Page 93 of A Trial of the Heart

“You and everyone else, apparently,” I mumbled. “I’m thankful Daxton suggested we take this training route to get away from everyone. It was beginning to be a bit much.”

“I’d heard about your healing magic,” Gunnar added as he gracefully leaped across a crevice, “but seeing it is entirely different. You worked a miracle today, Skylar!”

Reece was a high-ranking citizen of Silver Meadows, admired for utilizing his unique skills to influence trade and management of the local shops and ports. Despite his status within the city, he always envisioned himself on the front lines, serving his people from the battlefield. I admired his dedication, but we were not all born to be warriors. Some had to utilize different strengths to achieve their goals.

Everyone in my pack had become accustomed to my healing gifts, but apparently, it was an extremely rare talent in the Inner Kingdom. There were healers by trade and minor healing abilities like Daxton, but not magic like mine. I just hoped this news wouldn’t draw any extra unwanted attention our way.

“You sure you don’t need a cloak?” Gunnar asked me for possibly the tenth time since we began our trek up the mountain. “I have a spare in my bag in case you change your mind. The winter hits harder and faster on the mountain trails up here.”

I slouched my shoulders with a loud sigh. My face turned downward. Annoyance could not properly express the frustration I was feeling. “Shifter…” I repeated slowly, emphasizing each letter. “We run warmer than all other species. The cold does not bother us like it does you.”

“Fine then.” Gunnar huffed, shouldering his bag. “Sorry for caring.”

“If you cared, you would’ve listened the ten other times you asked me.”

“If Ididn’tcare,” Gunnar countered with an annoying grin, “then I would cut through your rope and make you walk this trail without a safety line.”

“All right, you two,” Daxton said from behind, “don’t start this again.”

Through the three weeks spent training together, Gunnar quickly caught onto the fact that I had a strong stubborn streak and thrived on the thrill of tackling a challenge head-on instead of slowly working my way through it. He noted on several occasions how odd it was for someone who took the time to read as much as I did and asked every question under the sun to find herself in the middle of so much chaos.

Some might think you’re smarter than that.

The first time Gunnar told me this, I promptly flipped him off and stuck out my tongue. He rolled on the grass laughing, apparently proving his point exactly.

I glared up ahead of him. “I’m not happy about this either.” I tugged at the rope attached to my waist, glancing behind my shoulder at the other half of the line that was attached to Daxton. “It feels like a leash,” I grumbled.

“You do tend to wander.” Daxton chuckled.

“High prince’s orders,” Gunnar said with a wide grin, laughing alongside his friend.

“The fog is expected to drift in from the north, making it easy to fall from these cliffs. We guide all our cadets through this pathway linked in this exactformation, and I’m not taking any chances oneither of yougetting lost,” Daxton said, probably for the fifth time.

This was the final piece of the training I needed to master before being allowed to enter the Ice Gauntlet. Even though Castor didn’t agree with me taking this risk, I refused to budge on this decision. I knew it was one of the reasons why Daxton had sent him on his mission to the Southern Sea Cliffs with the key.

“Hurry up,” Daxton said ahead to Gunnar. “It’ll be dark by the time we reach the top if you keep this slow pace.”

“Just being cautious for Skylar’s sake.” Gunnar scoffed in response.

“If you think babying her will help ensure her success, perhaps I should be rethinking your rank and station as my general.”

“You can always lead the way yourself,” Gunnar said, swinging his arms around with his brows arching.

Daxton huffed a laugh paired with a mischievous smirk as he reached my side. “I’m fine here.” He then bent to whisper in my ear so only I could hear him, “I wouldn’t dream of giving up this view.”

I blushed red and playfully smacked his arm while biting my lower lip. His smile curled around his chiseled jawline, revealing the dimple on his cheek that softened his cold exterior in a unique way that always seemed to melt my heart.

Gods, I could look at him all day, and somehow, I knew it would never be enough.

Gunnar grunted and mumbled something to himself, looking unimpressed, but did not say anything about Daxton’s comment or our obvious flirtations.

“Come on then,” the general announced, quickening his pace and leading up along the rocky spine to the top of Mount Nox.

After beginning this grueling trek, all the obstacles in the Ice Gauntlet made perfect sense. We scaled boulders, leaped from jagged cliffs, and then ran along beaten trails to reach the endpoint. Silver Meadows was surrounded by mountains on all sides but one. Warriors not only had to meander over these routes to reach their outposts, but they were also expected to fight on this terrain if needed.

My legs ached, and my feet had blisters that housed more blisters, but I didn’t complain or ask for Gunnar to slow his pace. This was my chance to prove myself. If I was going to defeat the trial of the body, I damn sure better be ready for it.

The beast I had to defeat would not stop or give me grace if I was tired or injured. So, I didn’t expect it here either. The Ice Gauntlet had become my own personal scale of self-worth, and conquering it would give me the boost of confidence I needed in order to bravely enter the second trial.

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