Page 53 of A Trial of Fate

“Oh, I know it wasn’t you,” she spat at Gilen. “It was that pesky High Fae who is constantly hovering! I had to threaten to snip off his pointy ears more than a few times to get him to leave the healers’ quarters.”

Gilen’s hands clenched into fists of aggravation with this news as I frantically looked to where I had seen Daxton last. But he was gone.

“Where did Daxton go?” I asked.

“You don’t need to worry about him,” Gilen huffed with typical male posturing. “Not anymore.”

“He wouldn’t want to experience my wrath at removing my patient before I released her,” Latte grumbled. “You… with the muscles,” Latte said, pointing to Shaw, “help bring her inside. But be careful. Her wounds might look like they have healed, but she still has recovering to do from the damage done inside.”

Gods be damned, I knew she was right. I could feel the fractures in my ribs each time I forced myself to breathe.

“Besides, the alpha wants to see younow, Gilen,” Latte announced. “And you too, Beta!”

Shit… I had almost forgotten about my family lingering on the outskirts of the field. A pang of guilt hit me square in the chest. Luckily, it didn’t last long as Neera sprinted through the field and latched onto me tightly.

Julia kissed my forehead and wrapped her arms around both of us. “I’m just so glad you’re safe,” she said through her sobs.

Magnus appeared next to Gilen after giving me a nod and a loving look. “We need to meet your father. The High Fae queen is waiting and has a proposal to counter your earlier argument.”

“Good. Skylar needs to recuperate. And the humans need to be informed…”

Shaw offered me his shoulder as Gilen wore a reluctantgrimace that reflected his disappointment. I glanced down at my arm tattooed with evidence of my oath. My vow to compete in the trials and unlock the Heart of Valdor. I was relieved to see that the three eight-pointed stars created with my blood and magic hadn’t been harmed during my capture.

Did Blade or the hunters know what this mark meant? They didn’t mention it, or at least I didn’t remember them talking about it.

“Stop asking questions in that mind of yours! You need to rest!” Latte scolded me before turning her mean stare to Shaw. “Bring her inside now.” Shaw didn’t hesitate, following Latte’s orders and carrying me inside.

Neera, Julia, and Rhea followed, pleading with Latte to allow them to stay with me. I could hear the lies in their promises not to talk and let me sleep. I wanted them to come, but I also knew I needed to recover and have some time to myself. Latte gave a firm no and sent them away for now.

“I’ll go, Sky,” Shaw said, placing me back in bed. He handed me a cup of poppy tea that was waiting on the bedside table next to me. “Latte’s orders. Drink up.”

I looked at him with the most confused and complex expression I believe I had ever had in my entire life—and that was saying something. I downed the tea, feeling its magic work its way through my body, forcing me to relax.

“What do you mean?” I asked as I lay on my side.

He looked at me with shadows churning around the corners of his eyes, and I noticed he was physically bracing himself to answer my question. “I’ll go in your place… for the trials.”

“What!” I yelled as I practically shot upward out of my skin. Pain scorched my back, but I ignored it as I reached out and grabbed his arm. “What the actual fuck? No. No, Shaw. This is my burden to carry. Not yours!”

Shaw closed his eyes and sighed. “He asked, and I said I would go.”

“Bullshit. Who asked you?”

“Gilen.”

My eyes widened, and I physically shook with rage. “How dare he! I’m not some piece of property that he can make a claim to and speak for. I said I would go. I made the promise… I carry the mark of the champion of the trials. Me,” I shouted, trying to get up, but then I staggered, falling forward.

Shaw calmly moved to help me back to the bed. He brushedmy hair aside and sat back on his stool. “They can remove the mark and choose another—"

“No!” I tried to scream, but it came out in a weak, pathetic whisper. Dammit, this poppy tea was working fast, and I cursed Shaw for his impeccable timing in this matter.

“You have been through literal death… torture. Let someone else go.”

“No,” I repeated. “You’ve been through this too, Shaw. How could I not go and expect you to do this? You’ve lived through the same thing.”

It was then I realized something. He had kept a deep, dark secret hidden beneath the surface for far too long. I forced myself to fight against the pull of the poppy tea. “Shaw, look at me.”

His sorrowful eyes carried so much pain, so much sadness that it made my own heart begin to break. Still, he could not lie to me. I was the one person who he didn’t have to lie to about the horrors we both share that would forever leave a scar.

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