Page 53 of A Trial of Two Worlds
“My father hasn’t left his rooms since her burial. His grief, thankfully, didn’t cause him to lose himself like Magnus,butit’s changed him. I know a piece of him died with my mother that day.”
“I’m so sorry, Gilen.” I sent a silent prayer to the Gods to look after those we’d lost. “I shouldn’t have barged into your room. I’m sorry about that, too.”
“Sky,” Gilen cut in, moving to close the door behind him. “You’ve been in here more times than I can count. It’s fine.”
“True. But that was then.”
The door shut, and I could see Gilen’s shoulders rise and fall as he inhaled a prolonged breath to try and steady himself.
“And now?” he asked as he turned. “Now what?”
“A lot has changed—”
“A lot hasn’t,” he interjected. “There are a lot of things that haven’t changed since you’ve been gone.”
The hairs on my neck stood at attention as Gilen’s power began to pulse within the room, responding to his rising emotions.
“I just can’t believe you’re back,” Gilen rasped, his voice heavy with emotion. A spark of hope rose to life from the depths of his obscured heartache. “Does this mean that you’ve won? Are the trials over?”
“No. There’s one more I have to complete.”
“The trial of—”
“The soul,” I said.
Gilen stroked his chin and gazed out the window before turning to look at me his gaze softening. “Sit with me.” He motioned to the bench along the windowsill. “And tell me what you need.”
I was relieved to see remnants of my best friend living within the alpha standing before me, so I joined him. Gilen leaned against the wall on the opposite side with one knee bent beneath him, resting his forearms on his thighs.
It all felt so normal, just like when we were kids, or dare I sayfriends.
I took my place beside Gilen, crossing my legs as I prepared myself to tell him about the final trial.
“Start from the beginning,” he said. “You really defeated the first two trials?”
I pulled up my sleeve, revealing the two ebony stars filled in on my skin. “I did.”
His smile was soft. “Then, by all means, the floor is yours.”
I told him everything about the labyrinth and the basilisk, including Daxton joining me in the second trial. “And now, I’m here for the final task.”
“Why didn’t Daxton come with you here?” Gilen asked with what appeared to be genuine interest.
“He—” I stumbled, biting my lip to prevent my feelings from spilling over. “He’s with Queen Minaeve.”
His brows furrowed. “Why would—”
“Gilen,” I interjected, wanting to change the subject. “I need your help with the final trial.”
He blinked as he leaned forward, his honey-colored eyes warming like the sun as his attention recentered on the reason I was here.
“How can I help?” Gilen’s voice was easy and sincere.
I steadied myself, taking a deep breath before saying, “I need the alpha’s dagger.”
The softness in Gilen’s expression hardened like the ice on the windowsill. “What?” he asked, sitting straight. “Skylar, do you realize what you’re asking of me?”
“I do,” I answered, reaching out to grasp his hand, pleading with him to listen. “Trust me, I understand.”
