Page 49 of A Trial of Fate

The fae prince released a heavy sigh of relief, dropping his shoulder forward and smiling at me with a half-grin. “Why didn’t you invite us to come along to the party? This place is so… charming.”

“I left an invitation along the rocks to lead you here.”

“Luckily, we found it,” Daxton added.

Commotion from the stairway and above our heads cut our greeting short.

“We need to move out,” Castor said to his brother. “Gilen and the others are rounding up the remaining hunters, but many managed to escape through hidden passages we didn’t see from above.”

“They’re long gone by now,” Daxton countered. “We could find them, but it would take time.”

“We get her out first… That is our priority,” Magnus said in a low growl. “Allow the shifters to handle our quarrel with the humans on our terms. This is not a matter for High Fae. Let shifters handle this. One of our own was taken from our lands. There will be blood spilled for this.” I knew my pack would not allow this deed to go unchallenged. There would be blood. My people would eventually retaliate against the humans for this crime. “I’ll shift and clear the way in case any hunters remain behind,” Magnus said as he turned to Daxton. “Will you look after her?”

Daxton stared at Magnus with lightning in his storm-gray eyes. “I swear to protect her…” He said something else too, but my stupid brain was not functioning well from all the blood loss—and the almost dying part.

Magnus carefully handed me back to Daxton, who sheathed his knife and cradled me firmly against his chest like a newborn babe.

“Wow,” I mumbled. “I’m not used to being carried or passed around like this.”

“Why?” Daxton asked in a tease. “Are there no males strong enough for the task?”

I managed to crack a small smile… the first one since the full moon in the meadow.

Magnus shifted into his monstrous grizzly bear form and torethrough the corridor. Daxton followed behind him, with Castor guarding our flank.

Fifty-five. An odd number, but one I memorized and counted as Daxton carried me back into the light. And one I counted to as Daxton ascended the staircase to my freedom.

The sun’s rays were beginning to peek over the eastern mountains, piercing my eyes with stinging pain, but filling my body with the taste of freedom once more. The fresh smell of the clean air melted the final beat of strength I fought to carry. My animal stirred with happiness and joy. She was free, too.

Thank you,I prayed silently.

I turned and looked at another shifter who stood bloodied—yet strong and unbeaten. I didn’t expect to see him here, but he still managed to join in my rescue—Shaw.

He looked at me with a depth of understanding and guilt that brought tears to my eyes. “I’m glad to see nothing could keep you down for long, Sky.” He tried to give me a warm smile, but he knew, he knew the depth of the scars that lingered beneath the surface of my wounds. He knew the feelings of despair and anxiety I would need to overcome. He knew, and now, I did, too.

The scream of a bird rang through the clearing, and a second later, Gilen shouted my name, “Skylar!”

I glanced back up at Daxton as he supported my head against his chest. My world swirled and disappeared in the hazy cloud as I finally lost consciousness.

Chapter Twelve

Iwas afraid that I had imagined my rescue and that it was all some cruel trickery or dream. Swallowing my fear, I dared to move my hand against the soft fabric of the bedding I was lying on, and to my surprise, it wasreal. My fingers gripped the sheet as I inhaled a deep breath to begin assessing my surroundings, realizing I was in the healing quarters of my pack that I knew all too well. My animal was surprisingly subdued, but I imagined it was because she was just as exhausted as I was.

The mage was now my mortal enemy.

Blade.

That was what I would call him, never knowing or truly caring to learn his real name. I would call him this… not for the various knives and iron weapons he used on me. No. Blade was his name because it would bemy bladethat would end him. My blade that would sever his sadistic existence of life from this world so he could never harm another soul again. My. Blade.

“She was just rescued from being tortured by hunters!” a loud voice exclaimed from outside the room. “Her mind is likely broken, and she cannot think clearly. She needs time to recover and come to her senses.” Gilen’s firm, assertive voice was unmistakable. I couldn’t make out who he was speaking with, but it was very loud.

Was this shitstorm really happening right now?I asked myself.

The comments about being broken and unable to think clearly didn’t settle well with me. I didn’t fight to survive Blade’s torture to wake up tothis. I imagined that Gilen still disagreed with my decision to become the champion of the trials, and he wasn’t letting his opinions about it remain quiet. I wouldn’t stand for that. I would not allow my voice to be drowned out in the imaginary thunder that raged overhead, trying to silence my screams—to silence me.

“Nope. Not happening. Not today,” I mumbled to myself with gritted teeth. No.

I decided to try and focus on moving my battered body. I started small to gain the little victories where I could. Twitching mytoes and fingers seemed to work, so I gradually rolled my ankles and wrists.

---