Page 81 of Their Trials

“Join me?” he asked. I watched as he started removing his boots and socks, leaving his bare feet to sink into the sand. Next, he pulled off his shirt, leaving me there to drool over his Adonis belt and leanly, sculpted muscles. Despite having been with him, I still found myself craving a taste of those delectable abs.

He chuckled as he walked out to the water's edge, swooping down to splash water at me and drawing me from my daydream. I laughed at his antics, kicking off my own boots and socks to join him in the water.

The sand between my toes was almost silky, soothing on my bare feet. I inhaled a sharp breath at the feel of the cold water as it met my skin. Baer laughed at me, so I reached down to splash him with water, only sending him into more laughter.

I continued to splash him as he tried to run away, chasing him among the waves, getting myself just as wet as I was making him. Our laughter sounded out through the air.

A wicked idea flitted through my mind, and I didn't hesitate to follow it. I summoned the magic that he had given me with our bonding, what little there was left, pulling on it and asking it to rise up into a wave behind him. The whole time he stood there watching me, feeling the rise of magic but confused as to why. I gave him a mischievous grin as I crashed the wave on top of his head, soaking him to the bone.

“You think that's funny?” he asked me when he was finally able to speak again, water dripping into his eyes as I hugged my belly, doubled over in laughter.

“That was pretty great,” I admitted, not feeling an ounce of guilt.

“If that's how you want to play,” he said, drawing on his magic, sending a splash of cold water at me. I scampered away from him with a squeal of laughter as he chased me.

He caught up to me, wrapping me up in his arms, both of us gasping with laughter. The minute my body was next to his, the heat consumed me, and then he kissed me. Waves weaved between our legs as he took my breath away, tasting and teasing me before finally ending the kiss.

His forehead rested on mine with his eyes closed. “The things you do to me, Killer,” he breathed out, rolling his head gently as if trying to convince himself to let me go.

“If I remember correctly, you kissed me. So, technically, the things you do to me,” I teased him with a sultry smile.

“If you two are finished, food's ready,” Callum groused out.

Taking my hand in his, Baer led me to the campfire they had managed to set up. I sat down on one of the logs that had been arranged around the fire and stretched my feet out in front of me to let the heat warm and dry me. Arryn handed me some food as I sat, smiling at me, his contentment evident through the bond.

“So, what's the plan from here?” I asked between bites.

“We summon the Lady of the Lake,” Lennox said sarcastically.

I rolled my eyes at him. “Obviously. But how do we do that?”

“See that rock?” Callum asked, and I nodded. “We call out to her from the top and then jump.”

Chapter Thirty Eight: Rhowyn

After we all ate, we climbed the rock, grass growing in the crevices of the cracks and providing our feet purchase. Despite being in good shape, I was still short of breath by the time we reached the top. The view was amazing as sprays of salt water splashed on us, the waves crashing against the rock as if trying to force it to move, unsuccessful in the short term, but their persistence wearing down the stone over time.

I couldn't help but feel a parallel in this moment, as if I were the waves, battering up against life until I obtained what I wanted. My persistence gained me the things that I wanted, the things that were the most valuable such as love and friendship. You know, the things money couldn't buy. Those things required effort and desire, consistency and dedication in order to obtain.

For years, I floundered through life, never quite reaching the pinnacle I sought, always feeling as if there were so much more for me out there. And now, as I stood on the edge of the rock, gazing down at the waves, I realized I had somehow found the things that made me feel whole. Now, I just had to find a way to keep them through the tribulations that we would surely face.

Nothing in life ever came easy. At least nothing worthwhile. The things that seemed to fall into place without any effort always revealed themselves in the end. Wolves in sheep's clothing.

The magnitude of the situation weighed on me and I couldn't help sending up a prayer of thanks to any god who would listen for this moment. Bearing witness to such magnitude, I couldn't help but believe that there was something bigger than myself, bigger than us all. Something that weighed on us, measuring us and testing us until we failed or became the best versions of ourselves. Something that made us realize just how small we truly were in comparison to the unrelenting world, which moved on despite all the importance we placed on ourselves.

It was truly humbling to be in such a place, realizing just how much I had to be thankful for. I might not be ready to face the things the guys wanted for me, but I was finding that there was so much more I had to offer. So much more I wanted for my life and this world. For once, I had the opportunity to make changes that mattered.

Fear gripped me at that thought. Fear that I wouldn't measure up, that the things I thought might be for the best would actually cause devastation that I couldn't possibly foresee. My pulse raced at the responsibility that would be placed on my shoulders should I win, becoming the next Queen.

Sure, the guys believed that I would be great, but I couldn't help that niggling sense of doubt. The one that told me that I wasn't good enough, that I couldn't achieve what I wanted, and that the world didn't need someone like me. After all, my parents left me, my caretakers abused me, and the world I’d lived in before coming here saw me as nothing more than something to be thrown away, not worth the air I breathed.

A hand threaded through mine, fingers lacing between the spaces and holding me steady. Grounding me and keeping me from falling apart at the thoughts that raced through my mind. A firm squeeze brought me back to the moment.

Glancing over, I saw Lennox next to me, a tear leaking from my eye as our eyes met. He didn't need to say anything, the bond telling me everything I needed to know. He saw me as more, as someone who could accomplish what others had failed at before. He thought I was worth it.

A bittersweet ache gripped my heart as I smiled at him. For so long, I had pushed everything to the side, ignoring how I truly felt as if that would make it go away. Like an ostrich, I had buried my head in the sand. Out of sight, out of mind.

The others surrounded me, each placing a hand on me. Callum even moved to take my other hand, understanding my heartache on a level that the others didn't. We were two peas in a pod, having lived lives full of heartache and disappointment. Maybe together, we could grab hold of the future being presented if only we had the courage to take it.

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