Page 3 of Taken By the Fae King

I’ve seen him so many times in my dreams, his face is as familiar to me as my own, and now I believe I know why.

For better or worse, this man is my fate.

CHAPTER2

KYVEN

My heart clenches as her hazel eyes study me warily. As if I were no more than a stranger before her, instead of the man she once loved. And yet… I am not that man. Not to her, anyway. She does not know it was me who came to her almost every night, glamoured to appear as a human named Joren, trying to win her heart.

She is my Fated One. I knew the moment I saw her that she was myA’lyra. I should have told her then who I was, but our people have been enemies for so long, I worried she would reject me.

I had planned to reveal the truth of who I am, but then word came that my father and older brother were dying. I would have returned to her sooner, but the mantle of rule has been much harder than I imagined, especially under the weight of my grief.

I wish more than anything that I could tell her who I was, but I cannot. Not without risking the wrath of the gods.

These past few months that I’ve been away from her have been torture. My heart aches just looking at her face. She is even more lovely than I remembered. I am completely mesmerized as her gaze holds mine and a pink blush blooms across her cheeks and nose, spreading to her delicately rounded human ears.

My fingers ache to run through her long, silken chestnut hair. The delicate scent of rose oil with a hint of lavender floods my nostrils, her familiar scent stirring the primal instincts buried deep inside me—the longing to mark and claim her as mine.

Long, dark lashes frame her eyes—their golden-brown coloring flecked through with chips of green. I study the pattern of tiny spots that dot her cheeks and her dainty nose as her rose pink lips part slightly beneath my gaze.

She is dressed in a long, purple, silken gown—her favorite color. Try as I might, I cannot tear my eyes from her. I have seen many things in my life, but none of them more beautiful than Grayce.

She would have been mine two days ago, but our wedding was interrupted by the untimely arrival of the Dragon King—Aurdyn—and his human mate, Freyja—Grayce’s cousin.

Our human ceremony is supposed to be tomorrow, but the revelation that Freyja is now mated to King Aurdyn has changed things. The Dragons of the Ice Mountains have agreed to an alliance with Florin.

Dragons are powerful beings. With Aurdyn and his warriors now on their side, King Edmynd may believe he has no need of a treaty with my people for protection against the Mages and the Wraith.

He asked for this meeting a few hours ago, and I have been on edge ever since, worried that he will confirm this, and that Grayce will inform me that she wishes to dissolve our betrothal and cancel our wedding tomorrow.

Despite the worry in my heart, I force my expression to remain impassive as I wait to hear what they have to say. Hopefully, Edmynd simply wishes to renegotiate some of the terms of our proposed treaty now that Florin is in a relative position of power with their new alliance with the Dragons.

If I am right, I will grant him whatever he asks. I have never wanted anything as much as I desire Grayce, and I will do whatever it takes to make her mine.

I bite back a growl when King Edmynd’s advisor, Lord Marden, steps forward. I’ve never met anyone as disagreeable as this man. With his abnormally long, pointed nose and beady eyes, he reminds me of a weasel. He’s the reason I brought Lord Torien with us.

Torien was my father’s advisor, and now serves as my own. He and Lord Marden are the ones who worked out the tenuous truce between us and Florin after Grayce’s father died in battle against our warriors. Her father declared war upon Anlora shortly after the assassination of his wife—the queen—Grayce’s mother. He was convinced our people had something to do with her death, despite my father’s vehement denial.

Lord Marden holds up the treaty, unrolling it on the table before us. He points to a line on the parchment. “You’ll note here that we have updated the information regarding the current alliances of Florin to now include the Dragons of the Ice Mountains.” His gaze shifts to Lord Torien. “We understand your people have a somewhat contentious relationship with the Dragons. Knowing they are now allies of Florin, are you still interested in signing the treaty between our two kingdoms?”

“Yes,” I reply, relief flooding my veins. I will gladly put up with the arrogance of King Aurdyn and his Dragons if it means that I can have Grayce.

I desire peace as much as King Edmynd does, but my people have powerful magic; we do not need Florin. The treaty has never been my primary goal. I only proposed it so that I could take his sister’s hand.

It seems the humans do not understand the advantage they now have, and I do not want to give them time to realize it, nor for Grayce to change her mind about marrying me. “We will sign the treaty tomorrow, immediately after the wedding.”

Edmynd steps forward, his gaze meeting mine evenly. “I have a proposal for you to consider before we do that.”

Worry creeps down my spine as he studies me with a calculating look. It seems I was wrong. King Edmynd does know that he has an advantage now, and I wait with bated breath to find out how he intends to wield it.

“What is it?” I ask, clenching my jaw. Edmynd has never negotiated nor bargained with a Fae as determined as I am now. The call of the bond stirs something dark and primal within, demanding that I claim my mate, and I will do whatever it takes to secure Grayce’s hand.

“You have a younger sister. Are you willing to offer her up in this bargain?” Edmynd challenges. “Because we have yet to explore that option, King Kyven.”

Grayce and Raiden’s eyes widen slightly. It seems they are as stunned by this suggestion as I am.

“My sister is only twenty-two years old.” I narrow my eyes. “She is not yet of age to join with another. I will not marry her off to—”

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