Shadowborn Royals - G. Bailey Page 0,16

distance.

“We should go there,” I say, pointing at them.

Memphis tackles a wolf that lunges forward, killing it with a single swipe of his sword. “Then let’s go.”

Axel turns to Scott. “Brother, can you shift?”

“I might not be fae but I’ve still got a few tricks up my sleeve,” Scott says, and in the blink of an eye, he shapeshifts into a huge white eagle with beautiful slate-grey wings. He chirps at me and then takes to the sky.

We’re quick to follow, and thank goodness, because once my feet leave the sand, Tyler lunges forward in his wolf form. If I’d lifted off the ground a second later, my foot would now be snapped between his jaw. I can’t help the smug grin that spreads over my lips at the sight of him snarling up at me. Why the idiot isn’t flying, I have no idea… until we reach the halfway point.

“Fuck! It’s a flight field,” Axel grumbles, jutting his chin toward the veil of magic protecting the escarpments. “Motherfuckers.”

“What’s a flight field?” I ask, landing on the ground beside him.

“It’s a magical barrier that prevents anyone and anything from flying. They used the same bullshit during the Fae Tryouts.”

“Well,” Scott says, shapeshifting back, “we should hurry up if we need to walk the rest of the way.”

And so we do. The instant I step through the barrier, a gold arrow appears in my quiver. I nock the arrow and shoot it a few feet into the desert to test it. The arrow hits the sand and then materalises back inside the quiver. Thank the goddess the weapon is indeed magical. With an even greater determination, I follow the guys across the desert, and we soon figure out why we can’t shift by the time we reach our destination.

What I thought was escarpments is actually an enormous maze with towering red-stone walls. They tower over us and cause shadows to stretch over the desert around us. The inmates who arrived before hurry through one of the entrances and I can already feel myself tensing up at the thought of being trapped in a maze. Way too claustrophobic for my liking.

“Looks like we gotta split up,” Memphis says, then glancing at the other inmates not far away, adds, “and soon. Won’t be long before they catch up.” He looks back and grins at me. “Not that I’m above spilling some wolf blood.”

“Well, before you get happy trigger with that, we need to decide who stays with Izora.”

The guys all look at me, their expressions equally determined as the last. I’d rather not get separated but there’s two entrances so we don’t really much of a choice. We need to keep moving through the maze if we want to get out.

I look up at Memphis and Axel, who both hate the Trials more than anyone. They can also take care of themselves and I’d rather not stress them out more with having to look out for me.

“Me and Scott will take the right door,” I say, nodding at the professor. “Is there a way for us to find each other if we get lost?”

Scott steps beside me. “There’s a lost and found charm called vrísko̱.” He holds out his palm and waves his other hand over it. In the palm of his hand, four silver pins appear. “These will bind us for the duration of this Trial. When either of us gets lost, we simply rub the pin and repeat the spell. A light will flare into the sky and your pin will glow the closer you are until it’s reunited with another pin. You repeat the process until all four are returned. Only those who wear the pin on their clothes can see the light.”

We each take one.

Scott pins his to the collar of his black t-shirt and whispers the incantation.

“Hidden far or near, I call for Selena’s moon to guide us here.”

I pin mine above my heart and nod at the guys. “Okay, let’s go.”

With Scott at my side, we enter the maze and the sun is immediately blocked out by the narrow walls. My heart squeezes at the thought of being separated from Axel and Memphis. I know they can handle themselves, but I still hate that I won’t be there to help. The thought of Tyler and his wolf cronies attacking them boils my blood.

Scott falls into step beside me. “Once this is all over, I want to cook you dinner.”

I blink up at him, surprised by the random