Page 85 of A Trial of Fate

Magnus nodded.

“You only said one of the princes escorted her?” I asked. “That’s strange.”

“I thought so, too,” Magnus added as he rubbed his bearded chin. “Daxton was nowhere to be seen.” I didn’t miss the peculiar look Magnus was giving me as he mentioned his name. “Castor was the only one with her when she was escorted to her ship.”

“Where was Daxton?” I asked. I could see Neera’s mind spinning at my reaction. “He seemed quite eager to be at her beck and call during the meeting earlier. It’s surprising he didn’t personally see her off.”

“That was a bit unnecessary, in my opinion,” Magnus rumbled, never a fan of public displays of affection.

Me, on the other hand? I loved it. If I ever managed to find my mate, there would never be a question of desire or passion in the union. A big part of me longed for that physical attention and connection with my partner. I could tell that my animal needed that type of attention as well, which was fine. A little affection never hurt anyone, and I knew I would happily return the favor.

“I was under the impression neither of the males held a liking for or even freely followed Queen Minaeve,” Magnus added.

“Really?” I asked with a little too much spark, which caught Neera’s attention again. “What made you think that?”

“It’s in the minuscule mannerisms in her presence, how they address her as ‘the queen’ instead of ‘my queen’, and how they are summoned almost forcefully… perhaps even against their will to her side. I believed they tended to her out of obligation, not affection or devotion.”

I beheld my uncle with a peculiar look, recalling how Daxton and Castor both tensed with pain the night I went to heal Daxton’s shoulder. It looked like they were being attacked, but nothing was touching them. And then again, the same reaction when we were on the beach together.

“But he kissed her?” I blurted.

“Who?” Neera asked with increased curiosity.

“Daxton kissed Queen Minaeve while meeting to discussSkylar’s decision to travel to the Inner Kingdom for the trials,” Magnus answered, annoyedly closing his eyes and rubbing his temples with his fingers. This was treading too close to gossip for his liking.

“That’s not the entire truth,” I countered. “He kissed her while she attacked every shifter in the room with her strange siphoning magic.”

“Well… that was rude,” Neera huffed, crossing her arms.

“And exceptionally painful.” I shook my head.

Magnus mulled over his thoughts before speaking. “I have faced death more than once in my life, and I must admit… I had the feeling of death looming while Minaeve used her magic. It was very powerful and dangerous.”

Neera covered her mouth with her hands, gasping in surprise. “Oh, Father!”

“We are fine, my daughter. Nothing to fear.”

“Besides, she is gone now, Neera.”

“Well, good riddance!” Neera stuck her tongue out to emphasize her point.

Join the club, Neera.“I can’t say I disagree with you there.” I sighed heavily. “Too bad I will have to see her again sooner rather than later.”

“But… won’t both the princes be escorting you to the trials? Daxton told us he swore to protect you as his ward. That means you’ll be safe, right?” The innocence of Neera’s question touched my heart. She was searching for someone, anyone, to look after me.

“Daxton told me I would be leaving with him.”

“When was this?” Magnus asked with a skeptical expression. Gods be damned, he never missed a thing.

“Before my check-up with Latte.” I was going to have to dance carefully around my answer to this question. “I saw him in the training fields with Castor. I spoke with them before I met Latte and told them I intended to still go. That was how the queen knew.”

Magnus nodded, and I internally gave myself a pat on the back for my quick thinking. I did not want to inform my uncle that I shared this decision with Daxton while bathing naked in the bathhouse.

“That makes more sense now,” Magnus answered as he shifted and sat closer to Neera.

He bought it.Thank the gods. “What did Gilen and Alistar have to say?”

“Nothing you want to hear. Trust me on this, Sky, and don’t ask any more about it.”

---