Page 80 of A Trial of the Heart

And that was the truth. I decided right then and there that any doubts I had would stop. Even if the queen detected no mate bond, I would take whatever time I could with Daxton.

“Neither do I, Skylar,” he said with a heavy sigh. “I want to make good on my promise to you the night before the first trial.” Heat pooled in my center as my heart quickened in my chest. “But I refuse to jeopardize your safety.”

“What if I no longer give a shit about my safety or what the queen might do to me if she finds out my dalliance with Castor is a lie?”

Daxton half-smiled before nuzzling into the nape of my neck, his lips grazing my heated flesh. “That’s why you have me.” He tenderly kissed my lips again, pulling me close to savor our fleeting moment.

“Not the best time, you two,” Castor announced, unbashful at interrupting us. “I’ll gather the mounts. Dax, you should teleport Idris and Adohan first and then return for us.”

“Watch over her, Cas?” Daxton asked as the warmth of his embrace slipped away.

“On my life.” Castor nodded as Daxton released me, never taking his eyes from mine until he was out of sight around the corner. “I don’t like this threat to our realm,” Castor muttered.

“Is Anjani truly that dangerous?”

“Yes. There’s no telling where she could be. Zola thus far is the only one who has been able to track herwhereabouts. Those two have had a grudge toward one another for centuries. But if Daxton ever found her… let’s just say her death would have consequences that my brother would likely serve.”

“I, for one, would not want to be on Zola’s bad side.”

“Not many remain there for long,” Castor replied as we watched the silver flash of light around the corner. “Skylar,” Castor said in a softer tone, and it piqued my curiosity. “I need to ask a favor. And understand that I don’t ask this lightly.”

“What is it?”

He took a deep breath, leaning his back against the trunk of a thick tree, staring off into the winding river. “It concerns my brother.” I froze.

“What about him?”

“I need to—” Looking down, he fidgeted his feet and hands uncomfortably, taking me aback. “I’m asking you…” Castor began as his dark eyes snapped open to my amber gaze. “Please, don’t hurt him.”

“What do you mean?”

“My brother has guarded his heart in a gilded cage ever since Queen Minaeve imprisoned him in her hold. Those who truly see and know him understand his caution and still love him despite it. We understand why he must keep to himself and carry the burden of the crown alone. But ever since meeting you… he … He’s changed. Daxton is vulnerable and yet somehow more alive all at the same time.”

“Is that a good thing?”

“It could be,” he answered, sweeping his darkened gaze across my face. “But it could also lead to his demise, along with yours. You’ve given him hope, and that’s one of the most powerful weapons someone can wield. He has hope for a better life, a new beginning.That gift alone is enough to shatter the chains of the darkest dungeon, and it’s all tied to you.”

“What are you getting at, Castor?”

“He is my brother—andmy high prince. My duty is to serve and protect him, even if he always seems to do that for me. I ask you to please… Please use caution and trust your instincts. Do not leap unless you are ready to fall, for I fear my brother already has.”

This… This was unreal. I knew I was falling in love with Daxton. In all honesty, I had been since we first met. But I wouldn’t admit that to Castor, not before I had the courage to tell Daxton myself.

“I understand, Castor,” I said. The muscles along his shoulder were taut, following his pinched mouth that unveiled his unease. I needed to do something. “How about this,” I paused watching him closely. “I’m willing to swear allegiance to Daxton, just like the other citizens who come to Silver Meadows from other realms. Would that ease your concern and gain your trust?”

“Perhaps.” He pushed off from the tree and walked to the water’s edge. “What words would you speak?”

“I vow to honor and protect Daxton Aegaeon, High Prince of Silver Meadows, with my actions and my words. To do all I can to guard his heart and protect his soul.”

Castor seemed pleased, giving me a single nod. “With magic, we will speak this together, holding the earth of our kingdom and binding it to the realm in which we stand.”

Drawing on the power that swelled deep within my animal, I repeated the vow with Castor as he gathered a fistful of earth and poured it into my outstretched hand.

“I believe you have sworn allegiance to Silver Meadows with this vow to our high prince. You now have citizenship and recognition within our realm,” Castor announced. “May the land recognize you as kin and treat you as such.”

With Castor’s words, a tether emerged from the ground beneath my feet, flowing from the sole of my boots to the top of my head. The winding and trickling waters through the river felt comforting, and the air twirling through my hair gifted me strength. The land and magic of Silver Meadows recognized me as one of their own.

“Castor, what did you do?” Daxton asked as he silently approached us. “Skylar?”

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