A Trial of the Heart (Valdor #2)

Chapter Four

A lone, I patiently waited outside the clothing shop as a strange, anxious sensation trickled along the nape of my neck. My animal perked up, immediately alerting me. My eyes focused on scanning every inch of my surroundings, searching for anything out of the ordinary.

The evening quieted to an almost unnatural calmness. A fair number of High Fae were passing through, but the numbers were dwindling. I couldn’t pinpoint the threat lurking in the darkening streets, but my instincts told me something was out there. I bent to reach for my dagger but realized I had never armed myself before leaving.

Shit—this is not good.

Zola and Idris emerged from the shop, and the Shadow Jumper immediately noted my alertness. “What is it, Skylar?” she asked, her posture stiffening as she reached inside her leather corset to extract hidden daggers from within the folds of her clothing.

“Something doesn’t feel right,” I said, admiring the ingenious design of her fighting leathers. “Can you shadow-jump back to the house with more than one passenger in tow?”

“I can manage the trip carrying one… but not two.” She pressed her lips together in a thin line, and I knew she was anticipating what I was going to ask next .

“Wait just a second here—” Idris tried to step in, but I cut her off.

There was no way in Valdor I was going to leave Idris here alone. There was a baby to think of, and I wouldn’t dare risk Adohan’s wrath if anything happened to his mate and unborn child.

“Zola, take Idris back to the house right away, then come back for me.” I could see Zola hesitate, but I wasn’t going to allow Idris to encounter even the whispered threat of harm. The Spymaster grunted with disproval; I could tell she was on the verge of arguing with me, but I refused to allow her the ground to do so. “Go now, Zola,” I commanded this time, allowing power from my animal to flow into each word I spoke.

Zola flinched, feeling the magic pulse within my command, and pulled Idris into the shadows of the alley. Her dark eyes met mine, giving me a firm nod of understanding. “I’ll be right back,” she said, and they both disappeared.

I spun around to search the darkening street for the unidentified threat I knew was nearby, but oddly enough, there wasn’t a soul in sight.

“Well, there you are,” an unnerving male voice taunted me from behind the corner of the alleyway.

I spun to my left to investigate when two pairs of strong hands forcefully grabbed ahold of my shoulders. Catching me off guard, they forced me backward into the shadows, out of sight from anyone passing by on the main street. My back smacked into the solid stone wall, with the rest of my body quickly following suit. They were pinning me down and making it impossible to move.

No matter how much I tried, I couldn’t manage to break free of their hold. The two cloaked figures gripped me tighter as I uselessly fought against them. To my surprise, I was beginning to gain some ground and wiggle free, but they each moved a leg between my thighs to spread mine apart and force their weight onto me. Gods, they were heavy, like two stone statues plastering me to the wall and rendering me immobile.

“My, my. You’re a feisty one. I’ll give you that. But without being able to shift and access your animal’s strength… you’re no match for my guards. You’re simply wasting precious energy by fighting this.” The same voice from before spoke again.

A third cloaked figure appeared from the darkened corner of the alleyway. The stranger practically glided across the cobblestone, stopping mere breaths away. Their scents were hidden, indicating they held some magical abilities to create a barrier against detection.

“Clearly, you haven’t spent much time around shifters,” I growled. “Fighting is in our nature.”

The guards’ hold on me tightened, their grips now twisting my arms and pinning my legs to the point of pain. Outstanding , I grunted to myself, refusing to allow the thread of fear to build in my throat. There was no way out of their hold, but I sure as hell wouldn’t give up this easily.

A stray fair-skinned hand emerged from under the dark green cloak and wound its way into the center of my chest, pressing down firmly between the peaks of my breasts and causing me to gasp.

“So, this—is our champion .” His voice was vile, making my stomach turn. “I didn’t realize a shifter could be this enticing.”

I heard the swish of his hood fall back, and I snapped my head up to try and view the identity of my captor. A gorgeous yet menacing face stared back at me with a deep-seated hunger burning in his calculated glare .

His high cheekbones outlined a clean-shaven, narrowed jaw that was, of course, gorgeous and yet, a tad gentler looking than I anticipated. He stood just a hair taller than me, with a slimmer, less muscular build than Daxton. However, I could detect the deep well of thrumming power emanating from within him. This male was not to be underestimated. His haunting forest-green eyes stood out from under the hood of his cloak, tracing over my body like I was some kind of prized possession or delectable dessert.

“Let me go!” My eyes burned with hatred as I fought against my captors. My animal was screaming inside my head to fight back and to get as far away from this male as I could.

He bit his bottom lip and moved his head down toward my ear. “Now, there’s that fire I’ve heard so much about. I was wondering when you would come out and play with me.” He stood straight, trapping me against the wall with his body, and tilted his hips forward so he was flush against me. “Your beauty and power are so deliciously wild. I don’t believe I’ve ever been this excited to capture one of your kind before.” I squirmed against him, but he released a low chuckle at my efforts. “Please, by all means, continue.” He rolled his hips as one of his hands migrated over to cup my breast. “I’m enjoying this encounter more and more with each passing second.” His minions on either side of me snickered, but I ignored them.

“Screw you,” I spat.

He was toying with me.My blood began to boil, rage bubbling to the surface, threatening to overtake the rational side of my mind.

Physically I was outmatched, and as much as I hated to admit it, it was fact. I had to try to use my whit to best them, or at least stall for time .

“What do you want with me?” I demanded with a fiery tone. I had been through worse—survived worse. This disgusting excuse of a male wouldn’t get the satisfaction or pleasure of seeing me cower before him. I refused to be afraid.

“Oh, so many things, Skylar Cathal. There are seemingly too many to count.”His grin widened as his veil of magic lifted around him.

His scent reminded me of willow shrub, with just a splash of citrus swirling through my senses, causing my stomach to jump into my throat.

“Who are you?” I growled. “What do you want with me? What games are you trying to play here?” I asked, deciding to resort to what I did best.

I had to keep my wits about me. Questions took time to answer, and I needed as much of that as I could get. Zola should have reached the house by now and would be on her way back to retrieve me. I just needed to distract this male for a little bit longer.

“I’m appalled,” the male High Fae gasped.

He used his free hand to remove the rest of his cloak and stepped back, thankfully releasing his hold on my chest. Light blond ruffled hair adorned a charming yet deceptively cunning beauty that smiled wickedly. “I could simply read your mind, but alas, that would spoil all the fun in a hurry. And I intend to take my time with you.” He bent his head closer to my ear and whispered, “Minaeve said I could have you as a prize if it pleased me. And by the grace of the Gods above, I believe you do.”

My chest rapidly rose and fell as uneasiness rolled through me, realizing who this was. “Seamus.”

“High Prince Seamus Duran,” he corrected his eyes glimmering in the fading light. “I’m quite fond of the title and the power that comes with it … among ot her things that I’ll happily share with you once we no longer have an audience. Or—” He paused, a devilish grin snaking its way across his lips. “Perhaps you would enjoy an audience, Champion? It has been a while since I have had a good fuck in public. I remember it can be quite the rush.” He attempted to caress my face, but I turned my head away just in time. I couldn’t allow him to come into direct contact with my skin. “Ah, so you’ve heard of me. Your caution towards my touch is flattering.”

“What are you doing here?” I roared through clenched teeth.

“Retrieving you, of course. Queen Minaeve sent me and two of her guards to bring you to Aelius before the ball tomorrow. She heard of your encounters with the harpies and the hounds near the wilt border, and she now doubts the competence of the Silver Meadows princes’ ability to bring you to the trials safely. You’re to be handed over to me, and I will personally see to all your needs .” His eyes scanned me from head to toe, oozing with lust that coated the corners of his cunning stare.

For a moment, I was relieved to hear that only the news about the harpies and the hounds reached Aelius. The queen didn’t know about me healing the fallen fae. That secret was, at least for the moment, still safe.

“Just my needs?” I spat back at him with a venomous tone. “Shame to leave yourself out of the equation. Or is going solo simply the norm for you?”

His sinister grin widened, stretching from ear to ear. “Well, not just yours. You’re correct, shifter. There must be some reward for all my hard work.” Seamus spoke in a low, sensual purr as he reached to twirl a strand of my hair around his finger .

“Well, sorry to disappoint you, but I’m perfectly fine. I don’t need anything from you .”

He stepped forward once again, his eyes dropping to my chest as his fingers danced along the open slit of my skirt before meeting my eyeline once more. “Yes… I can see that.” He tilted his head and narrowed his gaze, inhaling a deep breath near the base of my neck. “I didn’t detect an increase of fear in your scent when I mentioned your encounter with the creatures or the wilt. Pray tell, dear Champion, what do you fear if not death itself?”

“Get off me!” I demanded once more, fighting against the hold of the guards, even though it didn’t seem to make a difference. Their grip on me twisted, and if it hadn’t been for my increased pain tolerance from my capture, I would dare say it hurt a little.

“If you won’t tell me, then fine. My patience is running thin. I’ll have to take a peek inside that pretty little head of yours myself.” Seamus sneered with sadistic glee as he pressed the palm of his hand onto my temple and dove into the confines of my mind with his magic.

I couldn’t help releasing a searing scream of pain through the confines of the darkened alleyway. A red-hot iron was digging into my skull and trying to split my mind in two. I crumbled under his touch, unable to fight against him as he tore through my memories. My animal surged inside me as my own power began to build. Doing all she could to fuel me with magic, encouraging me to find some way to fight back.

“Ah, there it is,” Seamus whispered in a voice that reminded me of a venomous viper.

My body collapsed like a limp doll, held upright by his minions on either side. I heard a sickening chuckle as he dove inside my head again, his intentions set on recalling what I feared most. I could feel the memories surging to the surface of my consciousness, and as much as I tried to resist, they all came flooding back.

There was a flash in my mind’s eye, and once again I was in the underground dungeon with Blade hurling the iron-tipped whip at my back. The vision was so real… the sounds, the smell. Everything.

My arms and legs were bound with iron shackles that dug into my skin, making it impossible to heal and reducing my power to a mere whisper. I was hanging between the two posts, beaten, bleeding, and dying. Worst of all, I was alone, without a single ray of hope in the world that someone was coming for me or that I would survive.

With out warning, Seamus pulled his magic back. I could feel my body convulse as tears freely streamed down my cheeks. I could barely breathe, but I still managed to scream at him. “Gods-damned sadist!” I cursed.

“There’s that fire I crave. You’re like a drug that I can’t seem to get enough of. Something in you is calling out to me, your scent is so … enthralling . How intriguing.” Seamus’s voice rumbled as he inched closer.

My animal roared inside of me to fight back. Through everything in my life, I never backed down from a challenge. Was I scared? Yes. But I learned at an early age that running away solved nothing.

I summoned my courage, unhinging the confines of my magic. I focused my mind on creating a shield to push back against Seamus, and to my surprise, it worked.

A shimmering green barrier appeared between us before I shoved it at the High Prince of Aelius, pushing him backward and colliding with the opposing wall.

Laughing to himself, he said, “Ahh, I believe our pet has learned some new tricks.” With a half-cocked grin he easily shoved himself forward through my wall of magic.

Pet?Fucking. Hell . He saw—He knew.

That name caused my breath to still as my eyes widened with a deep-seated hatred that drained every rational thought in my mind. That was what Blade had called me. Indicating that I was nothing more than an animal he wanted to keep as his own... pet . Bastard.

“I always did enjoy a challenge,” Seamus said, moving closer toward me once more. “Something I see we have—”

“Touch her again, and you die!” A deep, commanding voice boomed from the opening of the alleyway.

There was a blast of ice-cold wind and a flash of silver light that made everyone pause with looks of dread painted across their faces. They knew that Daxton, no—They knew Silver Shadow was here.

Without hesitation, Daxton teleported between Seamus and me, plunging his dagger into the neck of the guard to my right. Blood spewed from the gaping wound as the High Fae’s grip on my arm disappeared, his body falling lifeless to the ground. With my free hand, I moved to wipe the blood spatter from my forehead just in time to see Daxton create a weapon with his ice magic that impaled the chest of the other guard standing to my left.

Their deaths happened in less than a second. The look in Silver Shadow’s eyes was dark and menacing. I could see that he held no regret for ending the lives of the two High Fae guards who now lay dead at my feet.

Silver Shadow coated his skin with a layer of ice as he shot forward and pressed his forearm against the base of Seamus’s neck. The High Prince of Aelius grunted and groaned, trying to fight against Daxton’s hold, but he wasn’t strong enough to break free. Daxton was clearly the superior of the two. In one swift movement, he lifted Seamus off his feet and snarled at him with his exposed sharpened canines mere inches from his face.

“Hello there, Daaa—” the Silver Shadow pressed harder on Seamus’s throat. “Pity you aren’t allowed to kill me, right?” Seamus somehow managed to pull back against his arm just enough to speak. “Wouldn’t want to start a war before the lines are clearly drawn.”

Silver Shadow released a menacing low growl that made the hairs on my neck stand at attention. His eyes were frosted over with a wicked intensity that would strike terror in the hearts of even the bravest warriors. I had never seen someone so fearsome in my entire life. It was a firm reminder of how ruthless and dangerous he could be if pushed to the limits of his self-control.

“Daxton!” Adohan yelled, appearing at his side.

He draped himself in a thin layer of flames to combat Daxton’s ice and shield himself against Seamus’s mind-reading abilities.

“You cannot kill him,” Adohan warned, echoing Seamus’s earlier statement.

From his expression, I could tell Adohan hated every word he had just spoken to Daxton, but someone had to step in and be the voice of reason. From the looks of it, Daxton was still locked in a blind rage, and his wrath was fixated on the fae male dangling in his grasp. “Daxton!” Adohan shouted once more before lowering his voice. “You can’t start this… not now.”

“If you ever harm Skylar again, Seamus,” he said in a deathly calm whisper that chilled me to the bone, “I will end your miserable excuse of a life. I don’t care if I must tear down your entire realm and the world crumbles beneath me. I will ensure your heart stops beating by my hand if you ever come near her again.”

“What if she,” Seamus gasped, trying to find his breath, “is the one who asks for my company?” He somehow managed to wink at Daxton, and I knew all hell was about to break loose.

Adohan leaped into action, his fires blazing as he fought to pull back Silver Shadow’s arm that was now crushing Seamus’s windpipe. The gurgling sounds of his mangled breath echoing across the cobblestone.

I whimpered, bracing myself to witness another death as the strength in my limbs disappeared. I barely noticed Zola’s hands holding me upright against the wall as she tried to speak to me.

I didn’t hear anything she was saying, my attention focused solely on Silver Shadow—my protector. His eyes flipped back to me, and there was a soft flare of concern that crossed his gaze. Then they immediately returned to stone as his focus shifted back to Seamus.

“Daxton!” Adohan screamed once more.

“ Grahhh !” Roaring with frustration and rage, Daxton reluctantly released Seamus, allowing him to crumble to the ground, gasping for air.

“How did you manage to bypass my wards without me knowing, Seamus?” Adohan demanded.

“Since Queen Minaeve’s last offering from the oh so generous High Prince Daxton…” Seamus lifted his brows to me, and I returned his stare with a narrowed glare of pure hatred. “Our queen has been able to siphon enough of his magic to begin experimenting with portals. She can now summon them for instantaneous travel. Granted, they are not as quick or strong as Daxton’s teleportation, and each portal needs an intended destination. But it is a successful doorway for a short period of time.”

“Then you can leave,” Daxton snarled as Adohan placed a flaming hand in the center of his chest. “Now. Before Adohan’s reasoning runs dry and your blood stains my blade.” A long silver sword appeared, strapped to Daxton’s back. He reached for the hilt, drawing it clean from its sheath.

“No need to be rude now,” Seamus taunted. “I intend to leave right away… with her .” Seamus pointed a finger in my direction.

“Do you have a death wish, Seamus?” Adohan spat, putting himself between the males once more. I could see pure hatred and wrath in Daxton’s expression, and I knew Adohan would not be able to hold his friend back much longer. “I’m accompanying them to Aelius tomorrow. Tell Minaeve she has my word and that she will receive my offering at the gathering as well.”

That seemed to get Seamus’s attention. “Yours—Ekon? Freely?”

“No,” Daxton said.

Adohan steadied his breath. “Only if you leave my realm now, Seamus.”

“Very well,” Seamus said quickly, extending his hand out to Adohan, but the Crimson City high prince merely glared and crossed his still-flaming arms in front of his muscled chest. “Glad to see your mind is still sharp, and the mating bond hasn’t dulled your senses completely.” Seamus strutted out to our left and casually wiped his green jacket clean of any dust or residue. “Until the ball, beautiful Champion,” he said in my direction and dashed away into the darkness.

Dax turned to Adohan. “You can’t be serious, Ado— ”

The High Prince of Crimson City held up his hand, respectfully silencing his friend. “We both know I would have too regardless. My mate bond wasn’t going to spare me forever, and I knew that this time around, I would be forced to submit my power publicly to Minaeve.” Daxton’s eyes softened with sorrow and regret. “You cannot sacrifice yourself for me this time, my friend. It’ll be all right. We’ll all get through this,” he added. “Now, tend to her.”

Daxton turned toward me in the shadow of the alley and reached out to take my hand. I gladly accepted it, and he didn’t hesitate before scooping me into his arms and teleporting us back to Adohan’s home without another word.

I felt so raw and shaken from my encounter with Seamus that I didn’t know what to think or feel. All I knew was I wanted to scream, yell, and possibly break things. I wanted to thrash out at the world and roar until my throat was raw and my eyes could no longer create any tears.

“Spitfire,” Dax whispered, clutching me tightly against his chest as my body shook with rage.

“No!” I screamed as I pushed him away.

Leaping out of his arms, I landed firmly on my feet, sprinting toward my room without looking back. Memories bombarded me from all sides. Once again, I was trapped in the hunter’s keep.

I loathed the fact that Seamus had done this to me, that he could do this to me. And I detested myself for allowing it to affect me like this.

I was weak.

How would I ever defeat the trial of the mind if this mere memory almost broke me once again? This kernel of darkness that I tried so hard to vanquish was rising like bile in my throat. I needed to block out the world so I could fight to breathe once more. I didn’t want to burden anyone with this trauma, let alone have anyone else see it and judge me for my failure.

Soaring down the hall, I flung open the door to my room before turning around and slamming it shut. I reached down to bolt the locks so no one could enter after me. Tucking my knees to my chest, I collapsed onto the cool marble floor. Roaring, I pounded my fists against the door frame. Screaming into the emptiness of my soul, trying to cleanse my body of the pain I was forced to relive once again.

“Skylar … Skylar,” Daxton pleaded from outside my door. “Please, let me in.”

I couldn’t bring myself to unlatch the lock. I couldn’t allow him to see me like this. “I need to be by myself,” I whimpered, loud enough that I knew he heard me. “Please, Daxton.” I cried out. “I have to do this alone.”

“No, you don’t,” he said. I could hear his labored breathing on the other side, and I knew he desperately wanted to break through the divide between us. “I’m here, Spitfire. Remember, you’re never alone,” he said in a pining whisper. “I’m not leaving… I will always find you.”

I didn’t say the words that I now knew by heart.

No, instead, I shut him out, dragged myself away from the doorway and toward the bed. Burying my face into a pillow I screamed and yelled without fear of others hearing me. After what felt like hours, I caught my breath. I curled my knees inward and rocked my body back and forth, trying to calm down. I recalled my training with Shaw and began grounding myself in that safe world. I would not be a victim of my fears.My animal’s presence lightly drifted in the back of my mind, trying to comfort me .

I refused to be weak. I couldn’t afford to be.

Something sharp poked me in the leg, and I reached into my pocket to find the hairpin the merchant had given me earlier that day. I closed my hand tightly around the flower before kissing the silver and orange petals.

More silent tears fell, but I stubbornly ignored the comfort I knew was still waiting on the other side of my door. Utterly exhausted, I laid the pin next to me on the bed, praying that it would give me serenity and allow me to forget my nightmares.