Page 134 of A Trial of Fate

Daxton flipped over onto his stomach to look at me, and I did the same. He reached out and lightly grasped my arm, his eyes shining against the warmth of the fire. “Please, Spitfire.” His demeanor changed, and I was surprised by the genuine plea I was hearing in his voice. “Promise me if you ever see one of these creatures, you’ll turn… and you’ll run. No questions asked. There is no healing what is already dead inside.”

“But they can be killed, can’t they?” I asked. “You just said you knew from experience.”

“They can, but it is not easy by any means. They are gifted with dark magic, making them stronger and faster than a normal creature. Decapitation is the only way to stop them and end their existence in this world.” The night was quiet as I gazed into Daxton’s eyes, holding onto him as his grip tightened on me. “For me, Skylar, please promise me you will turn and run from this threat.”

The look I saw within him was impossible to argue against. Underneath his mask of a warrior, I saw pure fear lingering behind his eyes. Fear for my safety. “For you, Daxton, I promise. I will turn and run.” Ifhewas afraid of these creatures, then I knew I should be terrified.

“Thank you.” He sighed heavily as he squeezed my arm and propped himself upright. He bent his head downward but then stopped himself. He looked at me and inhaled a sharp breath, almost like it was killing him not to be closer to me. Yet he remained where he was. “Not the best idea talking about these creatures right before we sleep, is it?”

“There are worse things that keep me awake at night,” I said, gazing at the fire. Dax was deathly silent, and if I hadn’t heard him breathing, I would have sworn he disappeared.

“I-I… didn’t mean to cause you any distress, Spitfire,” he said with a somber expression. “What else keeps you awake at night?”

“I’ll survive. I mean, I did. But sometimes it’s hard to move on from it.” I didn’t want to talk about my nightmares right now. If I spoke about them out loud, I was afraid the nightmares would returnand swallow me whole despite all the progress I had made with grounding and facing my fears.

“Tell me about things that bring you joy in your life, Skylar.” Daxton flashed me a kind upside-down smile as he laid back down, gazing up at the stars.

“Only if you do the same.” I grinned, turning on my side so we were facing each other. “What is your favorite color?”

“Would it be too cliché if I said silver?”

“Really?” I sighed heavily and slapped my palm to my face. “That’s your favorite color? Yes, it’s cliché. Pick another one.”

“Very well, green or orange.”

“And I can tell there is a story behind that one, so lay it on me, Dax.” Even though he was draped in shadow with his back to the fire, I could tell he was amused. I was beginning to anticipate his reactions and understand his mannerisms. And I would be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it.

“I enjoy gardening and working with my hands. I imagine that if I were not born as the heir of Silver Meadows or leading our armies, I would enjoy the simple but important work of a farmer.”

I tilted my chin up. “Seriously? All right, I need to hear the rest of this story.”

“Absolutely.” Much to my amusement, Dax playfully mimicked my expression perfectly. “I like the color orange because it reminds me of the warmth and beauty of the sunrises over the mountain range near my home, and some of my best work with the plants occurs in the early hours of the morning. The color green reminds me of the herbs and vegetables I enjoy tending to in the gardens around the palace. My mother and I used to spend time together there. It was our sanctuary of silence in the busy, bustling world around it. She was the one who taught me to sing. The plants love it.”

I could practically hear Daxton’s smile as he fondly recalled his memories with his mother. “So, you only sing to your plants?”

“They are the only ones who don’t taunt me for my efforts,” Daxton said with a wink, knowing that wasn’t the case at all. My mind raced to the memory of the song I heard while I was captured by the hunters and the deep gravelly baritone voice that carried me away from my horrors. And then, again at the beach, when he hummed the same melody to me. “I have also read countless logs and manuscripts to try to improve our crops in Silver Meadows to adapt to the changes caused by the wilt. It is a fascinating subject that I have theopportunity to research to help my people. I have even dabbled in creating crops of plants that utilize moonlight to grow.” Dax shifted, propping his hands behind his head, and his fingers lightly brushed against my hair. “Here is a question for you.”

“All ears.”

“What would you be doing right now if you were not chosen as our champion?”

This was an interesting question for me to answer. In all honesty, I hadn’t really thought about what-ifs. I hadn’t had the time to really wonder about that. “I was training to be a healer for our pack. It made the most sense due to my gift, and I did enjoy helping people, but just for fun… let’s say I didn’t have my healing magic?” I paused to really give this some thought. “I would open my own bookshop,” I said with a smile. “I envision opening my own special place where I could create different meals or treats that would cater to a place of knowledge and imagination with a vast collection of different stories and histories.”

“That sounds like your own personal piece of paradise.”

“And the best thing about all of it—”

“The unlimited supply of delicious food for the owner?” Daxton asked with an amused tone in his voice.

“Yes!” I exclaimed, followed by a heartfelt laugh. “Hey… you’re starting to understand what makes me tick.”

“If the food is anything like the meal you prepared at your family’s home, I’m sure you would sell out each and every day.”

“And then there would be the food of the mind when the real sustenance is devoured.” This was a fantasy I hadn’t really been brave enough to admit to myself, let alone another person. I would never put my gifts on a shelf to be forgotten about, and I would always use it to help heal those who needed it. But it was nice to dream.

“Favorite anything… else?” Daxton asked.

“Anything, huh? That is a very broad range you are giving me. Could you narrow down your inquiry there, Princey?”

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