Page 55 of A Trial of Fate

“You and Shaw?” I asked, surprised to hear that they were working together.

“Yes. Is it all right with you if I help?” he asked with a genuine look of concern for a moment before it disappeared behind his veil of calm composure.

I clenched the blanket tightly with my fists, realizing he was asking for my permission. “I’m going to need some time to work through what happened to me. I don’t want this to be a burden in my life and hinder me. Instead, I want to learn from it what I can and then move on.” A look of pride swelled within Daxton’s gaze as he gave me a firm nod. “I didn’t do this alone. My animal was always with me, helping protect my sanity—keeping me from breaking.” I left out the fact that I had heardhimin my dreams. It didn’t seem appropriate to bring that into the chaos of our lives at the moment.

“It’s comforting to know that you were not alone.” Dax said. I glanced at him with a questioning expression, secretly wondering if he had somehow magically reached out to me in my dreams to try and help me. “Shaw and I have an understanding about what you will need to try to overcome, and I promise you will have all the time you need to do this. The alpha’s son was advocating for this on your behalf with our high queen the other day.”

I sat up straight, surprised to hear Gilen fighting for me like that. What in the world was Gilen up to this time? “Okay. I am going to need you to explain that one a bit more.”

“Shaw and I met with your alpha and his son. We both explained and justified that you need time to recover physically and mentally from what you have been through. With both of us supporting this, it was hard to refute. The beta, Magnus, agreed as well, but we needed to devise a plan to give you time while easing thequeen’s impatience.”

“And what was this plan?” I asked with haste. “I don’t like being kept in the dark.”

He grinned. “I can tell…”

“Then spit it out, Daxton.” I growled that last bit with some of my power intertwining with the words I spoke.

Daxton rolled his shoulders, feeling the brush of my magic but not backing down from it. “Queen Minaeve is traveling with your alpha and his son to speak to the human king about his hunters and how they are doing more than just patrolling the borders. They broke the treaty agreement from your previous alpha—”

“My father.” My heart sank for a moment as I clenched my eyes shut. “Fuck. That could get very messy… very quickly.”

“Colorful language for a lady.”

I huffed a humorous laugh and crossed my arms with my knees tucked into my chest. “Lady? Seriously, Daxton, you’re barking up the wrong tree there. I’m not your typicalladythat I assume you have prancing around in the Inner Kingdom, wearing dresses and holding her tongue instead of speaking her mind. That’s never been me.”

“Don’t forget colorful.”

“Yes—andcolorful,” I replied with a skeptical feeling.

“Again… clearly. I believe your actions have spoken to this very point in my short time of knowing you, Spitfire,” he answered with a sly grin. I narrowed my eyes and pinched my lips together to convey my opinion of his remark. “I sent Castor to accompany Alistar along with our queen to meet with the humans to try and avoid any explosiveness during their meeting. My brother’s skillset with negotiations and politics is unmatched by any in all of Valdor.”

“Good reason to keep him close by your side.”

“Absolutely,” Daxton said, nodding in agreement. “Your friends Talon and Rhea also accompanied the alpha.”

“Makes sense.” I knew Rhea wouldn’t help tame any heated matters, but I assumed she would travel with her mate. Talon would be able to help Gilen stay calm. “How long do you expect them to be gone for?”

“A month, give or take a week but no more than two. We can’t afford to be gone from the Inner Kingdom longer than that.”

Silence drifted between us for a moment. I wondered if Shaw had mentioned my intent to be the champion. “I still…”

“You still wish to fulfill your oath to be the champion of thetrials to unlock the Heart of Valdor.”

“Yes,” I confirmed with a straight nod.

He stared at me for a moment, lost in his thoughts, almost like he was mesmerized or shocked at how effortlessly I answered his question. “Brave. You are so brave, Skylar Cathal,” Daxton murmured, leaning back in his chair and crossing a leg over his thigh. “I wonder if the gods themselves know how strong you truly are?”

“Strong? Or stubborn and slightly naive with a pinch of foolishness to drizzle on top?” I replied as I glanced at Daxton from the corner of my eye. He was remarkably still and silent, looking me over from head to toe in what appeared to be awe and perhaps admiration.

“You certainly aremorethan you appear to be, Spitfire. That much is clear.”

“Just have to wait and see if this ends up being a good or a very bad thing,” I answered.

Daxton shook his head and laced his fingers in front of his mouth, closing his eyes to pause for a moment. It was like he was calculating the different ways to approach the situation or possibly plotting various outcomes. I assumed this behavior stemmed from his practically immortal lifespan that had molded him in this way. With over five hundred years of living and surviving as high prince, I imagined he knew how to take a breath and think before he responded.

I took this time to glance over at the chaise and noticed a blanket stretched over the back, with the fresh imprint of a tall frame still embedded into the cushion. It dawned on me that Daxton had been in the room with me the whole night. His pine and mountain air scent was all over this place. Even though Shaw and others had visited, Daxton’s was the strongest. He had been here the most.

“Do you enjoy reading, Daxton?” I asked, changing the subject.

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