were waiting. Watching. For Raven’s signal.
<b>Saphira </b>held her breath, fingers curling slightly into the dirt beneath her.
Then–Asher murmured beside her.
“Here we go. They have the signal.”
She snapped back into the moment, catching the subtle flicker in the cloak–the <b>sign </b>she <b>had </b>missed <b>while </b>lost in thought
Two sit, clean strikes. No wasted effort. <b>No </b>hesitation.
Saphira inled sharply, watching in stunted silence <b>as </b>the guards copsed instantly.
I <b>was </b>seamless, Unnerving in its efficiency
treninded her exactly why dragons were feated.
Why they were respected. Why they were lethal
She quickly scanned the area again, ensuring to movement, no signs of reinforcements. Fins and Amara did the <b>same </b>on their end, sending a quick nce toward her and Asher–a silent confirmation that the coast was clear.
Saphira met Asher’s gaze, modded once, then they moved
Fast, Controlled. <b>Every </b>step bringing I
g them closer to Niks and Jed,”
Saphira moved swiftly, keeping time to Asher as they approached <b>Niks </b>and led. The tension in the air was suffocating–thick with anticipation, with feat, with hope.
As she reached Niks, she instinctively reached for his hand, giving it a firm squeeze. A silent we’re here, we’re together, we’ve got this
Niks turned his gase toward her, his golden eyes meeting her for the briefest second–just long mough for her to catch the flicker of something now, something deep. Then, with <b>a </b>nod, he let go, his attention shifting back to the task ahead.
Together, they moved:
The door created as they stepped inside, the air stale, heavy with something ancient–something wrong.
And then–they saw them.
Saphira’s breath hitched.
Two dago. Chaised. Weak. But–alive.
A sharp, strangled breath escaped Asher before he bolted forward, neath stumbling in his desperation to much his mother.
The rest of the tram entered from the reposite side, their movements slower, cautious, but as theirnded on the <b>second </b>despre–fed fi colin
Nis went rigid. His breath stoppel.
Saphira could feel it.
Jed was the first to mutmut it, <b>his </b>sonke barely more than a whisper. “Zafira.”
Saphira felt her pulse roar in her ears.
This <b>was </b>her. Niks‘ sister. She was here. She was alive.
The weight of the moment pressed against them all–too big, too much.
<b>Niks </b>took a slow step forward, his face unreadable, but his entire body held something between disbelief and unrelenting determination.
Niks barely had a second to process the sight of Zafira before his imts look over.
“We need to get them out. Now.” <b>His </b>voice was sharp, unwavering, filled with urgency <b>as </b>he turned to the group.
Saphira snapped into action, moving toward the chains binding the dragons <b>down</b>. The thick metal glowed faintly with enchantments, paling with energy meant to keep them contained
Haven stepped forward, reaching her hands toward the restraints, her fingers watching with magic as she studied them
“These chains aren’t just holding them down<b>,</b><b>” </b><b>she </b>murmured. “They’re forcing them to stay in dragon form.” She exhaled sharply, realization downing.” would’ve been the same for you, Nikn “
Niks barely reacted to that fact–his focus solely on the two dragons before them.
“Can you break the spell?” Saphira asked, urgency thick in her sove
Haven nodded. “Yes. But I need a few seconds”
Niks, Jed, Finn, andsper wasted no time. Together, they gripped the heavy chains, their supernatural strength bending the metal, straining against the magic. Keen muttered incantations under her breath, her power weaving through the air until-
The chains shattered, the pulsing energy dasipating as the enchantments broke.
Asher’s mother let out <b>a </b><b>weak</b>, strained breath–and before their eyes, her massive dragon form shimmered, shifting.
When the glow faded, she was human again.
Exhausted, Wrak<b>. </b>
But standing
Zafira, however, was different.
The moment her chains broke, she shifted—but her transformation was sluggish, her body refusing to move properly
She copsed the instand <b>she </b>was in her human form, barely able to hold herself up
Niks surged forward, reaching for her, but was <b>He </b>caught her before she could hit the ground, <b>gripping </b>her tightly, his expression prin.
te’s too <b>weak</b>,” led muttered.
Jasper stepped in without hesitation. “Give her in me.”
led nodded once before carefully handing Zafira over. Jasper cradled her with me, holding her as if she weighed nothing
“I’ll get her back as fast as possible,” Jasper promised, his voice serious, unwavering. “To the pack’s dretor.“
Niks clenched his jar but nodded. “G?”
Jasper was gone in a blink, his vampiric speed camping him away in a Hur.
Niks turned his gaze back to Asher’s mother, his own urgency never
fading
Saphira stepped beside her, carefully looping an arm wound the exhausted woman to help support her weight. Asher took the other side, ba gentle, his entire being consumed with making sure his mother yed upright.
Finn and Amara nked them, keeping watch as they moved,
They didn’t waste another second.
Because this wasn’t over until all of them were bat,
And they weren’t leaving anyone behind. Not now, Not ever
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