SAGE

For a few heartbeats, everything was smoke and dust. My chest heaved as I stared at the motionless dragon sprawled across the field, its once-majestic form now dimming under the glare of the sun. My arms trembled, my magic thinned to threads.

Please, stay down. I mused, struggling to catch my breath.

But luck wasn't on my side.

With a shimmer of silver and gold, the dragon's body began to fold inward—like fire curling into itself—and Darius emerged from it, human.

He landed on his knees first, gasping, before his body glowed again. A shift—faster this time—until where the man had stood was now a cougar, large and sleek,...