Page 128 of A Trial of Fate

“This is where your shifter instincts will come in handy,” Dax answered, and Castor nodded in agreement.

“From what other champions have shared with us, you have a sixth sense that can help guide you when it comes to trust and identifying allies,” Castor added.

Dax stepped closer to our table and placed a hand on his own chest. “It’s a feeling you have when your animal is aware. She will guide you. All you have to do is listen and ask.”

“Ask her? You both know we can’t actually speak to one another, right? It doesn’t work like that.”

“But you can feel each other’s emotions and presence.” Dax came closer to me, and on cue, I could feel my animal perk in my middle, along with other things. “I can sense the power in you and your animal spirit, Spitfire,” he said with a grin.

“As shifters, your animals respond to power… strength, magic, authority—all of the above,” Castor added with a wave of his hand. “You must learn how to listen to her when encountering others. She will let you know whom you can trust.”

“How?”

“Ask her,” Dax said plainly like this task was as easy as walking. “Try it now. Ask her.”

Easier said than done. I did find it amusing that these two were trying to teach me what I could or could not do regarding my animal. All right, well, they hadn’t been wrong so far, and with over five hundred years of life experience over me, it wouldn’t be the worst thing to try. I settled in my seat as Dax crossed his arms in front of his chest and gave me an inquisitive look. I closed my eyes and tried to reach out to connect with my animal. She instantly responded, causing me to practically jolt in my seat. Her power flowed through me, and I could feel the heat migrate along the length of my limbs.

“Good,” Dax said encouragingly.

I opened my amber eyes and took in each of their faces.Can we trust them?I asked in my mind and waited for a reply. A warm, tingling sensation flooded my middle, making me feel safe and warm. It reminded me of home, being wrapped up in a blanket in the loveseat Neera and I shared, with a good book and nothing but time to spare.

“Well?” Castor questioned.

“I think I did it?”

“Think or know? Those are two very different things.” I glared at Castor and stuck my tongue out at him. He laughed. “I think we have the answer then.”

“You two seem to be getting along better and better each day,” Dax teased. A horn sounded, and both Daxton and Castor stiffened. “The veil. Cas, did you get a chance to tell her about what would happen when we cross through?”

“The drunken high paired with adrenaline rush and overflowing emotional whirlwind?” I cast him a smirk paired with a wink and my trademark thumbs-up. “Yup. Should be a fun ride.”

“Do you want to see it firsthand?” Dax asked me with his hand outstretched. “Castor will stay in here, I imagine, with his companion from the previous night. I didn’t think you would want to be here for that… Or—”

“Oh Gods, no. The other night was more than enough.” I willingly accepted Dax’s offer not to be anywhere near here when crossing the veil.

“Don’t be a prude, Sky… Haven’t you—” Before Castor could finish his sentence, Dax teleported us out of Castor’s room and placed us on the front of the ship.

“Thanks for the rescue,” I said, noticing that Daxton’s hand was still intertwined with mine. I swallowed a loud gulp. Feeling his body’s heat pressed against mine was intoxicating, and it only made me yearn for more.

“Happy to help.” Dax grinned, but it didn’t last long as he turned his focus to the sea before us.

“I don’t see anything,” I admitted, still very aware of our close proximity.

Daxton’s grip on my hand tightened, and I could sense his anxiety beginning to rise as the ship continued forward. “You won’t see it until we start to cross, but you can feel it in other ways,” he spoke in a low, hushed whisper.

I didn’t understand at first, but suddenly, my animal surged inside of me. I felt her react to the magic that was apparently swirling everywhere around us, so I closed my eyes and tried to sense where it was coming from. Straight ahead, I connected with a powerful wall of magic, the force of which contained the energy of an exploding river dam. My eyes snapped open in the direction Daxton was looking only moments before.

“There… you feel it now. Come, stand over here.” Dax guided me to stand in front of him as he took both my hands in his own. His touch was gentle, opposite from the roughness of his calloused palms that were earned from centuries of fighting. I relished in the tenderness he was able to show me and sank into his open arms, ignoring all the warning bells that were fading into nothing inside my head.

“I’m going to release my powers to create an opening. Would you like to feel the magic of the veil with me?”

“It’s not dangerous, right?” I asked cautiously.

“No. Not with me,” Dax said. “I’ll keep you safe. Do you trust me to do that, Spitfire?”

“I trust you, Daxton.” I stared into his stormy eyes that softened at the corners with a spark of longing I hadn’t noticed before. Dax grasped my hands and moved in closer behind me. I felt his body flush against mine, and his head tilted to the side, just above my shoulder, to see around me. The warmth of him surrounding me sent waves of excitement thrumming through my middle. I knew this was not the time or the place to pull focus, but I couldn’t help it. He was a ripped wall of muscle and strength. And not only that, but hewas patient, respectful, and kind to me. He was everything a female would want and more. So why was I fighting this? Why was I trying to deny my feelings for him?

Daxton’s hips shifted slightly as he pulled me in closer to his chest. His muscles tensed, and I knew we were about to cross into the veil. “Here we go.”

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