Page 36 of Taken By the Fae King

She nods.

“And… do you think they might come to regard me the same?” I ask hopefully.

She eyes me with a playful smile. “I suppose it depends upon the message I send with the raven.”

“Then perhaps we will have to embellish a few details of our journey thus far.” I grin. “You can say I took you on a tour of a majestic forest, followed by a tour of a lovely and quaint town along the border of the kingdom.”

Both of us dissolve into laughter, and my heart has never been so full. I thought I was in love with Grayce before, but now that I am getting to know her better, I realize that what I had felt was only the beginning of something so much deeper.

But the more of herself that she allows me to see, the more my guilt eats away at my soul. I hate having to keep such a huge lie from her, but I cannot risk her finding out the truth. And even though I know this, I cannot help but feel a terrible ache in my heart when I think of how much she already trusts me.

I am so undeserving of her trust that it nearly breaks me every time I think about it for too long. She leans closer to me on the sofa, telling me stories of her childhood. She is everything to me, and I am so afraid to lose her.

When we reach Sylari, I will go back to the heart tree and ask the spirit for guidance. I have never questioned her before, but I will now. I must know why it is so important to keep this truth from Grayce. Because with each hour that passes, it weighs heavy on my soul, and I fear that I will be unable to keep this secret for much longer.

CHAPTER22

GRAYCE

As the night wears on, Kyven and I trade stories of our childhood. And every time he flashes one of his devastatingly handsome smiles, my heart melts even more. Despite trying to be cautious and take things slow, I am already falling in love with my new husband.

A deep ache settles in my chest as I regard him. Deep down, I do not feel like Kyven would ever betray me, but my experience with Joren has made me so afraid of being hurt again.

It is late and my eyes blink open and closed as I struggle to stay awake. I enjoy Kyven’s company, and he makes me feel so safe. And while I am not ready to consummate our vows, I am ready to embrace the intimacy that has already developed between us.

I know we only spent one night together before now, but I cannot deny that I was looking forward to this one, remembering how wonderful it felt to be wrapped up in his arms and wings.

“Do you want me to leave so you may rest?” he whispers, and I realize that my eyes have closed.

“No. Stay with me,” I murmur sleepily. Halfway between sleep and wakefulness, I feel my body lean into his until my head is resting on his shoulder. He wraps his arm and wing around me, tugging me close as he settles onto his back, on the sofa, gently pulling me so that we’re both lying down.

His heart beats a steady rhythm against my palm, strong and reassuring. Wisps of memory float to the surface of my mind and my thoughts escape unfiltered. “Please, be careful with my heart,” I murmur against his chest.

He stills a moment, and then presses a tender kiss to the top of my head and whispers, “Always,” as I fall away into the void.

I’m standingbefore the Great Wall. A great crack rends the air and I snap my head up as stone and mortar crumble to dust, the wall collapsing before my eyes.

Mages and Wraith rush toward the opening. They clash with the Fae warriors of Corduin, leaving a trail of bloodied and broken bodies in their wake, painting the earth with blood.

A dark twisted form looms over me and bony fingers curl around my throat. Glowing, blood red eyes burn with rage as the Wraith snarls, revealing two rows of dagger-sharp fangs. “We are legion,” he growls. “We are the darkness, and nothing can stop us.”

My eyes snapopen as I wake with a start.

“Grayce?” Kyven’s voice cut through the fog of my nightmare. “It’s all right.” He pulls me to his chest, and I unashamedly curl into him, instinctively seeking comfort. “You are safe.” He smooths a hand down my back. “I am here.”

My heart hammers, and I draw in several deep breaths, trying to steady my nerves.

“You were dreaming,” he murmurs.

This was more than a dream, it was a vision. One that I’ve had many times. “It was not a dream,” I whisper. “It was a vision, Kyven.”

He stills. “What did you see?”

I love that he does not question how I know; he simply trusts that what I say is the truth. “The Wraith… somehow they tore down the Great Wall.” A tear slips down my cheek as the terrible image replays in my mind, but I quickly brush it away. “There were bodies… so many dead left in their wake.”

Drawing in a shaking breath, I close my eyes as a tear rolls down my cheek. “I hate the nighttime,” I whisper. “I am always worried of what I will dream. I seldom ever get a vision of something good. It is usually something terrifying. That’s why I have so much trouble sleeping at night.”

“Is that why you walk through the gardens so often?”

---