The Veil of Darkness
Chapter 288: The Forest Trial (Part One)

Chapter 288: The Forest Trial (Part One)

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Damien asked as he weighed the sword that he was holding in his hand. "You don’t have to pressure yourself unless you are ready for it." Despite his serious expression, he clearly looked worried for her.

"Damien is right, Litlle Bird. Though you have been training for a couple of months by now, it’s still not enough for a head-on battle with this man over here. Let’s stick to training for now, okay?" Kenric suggested as he too appeared worried for his woman’s safety.

Annalise let out a small sigh as she pushed the sleeve of her shirt to her elbows. To make movements more convenient, she had been wearing trousers and shirts while doing physical training. "I have made up my mind. It’s time to see exactly how much I have learned in the past couple of months."

She was determined about her choice of having a sparring battle with Damien and the reason she chose him particularly was because she knew that he was the only one who wouldn’t go soft on her just because she was his mate.

Kenric immediately turned his attention toward Valerius who had been standing at the sideline while silently listening to their exchanges. "How about you persuade her?"

Annalise also turned to look at the First Dark Lord. Knowing that he was the most understanding and logical among all of them and also the one who knew her best, she was looking forward to what he had to say.

Valerius’ gaze shifted from Kenric to Damien before coming to rest on Annalise as if he was studying all of them and their thoughts. A second or two later, he returned his gaze to Kenric as he finally spoke - "Let her compete if that is what her heart desires. Besides, this will actually help us in testing her and understanding the areas where she is still lacking and we need to provide more training."

And he didn’t disappoint at all. Just like Annalise was expecting, he was siding with her while looking like he was just using logic to solve the issue. Maybe that was what he actually doing but she liked the idea of him helping her out.

"Alright. Let’s get ready then." Damien announced as he stretched out his arms to loosen his muscles. His dark raven eyes bored into Annalise’s as he warned her, "I won’t hold back, Princess."

"Good. That’s exactly what I want." Annalise answered as she watched Kenric moving to the sidelines with a dejected look on his face. The Third Dark Lord seemed done with all of them.

"Do your best, Little Bird," Kenric shouted from where he was now standing not too far from Valerius.

Annalise gave the Autumn Prince a warm smile before she turned her attention toward Damien, The Shadow Prince was ready to turn the training ground into a battlefield. He looked like someone who enjoyed fighting or wars, it made his powers and soul to show their full capability where he didn’t have to hold himself back.

"Good luck, Princess." He whispered so softly that if not for her enhanced hearing, Annalise would have missed those words completely.

She didn’t get much time to process his words and come up with a reply because the very next second, the space around her shimmered as both Valerius and Kenric disappeared from the sidelines, and the training ground transformed into a completely different place.

The Shadow Prince was indeed not holding back at all.

Annalise sensed the shift in the air as the presence of magic became heavier, and that was when she countered. What her husbands didn’t know was that they were not the only ones training her all this time and that she had learned way more than what they taught her.

Recalling what Esmeray had taught her not too long ago, she allowed her senses to pick on the spell that Damien had just cast and allowed her mind to slowly unthread it in the back of her head while she turned the rest of her attention toward her husband who was not done yet.

However, he was nowhere to be seen.

Fog wafted around her, along with thick and tall trees that were branching out widely. The daylight was gone and she found herself in a forest.

She heard footsteps crinkling on the forest floor right before she heard a familiar voice from behind her - "Your first task is to not lose focus on who and where your real enemy is."

Annalise turned around to see the Shadow Prince standing right in front of her. Handsome. Deadly. And eyes swarming with power that made them shine like midnight.

Thankfully, she didn’t allow herself to get distracted because the very next moment she was faced with a sharp blow from her dear husband that she dodged at the very last second.

His moves were quick but she was faster, another trait of hers that she learned because of Esmeray and practiced on her own. If she had indeed anything to do with light, she must check if she had the characteristics of one.

Damien’s sword came slashing toward her and she ducked. At the same time, she kicked him in the back of his knees, taking him off guard.

The Shadow Prince buckled slightly but didn’t fall, not like she was expecting much when it came to her physical strength when compared to his bulky and strong form. Physical strength wasn’t her advantage at all here.

Her ears registered movements nearby and this time, they weren’t coming from Damien. She sensed the presence of some sort of animals, they were lurking in the shadows around them. What she couldn’t tell was whether they had plans to attack them or not. She didn’t have enough time to think about that.

She and Damien continued exchanging some more blows but Annalise knew that if they continued like this, she would be the one at disadvantage, and that was exactly what he wanted. She needed to find his weakness.