Page 2 of A Trial of the Heart

My eyes never wandered from the High Fae prince at my side. Daxton always said more with his actions than his words ever could, so for once, I patiently waited. Watching his every breath and movement.

“You never left me, did you?” I asked, even though I already knew what the answer would be. “Dax, I’m all right.” I boldly reached out my hand and intertwined my fingers with his.

Daxton tensed, but he didn’t pull away. I squeezed his hand tighter, trying to encourage him to turn and look at me. As his gaze met mine, I could see a mountain of worry behind those deep gray eyes. My stomach dropped, realizing that his concern was centered around me. I pulled his hand to my chest and crawled across the bed to press my brow against his.

“I’m all right,” I whispered again, for once not questioning why I needed this physical contact with him.

Daxton sighed heavily, closing his eyes and leaning closer toward me. “After the first day… when you still hadn’t woken up, I-I…” He coughed to clear his throat. “I refused to let Castor or anyone else carry you, and once we arrived in Crimson City, I demanded Adohan call for his best healer to assess you.”

“You know it’s peaceful for me in the sleep, right?” I whispered. “There’s no reason to panic.” I tried to ease his concern, but I couldn’t undo the distress he’d already carried these past days.

Daxton scoffed and clicked his teeth at my poor attempt to humor him and lighten the mood. Headjusted himself, moving to sit closer to me on the bed, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me into his chest. He reached to cup my cheek in his large, calloused palm.

“The healers told me you were stable, but as the third day approached, and you still weren’t awake…” He stopped and tensed, no doubt reliving the scenario in his mind. “Even the elder healers began to seek answers and question your safety.”

I could feel the burden of his anxiety weighing him down. In the hushed way he spoke to me, the timid movements and creased lines of concern in his brow. I didn’t know if he would ever admit his fears out loud, but I could read the signs of his distress as clear as day. He was scared, for me. To know he cared for me like this was touching, but I never wanted to cause him such pain again.

“But considering the miracle you somehow managed to achieve, well, the length of your sleep was understandable.”

“The fallen!” I exclaimed, practically jumping off the bed. “Well, I mean the High Fae… Wait, she’s still a High Fae, right?”

“Yes, she’s still a High Fae. The female hasn’t spoken a word since you healed her, but your magicdidheal her, Skylar. There’s no visible trace of the wilt’s magic remaining within her.”

I could hardly believe it took Dax or me this long to talk about this. I had healed the dreaded nalusa falaya and returned it—her—to her previous form. It took every drop of strength I had in me to do it, but I did. I restored what the wilt had broken and erased all evidence it was ever there to begin with. My magic, my power… it saved her.

“Wow.” I leaned back and ran my fingers through my tangled mess of brown and golden hair. “I didn’t really know what I was doing at the time, Dax. I was just reacting.”

“You were following your instincts, which, for you, is the wisest course of action you can take.”

“There’s a first for everything.” I huffed a laugh as I glanced around the room, looking for evidence of any others who may have visited me while I was asleep. “Where’s Castor? Is he with her?”

“Yes. He’s been working closely with the fallen fae to try and gain her trust, which I believe is working,” Dax said. “She can understand us, and Castor’s been very patient with her. He was able to convince her that we were not a threat.” Daxton stroked his beard, contemplating a thought. “I doubt she would’ve agreed to come with us to Crimson City if I hadn’t been carrying you with me, however.”

“I mean, I can understand that in a way,” I said sitting back on the bed. “She was a broken shell of her former self with the wilt altering her like that.” I couldn’t blame the female if she didn’t speak a word to anyone ever again. The kind of trauma she must have endured while trapped as a fallen was unimaginable and would take time to heal. I could hear it in her voice when she tried to speak in her cursed form. Each second must have been a living agony for her.

“Castor is working to try and find ways to communicate. Signing may be an option or writing if she is unable to speak again.” Daxton moved to sit next to me, leaning back against the bed frame. “Either way, she’ll be safer once she’s in Silver Meadows. I believe our scribes in the archives will be able to take her into their care and look after her.”

I leaned against him, welcoming his strengthening presence, and basked in the warming feeling of his body close to mine. “That’s a good place to start. Ironic, though.”

“How so?”

“Castor loves the sound of his own voice.” I chuckled. “I imagine it fills the room enough for both of them. He’s the perfect one to help her.”

Daxton managed a small laugh. “That he does. Cas has been tending to her while I’ve been focusing on you. Now that you’re awake, I’ll need to leave soon to check on them both.” My breath stilled in my chest, realizing I didn’t want Daxton to leave.

“Don’t go just yet,” I said as I clutched his arm, feeling his hand cover mine. “Stay with me a few minutes longer?”

“Of course,” he said in a soft tone.

“Oh, I do remember there was something I wanted to ask you.” I leaned forward to snag a final piece of cheese from the food tray.

“Not surprising.” Daxton grinned.

“What kind of magic happens when Castor’s eyes turn black?”

Dax raised his brows, tilting his head as he grinned. “You’ve seen him use this before, haven’t you?”

“Yes, three times, actually. What is it?”

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