Page 68 of A Trial of the Heart

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

I sank back into the warmth of his chest, needing to feel his touch against my skin and relishing in this moment of tranquility. I was keenly aware of every inch of my body that encountered his, the same electric spark tickling my senses where the heat of our bodies connected. Gods, he was like a warm sunrise, glowing, beautiful, and bright.

“We don’t have much time,” Castor said with hesitation. I had almost forgotten he was even here with us.

Daxton reluctantly loosened his hold on me, and I finally dared to assess where he had teleported us. “Where are we anyway?” I asked.

“The beach outside Aelius,” Daxton said.

Sterlyn Lake stretched out before us, framed by gentle waves rolling onto the tanned shoreline with various pebbles and rocks scattered along the sand. The deep blue colors of the water darkened against the setting sun, giving it a breathtakingly alluring appeal thatwas difficult to turn away from. Stars above our heads emerged as the reflection of their shining light bounced playfully from the surface of the calmer pools of water.

“Can I have a moment to myself?” I asked. Daxton and Castor looked uneasily at one another before turning back to me. “I want to wash the stench and feel of the labyrinth from my skin. I need to cleanse my body of the trial so my mind can begin processing everything that happened.”

Daxton looked to Castor. “You see anything?” I knew he was asking if leaving me alone would conjure a premonition of death from his brother’s survival magic.

Castor shook his head no, thankfully.

“Can you help me remove the armor, Dax?” I asked as I pulled my hair to the side so he could unclasp the fastenings at the back.

“Of course,” he said as his fingers began working at the attachments. “I wanted to ask, how did you hurt your hand?”

“I did it to myself.” I said glancing back at him.

Daxton pursed his lips together tightly. His brow furrowed and pinched together. “Why?”

I couldn’t give him an answer just yet, so I asked him the same favor he asked me when we shared our first night together in Crimson City. “I can’t tell you this part of the story now … But please, trust me enough to ask later?”

Someday, I knew I would call on my favor from the labyrinth. Someday, I would collect my winnings, but instinct told me that this secret would be best kept to myself until the time came.

A flash of concern glimmered in his expression. I knew he was not pleased with my request. Nevertheless, he gave me a firm nod and unclasped the remaining straps of the Aegis armor. “There.”

The weight on my chest felt lighter as I moved my shoulders around and rolled my neck. “Thanks, that feels better.”

“We’ll be just on the other side of those boulders,” Castor said as he meandered out of sight. “And that’s we —Dax,” he added from somewhere out of sight. “Give the female a moment alone to get her head straight. Stop with the brooding overprotectiveness. Skylar can clearly handle herself.”

Daxton growled and glared in Castor’s direction before returning to face me. “Are you sure you’ll be all right?” he asked.

I knew all I had to do was ask him to stay or leave, and Dax wouldn’t hesitate to do as I requested. “I’ll be fine. I just need to be on my own.” And that was the truth. I needed to commune with my animal spirit—just her and me. Daxton hesitated with every step he took away from me, but we both knew time was of the essence. Too soon, we would have to return to Aelius to face the high queen.

I stripped off the dark tunic first, gratefully freeing myself from the mangled fabric that was coated with my sweat and the stains of my blood from the ivy thorns. I glanced down at my hands. One still held a death grip on the key, while the other held the mark of the bargain struck. I had walked away from this with more than just a key.

I glanced toward the three star marks on my arm and noticed an alteration to the design. The top star—the one representing the first trial—was now different from the others. It was shaded black against my skin. The other stars, representing the final two trials, were still outlines.

Well, there you have it,I thought. The proof of my victory was written across my arm. I had won the firsttrial of the Heart of Valdor. A feat no other shifter has been able to accomplish, and now it was time to face the second—the trial of the body. I had no idea what awaited me there. My mind flashed to Rhett and the magical scroll he showed me the other night. The clue for the next trial would be revealed with the completion of the first.

Inhaling a steadying breath to settle my nerves, I removed my pants and tossed my clothes to the side. I wanted to feel the clarity of the clean waters on every inch of my skin. I needed to cleanse myself and connect to the nature of this land that I was fighting to protect. I waded into the water, letting it splash against my bare thighs before raising my arms above my head and diving into the blue abyss.

The lake’s cold waters engulfed me as I swam out from shore, feeling all my stress disappear into the waters. My animal sang a calming, tranquil tune that relaxed every muscle in my body.

Surfacing, I swam toward the drop-off and positioned myself for a deeper dive. I planned to settle on the ledge overlooking the deeper sections of the lake and lose myself to the peaceful rocking of the currents. I needed to silence the chaos of the world above me. Taking a handful of deep breaths, I prepared myself for the dive. On one final long inhale, I ducked my head under the water and swam down toward the bottom shelf.

The silence I experienced under the water was peaceful. I swam further until I settled on the ledge overlooking the dark depths of the lake. I closed my eyes and listened to the world disappear around me, searching for my animal’s presence amongst the stillness of the surrounding waters. In an instant, she was there, fillingmy center with a sense of comfort and fullness that I feared I would never feel again.

Thank you,I thought as I opened my eyes to the underwater world surrounding me. I floated in suspension, relaxing and cleansing every muscle in my body, trying to find my center.

In this tranquil state, I was unaware of the lurking presence slowly stalking me from the depths below, unaware that I was not alone in this underwater world.

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