Page 13 of Taken By the Fae King

The castle’s clock tower strikes on the quarter hour and worry fills me when I realize what time it is. “There isn’t time. It’s almost midnight. We need to get back to the castle.”

He frowns. “What happens at midnight?”

“It’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride after midnight on the night before the wedding.”

He frowns. “Bad luck?”

“Yes.” I turn my gaze back to the clock tower. “Go, before it’s too late. I’ll make my way back to my room.”

“I can fly you back to your balcony, if you wish,” he offers, and I nod.

He places one arm on my back and another behind my knees and hoists me to his chest as if I weigh nothing. Warmth fills me as he flashes a gorgeous grin. “Hold on to me.”

I wrap my arms around his neck and his wings begin to flutter furiously behind him. Slowly, we lift into the air. I gasp and tighten my grip as the ground falls away beneath us.

“I will not let you fall.” His warm breath whispers across my skin, carrying the soft scent of mint. “You are safe with me, Grayce.”

When we reach my balcony, he touches down so gently I’m not even sure he has landed until he carefully lowers me to my feet. He keeps his hands wrapped around my waist for a moment to make sure I am steady before he removes them and takes a small step back.

Kyven presses a tender kiss to the back of my knuckles. When he relinquishes my hand, I flex my fingers, already missing the warmth of his palm in my own, and I cannot shake the feeling that something has shifted between us.

“I enjoyed speaking with you, Grayce.”

“And I you, Kyven.” Heat floods my cheeks. It seems the rumors are true about the Fae being as charming as they are handsome. “I will see you tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow,” he repeats. A faint smile curves his gorgeous lips. “Until then, be assured that I’ll not sleep a wink.”

A soft laugh escapes me, but I quickly cover my mouth, not wanting to risk awakening my siblings.

He steps back and then flaps his wings, rising into the air. “Good night, Grayce.”

“Good night, Kyven,” I whisper in reply as he turns and flies back to his balcony.

When I step into my room, I make my way to the bed. I remove my cloak and fall back onto the mattress with a heavy sigh. Closing my eyes, I think of our kiss, and the feel of his body against mine while we hid from the guards, and I swallow thickly. How is it that he already affects me so? We only met a few days ago, and yet, it feels as though I’ve known him much longer.

Our conversation was comfortable instead of awkward. Kyven is handsome and charming, and has an easy way about him. Even as I think this, warning bells ring in my head for I already know that my heart is in danger. I could easily fall for this man—my soon-to-be husband.

I walk to my desk and pull open the top drawer. Lifting away the false bottom, I stare down at the letters Joren would leave for me, under a rock in the garden. I unfold the top one and my gaze drifts to the last line.Yours always, he had signed with his signature in curling and elegant script.

Shaking my head, I tuck it back beneath the ribbon binding them all together. I held onto them after he left, searching for any hint or a sign that I may have missed, but I found none. I do not know why he left me, and I have accepted that I will never have an answer.

I walk over to the fireplace and then toss the stack into the burning hearth, watching as the flames consume the pages. I will not allow Joren’s memory to cast any shadows over my life with Kyven. It would not be fair to him or to our future.

I reach up and touch my lips once more, remembering our kiss. Gods help me, I am already at risk of losing my heart to Kyven and we are not even married yet.

CHAPTER8

GRAYCE

Ismooth a hand over the silken skirt of my wedding gown as I study myself in the mirror. Inara stands behind me, adjusting the gold circlet crown atop my head. When she’s finished, she rests her hands on my shoulders and smiles. “You look beautiful.”

Her golden hair spills down her back in thick waves as her hazel eyes sparkle with happiness. I’ve always heard that pregnant women have a glow about them. Looking at her now, I believe it to be true. She just recently announced she and Varys are expecting.

“Are you all right?” she asks.

She’s my sister. And while I don’t want her worrying about me, I know she will understand what I’m feeling now. After all, it was not long ago that she married the Dark Elf King to forge an alliance. He was a stranger to her as well. “I’m just a bit nervous,” I admit. “I still cannot believe that I’ll be leaving here tomorrow. It will be hard leaving home.”

“I promise it will get easier,” she says, wrapping her arms around me and resting her head against mine. “At first, I missed home so much. And I still do miss being here, and seeing you, and Edmynd, and Raiden, and Lukas. But I love Ithylian. It feels just as much like home as Florin to me now.”

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