Page 41 of A Trial of the Heart

“A regret from a drunken night with barrels of wine and multiple willing partners wanting to lose themselves in each other’s company.” He cocked his head in my direction as we continued our way. “Do you really need me to elaborate on this? Do you truly not know what anorgyis?”

My brow shot upward. “Nope!”

“Ha, ha,ha. Such a prude.” He snickered. “We can address this later, but right now, we need to find Idris.”

“Why?” I asked as we re-entered the ballroom.

“Because the offerings areabout to begin.”

Chapter Nine

“There she is,” I said, pointing toward the gathering crowd. “In the front.”

“What in the Gods’ names is she doing so close,” Castor cursed. “Hurry, we need to move.”

Sensing the panic in his voice, I followed the frantic pace of his footsteps as we weaved through the crowd.

I knew Queen Minaeve was going to make a public spectacle of Daxton, Adohan, and Seamus this evening. She would force them to bend their knees and grovel to her rule in front of everyone in attendance. Seamus, I assumed, was overjoyed to bow and obey like the good lap dog he was, but not Daxton and Adohan.

To say I was nervous was an understatement. I couldn’t imagine what Daxton and Adohan were feeling.

“Idris!” Castor called out as we reached her side.

“I need to be here, Castor,” she said. Her demeanor reminded me of a slow, crackling ember. Hot enough to burn the skin off your flesh, yet quiet under the raging flames above. Her mate was about to be drained of his magic while she was forced to watch helplessly from the sidelines. She was like a sleeping volcano, ready to erupt and unleash a death sentence on the queen.

“Idris, no, you don’t.”

“Yes, I do.” She answered Cas in a low, quiet tone that only a mother could master. The steadiness of her voice was matched by the fire burning behind her deathly, terrifying stare. There was no moving her. She was not going to leave this room unless she wanted to, and we both knew that it was not going to be without Adohan.

I went to her side and grasped both her hands in mine. “Dig in if you need to.” I motioned to our clutched embrace. “I’m pretty tough.”

She gave me a half-smile in return before turning her attention back to the throne. Queen Minaeve had all three of the High Fae princes standing below the steps, facing the crowd. She glided to stand in front of them, and the hairs on my neck stood straight. Daxton was in the center with Adohan on his right and Seamus to his left.Minaeve slid between Daxton and Seamus, lightly caressing both their arms and receiving a cunning, sultry smile from Seamus, while Daxton continued to stare blankly at the wall beyond the crowd.

The silence in the room was deafening. The tension becoming so suffocatingly thick that it could be sliced with a knife. I glanced around at the furrowed brows and grimaces that adorned almost every face in the ballroom. No one wanted this. They all understood that this was a sacrifice unwillingly given, and this time, the queen was making a unique spectacle of it.

“Welcome, my subjects,” Minaeve announced with a soft, sweet voice that lured all eyes to her. I wanted to turn around and hurl into the nearest wastebasket. “Tomorrow, during the new moon, our shifter champion will enter the first trial. As our mother, the sun, is at her apex, the gates to the labyrinth will open, and we shall wait to see if her mind is able toovercome the obstacles.” Minaeve’s turquoise stare slanted toward me, and this time, I refused to buckle or show any sign of fear.

Fucking bring it on, bitch.

Idris’s grip on my hand tightened in silent encouragement, causing me to grin. Minaeve narrowed her eyes, but other than that, she showed no sign of unease.

“If the shifter is able to best the trial of the mind, then she will be the first to do so, bringing our people and our home one step closer to salvation.” Minaeve kept her gaze locked on me as she spoke.

I didn’t know if she expected me to cower or show her praise, but neither was happening tonight. I refused to incline my head or bow to her stare. She was notmyqueen.

Minaeve curled her arms in front of her and opened her palms to her people, sending a blast of her magic out through the room. Everyone felt the strength of her power pressing on their minds, and I could detect the faint smell of fear sweeping across the crowd.

I watched through gritted teeth as she grinned. She gods-damnedgrinned. Sickly enjoying tormenting us all and using her magic to force us into submission, ruling over the people with fear instead of love and respect.

Yep, I definitely was not a fan.

“If the shifter fails, however,” she said with an all too confident smirk, “we must wait another century for the trials of the Heart of Valdor to open. To ensure our continued safety, I will accept the submission and offerings of power from the three realms of the Inner Kingdom. Each high prince will freely grant me access to their magic, sharing their life’s blood and powers with me so I may continue to combat the wilt with my magic.Without this sacrifice, I would not be strong enough to continue protecting the three realms, and the wilt would consume us all.”

Wait. Life’s blood? What did she mean by that? What was she planning to do?

On cue, Minaeve summoned a golden chalice and withdrew a long, slender dagger from her thigh. She turned to Daxton, beckoning him to hold out his hand. Daxton’s expression remained unchanged as he reached out and gripped the blade of the dagger himself, slicing his palm and squeezing it over the opening of the cup. Even though Minaeve’s back was to me, I knew she was smiling with her victory. She was truly wicked… a grotesque excuse of a queen. Adohan didn’t falter as he followed Daxton’s lead, with Seamus slicing his palm last.

“With the offering of their life’s blood, a connection is made. The link forged by magic to transfer from their vessels into my own.” Minaeve tipped back the chalice and drained their offerings, not allowing a single drop of their blood to fall to the floor or remain in the cup.

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