Page 118 of Taken By the Fae King

His brow furrows deeply. “See what?”

“The amplifier… that’s how we win this war.”

He frowns, but I continue. “Each of us should have one.”

“Us?” Raiden asks.

“Yes. Inara, Freyja, and me.”

“It’s dangerous,” Kyven says.

“But necessary,” I counter. “Without it, I wouldn’t have been strong enough to repair the barrier on my own. You know that.”

He clenches his jaw and gives me a reluctant nod.

I turn to Kyven. “We have to tell the others, and we need more amplifiers.”

“Where do we even begin to find them?” Raiden asks.

“I do not know,” I admit. “But I know someone who might.” I turn to Kyven. “We need to speak with Scholar Norlyn. If anyone knows, it’s him.”

Sighing heavily, Kyven dips his chin in a subtle nod.

EPILOGUE

GRAYCE

Isit in the dimly lit corner of the palace library, a leather-bound tome splayed open in my hands. The worn pages whisper of amplifier gemstones and the elusive world between worlds where they can be found. My heart tightens with worry as I think of Lukas. He volunteered to find that mysterious place to locate more gemstones for us, trusting no one else for the task.

According to Norlyn, Wolf-Shifters can pass more easily in the world between worlds, hiding amongst the many monsters that are rumored to lurk there. I hope he was wrong, but all his research suggests there are things in that plane of existence that are the stuff of nightmares.

A soft creak behind me is the only warning I get before Kyven’s arms encircle my waist, pulling me back against his warm chest. His lips find the curve of my neck, pressing feather-light kisses along my skin, and my worries momentarily dissolve.

“You’re worried about Lukas,” he murmurs, his breath tickling my ear.

I nod, my fingers tracing the words on the page. “He’s been gone so long, and the world between worlds is so dangerous.”

Kyven’s grip tightens around me, reassuring and strong. “Lukas is strong, too. He’ll return. I have every confidence in him.”

I can’t help but tease Kyven, the corners of my mouth lifting into a playful smile. “I thought you didn’t like Lukas.”

Kyven chuckles, the vibrations moving through me. “I’ll admit, he’s growing on me. He’s proven his loyalty and determination.”

His hands move to my hips, guiding me as he lifts me onto the edge of a nearby table, the heavy book forgotten. I wrap my legs around his waist, pulling him closer as his lips find mine in a tender kiss. Our lips mesh repeatedly in a delicate dance, a balance between passionate love and burning desire.

Kyven’s fingers tangle in my hair as he deepens the kiss, his other hand pressed against my back, holding me close.

“What if someone sees us,” I whisper between kisses. “What if—”

He snaps his fingers, and a clear barrier surrounds us so that no one can see or hear us anymore. I moan as Kyven cups my breast through my tunic dress. “Need you,” he murmurs into my mouth. “Your scent is intoxicating. I want to taste you on my tongue.”

Carefully, he guides me back onto the table and lifts the hem of my skirt. He pushes it up to my waist and his eyes hold mine, full of fire and intense possession as he guides first one leg and then the other over his shoulders.

I’m breathless with anticipation as he slices away the small scrap of fabric between my thighs. He presses a series of heated kisses up the length of my inner thigh, and I moan out his name. He is so close to where I want him to be.

Without warning, he goes still.

He lifts his head to me, his brow furrowed deeply.

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