Thornak woke with Lara nestled in his arms, her warmth pressed against him. For a fleeting moment, nothing else existed, only his mate safe in his arms.
Jax stirred within him.
Mark her. She is ours.
The urge to mark her clawed at him, but Thornak forced it down. He could not risk frightening her. She was human and these things take time.
Yet it was torture. The curve of her body beneath the thin nightdress tested his resolve, every breath she released against his chest feeding the fire he could barely contain.
He wanted nothing more than to claim her, to lose himself in her again. But duty pressed heavier than desire.
Today the council would convene. Today her trial would begin.
With a final lingering glance, Thornak forced himself to rise. He was careful so he wouldn't disturb her sleep.
....
Thornak sat at the head of the table, waiting until silence settled in the council chamber. The members were all seated, their eyes fixed on him, some wary and some curious.
The trial was about to begin.
Then an old Lycan with hair like snow stood slowly. Elder Corthan of the First Bloodline, a judge bearing the authority of the ancients, spoke.
"Today we are here for the Trial of Lady Lara Abdel, the king's chosen," he said. "She stands accused of treason of the highest order. Let the trial begin."
Thornak didn't have time for long speeches. He rose from his seat.
"I invoke the Trial of Loyalty."
Gasps echoed around the chamber.
Maravelle's eyes flashed. "What?"
"That's right." His voice rang with authority. "The Trial of Loyalty. Let it judge what we cannot."
Maravelle laughed. "Absurd. She isn't even one of us. She has no right to that ancient trial."
"Not even as my mate?" Thornak's eyes burned as he spoke.
The chamber erupted in shocked murmurs. With the exception of the queen, no one had known the truth, that Lara was his mate all along.
Maravelle looked as if he'd struck her.
"You dare bind yourself to a nameless girl, wolfless, and parade her before this council as though she carries the weight of our blood? You mock centuries of law, Thornak. You mock me."
"I mock nothing. I honor the very laws you twist to your liking. The Trial of Loyalty belongs to no throne, no queen, and no council. It belongs to the Goddess herself. And if you dare claim my mate is unworthy, then let the Goddess judge her, not you."
"Invoking this ancient rite for a human will defile our throne," she insisted.
"I am not asking for your permission," Thornak responded.
"The rite has been invoked," Elder Corthan said. "It cannot be undone."
Maravelle's fury trembled at the corners of her mouth, but she held her tongue.
Elsewhere in the castle, Iris ran through the corridors, weaving past startled courtiers. Lord Ethron caught her out of the corner of his eye and gave her a stern, disapproving look. She froze for a second, murmuring, "Sorry," before darting on.
She rushed past guards who tried not to bump into her path and finally reached Thornak's garden, where she knew Lara would be.
Lara looked up, surprised. "Iris? What's wrong?"
"My brother… he just invoked the Trial of Loyalty," Iris said, breathless.
"The Trial of… what?" Lara asked, frowning.
"The Trial of Loyalty," Iris said, catching her breath. "An ancient ritual. You mean you've never heard of it?"
Lara shook her head.
Iris sank onto the bench beside her, still breathing heavily from the run.
"It's… an ancient ritual," she began. "You stand before the oldest, immortal beings in the Lycan world. They can see everything… your intentions, your fears, your heart. Nothing can hide from them."
"Immortal beings?" Lara asked.
Iris nodded, her expression grim.
"Yes… they've been here since before the kingdoms were formed. They see through flesh, through lies, through everything. They know the truth about anyone who stands before them."
"So… where are these immortal Lycans?" Lara asked.
Iris shook her head, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
"I… I don't know exactly. They're said to dwell where the oldest power of our world lies, hidden.beyond where mortals can reach. No one I know knows where they are, only that they exist and they were once highly sought after."
"Ancient, immortal beings… and I have to face them?" Lara asked feeling slightly uneasy. "Are they… scary looking?"
Iris laughed softly. "Well, I don't know, but I hope not. Don't worry, you won't be facing them alone."
"Well, I have nothing to hide," Lara said, trying to steady her nerves.
Iris leaned closer, resting a hand on her arm. "Thornak believes in you. That's why he invoked it. He wouldn't risk this if he didn't."
....
Jasmine unfolded the note with trembling fingers. The words inside were brief, but enough to make her blood run cold. She closed it quickly, her eyes wide with shock.
Her mind raced as she contemplated her next move. This was serious, far too serious to ignore. She had to act, and fast.
Or should she tell the king? No, no.
She tucked the note carefully into her sleeve, her hands still shaking. She knew revealing its contents too soon could put everyone in danger, yet doing nothing was not an option.
Her thoughts immediately turned to Kael. He was bold, cunning, and ruthless when he needed to be. Yes, that was the way to go. She would find him, confide in him, and hope he understood the gravity of what was at stake.
Jasmine walked outside wondering where Kael might be. Perhaps he was at the trial. She spotted one of his men and hurried over.
"Is prince Kael at the trial?" she asked.
The guard shook his head. "He's in his chambers with..."
"With… who?" Jasmine pressed.
"Uh… he said he didn't want to be bothered," the man replied nervously.
"Well," Jasmine muttered, a determined edge to her voice, "I guess I'll be bothering him then, because I need him."