A Trial of the Heart (Valdor #2)

Chapter Three

“T his is so good! You’ve got to try this!” I extended a sugary cinnamon dough dessert to Zola, who gave me a skeptical sideways glance. “Oh, come on, it’s amazing.”

To describe Crimson City as glamorous would not do it justice. Idris led Zola and me through numerous shops, parlors, and merchant stands, where we found everything from clothing, jewels, gadgets, and more.

The cobblestone roads were smoothed for easier travel and carts or carriages with decadent finery and details matching the architecture of Adohan’s home. Illustrations of the crimson river were seen in the decorations on the walls and shops, with varying shades of red adorning the sandstone trim along the buildings. There were stores filled with instruments that sang beautiful melodies along with children dancing in the streets. Merchants sold sculptures and paintings that seemed to come alive through the oils and fabric of the canvas. The hustle and bustle of the city was far beyond anything I could have ever imagined. The High Fae here thrived on a life of luxury that I could only compare to the stories in my books back home.

Hell, give me a good old-fashioned bonfire in the woods with nothing more than a blanket of stars shining overhead, and I was one happy shifter. Our people were in animal form half the time anyway, so we tended to need space and allowed nature to dictate the layout of our homes. I wondered if the main kingdoms or cities were all like this. Dax seemed easygoing and more relaxed, but Castor did have a flashy personality that seemed to pair with the energy of Crimson City.

Out of all this glamor and luxury, however, what caught my attention the most were the new smells and delectable foods served in various restaurants and food stands. We had a few local pubs and eating-type venues in Solace, but nothing compared to this. Idris and Zola laughed at how I stopped at practically every store that was giving a sample of their specials for the day, devouring each one with never-ending joy.

“Zola, come on,” I said with a mouth full of sugary delight. “I can’t possibly eat this whole thing myself.”

“Doubt it.” Idris laughed. “I recall the appetites of the other shifters.”

“I will not be eating… that .” Zola’s nose scrunched like I was trying to force her to eat something foul.

“What? Why not? Not even a taste?”

“I prefer to eat … other things.”

“Oh,” I replied, taking another bite of my indulgent treat. “Like what?”

“Nothing that you would find appealing, trust me.”

“Zola only eats raw meat,” Idris said. “Not cooked or frozen. She simply must consume it raw and fresh…” Idris’s skin paled, and she looked queasy, turning down an alleyway and trying to fight back the wave of nausea overtaking her small frame .

I rushed to her side, pulling back her auburn braided hair. “You all right?” I asked, rubbing her back in concentric circles.

“Yes, I just need some air. Sorry, Z. I love you, but not your taste in food. Especially now with this baby doing flips in my belly.” Idris bent over and covered her mouth as another wave of nausea hit her. She tapped my hand on her shoulder and straightened up with her back pressed against the wall of a shop.

“I’ll be fine, I promise,” she said. “Zola, take Skylar over to the jeweler on the corner. I know you’ve had your eye on that overly flashy sapphire in the window for years.”

I watched Zola give Idris a skeptical glare. “I’m not sure leaving you is the smartest plan at this moment, my friend.”

“This is not my first pregnancy, Z. I know how this works.”

“And this is not my first time watching over you, so I also know how this works.” There was a silent standoff with glares and raised eyebrows, but eventually, Zola groaned and threw her hands up in defeat. “All right, you twisted my arm enough. I’ll go spend my hard-earned money on something outrageous. Happy?”

“That’s the spirit.” Idris gave Zola a bright, beaming smile of victory as she braced her back against the wall. “Go with her, Skylar. This shade will help. I promise I’ll see you two in a few minutes.”

Not wanting to be in a similar stare-down, I nodded and followed Zola to the jeweler around the corner.

“So why do you only eat raw meat?” I asked with earnest curiosity.

She gave me a skeptical squint, her dark eyes scanning my expression for hidden answers to the Gods only knew what. Allusive like the shadows she wielded, that could whisper secrets only she could hear.

“You don’t hesitate like others do,” Zola said quietly. “And it appears that you boldly jump into situations with a curious mind.”

“I’m always eager to learn everything I can.” I smiled at her, trying my best to get a read on what she was thinking. “If I offended you, please let me know I’ve gone too far. Back home, my friend Rhea was always the one to remind me if I was prying too much.” Zola didn’t respond nor change her features. So, I decided to take it as a good sign.

“You didn’t offend me.” Zola sidestepped a group traveling past us to scurry along the side of the bustling street. “This is who I am, and I’m not ashamed or embarrassed by it,” she said with confidence. “Approximately five hundred years ago when I was altered by the wilt, my appetite also changed. Consuming raw meat was one of the side effects created by the death magic that marked me.”

My eyes slid to the black swirling marks along Zola’s tanned arms that also danced around the base of her neck. This close to her, I was able to admire the patterns painted across her caramel skin, and if they didn’t carry such painful memories, one might call them beautiful.

“I have a question for you now.”

“Happy to answer any you have. Fire away.” I jumped over the curb and was once again at her shoulder.

“Why did you, Skylar Cathal, volunteer to compete in the trials?” Zola asked as we rounded the corner.

A female with questions of her own. I do admire inquisitive minds .

“I didn’t plan on volunteering. I just knew it was something I had to do,” I said.

Zola nodded, reached for the handle of the glass door, and stepped inside. She was a cunning, calculating creature with a vast world of knowledge ready at her disposal. My animal seemed cautious, but I didn’t have a sinking feeling or a drive to run the other way.

As we entered, the glass windowed door closed behind us with a chiming bell that hung overhead to announce our arrival. The noise from the busy streets faded inside the shop, and I took a moment to revel in the quiet atmosphere. It wasn’t the natural chime or calming sounds I treasured from my forest home, but it would do.

Zola meandered around the glass displays, meticulously admiring the jeweled pieces as I followed. I glanced at the various glimmering gems and trinkets that rivaled the finest crown jewels of the human kings and queens. She stopped at a solo display that held a deep blue sapphire necklace shaped into a teardrop setting with a singular diamond at the top.

“What drove you to make the decision? And before you answer,” Zola added, “I would appreciate honesty, Skylar. Above all things, I strive to find the truth in this life, and I assure you I’m very good at my job.” Her fingers danced along the glass casing, admiring the stunning sapphire beneath. “Otherwise, Daxton wouldn’t employ me, and Castor wouldn’t tolerate me, despite my promise to their mother to look after them.”

That last part threw me for a loop. “Their mother?” Zola nodded, returning her stare to the gem in the display. I inferred that I wasn’t going to get more out of her than the nod.

“Queen Minaeve,” I said, “she first chose my younger cousin, Neera, as the champion. I couldn’t let her go. I knew she didn’t want to leave.” The sheer look of terror in Neera’s eyes that night in the meadow flashed in my mind. I had never seen her so scared or her complexion that pale. My heart had practically leaped out of my chest at the sight of her, my instincts driving me to protect her.

“It’s normal for the chosen shifter not to want this task. So, I ask again, what made you take her place?” Zola asked as she cast her stare toward me. Her bluntness was harsh, but it was also a welcomed breath of fresh air.

I paused for a moment before answering, trying to interpret any hidden meaning behind Zola’s question.

Why did I volunteer?

I realized I never truly answered that question other than the obvious response to save my cousin. I thought back to the night in the meadow and ran through all the events that led to my decision. So much had happened since then that it was difficult to piece all the details together. I traced back to the start of the gathering and remembered that Alistar had sent out a command for all of us to shift. But my animal and I fought against his magic.

“I didn’t follow my alpha’s command.”

Zola stopped admiring the jeweled necklace for a moment, and I could tell I had her undivided attention as she tilted her head to the side. “And?”

“I begged for anyone to help stop my shift. I prayed silently to the Gods… to anyone listening to help me stop it. I remember the burning of my magic inside me—I thought I was going to burst into a ball of literal flames due to resisting the call of the alpha and the pull from the full moon.”

“Shifters are naturally more powerful with the influence of certain astrological events, like a full moon,” Zola said, exposing the depths of her knowledge concerning my kind. “What helped you ultimately stop your shift?”

“I felt…” It finally dawned on me what magic helped me in the meadow. I cursed at myself for being so blind and not realizing it before. It was Daxton’s magic that helped bring me back. “Ice tamed the roaring flames from tearing me apart.”

Zola nodded and gave me a genuine half-grin. “Then what happened?” It was like she was leading me to discover my own truths. Clever…

I smiled, knowing Shaw would’ve done the exact same thing if he’d been here with me.

“I heard the high queen speak to me. She warned me how the trials would test my mind, body, and soul. That no others have been successful or have been found worthy to unlock the Heart of Valdor.”

“And what makes you think that you are worthy?” Zola calmly asked.

“I—I don’t.”

The reality of that truth hit me square in the chest. I didn’t believe I was worthy of anything, not yet anyway. Maybe these trials were a test for me just as much as it was for Valdor.

Zola turned, spinning the necklaces over in her dark, tanned palm. “You don’t?”

“I don’t believe I should be idolized or placed on a pedestal for merely stepping in to lend aid when it was asked for. That’s something any decent person should be expected to do. I came here… I volunteered because I was willing and able to do so. If, in the end, I can save the lives of those I love regardless of my own outcome, I will happily accept that as my fate.”

“You’re willing to put your life at risk to save all of our lives as well? ”

I could read between the lines of her question. I knew she was asking about all of Valdor. I could say no. I could say I was doing this for just my people, but in my heart, I knew I wasn’t. Even though I didn’t know many humans or even fae, I believed in respecting all life. We should all be allowed to have the chance to make our world better. Everyone deserved that opportunity, regardless of who they were.

“I am. I’m willing to do this for— everyone .”

Zola gave me a full, cunning grin at my reply. “You, indeed, are different. Not many creatures in this world would think in the way you do. You’re more , it seems, compared to the other four champions I have met.” She paused, looking around for the shopkeeper before continuing. “I do believe, however, that you’ve entered the trials to answer more than just a calling of your own. I believe you’ll determine the outcomes of not just your fate but all those in Valdor.” Zola chuckled deeply. “Fate is a fickle bitch. Welcome to the game.”

The bell chime signaled the door to the shop opening, and Idris entered frantically, waving a makeshift fan made of parchment. “Thank the Gods!” she declared. “The sun is finally beginning to set. I love you, Mother, but the heat of your love is sometimes just too much.”

Zola and I both looked at each other and shared a small chuckle at Idris as she found a seat in the corner near a display. The hard exterior of the Shadow Jumper was still present, but I was able to see a glimmer of vulnerability that hadn’t existed moments ago.

“You need to choose something,” Zola instructed Idris.

“I don’t need Adohan’s heart to stop beating before the trials begin, Z. I love my mate, and I intend to mock and adore him for a long time to come… Or at least until his child is born, that is.”

“It’s my treat,” Zola said to Idris, then glanced at me. “You need something as well.”

“What?” I exclaimed. “I don’t have any money.”

“Daxton has paid me generously over these past few months, and he’s also asked me to find something special just for you, Skylar.”

“Really?” I stammered. “I-I don’t know. This all seems too much. I’ve never dreamed of owning, let alone seeing, beautiful pieces of jewelry like this.” Zola and Idris glanced at each other with mischievous grins, exchanging unspoken words. “What?” I demanded.

“Nothing!” Idris said.

I narrowed my eyes. She had to be hands down one of the worst liars I had ever seen in my entire life. “Idris.”

“You deserve something for the ball tomorrow,” Zola added as she stepped between us. “Daxton insisted.”

“Yes.” Idris immediately jumped to her swollen feet and ran her hand along my long-flowing hair. “With the ball tomorrow, you’ll need something that highlights your natural beauty. Take a look over here.” Idris motioned to the far side of the store. “I think a beautiful hairpin would give you just the right touch!”

“And it wouldn’t likely break,” I added.

Both stopped and looked at me with a confused stare. I lightly laughed to myself as I pushed past them to examine the beautiful variety of combs and hair accessories.

“There’s a reason why shifters don’t wear jewelry or keep such fine clothing in our wardrobes. It’s why we mark our mate’s flesh instead of wearing wedding bands on our fingers, necklaces, or earrings.” I looked over the sparkling displays, entranced by the beautiful works of art crafted into various trinkets.

“Care to enlighten us?” Idris asked as she moved beside me.

“This is disappointing to hear, actually,” Zola mumbled.

“When we shift, our bodies alter completely, the structure of our skeleton, our skin… everything changes. Most of us shred through clothing when we take our larger animal forms, so imagine what a ring or a bracelet would do if my hand suddenly transformed into a paw or disappeared entirely.”

“Well, that’s dull—” Zola huffed, and Idris elbowed her in the arm.

“It’s… It’s practical,” Idris said. “It’s also refreshing to hear.” Idris gasped as she looked at the glaring expression on Zola’s face. “My comment was not intended for you, Z. Calm down.”

Zola crossed her arms with a tight scowl.

“Miss Treasure Trove over here has one of the grandest collections in all the Inner Kingdom. And she never likes to share.”

Zola laughed, shaking her head as she flung her arm around her friend’s shoulder. “I only acquire the best and brightest gems, and you are most definitely one of my most treasured.”

“Good grief,” Idris bellowed. “You are too much, Z.”

I browsed the moon and star hairpins, but none of them stood out to me. I meandered to the selection dedicated to a variety of different plants and animals. I saw various elegant birds, which made me think of Gilen, so naturally, I passed over them as quickly as I could. The wolf reminded me of Rhea, but then I thought about how cliché it would be to choose an animal. Sighing to myself, I continued on to the flowers. My eyes scanned over the glimmering diamonds, emeralds, and rubies that represented a delicate rose, and I was about to pick it up until the sight of another stole my breath away.

The room seemed to disappear as my eyes scanned over the long ebony stem of shiny obsidian rock, leading to black oval leaf that framed brilliant silver and orange petals inside. This was the flower from my dreams, and it was somehow real ?

“Do you like it?” the merchant from behind the counter kindly asked.

For a moment, I had forgotten how to speak. I smiled and nodded to the kind shop owner, who reached into the glass display case to hold it out for me to examine. I held it in my hands, gently stroking the colored petals that I believed to be a figment of my dreams.

“What is this flower called?” I asked, gaining Zola and Idris’s attention.

“It’s a rare beauty,” the merchant said, looking at me with kindness in his weathered eyes. “It is known as the moondance flower. And it only blooms—”

“In the moonlight,” I said.

“How did you know that?” Idris asked. “I didn’t think you had these flowers in Solace or the mainland.”

“We don’t,” I said, never taking my eyes off the divine trinket. “I’ve seen… No, I’ve dreamt about this flower ever since I can remember. It always makes me feel safe, like nothing in this world can hurt me.”

I was lost in the beauty of what I was holding in my hands. I couldn’t believe that this flower was real, and I wished more than anything to be able to, someday, truly witness it bloom .

Zola and Idris glanced at each other with questioning looks over my shoulder, but I paid them no attention. I was lost to the beauty of this jeweled hairpin, which embodied the very real flower of my dreams.

“How much?” Zola asked.

The merchant’s eyes dropped to my left forearm, where my champion’s mark of three black outlines of eight-pointed stars was branded into my skin. “For our champion, it’s a gift.”

“We have the coin,” Zola protested.

The merchant held up his hand. “Please, it’s a gift.”

I cradled the hairpin in my palms before clutching it tightly against my chest. I carefully slid it into a secret pocket tucked away at my thigh along the slit of my skirt.

“Thank you.” I truly was grateful for not only his kindness but for Idris and Zola’s as well. This day had turned out to be a perfect distraction for what was to come.

“It will look beautiful on you, Skylar!” Idris beamed as we exited the merchant’s jewelry shop. Zola had her small trinket box tucked under her arm with a satisfied look plastered across her expression.

The sun was beginning to set, and we knew it was almost time to venture back to Adohan and Idris’s home. However, there was one final stop Idris wanted to make before we returned, and of course, Zola and I allowed her to drag us along. As the city darkened, new lights began to illuminate the different streets, posts, and homes as we passed by. They were mesmerizingly bright and beautiful with no sign of fire illuminating them inside.

“What? How do these work?” I asked .

“These are fae lights,” Zola answered me. “Summoned by magic and far more useful than torches, lanterns, or candles. They won’t burn a house down.”

“Remarkable,” I said as I reached out to touch one. There was no heat radiating from the light source, so I picked up the lantern to begin examining it closer.

Zola reached out her open palm to me and called forth a glow into her hand. “Fae light.”

“Wow! How’d you do that?” I set the lantern aside and examined the light forming in her palm.

She huffed a laugh to herself. “Magic, Skylar.”

“Oh, right.” The reality of this wild magic was still new to me, regardless of how natural it was to the rest of them. “Could I learn to summon one?”

“I imagine shifters could summon them utilizing the same magic you apply when changing into your animal forms, channeling it into something different.”

“I agree. I don’t see why not,” Idris said. “You have both shifter and healing magic. I assume it stems from the same place. You just have to focus your mind on what you wish to accomplish.”

“I wish I had time to practice before the labyrinth,” I admitted.

“It wouldn’t help you,” Zola said.

“Why?”

“Because the labyrinth is warded. No magic can be used inside. Your mind is the only weapon within its walls.”

I rolled my eyes. “That makes things more interesting.” I had more questions about what I would encounter inside, but unfortunately, anyone who knew those answers was dead.

“Here it is!” Idris announced to Zola and me. “I’ll be just a minute. ”

Zola watched Idris skip inside the garment shop and then shot a narrow glance at me, telling me she did not believe in Idris’s timeline. “I’d better go in after her or else we’ll be here another hour at least.”

I covered my mouth, shielding my laughter. “Please do. I don’t want to stay out too late.”