Page 43 of Taken By the Fae King

My heart seizes in my chest. The barrier is repelling her as it would whatever else it is meant to keep out, because she is not Fae. Without hesitation, I spin and fly away from the village, putting more distance between us and the magic shield.

I call over my shoulder to one of the guards. “Get inside the barrier and order them to lower it! Now!”

He zips past us, rushing toward the village.

“Kyven.” Grayce’s voice trembles as she lifts her head. Inwardly, I curse myself as tears track down her cheeks. “What was that?”

“The magic of the shield repels anyone who is not Fae.” I pull her close to my chest. “Forgive me. I should have realized this sooner.”

“It’s all right,” she replies. “I’m fine now. I—”

“Griffins!” one of the guards yells out, pointing to the left.

At least a dozen fly straight for us. Their massive wings slice through the air, their talons outstretched and ready to rip us apart. Their razor-sharp beaks and golden feather glint beneath the sunlight as they charge forward.

Bracing my hold on Grayce with one hand, I lift the other as I call upon my power. Energy crackles between my fingers like lightning, and I unleash a bolt of magic at the nearest Griffin, sending it hurtling to the ground.

My guards surround us in a protective formation as they use their magic to strike out at the remaining predators.

“There’s too many!” Aren calls out, his eyes wide as they meet mine. “We need to get inside the barrier! Now!”

“We must wait until it’s down,” I tell him. “I will not risk the queen.”

“No!” Grayce lifts a determined gaze to me. “It’s too dangerous to remain here. Fly to the barrier.”

“It will hurt you,” I protest.

“You sent one of the guards to take it down so we could enter,” she counters. “Fly toward it, and we’ll pray that they lower the shield before we reach it.”

“No,” I state firmly. “I will not—”

“I’ll not have you or any of the guards dying because of me,” she states firmly. “Now, go!”

I’m vaguely aware of the guard’s heads snapping toward her before I reluctantly give the order. “Fly to the barrier!”

Two dozen more Griffins burst from the trees, joining the first group in their attack. We are severely outnumbered. If we cannot reach the barrier, there is no way we can fend off this many without casualties. They are as dangerous as they are lethal.

I grit my teeth as we draw closer, and the barrier is still intact. A pained cry rips from Grayce’s throat as her entire body goes tense in my arms and she writhes against me.

Guilt floods my veins. If I had given her my mark and sealed her to me in a Fae ceremony, the barrier would recognize her as mine and allow her to pass as a Fae. But because I have not, she is an Outsider, and she is suffering as if she were an enemy of our people.

“Kyven!” she screams, tearing a hole in my heart.

At least a dozen Griffins erupt from the trees, forming a wall between me and my warriors. I spin toward them and send two bolts of powerful magic racing toward the group, scattering them as it explodes in their midst in a brilliant display of heat and light.

One swoops around the side, and before I realize what’s happening, sharp talons rake across my upper arm and shoulder. Searing pain arc through my arm as the venom burns in the wound. Furiously, I flap my wings, fighting to stay aloft as we spiral to the ground.

“Kyven,” Grayce calls out, but I can barely focus as I struggle to land.

“To the king!” Aren’s voice rings out overhead, but it’s quickly drowned out by the deafening shriek of the Griffins as they descend, ready to claim their prey.

I twist onto my back at the last second as we crash to the ground, protecting Grayce from the impact. Pain rips across my back and wings as we slam to the earth.

CHAPTER26

GRAYCE

Apained cry rips from Kyven’s throat. Panic rises in my chest as three Griffins drop to the ground and start toward us like predators stalking wounded prey.

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