Page 22 of Taken By the Fae King

Her jaw drops, but she quickly snaps it shut. She swallows hard, but says nothing. I open my mouth to speak, but Aren interrupts. He gestures toward the edge of the woods. “There they are, my king.” He turns to Grayce. “The shelters should be ready shortly, my queen.”

Grayce gives him a slight nod, but all the color drains from her face as she looks down at the tarps and bedding strung between the tree branches.

I hate the worry in her features, and as we carefully alight on a large branch beside the tent prepared for us, she clings even tighter to me. The sour scent of her fear permeates the air.

Aren flies over to us, the concern on his features indicating he can smell this as well. He bows low to her. “The scouts found no evidence of any enemies or danger nearby, my queen. All is well, and we will take turns keeping watch.”

“Thank you, Aren,” she gives him a soft smile, trying to mask her worry. “I trust you know what you are doing.”

A beaming grin lights his face at her faith in him. His eyes dart back to me. “I will be on first watch.”

I dip my chin and he flies away, leaving us alone.

CHAPTER14

GRAYCE

I’ve never been to the Dark Forest before now. I’d heard stories about the towering trees that are so tall they nearly touch the very clouds themselves, with trunks so thick that three people could hold hands around them and still not complete the circle.

The dark green needle-like leaves are thick and coarse, and the bark is rough like uneven and jagged stone.

I study the pitiful tarp strung between two thick branches that is somehow supposed to serve as my bed for the night.Ourbed, I correct myself as I glance at my new husband. A blanket and two small pillows are arranged on top, and another tarp hangs overhead to protect us from rain, but it is otherwise completely open to the elements. My gaze drops to the forest floor far below us.

Carefully, Kyven lowers my feet to the branch. As soon as my slippers touch the bark, panic seizes my chest, and I grip him even tighter.

“Grayce,” he murmurs as I cling to him as if my life depends upon it, worried I will fall. He smooths a hand across my shoulders and cups my chin, tipping my face up to his. “You must loosen your hold a bit so I can guide us to the bedding.”

Drawing in a shaking breath, I reluctantly meet his gaze. “You are safe, Grayce. I will not let you fall,” he whispers. “It is all right.”

“Easy for you to say,” I say shakily. “You did not fall out of a tree house when you were a child, did you?”

“Humans have homes in trees?” He cocks his head to the side. “I thought—”

A soft puff of air escapes me in a nervous laugh at his confusion. “No. They’re built for children to play in.” My entire body trembles slightly as I carefully peel myself away from his body, putting a small bit of space between us so we can move. “But they can be a bit dangerous.”

It’s only a few steps to the tarp, but even that does not appear very stable to me as I swallow against the knot of worry in my throat. Breathing in through my nose and out through my mouth, I shore up my courage as I hold Kyven’s hand as he guides me to the tarp.

Carefully, I sit, crossing my legs in front of me.

I watch curiously as he kneels on the branch and rests his palm on the bark. He bows his head, and a faint glowing light winds around his hand before disappearing. When he is finished, he lifts his gaze to me again.

“What were you doing?”

“I was thanking the trees for allowing us to shelter in their branches, and promising that I will not use any of my magic to manipulate their growth in any way.”

“What do you mean?”

“If we were in Anlora, I would have used my powers to weave a tight shelter of thick vines instead of using the tarps. But this forest is old. Older than any found in our kingdom,” he says wistfully. “And the trees here remember a time when others tried to use their magic to bend them to their will.”

My mouth drifts open. “I had no idea you were able to speak with and understand trees.”

“It is not exactly a conversation, per se,” he replies. “It is more of a… feeling.” He frowns. “I’m not quite sure how to explain it other than to say that our magic is closely interwoven with nature and because of this, we have a deeper understanding of the earth and the plants that take nourishment from its soil. It is the reason the gardens at the palace are the envy of many,” he says with a slight grin. “I believe you will enjoy them.”

I’ve heard stories of the famed gardens of Anlora’s castle, but I’ve never talked to anyone who has actually seen them. Some of those tales involved pixies that took their rest in blooming flowers and vibrant blooms that glow beneath the light of the silver moon.

I wonder if any of these things are true, but before I can ask, he smiles warmly at me. “I will fetch some food and drink.”

His wings flutter behind him, but I grip his forearm, stopping him abruptly. “Please, do not leave.” I wince inwardly at how weak and pitiful I sound. This is not who I am. I am strong, and I need to push down my fear.

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