Page 51 of A Trial of the Heart

There it was. A flash of shock and perhaps sorrow crossed the unreadable, emotionless mask of the illusive male fae. His unruly dark hair aided in concealing the dwelling sadness that anchored a forever lingering pain inside his beautiful cold eyes. I would have missed it if I blinked, but it was there.

Rhett immediately concealed his emotions, as he reached into the shadows. “Here,” he said, clearing his throat, “I’ve brought this trinket to help aid our champion.” In his hands, he held a chest plate of black armor, plainly decorated yet humming with magical power. “The bottom half of this armored suit is still proving difficult to locate. I’m unsure of what you may combat inside the labyrinth, but if this helps protect you on your journey, then it was worth the trouble bringing it down here.”

“What is it?” I asked as I moved in Daxton’s arms.

“It’s the armor of Aegis, Skylar,” Daxton said as he accepted the chest plate from Rhett’s outstretched hand. “You’ve been searching for this for—”

“A century, give or take a few decades.”

“What is this exactly?” I asked again, hesitant to accept aid from a sworn subject of Aelius.

“It’s a magical object, Skylar,” Castor said, unsheathing one of his thin blades at his hip.

Once the armor was delivered into Daxton’s outstretched hand, Rhett wisely took a step back. Castor swiped his dagger at the armor, the blade coming to a swift halt with no indent or scratch on the material.

“It was rumored to be forged with the magic of the Heart of Valdor itself, a gift of protection for its first shifter guardian,” Castor said. “This armor will protect the wearer from any physical harm where it covers you.”

“It’s impenetrable,” Daxton said with a suspicious undertone. “And thought to be lost to the depths of the Blue Hole.” I flashed Dax a questioning look, with my curiosity spinning like a top.

Rhett cocked his brows upright with an intelligent sparkle in his eyes. “You have your resources, Silver Shadow, and I have mine.”

“Is this some kind of trick, Rhett?” I asked.

“Now, why would you think that of me, shifter?”

“Self-preservation,” I answered him coldly. To my surprise, Rhett released a small laugh under his breath as he glanced between Daxton and me.

Dax tensed. “Even before meeting us here, you intended to bring this for Skylar. Why?”

Damn, that was a good question. Why hadn’t I thought of asking that? Gods, this labyrinth was throwing me off my game.

“Hope.”

“Hope?” I repeated as I found the strength in my shaking limbs to release my hold on Daxton and confront Rhett.

“Yes. Hope that you do not feel the sting of death, young champion. For I fear that it is not only your life that hangs in the balance here today.”

“Cryptic much?” I sneered. “Can you speak in anything other than riddles?”

Rhett seemed amused with himself as he looked to Daxton. “You nicknamed herSpitfire, yes?” I crossed my arms and gave him a narrowing glare. “Fitting,” he said as he flipped his gaze back to me.

Daxton moved to my side, pressing himself securely beside me. “Don’t, Rhett,” he warned with a low growl.

“You don’t need to worry about any of this,” Rhett said, waving a wide arm around the foyer. “I’m a master of deception that challenges even your second, High Prince Daxton.” His eyes cast sideways, meeting Castor’s. “I’ll wander ahead with Adohan and Idris, giving you a private moment to help her don the armor. The leathers alone won’t be enough to stop talons, teeth, or whatever monster she may have to combat in there.It’s a labyrinth … after all. The mind has the ability to turn our nightmares into reality.”

I pursed my lips in frustration, still not understanding why Rhett was lending me this aid. Was there a hidden agenda behind his seemingly good intentions? What was I thinking? Of course there was. He was a High Fae from the Aelius court of all places. There wasalwaysa hidden agenda.

“You’re running out of time,” Rhett said.

“I’m well aware of the timing of the trials,” I answered, mustering more fire than before. “Why don’t you run along to your queen’s side? I’m sure Prince Seamus is anxiously awaiting the trusted members of his court to arrive.”

Rhett turned the side of his mouth upward, but I could see a hint of displeasure at my snide remark. This fae was a wild card, perhaps an undecided party member, teetering between two opposing forces at play. Or he was simply out for what I’d guessed in the first place—self-preservation.

“Knowledge is sadly just out of reach at times for the youth,” Rhett sneered with a half-smirk, “but not courage or character, it seems. Thank the Gods above.” Rhett kept his cunning glare locked on me as he nodded for Adohan and Idris to follow his lead.

“We’ll see you at the labyrinth,” Idris said as she quickly hugged me and kissed my cheek before joining Adohan at the tunnel entrance.

The Crimson City high prince bowed his head to me and then to Daxton. “Minutes… would be pushing it, my friend.”

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