Aiden’s Perspective

The moment Rue’s mount surged upward, the world seemed to tilt.

A collective gasp ripped through the arena as the beast launched into the air, muscles coiling with terrifying elegance. For a split second, Rue and the beast were suspended together against the high ceiling of the exhibition dome, her silhouette steady, spine aligned with the creature’s motion as if they were born to move as one.

My breath caught. That wasn’t recklessness. That wasn’t showing off. ...