Page 98 of A Trial of Fate

I laughed. “Touché, my friend.”

“So, they are joining us for dinner tonight?” Talon asked.

“Yes, they should be here soon, actually.”

I could see Talon shift with uneasiness. Rhea turned her head and began stroking his back, sensing his weariness through their mate bond. “What is it, babe?”

“Sky,” Talon hesitated, and I could only guess what this was about. I mentally braced myself for what I knew he would ask. “I’m sorry, but I don’t want you to have regrets when you leave. Have you seen or talked to Gilen since the other night?”

“Talon!” Rhea shouted, giving him a firm smack in his chest. Apparently, my refusal of his claim was already a well-known fact within the pack.

“No, it’s okay, Rhea.” I checked on the pasta dish one last time, bringing it out to cool on the island. “I don’t want to see him tonight, Talon, but I know I will see him before tomorrow morning.”

“The morning?” Shaw asked.

“That’s when we are leaving. Castor and Daxton were preparing the ship today in order to leave in the morning.”

“This is our last night with you.” Shaw’s hazel eyes were heavy with a deep sorrow that pulled at my core.

“Not the last one,” I answered with a steady voice as I nudged his shoulder. “I promise I will return. I refuse to believe anything different. This is my fate.”

I didn’t survive the caves and the torture of the hunters and Blade only to travel to the Inner Kingdom and fail. I refused to believe I would fail. Every fiber of my being came to life the moment I made my promise to the queen of the High Fae that night in the meadow. I was born for this. I would not—could not—fail. Everyone I loved depended on me, and I refused to let them down.

My animal sent a soft wave of acknowledgment and power through me, reminding me that I was far from alone in this fight.

“Skylar,” Julia called from outside. “I believe yourotherguests havearrived.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

All four of us scurried to the window to see none other than the two High Fae princes walking toward my family home through the woods. Castor wore a decorative black jacket trimmed with silver that opened around his collar, exposing the deep Vof his lean, muscular chest. His tousled hair was messy and swept to the side as he meandered through the open woods. His normal swagger of arrogance matched his witty, playful personality perfectly.

Daxton, to my surprise, donned relaxed yet tailored apparel. He wore a dark, long-sleeved tailored shirt that wrapped comfortably around his broad shoulders. The crisscross on the front of his shirt exposed the top of his smooth chest, which I remembered all too well. The shirt was outlined with silver thread that matched the three-peaked mountain designs that decorated his shoulder. His mostly silver hair was pulled back, highlighting his strong jaw framed by a trimmed midnight-colored beard. Which I knew from recent experience was surprisingly soft to the touch. He walked with authoritative grace, holding his shoulders back and down as he marched through the woods.

I glanced down at my own clothes, stained with flour, sauce, and various specks of food from working in the kitchen all day. I looked horrible, and I didn’t think I had time to change or make myself presentable for anyone.

Rhea noticed me and pushed me out of the kitchen toward my room. “You two go play nice,” she called out to Talon and Shaw. “I need to help Skylar clean up before everyone gets here. Tell them we will be five minutes.”

“So, you mean ten?” Talon teased.

She scowled at her mate. “Watch it, wolf.”

I could see a twinkle in Talon’s eye as he grinned. “We will play nice. Go help Skylar. She has so much food on her we could eat a meal on what she’s wearing.”

Shaw laughed. “Here, you will need this.” He handed me my almost finished first glass of wine.

“How thoughtful of all of you…” I couldn’t finish my thought as Rhea shoved me out of the room to the stairs.

“Go get undressed. I will get you a washcloth and a wash bowl.”

“Thank you.” Rhea was the best.

I quickly undressed and began rummaging through my drawers for anything suitable to wear. Adult shifters tore through clothes if we didn’t remove them in time when we transformed into our animal forms, so much of our clothing was free-flowing and loose—something we could easily discard if we needed to shift quickly. We didn’t focus on or prioritize fashion or fancy clothing. Well, some did, but that was definitely not me. I scratched my head, wondering if I even owned a dress or anything half-decent to wear.

“All right, here we go,” Rhea said as she entered. “Oh no,” she said, placing the wash bowl down. “Don’t tell me you havenothing? Really, Sky, we’ve talked about this. You should have something nice stashed away for a special occasion.”

Rhea marched over to my dresser and tore through my clothing options as I washed my face. She wore a long maroon skirt with a very high slit that rode against her upper thigh. The waist was held together with a single knot at her hip that draped over her curves. Her top was black with different interlocking lacings tied in the back, the front lowering in a deep v-cut. She loved the color red, and she was dressed to impress tonight. I knew Talon wouldn’t want to or be able to keep his eyes off her.

“Where is that one dress at?” She glared at me, putting a hand on her hip. “You didn’t get rid of it, did you?”

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