Page 52 of A Trial of Fate

I stumbled as I reached out for Shaw, and he caught me before I fell to the ground. His scarred hands clasped my arms, and I discovered he was shaking almost as badly as I was. My animal stirred beneath the surface, calling to his animal with a silent wave of power. Shaw felt her push of strength, and his dark, somber eyes finally turned to look at me. The shield that held back all his repressed memories and feelings shattered as our eyes met.

He knew.

I knew.

The same tortures I’d experienced at the hands of those monsters, were his as well. I felt our animal spirits reaching out to each other in the silence, giving unconditional love and support. I bent my head forward to meet Shaw’s brow. I sighed as we both silently wept for ourselves and each other. I felt the scars on his arms as I held onto him tightly, like the ones on my back.

Rage boiled in my chest. Shaw was only a child when his parents were killed and he was taken. Yet somehow, he not only survived but thrived without his animal spirit to help guide him. I admired Shaw’s survival and his strength. I could barely fathom how he was able to do it. He was a shifter worth more than all the jewels or gold in Valdor.

I could sense the others approaching as Shaw slowly released his grip on one of my arms. “Let us help you,” he said with purpose. “That’s how you will get through this. I know it might be the last thing you think you need right now, but trust me. We are here to help, and that is what you need right now. We love you, Skylar.”

Rhea was the first one I allowed to wrap their arms around me, while Talon wisely stayed back with Shaw to give me some space. They didn’t suffocate me but instead kept a steady hovering presence that made me feel safe. I watched Talon kneel and give Shaw an extra tight squeeze around his shoulders, understanding the pain he was reliving with me.

Finally, Gilen dared to approach me once more. I looked at him and saw the gut-wrenching agony in every breath of his being. I knew without asking that he regretted his actions from that night. Ididn’t need to blame him because I could see his own guilt eating him alive. Rhea released her arms from around my neck, remaining close by my side. I appreciated her silent support, but I couldn’t hide from Gilen. He had also been there at my rescue. I remembered hearing him call my name as I blacked out in Daxton’s arms.

I listened to see if my animal would give me any indication of what to do, but she remained surprisingly silent.

Gilen’s eyes were haunting. His stare dug a hole into my soul. His sadness over what happened to me was clearly written across his face. He crumbled on his knees in front of me, dropping his head and sinking below my eyeline.

“I’m so… so sorry… Sky.” He couldn’t hold back his pain any longer. His hand covered his face as he openly broke down in tears.

I knew I should have immediately reached out and tried to comfort him. Maybe the old Skylar would have wept to see the male she cared for break down in such sorrow. She would have wrapped him in her arms and kissed the falling tears from his face, promising that he would be okay.

But I didn’t. I hesitated.

I glanced back toward Daxton, who hadn’t moved from where I left him on the grass. I tried to read the expression on his face, but I could not decipher what he was thinking. A deep pull in my chest tightened as Daxton looked at me from across the field. I was torn.

My eyes darted to the left as Castor crept to his brother’s side, whispering a secret message that only they could hear. I could see Daxton nod in reply, but he still didn’t avert his gaze from me.

Castor casually rubbed the back of his neck and shrugged. Before taking a step back from Daxton, he glanced at me and sent me a half-grin with a sly wink. I narrowed my eyes, trying to decipher the intent of his gesture, but I knew that it was pointless. Castor was a wildcard, but one that seemed to be extremely loyal to his brother.

I forced myself to turn my gaze away from Daxton and refocused my attention on Gilen. Taking his tear-soaked hand in my own, I reached out and grasped it tightly. I had never seen this side of him before. He was open and vulnerable, all because of how he must have felt for me. I grazed his knuckles against my cheek, and he moved to pull me into his embrace, careful not to brush against the wounds on my back.

His presence was warm and comforting. He was the same Gilen I had known my entire life and grown to care for.

He delicately lifted my chin with his fingers and bent to kiss my lips. He was gentle, but regardless of his intent, the overwhelming feeling of uneasiness churned my stomach. I pulled away from him, practically staggering backward, flinging my arms open and out to the side.

“I’m… I’m sorry.” I shuddered as he tried to reach out and help calm me. He shifted to move closer, but it only seemed to make matters worse.

“Stop,” I pleaded, and Gilen halted his approach. I saw Daxton rise to his feet, his expression hard as he searched my face for the cause of my panic.

Shaw came to my side as Rhea stroked my arms and grasped my hands. “It’s the trauma from her capture,” Shaw said with a deep, settling tone. “This is normal, Gilen. You can’t overwhelm her like that.”

I didn’t bother correcting Shaw. I wasn’t retreating because of what I went through. Part of me was still angry with Gilen. And as foolish as it seemed, I was putting some of the blame on him.

I watched Gilen’s expression turn and crease with concern. “Tell me what to do, Sky.”

“Just give me a second…” I muttered with shaking hands and a quivery voice.

I cared for Gilen. A part of me always would, I feared. His friendship was something I cherished and would never want to be taken away. But was this love? The mate bond was an unconditional sacred connection that bound two souls together as one. It was not something you could fight or deny. Even if one of the shifters didn’t wish to recognize the bond, a piece of them would always belong to the other. But that was the problem. Nothingmorewas there. I listened for my animal, but there was no awakening, sense of longing, or pull toward him. True, I hadn’t shifted yet, but Gilen had. Did he feel something I couldn’t yet?

Then I felt the lick of ice magic caress the heating nape of my neck, cooling my shaking limbs. My breathing steadied, and my hands slowly stopped trembling. My mind was once again sane, and I felt a shift in the world around me begin to right itself. I didn’t have time to turn and look in Daxton’s direction before a new voice barreled through the training field.

“What in the gods’ names do you think you are doing out here!” Latte’s shrill yet terrifying voice broke my attention from Gilen. The short, stout, ill-tempered shifter healer marched across thetraining field with a menacing gleam in her eyes. “You!” she yelled, wagging her finger, poking Gilen in the chest. “Back up! She is not in any kind of state to be canoodling! The girl was… Well…” Her voice trailed off, realizing I didn’t need a recap of what I went through.

Gilen might be a future alpha, but when Latte was in this kind of mood, not even Alistar dared to stand in her way. She was a big mama bear—in human and animal form. No one messed with Latte.

“I-I didn’t bring her out here,” Gilen stammered, trying to deflect the healer’s mood.

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