Page 8 of Taken By the Fae King

She mentioned once that she often wondered if the gardens of the palace of the High Elves were as beautiful as she’d heard.

I have seen them, and while they are impressive, they pale in comparison the those of my kingdom. It is my hope that she will love the gardens of my palace as much as she loves these.

I search for the balcony that belongs to Grayce. It is dark, but my people have sharp night vision. The light of a half-moon provides enough illumination that I am able to see very clearly. My heart stutters and stops as she steps outside.

The cool breeze tussles her long, chestnut hair as she gazes down at the gardens. Dressed only in her sleep gown, I watch as she wraps a heavy cloak around her shoulders. A smile crests my lips as I observe her climb down the vines that hang from her balcony. Her movements are graceful, and I am fascinated by her daring and stealth.

I know I should not, but I cannot resist the urge to follow her. Carefully, I drop over the side of my own balcony, extending my wings to drift quietly to the earth below. Quietly I make my way through the shadows, trailing after her through the palace gardens, her steps light and sure.

A half-moon casts silver light across her features as she slips among the hedges toward the wall along the back. I am completely and utterly entranced by her beauty and her spirit, and intense longing fills me as I recall all the nights we met here in secret when she thought I was someone else.

I know I should not be here, and that I should not alert her to my presence, but I cannot resist the pull of her allure.

When she agreed to marry me, concern was easily read in her eyes, despite her attempt to appear stoic. To her, I am a relative stranger, and I want nothing more than to put her mind at ease. To show her that I am a good male—worthy to be hers.

I want only to speak with her and reassure her that she has nothing to fear from me. I will always place her needs above those of my own. Drawing in a deep breath, I steady my nerves as I follow after her, my heart hammering in anticipation as I try to decide how best to approach.

CHAPTER5

GRAYCE

It is late, but I cannot sleep. Mist swirls around my ankles and feet as I make my way along one of the many worn garden paths toward the back wall. Winter’s approach has rendered the roses dormant, but their branches are still green and covered with leaves.

This has always been my favorite place to escape. It is far enough away to be hidden from view and so peaceful since it is not along any of the main paths that lead back to the castle.

Tomorrow, I will marry King Kyven, sealing an alliance between our two kingdoms. While I know it is the right decision, I cannot help but wish I knew more of my future husband.

His cold and calculating manner during the negotiations was somewhat intimidating. And yet, his expression softened when he addressed me directly. I love that he not only listened to what I had to say, but he cared about my thoughts. So, perhaps those are signs that he will, at least, be a partner that listens when I speak.

As I ponder this, I lie down in the grass and gaze up at the stars. The ground is soft and spongy beneath me from the almost constant rains of the past few weeks.

From a logical standpoint, I understand that marrying Kyven is the right thing to do, not only for our kingdom, but also for my family. An alliance with the Fae would mean no more bloodshed between our two peoples, but also more protection against any other attempts of invasion by the Order of Mages.

Even knowing this, I cannot help but wish for some sort of confirmation that I am on the right path. Sending a silent prayer to the gods, I ask for a sign. Something, anything to confirm that the decision to marry Kyven is the right one. Sighing heavily, I close my eyes.

“Grayce?” a man’s voice speaks softly, and my eyes snap open. I inhale sharply as my gaze lands on Kyven standing over me, worry etched in his features. “Are you all right?”

I jerk up to sitting. “I—I’m fine. What are you doing here?”

“I… could not sleep,” he says.

Surprised by his answer, I blink up at him. “I couldn’t either.” I start to stand but settle back on my hands as he takes a seat beside me.

“It’s quite lovely out here,” he muses, looking up. “Clear skies, a half-full moon, and a blanket of stars.”

“It is,” I agree.

I study him a moment. His head is tipped up to the sky, his wings relaxed at his back, and his expression thoughtful and contemplative. As if his only concern were to count the stars and survey the moon overhead. As if an important decision that will affect both of our lives and that of our kingdoms was not looming over our heads.

“Do you normally have trouble sleeping?” he asks, his gaze still fixed on the sky.

“Only when I am anxious about something,” I reluctantly admit.

“Me too.” He sighs and then turns to me, arching a brow. “Do you want to talk about it?”

I frown. What sort of game is he playing? Surely, he knows what I am concerned about.

When I hesitate, he asks, “How about I go first?”

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