Page 38 of Taken By the Fae King

A soft knock at the door startles us both and we pull apart, each of us breathless and panting.

Kyven sits up and gently tucks the fur blanket around me before he stands from the couch, and then moves to the door.

I’m glad when he only opens it just enough to see who it is, instead of inviting them inside.

“My king.” I recognize Aren’s voice. “Two of our warriors captured an Orc. He was found near the Wall.”

“How did he manage to get so close undetected?”

“He was using a shade stone,” Aren replies.

“What is that?” I ask.

Aren turns to me. “A stone with a glamour enchantment that can alter one’s appearance. He used it to disguise himself as one of our people.”

I had no idea such a thing even existed.

“What was he doing there?”

“We do not know,” Aren says. “He is refusing to answer any questions.”

“Bring him to the great hall,” Kyven growls. “Hewillanswer to me.”

CHAPTER23

KYVEN

Closing the door, I turn back to Grayce. Her hair is slightly disheveled, and her cheeks are flushed a lovely pink hue. She sits up and the fur blanket bunches around her waist, leaving her only in her night shift and my fingers ache with want to touch her again. She is the most beautiful female I have ever seen, and I hate that we were interrupted, but it cannot be helped.

I must deal with this Orc. It is concerning that he was so close to the wall, and I wonder where the rest of his Clan are. Orcs rarely travel alone.

I turn back to Grayce. “I will deal with this and return to you as soon as possible.”

“I’m going with you,” she says, standing from the sofa. She starts for the cleansing room. “It will only take me a moment to ready myself, and then—”

“No,” I state firmly, stopping her in her tracks. “I do not want you anywhere near an Orc. They are dangerous.”

“I accompanied Edmynd when he worked out a treaty with one of their Clans. I am well aware of the danger as well as what to expect when negotiating with them.”

“We will not be negotiating anything. I will be interrogating him and—”

“I think that is a mistake.”

My head jerks back. “Why? He is an Orc.”

“Not all Orcs are bad,” she says. “Once we find out which Clan he is from, we can—”

“Wewill not do anything.” I meet her gaze evenly. “You will remain here, where it is safe.”

“No, I will not.” She clenches her jaw. “I am your queen. You promised to treat me as your equal. And as such, I will come with you to speak with this Orc.”

I have made a grave error. She is angry with me. She does not understand that I do not do this because I think she’s inferior. I’m asking her to stay here because I want her safe. I cross the room in three steps and take both her hands in mine. “You are my equal, Grayce. The only reason I want you to remain here is because I cannot bear the thought of you in danger. Orcs are volatile and aggressive. I do not want you anywhere near him.”

“This is a fortress full of warriors. All of them sworn to protect us,” she points out. “If I am not safe here, I am not safe anywhere.” She tips up her chin. “I have dealt with Orcs before. I sat in on the negotiations with Edmynd.” My eyes widen as she continues. “I have studied their culture. I can be of help, Kyven.”

Determination burns in her eyes. She will not be dissuaded. I clench my jaw. “Fine. But please, remain by my side at all times.” I grab the dagger I gifted her from the table. “Keep this on you.” I place it in her hand. “And do not hesitate to use it if things go wrong.”

She nods, but I note the slight tremor of her hand as she takes the blade from me. “I’ll be ready shortly,” she says, walking toward the cleansing room.

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