Page 45 of A Trial of Fate

Call it stubbornness or sheer strength of my will, but I refused to break while I was still breathing. I would be stronger than this.Wewould be stronger than this. A spark of energy burned my center, awakening my animal spirit. I took comfort in knowing that she never left me. I dared to try and crack a diluted smile in the darkness of my cell. Luckily, shifters’ body temperatures run hotter than any other species, so I wasn’t cold. I curled my knees to my chest and rotated to my side to give myself a much-needed hug.

Dammit, I could really go for a hug right now. One of those huge, overbearing, all-consuming embraces I always got from Magnus when I needed it most. And right now, I wanted that more than anything.

Since the mage healed my body each time he tortured me, he rationalized that I didn’t need to eat. Another joyous piece of the experiment he was conducting on his subject. Hey, lucky me. I managed to rock myself to sleep despite the gurgling sounds of my empty stomach that refused to stop raging.

I was in the meadow again. Peaceful serenity surrounded me as I inhaled a cold breath of fresh mountain air. The moon hung above my head, beaming, beautiful and bright. Even though the air was cold, I didn’t feel the antagonizing bite of a chill against my bare skin. Instead, I felt safe and warm. Walking forward, I stretched my hands to the wildflowers that surrounded me in the tall grass, and instantly, I recognized my favorite flower.

All alone, I sat and waited patiently.

This place was my sanctuary. Each time I managed to fall asleep since being captured, my dreams guided me here. To this place that I had never been to, but somehow, it felt like home.

Suddenly, the dream changed, and I was no longer alone in my meadow.

Footsteps slowly approached in the grass behind me. I felt my shoulders stiffen as their steps halted momentarily before continuing again. Whomever this was, they didn’t seem to mind that I knew of their presence. I didn’t dare look back, but my senses were on high alert. There had never been another person in this dream with me before.

No words were spoken as the unidentified stranger slowly approached me with graceful steps that barely skimmed across the surface of the lush green grass.

“Skylar.” The deep, soothing velvet voice caressed the naked skin of my flesh. It sent a spark of electricity into my nerves, awakening my animal within.

I knew this voice.

“Don’t give in.” His plea was full of sorrow and pain. “We are on our way. You must be brave for a little longer, Spitfire. Trust that I will find you. Wewill always find each other.”

I couldn’t turn to look at him. Instead, I reached out my hand and cradled the blooming silver and orange flower of my sanctuary. Plucking at the stem, I held it to my chest and breathed in the sweet aroma of the petals, drawing strength from anything I could.

“Get her up and out of the cell now!” Thorn’s voice was panicked. My cell door busted open with my two captors standing in the doorway. “The captain is done waiting. One week of this is enough. His other experiments typically don’t last more than a day. He doesn’t care what the mage wishes to uncover. We are out of time and must move camp. Now!”

One week, huh? Well, that answered my question concerning the length of time I had been trapped in this hell hole.

“Don’t tell me this is our last chance to spend quality time together?” My sarcastic humor and mocking tactics were helping to keep me from going insane. It was a game I played to focus on anything else besides what the mage planned next. Thorn was more difficult and resistant to playing along, but not Tiny. I could always get a rise out of him.

“That thing is twisted and deranged beyond repair. I don’t know why the mage continues.” Tiny pointed a finger at my back as I rolled over to see them. “Even if she is remotely attractive for a shifter.”

“Fat chance, Tiny.” I narrowed my eyes and stuck my tongue out at him. “Your other point is valid, however. I agree with you there. You should simply toss me out of the caves like garbage and be on your own way. I doubt anyone would even notice—”

“Grab her, and let’s go,” Thorn grumbled.

Yep, he was definitely not in the mood to play today.

“On your feet,” Tiny demanded.

I staggered to sit up and crossed my legs underneath me. “Come on… Can’t we change the routine just this once?” I glared at him with a cocky smirk that I knew would ruffle his feathers.

As I anticipated, steam practically blew out his ears as he gritted his teeth and stomped toward me. “Get up. Have some dignity before you die.”

I spewed laughter, barely able to catch my breath at his remark. I wiped the tears from my face and looked up at his hard, opal stare. “That ship has sailed, along with my clothes. Did it ever occur to you humans to give a lady a blanket or a shirt to cover herself with? Rude—” I scoffed with defiance.

He ignored me and grabbed my arm, forcing me onto my feet. I was taller than he was, but that didn’t seem to stop him from throwing me around like I was only two feet tall.

“Move. Now!”

“Pushy.” I gritted my teeth and tried to hold my ground to make their last haul the most difficult. If this was it, I planned to make it memorable.

Thorn groaned and ended up helping, grabbing my other arm to get me to cooperate with their hurried timeline. This was different. Usually, they didn’t bother rushing me to the back to the mage’s chamber. Tiny loved taunting me about all the newtoysthe mage was raving about. That was what they called the various weapons the mage used to carve into my flesh—slightly sadistic if you ask me. Then Thorn would inevitably grumble about having to be my guard and insult my very existence, finding anything not already tarnished to try and break. They both quickened their pace when I wasn’t moving fast enough for their liking, grabbing my legs to carry me and sprinting down the hall.

The setting inside my room had changed with oil lamps and lanterns illuminating the space. The iron table had been removed with two solid wooden posts standing in its place. Tiny took one of the iron shackles on my wrist while Thorn grabbed the other, forcing me across the floor. Pulling tightly, they attached chains to the two wooden poles, spreading my arms out and away from my body. I stood naked, fully exposed and vulnerable to whatever the mage was concocting next.

“You know this is a shame,” the mage mumbled. “You are quite a beautiful creature. I imagine if you were to have been born of pure blood, the Lords would fight over your hand. It’s not just the rare amber eyes that glow like fire. Your stamina is truly remarkable. You could have borne them countless numbers of strong heirs.”

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