Page 35 of A Trial of War
“The city is a fortress,”Rhea added.
“We knew we would not win this war by sheer force,”Daxton said.
I paused to examine the ships docked along the harbor, counting the number of sails along the shore.“There appear to be nearly one hundred ships here. What are our numbers in the Inner Kingdom?”
Daxton inclined his head, sweeping his silver gaze along the coast.“Aelius has thirty-five ships, Fjorda oversees fifteen, and Adohan ten.”
Even if forces collided on the sea, we were still outnumbered.
As we moved through the streets, merchants called out. The colors of silks, spices, and dried herbs filled my senses. Fishermen hauled nets heavy with silver-scaled catch while street performers twirled ribbons beside the fountain in the square.
Children darted between the crowds, their laughter ringing like bells. A pair of boys raced past with woodenswords, dueling their imagined foes, while a group of younger girls skipped rope beside a fountain, their skirts fluttering like flower petals.
The cobblestones gave way to marble steps as we meandered through the city and neared the palace gates. Two massive towers flanked the entry, their banners rippling with the distant sea breeze. Beyond the gates, a castle rose in breathtaking symmetry. It was a masterpiece of pale stone touched with veins of gold. Its high spires and sweeping arches reached toward the clouds like prayers cast in marble. The sunlight reflected off the metallic domed roofs, scattering a soft brilliance across the courtyard below. Water from nearby fountains glittered like liquid crystal, while the faint hum of the bay still echoed in the distance.
The guards parted, and the captain beckoned us to move forward.
“King Taran and his heir, Princess Réalta, will greet you formally in the throne room this evening,” Wyndfall said. “Afterward, you are invited to join them for a shared dinner. His Majesty hopes this meeting marks the beginning of peace between our realms.”
Peace. The word sounded fragile and delicate, like glass—beautiful, but easily broken if not treated with care.
I exchanged a glance with Daxton as we crossed the threshold into the palace. Whatever waited beyond these doors would decide more than land agreements and treaties.
It would shape the fate of all Valdor.
Chapter Thirteen
Réalta Avermont
The palace was eerily still. Evening light filtered through the arched windows, spilling ribbons of gold across the marble floors. Dust drifted lazily in the air from the rags of maids working into the evening hours.
I moved quietly between the columns that framed the hallway entrance leading to our guests’ quarters. The brush of my skirts was the only sound aside from the palace workers.
Anxiety stirred in my stomach as I approached the guest wing, ready to escort the High Fae and shifters to the throne room. I felt like I wasn’t supposed to be here, but fate was a fickle bitch, and here I was.
The sound of voices ahead drew me from my thoughts.
One was a deep baritone, clearly masculine, while the other was softer, a feminine voice that carried a unique authority all of its own.
I froze behind one of the marble pillars as a group emerged from the entry corridor.
The high king of the fae was unmistakable: pointed ears, silver-and-black hair, with haunting eyes that held a silver light.
Daxton Aegaeon,the famed Silver Shadow himself… a cold-blooded killer of my people.
He was tall, broad-shouldered, and had the kind of presence that quieted a room without a word. At his side, a woman in black pants and a matching silver-and-black coat stood with an air of confidence.
This had to be the alpha queen, Skylar Cathal. The shifter who could change into a phoenix.
There was a wildness in her, but also a steadiness in her gaze that spoke more of compassion than conquest. And something about her seemed familiar, but I couldn’t quite pinpoint it.
Three others followed the ruling pair: one was a brawny shifter who stood a head taller than the rest with a fiery-looking red-haired female at his side. The other was a male High Fae whose speculating dark eyes felt sharper than any blade. Their presence made the air around us feel heavier, charged with tension and distrust.
Swallowing my fears, I stepped forward before I could talk myself out of it.
“Hello,” I said, dipping my head slightly. “I’m here to escort you to the throne room.”
The alpha queen turned toward me, her amber eyes striking even in the dim hall. “You must be Princess Réalta.”
