Page 21 of A Trial of War
“Perhaps.”
I shook my head, fighting the urge to smile despite the weight pressing down on all of us.
“I’m with Skylar on this,” Talon spoke to the table. “If we can avoid war, lives on both sides will be spared. It’s worth the risk. Peace is worth the effort to try.”
“So, we hope for the best, but plan for the worst.” Castor ran a hand through his hair with a long exhale. “Fan-fucking-tastic.”
I shifted in my seat. “We have to try, Cas—”
“I’m aware,” he cut in. “I just don’t like it.”
“You’re entitled not to favor a strategy,” Daxton said, “but Skylar and I would like us all to come to this decision together.”
“So,” Rhea said, “we prepare for bloodshed. But in the meantime, we’ll what? Play nice?”
My friend always had such a way with words.
“In a way,” I said, leaning into my seat. “No one here has ever seen the human kingdom, correct?”
Around the table, heads turned. And one by one, they shook their heads in silent agreement.
“Exactly,” I said, heart pounding wildly. “We’re blind to our opponent. We don’t know what forces King Taran commands. And, by some divine stroke of fate, if he’s cast Minaeve out of his court and is willing to ally with us, then we stand a chance at uniting against both her and Istar.”
“And if it’s a trap?” Zola asked bluntly, her tone razor-sharp. “What then?”
“Then we gather intel on our enemy and turn it against them when the time comes. Only a small group will answer the summons,” Daxton said, calm like a steady current in a stream. “Our main forces will remain to train while wesail to Zircon City, and you, Zola, will lead a small recon team that will go north to report the locations of their other forces.”
Talon cleared his throat, leaning forward. “And Gilen?”
The shifters in the room stiffened.
“What about him, Skylar?” Talon asked, the lines around his face creasing with worry. “What are we going to—”
“Leave him to me.” A low growl escaped my throat, leaving no room for argument.
My heart ached at the memory of Gilen breaking the pack bond. It was sharp, sudden, like lightning splitting the sky. One moment, his presence was a part of me, a constant hum beneath my skin. The next, a gaping void replaced where the connection had been.
“So, our high king and the shifter alpha are sailing to the human kingdom to answer a summons. Fantastic,” Castor said, full of dry amusement, breaking my saddened memory. “But before you go, there’s something we need to do. A show of unity before you meet with human royalty.”
Castor grinned, eyes darting to Daxton.
“What?” I asked, arching my brow.
Daxton’s voice dropped as he cleared his throat. “You hold many titles, Spitfire—my mate, champion, alpha, High Queen of the Inner Kingdom. But there’s one title you’ve yet to claim.”
I narrowed my gaze, lips pressing into a firm line. “And what title would that be?”
He chuckled, biting back his grin ashe said, “My wife.”
Chapter Eight
Skylar Cathal
“Hold still, Skylar!” Rhea said, cursing under her breath as she wrestled my hair into submission.
I groaned. “I’m not happy about this.”
“Oh, really?” she huffed. “Could’ve fooled me.”
