Page 110 of A Trial of Fate

Captain Fjorda surprised me when he knelt in front of me and bowed his head. “Thank the gods, Mother and Father, for bringing us their child to save us all.”

The other High Fae on the deck all did the same thing, and the ones hanging from the mast or along the sides lowered their heads, each of them repeating, “Thank you, Great Mother… Thank you, Great Father.”

Fjorda arose and reached to secure his sword at his hip. “Welcome aboard my ship, fair shifter. You may choose any lodgings you wish. TheOpaland its crew are honored to ferry you into the Inner Kingdom.”

“TheOpal?” I asked, glancing around.

“The name of my ship, of course. A beauty such as this must have a name to honor her, and pray tell, what is your name, beautiful champion?” Fjorda stepped closer, his gaze looking me over in an inquisitive way. His eyes lingered a little too long, in my opinion, and it made me feel uneasy. Daxton’s power pulsed around us in response, almost like a warning, his gaze turning hard as it bore into the captain.

Did Daxton not trust the captain? Was he a steward of the queen, and someone I needed to be on guard around?

“Skylar Cathal,” I answered, with my attention darting toward Daxton’s touch that remained on my back.

“Cathal?” Fjorda repeated my last name, looked to Daxton, and then again to me. He halted his approach, and the intensity of his lingering gaze began to diminish. “That is an old name… I have not heard it in some time, but still.”

“Or you can call her Spitfire,” a familiar voice added, waltzing into our circle of conversation. “That one seems to fit her best.”

“Castor,” I answered with a beaming grin, turning toward his approach. I couldn’t help but giggle at how he carried himself once he joined us. “Don’t tell me you tried to go head to head with Rhea last night.”

“That shifter…” Castor managed to find a barrel to sit on and hung his head in his hands. “That is not a normal female.”

“You let a female best you at drinking, Cas?” Daxton asked, clearly taunting him with a low booming voice. “That’s very unlike you.”

“If I had the energy to argue right now, I would.” Castor glared at Daxton with a fiery stare. “But the world is spinning, and we are about to sail out into the unstable sea. Can you make fun of melater when I have two sturdy legs to stand on?”

“Where is the fun in that, Cas?”

“I mean it, Dax. Back off for now, would you?”

I left Daxton’s side and went to where Castor was sitting on top of a barrel. Without asking, I gently placed my hands on either side of the temples of his forehead. “Do not throw up on my boots. These are the only ones I packed for the voyage,” I warned.

Castor’s eyes widened as he looked behind me at Dax. “What are you—”

“Shh,” I silenced Castor as I called upon my healing powers to untie the knots of pain in his mind from divulging in too many spirits in one evening. “There. That better?” I smiled as I stepped back to examine my handiwork.

“You’re a gods send, Sky!” Castor boasted. “Dax, we need to keep her around—always!”

“She is not a tool or a toy foryouto play with, Cas,” Dax scolded. “Spitfire, I advise next time you let him suffer a little longer, so he learns his lesson. But I do agree with the latter part of his statement.”

“It can be handy,” I said with a sarcastic wink and salute to Daxton. He smirked at me and rolled his eyes with an amused huff of a laugh. “I do this all the time for Rhea.”

“You have magic? You can heal sickness?” Fjorda’s jaw was hanging open—about to fall and hit the deck of his ship. “How?”

“I am notjusta shifter.” I felt like I was announcing it to the whole crew, and it turned out I was. All eyes were on me again. Each High Fae within hearing distance stopped what they were doing to listen to my explanation. “My mother was human… Well, a mage, I believe. I inherited my magical gift of healing from her.”

“This is intriguing.” Fjorda stroked his blond speckled beard, glancing at Dax and Cas. “She might be the hope we have all been waiting for.” Whispering erupted all around us, and I couldn’t hide the wave of nervousness from my expression. The captain noticed and quickly ordered everyone to return to their stations immediately. “The winds are calling. Back to your stations.”

“Let’s have a look around the ship,” Daxton suggested. “I will take you to the stern, where there are different quarters you can choose from for our trip.”

“Choose any you fancy,” Fjorda added. “I am at the bow of the ship, but other than that, take any you wish. Unless you would prefer my company, then I would be happy…”

A low, almost menacing growl escaped from Daxton as Fjorda’s eyes snapped up to meet his. No longer was Dax standing behind me, Silver Shadow had taken his place.

I watched Fjorda swallow a trickle of fear and straighten his shoulders, one hand slowly creeping toward the pommel of his sword at his hip. A twinge of excitement tingled along my spine to see Daxton’s reaction. I relished in his protectiveness. This violent side of him didn’t scare me; in fact, it seemed to do the opposite.

“Thank you, but I will find my own quarters,” I answered, placing my hand discreetly on Daxton’s side. He responded to my touch, tilting his shoulder toward me and softening his gaze as he looked in my direction. Fjorda nodded, darting his eyes between the two of us as he wisely took his leave.

“This way,” Daxton said in a low, hushed tone, never once taking his eyes off me.

---