A Trial of Two Worlds (Valdor #3)

Recap Chapter

Recap as told by Castor Aegaeon

Well, well, well. Lucky for you, it’s me, your favorite prince with a silver tongue. Yes, I talk fast, kiss better, and have a talent for everything in between.

Now, let’s rewind to the glorious disaster that was the end of book two.

Hello, Crimson City. We arrive and meet with Adohan and Idris, along with a female fae, Nyssa, previously known as a fallen creature.

Mute, yes, but so stunning it’s hard to turn away.

I’m still reeling at her existence. Healing her, however, nearly kills Skylar.

So, yeah—good luck getting Daxton to approve that stunt again.

Zola, our lovely shadow-jumping spymaster, is called to bring her into “safe-keeping” in Silver Meadows.

Sensible, I’ll admit, although I was not a fan of this.

We finally get some rest, and of course, that’s when the prick, High Prince Seamus, decides to make his grand entrance.

He starts screwing with Skylar’s memories and tries to drag her off to Aelius like the absolute ass he is.

Daxton steps in and goes all knight-in-brooding-armor to save her—yay.

I was not invited to their private conversation later, so I can only imagine what happened behind Skylar’s closed doors that night.

But the next morning, they were both smiling…

Until our ruse is announced.

Trust me, I am annoyed by it almost as much as Skylar.

Aelius. Home of gloom, doom, and emotional constipation.

Gods, this place is basically the wilted lands with better lighting.

Then we have a “celebration,” and an “offering of power…” Offering, my ass.

And then Rhett unveils the trials scroll to Skylar…

alone. I almost gutted the scroll keeper right then and there for that stunt.

Seriously. And then, during the offering of the princes, I have to drag her out of the damn throne room before she tries to turn Minaeve into minced fae.

It would’ve been satisfying, but it also would’ve gotten us all killed.

At this point, I honestly can’t believe Sky and Dax, the idiots, still haven’t figured out their feelings for each other. I mean, we all knew, didn’t we?

Reece and I carry Daxton back to his rooms. He is fucking heavy and out cold. Fortunately, he allowed Skylar to heal him a bit. And after? Let’s just say when Daxton drops his voice and growls at me like that, I find better places to be.

The next morning, we’re off to the first trial.

Rhett, because the universe loves chaos, gifts Skylar the motherfucking armor of Aegis.

Daxton was debating whether to trust him.

Me? I was firmly team fuck no, this was somehow Minaeve’s doing.

I walk our fiery shifter to the trial entrance, and surprise, she wins.

She tells me later it involved earthquakes, underground monsters, a bargain, a favor, and her soul getting ripped out. No big deal. Just your average Tuesday.

Of course, Minaeve, the venomous little cunt that she is, tries to paint Skylar as insane and dangerous.

Classic move. We leave, but more trouble finds Skylar anyway.

We run into the king of the water nymphs, Malek, who drops some juicy hints about Skylar’s heritage.

Then, we have a lovely reunion with Minaeve and Seamus and learn the second riddle for the trials before being sent off to Silver Meadows.

Idris gave me and her mate Adohan a gods-dammed heart attack as she almost went into labor on our journey.

But thankfully, Skylar’s healing powers save the day again.

Once we cross into our own territory, I finally get to play a little card of my own and have Skylar swear a small oath to Silver Meadows.

Nothing huge, just enough to give her access to our wards and magic.

Look, we know the second trial is somewhere in our lands, and we all knew she’d do it for Daxton. So don’t judge me for being clever.

We arrive home, thank fuck, and my brother shows her his little books and whatnot while I go and fetch—

Gunnar: Me. Yes, this is where I make my glorious entrance. You know, the moment things get interesting.

Castor: This is painful.

Gunnar: No, this is an amazing part of the story. This is where I come in, and you leave on your little side quest.

Castor: And I’m sad for the readers. I know they miss me.

Gunnar: Fuck you, Castor.

Castor: That’s something I’ve never seriously considered, Gunnar.

Gunnar: I’m going to throw my axe, and we’ll see if your premonitions can dodge that.

Castor: Gods. Enough. Can we not derail this gods-damn recap.

Gunnar: Fine, I’ll be quiet… for now.

Castor: The gods have granted us a favor for once.

All right, Gunnar decides to have Skylar train for the Ice Gauntlet to prepare for slaying the unknown creature in the second trial, which is hiding somewhere in our lands.

Daxton sends me away to find it, and I think it’s because I don’t agree with his decision to let Skylar train in the Gauntlet…

but she’s not my mate. So, I decide not to pick this fight.

(Shit, you don’t know that yet, sorry. But I mean, come on… right?)

So, I leave. (And yes, apologies to you for my absence.) Anyway, Skylar’s there, watching Daxton run the damn Gauntlet like it’s a casual stroll through a garden…

Show-off. Then, of course, the cadets give it a go, and that’s when Reece—Gods, Reece—falls into the rocks.

Skylar? She swoops in like a gods-damn hero and saves him.

The whole Inner Kingdom’s been practically worshiping her since she volunteered.

And now? Well, it’s official, Skylar’s the People’s Champion.

Then Daxton, ever the thinker, decides to take Sky and Gunnar on a training run through the mountains… with heavy fog. If I were there, I would’ve seen this coming. Skylar wouldn’t have gotten hurt. But, hey, I wasn’t, so she did.

And that’s what sent Daxton off to hunt Anjani down, taking Zola with him. Oh, and guess what? That’s when his grand plan kicks into motion. The storm begins, and trust me, it’s one hell of a ride.

Now, while Skylar’s recovering, I’m still out on my own little side quest, but don’t worry, I’ll be back soon enough.

Daxton returns, looking all broody, with Zola and a new handy trinket that, spoiler alert, is going to lead us into war with Aelius.

Adohan is pissed. Great. If I had been there, we could’ve handled it differently. But nope, fate is a fickle bitch.

So, Daxton storms off… again. Skylar follows him to his secret meadow with fancy flowers because, I guess, that’s where all their feelings come out. He drops the “ask me” line.

Do you know what that means? Yes? Okay, great, moving on.

I finally return from my mission with the trial location, and of course, I swing by the archives, and I see…

her. Nyssa. Still as silent and damn beautiful as ever.

I take her to Skylar, where she shares the fun news: Skylar has to kill a basilisk.

Yes, a basilisk. I’m sure that will be easy.

Then my brother loses his mind, going full feral protective-mate mode.

It’s almost comical how much he loses his mind over it.

So, of course, I stand off against him because… Well, more on that later.

Skylar and Daxton enter the second trial.

They work together to kill the basilisk, which apparently talks to Skylar because of her shifter nature, and she is able to command it somehow before delivering the final strike.

I mean, what the fuck? The creature’s talking to her.

Creepy much? They kill it and obtain the second key, but not before Daxton is injured.

And… this is where everything begins to unravel.

Gods, here it comes.

Minaeve and Seamus attack Silver Meadows. Her lovely portals, powered by siphoning Daxton’s magic, drop her warriors into the heart of my home. You can imagine how well that went.

Then Dax and Skylar show up.

Skylar tries to save Daxton after he throws her inside the wards, but Minaeve holds him hostage.

The scroll reveals that Skylar must return to Solace to retrieve the final key, a dagger of some sort I vaguely remember seeing in the alpha’s home.

Needless to say, we are all pissed that Minaeve has Daxton.

Furious actually. When Minaeve left with Seamus, it was like a piece of my soul was ripped out.

Watching my brother being dragged back to the prisons beneath Aelius? Again? Gods, I can’t even.

But here’s the kicker: this is all part of Daxton’s plan. His twisted, fucked-up plan. And despite how much it kills me, I’ll help him see it through, whatever the cost.

There. That’s the mess we’re all in now.

Enjoy the read, my lovelies, especially to those lucky Fated Few. Brace yourselves for the fallout.