Page 95 of A Trial of Fate

Before I could even manage a stray thought, Daxton delicately reached out for my hand and kissed it gently. The feeling of his lips against my skin tingled and danced with sparks of fire. “Thank you for helping me last night, Spitfire. I’m truly in your debt—even more than before.”

“Y-you can call me Sky,” I stuttered nervously. The emotions stirring inside me were wild and unpredictable. “Normally, I’m only called Skylar if I am in trouble or when someone wants to make a point with me.”

He tilted his head and gave me a relaxed grin that showed a hint of his sparkling white smile. “Very well. But on occasion, I believe I will still call you Spitfire. Since we are considered friends now, you may call me Dax if you wish.”

“That is way easier than High Prince Daxton Aegaeon of the Silver Meadows… or Silver Shadow. Those are a mouthful.” Again, his lips turned with a mischievous grin encroaching on his face.

He cleared his throat. “Indeed, it is a mouthful.”

I narrowed my eyes with crimson flooding my cheeks, realizing the suggestive meaning behind my choice of words. “Seriously, Dax!” I playfully slapped his shoulder and took a step from the door. “That isnotanappropriate conversation between friends.”

“You… are the one who said it.” His grin now widened to a full smile.

I rolled my eyes and scoffed as I walked away, but I couldn’t help turning around one final time to look at him. I paused for a second, unable to move my feet in the other direction. My instincts and my animal were telling me to stay.

“Everything all right?” Dax asked.

“Yes, all good,” I mumbled, fidgeting with my hair and tucking it back behind my ear as I tried to regain my composure.Oh… Great job, Skylar. You look like an idiot when you are supposed to be the one shifter who can conquer the trials and unlock the Heart of Valdor. You are off to a fine start getting your feelings all riled up with Daxton. There is no way that would ever happen.

“See you both this evening?” I hollered with only a half-shaken voice.

“Yes, we will see you then,” Daxton replied as I forced my feet toward the stairs and in the direction of home.

“You were gone all night!” Neera stated, following in my shadow. She hadn’t left my side since I had gotten home. I couldn’t even lock her out of my room when I went to change. “What happened? Why did Castor come for you? What was happening? And why do you smell like a pine tree?”

“I thoughtIwas the one who liked to ask the questions,” I taunted Neera.

“Ugh, Sky!” she growled at me. “Just tell me!”

“Not a chance.” I laughed with my own twisted amusement. I knew I would eventually tell her, but it was just too much fun dragging it on like this.

“Well… you better tellme.” Rhea entered the kitchen with a barrel of whiskey propped under each arm. Outside, I could hear Magnus and Talon rolling the other larger barrels into the front of the house.

“Rhea!” I smiled and leaped over to give her a hug. “Perfect timing. I’m just about to put the dish over the fire in the oven. It’s just about at the right temperature.”

“Good,” she said, taking out the cork with her teeth. “Thatmeans it’s time to start drinking… and to start talking.”

“Yes!” Neera agreed, giving me a triumphant glare.

I grinned. Neera thought I was going to spill all the juicy details she had been hounding me for all day. Ha, yeah right. It was not going to be that easy.

“Talon,” Rhea called out, “get a big glass of wine for Sky when you come in here. She apparently has some storytelling for us while the pasta dish is cooking.” Damn you, Rhea. She knew how to get me to talk, and she didn’t hide her triumphant smile about it either.

“Fantastic,” Talon said as he entered the kitchen with two very large, very tall glasses of wine in each hand.

“Those both for you, Talon?” I teased.

“On the contrary… both are yours.” He grinned sideways, the crooked bridge of his nose shifting with his smile as he slid both glasses toward me and snuggled in behind his mate. Rhea kissed him lightly before returning her attention back to me. My heart warmed to see them together like that. The mate bond was a sacred union that brought happiness and joy to the partners’ lives. I was very thankful that my best friend was able to find that in Talon—and vice versa.

“You two need to go get a room,” I teased as I picked up one of the glasses and took a heavy sip. “The PDA is getting a bit much, and I have hardly seen you two together since you have been back.”

“We have one.” Rhea winked. “And it’s used often as well. Talon had a small cabin built near the river, and a few days ago, we moved into it together. It’s perfect.”

“We are enjoying every inch of oursmall… cabin,” Talon growled as he nibbled on Rhea’s neck.

“I did say perfect. Did you miss that?” Talon silenced Rhea with a swift, passionate kiss.

I could detect the scent of their arousal and knew if we didn’t stop them now… we never would. “Okay, enough for now, Talon. Don’t make me kick you out of here on my last night. If you can’t behave for a few hours, then we’re going to have to give you a time-out.”

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