Page 83 of A Trial of Fate

Castor silently mulled over my offer, and after seven silent seconds, he gave a firm nod ofyesin return. Understanding our agreement, I honored my word, turning on my heels andrunning home.

Chapter Nineteen

It was just past midday by the time I made my way home.Neera and Julia were working in the kitchen, anxiously waiting for me to return. I slid through the doorway, and they both turned to greet me with open arms. One look at their faces had me balling like a newborn babe. I couldn’t hide anything from them. A big part of me was dying just to let everything out. I had bottled up Gilen’s betrayal and tried to stay strong, but this was all just too much. I confessed everything to my family as Julia worked in the kitchen, and Neera sat patiently by my side, listening to each horrific detail I shared. I told them why Gilen wanted to claim me, about how he wanted to use the claiming mark to access my powers, and his plans to sacrifice another shifter to take my place in the trials.

A part of me still couldn’t believe this was all real.

I couldn’t believe I thought he could have been my mate… my fucking mate! My animal churned inside me at the thought of him biting me with a claiming mark. I could tell she was just as angry and upset as I was.

“He’s not worthy of you, Sky,” Neera said as she shifted to glance out the window. “He only wanted to trap you and keep you for himself. It is a blessing from the Mother and Father that he was not your mate.”

“I can’t believe he tried to stake a claim on youagainin the meeting with the High Fae queen,” Julia chimed in as she pounded a pile of dough in the center of the kitchen.

“Magnus stepped in and stood against him,” I added.

“Good,” Julia grunted as she punched the dough with her fist. “If I had heard otherwise… Magnus would be permanently sleeping in a den outside.”

And I didn’t doubt it.

“Does that help?” I asked, tilting my head at the very tender ball of dough.

“Yes,” Julia answered as she wiped her brow, now covered in flour. “Care to join in?”

“Absolutely.” I stood near the island corner, and she pushed over another dough ball for me to tenderize.

Neera decided not to join but remained with us in the kitchen to keep me company. She was uncharacteristically quiet, and it was beginning to make me nervous. We could always talk to each other, and Neera was eternally open with me regardless of what was going on in our world. We were not born as sisters, but our bond was no different. I loved her. I loved all my family, and knew I would miss them terribly.

“What has you troubled, Neera?” I couldn’t ignore her silence any longer.

She sighed and leaned forward on her elbows. “I don’t know how I feel about this, Sky.”

“Well, telling me exactly whatthisis would help.”

She rolled her eyes to the side and glared at me with her adorable scrunched-up, freckled face. Neera couldn’t pull off mean or angry if her life depended on it. She was as gentle and precious as a butterfly—someone I would do anything to protect. I couldn’t help but laugh to myself. I didn’t know how many more of herangryfaces I would get to see.

“Everything!” Neera yelled, her outburst practically slapping the smirk right off my face.

Wow, she actually yelled at me. This made Julia stop hammering her fists into the dough and look at her daughter with surprise. Neera pushed away from the table, stormed outside the kitchen door, and disappeared into her garden.

Julia released a heavy sigh. “Go to her, Skylar.”

“Shouldn’t I just give her some time to calm down before I go out there? I have never seen her act like this. It’s… unnerving.”

Julia refused to look at me as she began to roll the dough into small, rounded biscuits. “We don’t…” I could hear her sniffle, trying to hold back her tears, and I sucked in a pained breath. They were trying to keep themselves together for my benefit. “You don’t have time, Skylar. That’s the whole point.”

I dropped the dough on the island and gazed at my surrogate mother. “I plan on returning, Julia.”

“I know you do,” she answered. “But the unknown is too much for her. When you were captured, Neera didn’t stop crying for three days. She drifted into a numb existence that we barely brought her out of.”

My chest tightened with guilt, not knowing how to help. “What do I say to her? How do I say goodbye to Neera… to all of you, Julia?” I bit my lip to try and keep myself together. “I hadn’t thought about how difficult this part would be.”

Julia wrapped her arms around me and held me tight. “We don’t know either, honey. Maybe… it’s not a goodbye. As you said, you intend to win the trials and return. Take that approach. This is not a goodbye.It is a see you later. Talk to her and help her understand your reason for going.”

I pulled my short but feisty aunt in close and soaked up every little bit of her I could. She was so strong and steady—the heart and soul of this family.

“Thank you,” I murmured, “for everything. For taking me in when Magnus found me. For accepting me for who I was and embracing me as your own. My life was blessed by the gods when they tied my fate to you.”

Julia released me and grabbed my face with her hands. “No, my dear. Fate brought you to us, and we are the ones who are blessed by having this time with you. Thank you for enriching our lives and for giving up everything to save Neera without a second thought. You havemorepower and strength than you realize, Skylar.” She kissed my brow and hugged me tightly.

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