Page 53 of A Trial of War
“A fact I’m painfully aware of.”
Through the bond, I could feel his unease churning inside him like a winter storm. I wrapped my arms around his middle to try to ease his strain.
“Hey, are you okay?” Shaw asked, his eyes locked on me, a silent question lingering in his expression.
I opened my mouth to say something reassuring, but my body betrayed me. The adrenaline from the fight with the shadows, from healing Talon, from saving Shaw—everything had drained out of me in an instant. My knees buckled as my magic finally burned out, and I sank into Daxton’s hold. My shifter sleep on the verge of pulling me under.
“Skylar,” Daxton said, cradling me in his arms, “you need to rest. Let me—”
I shook my head. “No. I need a minute,” I managed, though I sounded far more exhausted than I intended. “You think there’s anything to eat around here? We missed out on a meal in Zircon with King Taran after all.”
Daxton sighed and shook his head.
Zola arched her brow. “Diplomacy went well, I see.”
“Marvelous,” I answered.
Shaw’s expression softened. He knew me far too well. “You’ve done enough. Don’t push yourself any further.”
I could feel the pressure building in my chest, the need to do more. But as I rested against Daxton, feeling the warmth of him seep into me, the overwhelming exhaustion settled in. My body was telling me what my mind refused to accept: I needed rest.
Daxton’s hand gently tilted my chin, lifting my gaze to meet his and anchoring me with his steady grip. “Let me help, Spitfire.”
Thank the gods above for him.
“Take a breath,” he whispered sending waves of magic through our bond to steady me. “I’ve got you.”
The quiet night stretched out around us, the faint rustling of the trees in the distance, and the occasional chirp of insects filling the air. I let the silence wash over me, but my thoughts were still restless.
“Wait,” I said, my voice hoarse. “Where is Neera?”
Zola watched Shaw for a moment before her sharp gaze turned toward me. Her expression was unreadable,although complex calculations were being made behind her dark eyes.
“I’ll go get her,” Zola said, her voice carrying a finality that made me pause. “Neera’s safe. I can bring her back quickly.”
She stood, stepped back into the shadows, and jumped away.
Daxton nodded, still holding me in his arms.
“She’ll be back in no time,” Shaw said, as he watched the space Zola vacated.
“You’re sure she’s safe?” I asked Shaw. My voice shook with unease. I was too gods-damned exhausted to hide my concern.
Shaw hesitated for a long moment… too long a moment. It wasn’t like him to hesitate, not when it came to matters such as this. My heart pounded in my chest as I continued to pin him with my stare—Daxton refusing to release me from his hold.
Finally, Shaw spoke, but his words were not the reassurance I’d been expecting. “We have a story to tell you,” he said quietly. “And I don’t think you’re going to believe it.”
Before I could process what he meant, the faint shimmer in the air returned. In an instant, Zola reappeared beside us, her figure materializing out of the shadows as if she had stepped from the very night itself, with Neera in tow.
Thank the gods above.
Relief flooded through me as Neera rushed to meet me. She was warm and safe, no harm had come to her, but there was something different about her. I could sense the shift, but not the reason for it.
“Skylar,” Neera murmured, wrapping her arms around me tightly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to worry, but—”
Before she could finish, Zola’s voice interrupted, her tone calm with a hint of something else. “I’ll be back. There’s someone else I need to bring back as well.”
Without waiting for a response, Zola disappeared again, vanishing into the shadows.
