The arena erupted in cheers. Even though it was a draw, all of the students, especially Aranea, were proud of them. Her voice cracked as she cheered, clutching Elenea's hand so tightly her knuckles whitened.
Pride swelled inside her, but worry gnawed at her chest—Aleck's draconic arm had nearly lost control again.
Darenn and Irving rushed down from the stands, robes sweeping as they dropped beside the unconscious boys.
Darenn pressed a hand against Aleck's glowing scales, earth magic grounding the heat that still pulsed under his skin.
Irving crouched over Beau, muttering in third person as his fingers traced arcs of lightning over Beau's chest to stabilize his breathing.
"They'll be fine," Darenn announced after a long pause, though his furrowed brow betrayed his concern. "Just exhaustion… and too much power released at once."
The crowd began to file out, still buzzing about what they'd witnessed. But before the arena could fully empty, a ripple of unease shot through the air.
