Page 3 of Chosen By the Fae King

May the gods have mercy on those who dared to poison the blood of our kingdom because I sure as hell wouldn’t.

One

Aeryn

The morning sun drenched the rolling hills of Greenhollow in golden light, illuminating the thatched rooftops of its small stone cottages scattered among the rolling hills. My boots crunched on the dirt path as I made my way into town, nodding to the few early risers going about their morning chores.

I loved this time of day. It felt like the gods were shining approval on our small community, a mere blip on the map of the Kingdom of Falcondale.

In the Torrach Realm, where fae outnumbered most other beings, kingdoms were aplenty. I'd heard there were enormous cities and breathtaking sights of fae creation across all the realm, and that dozens of sects had contributed to create harmony and balance.

Though curious, I had no desire to seek out such sights. I was safe and self-sufficient here.

Why would I ever want to leave? I thought to myself as the sunshine warmed my skin.

I had the Quinn family to thank for my contentment. They'd taken me in when I was young, a scrawny orphaned girl with nothing to my name but the clothes on my back and the tiny parcel of land my parents had left me.

They'd helped me cultivate a handful of acres until I could handle all fifteen of them on my own. Over the years I'd formed bonds with them, as strong as any kin. Stronger, even.

There wasn’t anything I wouldn't do for them, especially Sofiya.

Speaking of, I should have come across her by now. We always did our weekly shopping together.

My best friend was the pure soul who first showed me kindness in this place, and I owed her more than I could ever repay.

She'd convinced her mother, Brigid, to let me live with them until I was old enough to stay in my parents' cottage alone. For five years they kept me in their home and begged me not to move out when I'd decided it was time.

Sofiya had been a light when my world had turned dark.

I spotted her sitting on the steps of the stone fountain in the center of the square, her chestnut waves spilling over the pale green shawl wrapped around her shoulders. Even from a distance I could see the worry etched into her delicate features.

Something was wrong. My pace quickened as I strode over to her, boots kicking up dust with every step.

“What is it?” I knelt down, taking her hands into mine.

I quickly scanned the area for any signs of danger. The usual morning crowd was sparse.

A few clusters of fae were scattered along the walkways that lined the storefronts, quietly whispering to one another. The village was eerily quiet for this time of morning.

Then, l spotted what was surely the source of her anxiety. I hadn't seen one of them in years. I nearly forgot how fearsome they could look.

“Why are they here?”

Sofiya bit her lip, amber eyes flickering with fear as they met my own. “They're here,” she whispered, “because the king is dead. His son has taken the throne and sent soldiers around the kingdom to take females to Thornewood.”

My blood turned to ice. King Orson had died? How? Fae didn't die easily.

And now the new king's soldiers were here. There was only one reason they would come collecting fae females in the Kingdom of Falcondale.

The trials.

“Over my dead body,” I vowed, hands curling into fists at my sides. No one was taking Sofiya. Not if I had anything to say about it.

Sofiya's eyes welled with tears, her hands twisting in the fabric of her skirt. “It's too late, Aeryn. They've just been waiting for more villagers to gather so they can announce it. The rider in charge said if anyone refuses, all of Greenhollow will be punished.”

Rage boiled in my veins, hot and swift. So this was how King Nox planned to take a bride, was it? By force and violence, caring not for the lives he would ruin along the way?

I should have known a male with a reputation as black as pitch would stop at nothing to get what he wanted.

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