Page 43 of Spirit Trials (The Spirit Kingdoms #1)

I frown at him. “I'm mad at you.”

His lips threaten to tug up at the corners. “Why does that not surprise me?”

I refuse to smile. “You broke your word.”

His smile disappears. “How so?”

“You told me you wouldn’t send your wolf.”

His expression doesn’t change. “I didn’t.”

I level a look at him. “That also meant you weren’t supposed to allow Shade to come.” Before he can say anything, I add, “But I’m grateful you did. I wouldn’t have made it back if not for him.”

Rysden’s gaze is on my face, unblinking. “Farrah, I didn’t send him. Shade never left my side.”

“Yes, he did. He was there. He helped me survive,” I argue.

Rysden shakes his head slowly. “No, he didn’t. He never sensed you were in danger.” He looks down at Shade and then back at me. His expression is one I can’t read, and I’m getting pretty good at reading his expressions. “What happened out there?” His eyebrows are bunched together.

“Shade came to me when I needed him most and got me to land.” I frown, remembering. “His eyes were more purple though,” I say somewhat absently.

Rysden shakes his head. “Shade didn't come to you.”

“He did,” I argue. “He got me back here.”

Rysden studies my face. “Farrah,” he says almost gently. “You were by yourself when Shade and I got to you. I put you on my horse and brought you here.”

I stare at Shade, frustrated. “It was him,” but my words trail off. Was I imagining the whole thing?

Shade sits at the door, and Rysden opens it for him. He looks back at me. “He wants me to follow him.”

“Wait, I’m coming with,” I say, throwing back the furs covering me. I take one step and nearly face-plant, but Rysden catches me and steadies me.

“You good?”

“I’m fine.” I throw on my boots and take note of the fact that I feel sluggish. “How long has it been since the trial?”

“Two days,” he says, and my mouth opens in shock.

“I slept for two days?”

He makes a sound in his chest but doesn’t say anything as we walk out into the hallway.

Shade waits at the base of the stairs for us.

It takes me a minute to walk down the stairs; I’m feeling shaky and weak—a feeling I’ve decided I don’t like.

“Wait here,” Rysden says when we get to the ground floor.

He walks away, leaving me with Shade. I ease down onto the first step, feeling completely depleted.

“Here. This will give you some energy.” Rysden hands me a chunk of bread and some cheese.

I didn’t realize how hungry I was until I start eating.

Rysden eyes me in concern, but I wave him off.

“I’m just hungry. I can eat this as we go.

Let’s follow Shade.” Shade has been pacing near the front door.

Whatever it is, he’s riled up. I shove another bite of bread and cheese in my mouth and walk over to the front door.

“Let’s go, Shade.” I open the door, and he bounds out.

I glance up at Rysden, but his face is blank.

Shade disappears down the path towards the stables, and we follow him.

I can tell Rysden is just about as anxious as Shade, but he stays at my side.

I want to ask a bunch of questions, but I have a feeling Rysden won’t answer them anyway.

So, I keep my mouth shut and walk over to the stables.

But Shade doesn’t go into the stable; he darts around the back.

I look up curiously at Rysden, but his expression remains carefully blank.

I walk around the back of the stable and freeze.

There’s another wolf, and Shade is licking the wolf and pressing his body against it.

I look up at Rysden, but his mouth is open in shock.

Then the new wolf turns its head to me, and I gasp when I see purple eyes.

“It was you.” I drop to my knees, and the beautiful wolf walks over to me.

I don’t hesitate before wrapping my arms around its neck. “Thank you,” I whisper into its fur.

You don’t need to thank me, a decisively female voice says.

I t’s my job to keep you safe . I realize a moment later that it’s in my head.

I pull back and stare at the she-wolf. I look up at Rysden, but he’s still in shock or something.

Shade walks over to the she-wolf and nuzzles her.

Mate, she says. I stare at the two of them together and wonder how I ever mistook her for Shade.

She has the same coloring, but her eyes are obviously different; and her body is smaller than Shade’s.

I am just as fierce.

I smile at her words in my head. “Yes, you are,” I murmur and run my hands through her fur. I shiver in the cold and turn to Rysden. “It’s cold out here. Can they come inside?”

“If they want to.” His voice is low and devoid of any emotion.

I turn back to the wolves, but before I can say anything, Shade bounds past me and my she-wolf follows.

I laugh and follow behind them, leaving the quiet prince behind.

When I get to the front door, I open it and the two wolves step inside.

They walk towards the food area, and I figure they’re both probably hungry.

I worry for my wolf; she hasn’t eaten in three days.

Shade and I hunted together.

I nearly startle at the voice in my head again and smile to myself. It will take a little time to get used to that. “How do I do that?” I ask. The she wolf stops and turns back to me. “I mean you obviously understand my thoughts. How do I connect to you? Talk to you that way?”

You already are. The wolf continues forward next to Shade. I don’t even know what her name is. Solace, she supplies.

I stop walking. That's beautiful.

Thank you.

I smile because I just communicated with my wolf. I resist the urge to squeal. I have a wolf. A corporal wolf ! I follow the two wolves into the dining area. They both walk over to the fire. Lox stands up from the table slowly, his gaze following the wolves. “Is that...” his voice trails off.

I can’t help my grin. “My wolf. Her name is Solace.”

His eyes shoot to mine. “She’s corporal.”

“Yes, Captain Obvious. She is.”

“That’s...” he doesn’t say anymore; he just stares at Solace.

“I produced a spirit wolf,” I tell him, still beaming.

“That’s no spirit wolf,” a voice says from behind me.

I whirl around. “Hector.” I hug him tightly, even though his arms remain stiff at his side.

“Her name is Solace,” I tell him. He stares at my wolf, like he’s seeing a ghost. “Why is everyone acting so crazy? Rysden has a corporal wolf too.” I can’t resist walking over to the two wolves lying beside each other.

I run my hands over each of their backs.

“What in the name of all that’s holy is happening?”

I turn at the sound of Harper’s voice and grin. “Harper.” I jump to my feet and practically run over to hug her and Kinsley, who’s right behind her.

“I produced a spirit wolf! Can you believe it?”

“That’s a real wolf,” Harper feels the need to point out.

“She is; her name is Solace. Isn’t she beautiful?” I turn serious as I face my friends. “I’m so glad you’re both okay.”

“And you too,” Kinsley says, rubbing my back.

“I really didn’t think I was going to make it, but Solace got me through.

” I face the girls. “I got close to the island and those two guys...do you remember those two that messed with us early on? The blond and the dark-haired guy?” They nod.

“They came at me when I got close to the land and held me under water. I couldn’t fight against the two of them; they were too strong.

” I shudder, remembering. “I started losing consciousness; I thought I was going to die. Solace came to me and kept me from dying.” I shake my head, reliving those terrible moments.

“Names.”

Rysden’s command startles me out of the memories, and my eyes shoot up. I hadn’t realized he’d come into the room. He stands a few feet away with his arms crossed over his chest, his feet planted.

“Not this again, Rysden. They’re probably dead anyway.”

They’re not dead, Solace says through our link.

I whirl around. “That is going to take getting used to.”

“What is?” Kinsley asks in confusion.

“Her voice in my head.”

Kinsley and Harper’s eyes go wide. “She can communicate with you?”

I nod. “Crazy, isn’t it?” My smile widens. “I’m so glad you both made it back okay.” It hits me suddenly. “Wait, you’re here.”

Harper frowns and puts a hand on my head. “Did you hit your head?”

I pull away. “No, I mean you’re here and not with the banished.”

My eyes shoot to Rysden. “You let them stay.” I don’t look away from him.

My heart tugs in my chest, and I walk over to him.

I don’t stop to think about it as I wrap my arms around his waist. I feel his body stiffen, but I don’t let it bother me.

“Thank you, Rysden.” I don’t dwell on the fact that I can feel the muscles in his chest and arms with my arms wrapped around him like this.

I also don’t dwell on the fact that he smells so good—like the scent of the trees after a rain, a scent that is one hundred percent Rysden.

I force myself to release him and step back.

When I look up at him, his eyes are darker than they usually are.

“You’re welcome.” Before I can walk away, he snags my wrist and pulls me out of the room into the entryway. “Who tried to kill you?” he asks, his eyes flashing dangerously.

“It doesn’t matter, Rysden.”

“It matters.” I take in his scowl and the tightness of his muscles.

I frown and cross my arms over my chest. “You need to let this go. It was my trial, not yours. Why does it matter, anyway? Why are you so protective?”

He doesn’t even blink. “You’re my mate.”

My mouth falls open a moment before I recover. “You mean, our wolves are mates. You and I are just...” words fail me.

“Just what?” he asks, taking a step closer. I resist the urge to take a step backwards.

“Just two people...who have wolves...who are mates.” By the time I finish getting the words out, we’re practically chest to chest.

“Listen to me very carefully, Farrah. You. Are. My. Mate. My soulmate. Our wolves are both corporal, something that hasn’t happened in this century. Now who tried to kill my mate?”

I hear two voices behind me and am not surprised when Harper and Kinsley step into my line of sight. “Oh, sorry,” Kinsley almost whispers. “We thought you went upstairs.”

Rysden never looks away from me. “Names.”

“Oh, uh Kinsley,” Kinsley answers from behind me.

“Not our names,” Harper says in exasperation.

I resist the urge to laugh as Rysden’s scowl deepens. “What are the names of the guys who tried to drown you?” He says the words slowly and loud enough my friends can hear.

“Morvek and Kaedrun,” Harper says from behind me.

I close my eyes and hiss Harper’s name. That’s the second time she’s succumbed someone to Rysden’s wrath.

“I’m not sorry, Far. Not after what they tried to do to you. They tried to kill you.”

I ignore Harper’s words and focus on Rysden. His eyes never leave my face. “I’ll be back.”

“Wait, Rysden.” He walks over to the front door. Shade appears at his side a moment later, but Solace stays at my side. Without thinking, I run my fingers through her fur.

“Protect her,” Rysden says to Solace before turning to me. “Stay here.”

I throw my hands up. “Where else am I going to go?”

“You seem to always find trouble.”

I scowl at him. “You better watch it, Prince.”

“I don’t know when I’ll be back.”

Desperate to stop him, I call out, “Shouldn’t we talk about this? The whole...mate thing?” I’m scrambling now, trying to stall him from whatever it is he’s going to do to those boys.

“What I have in mind doesn’t involve much talking.” He meets my gaze head-on. “I’ll be back.” His voice is softer now, and then he’s gone.

“Oh, ho, ho,” Harper calls out, laughing loudly.

“You should see your face,” Kinsley says, joining Harper.

I can feel my face heat to a thousand degrees. I head back into the dining area and grab a plate of food. Without a word, I sit at the table. “I don’t know if you know this or not, but your face is red,” Lox says with an easy grin. I pick up the roll on my plate and throw it at him.