Page 47 of Taken By the Fae King

My mother taught me this. She used to say that fear is just ignorance. Those words have stayed with me my whole life. Any fear I’ve ever had, I chose to face head on. To learn what it is so that with that knowledge, I may no longer be afraid. Butthisis something that I can only learn from him.

I have always prided myself upon my independence. This is the first time I cannot rely upon myself to find the truth that will allay my fears. I need him. And that in and of itself makes me worry.

I glance down at my hands, remembering the power that flowed through them. “I do not know how I did it, Kyven. What if it happens again? What if I cannot control it?”

He wraps his hands around my wrists in a gentle grip, studying my hands a moment before lifting his gaze back to mine. “It is the same for all Fae when they come into their magic,” he reassures me. “The first time my powers manifested, it was instinct—a reaction to perceived danger. Just as it was for you.” He slips his palms into my own, squeezing gently. “I will teach you, Grayce. Just as I was taught. And I will show you how to wield and control it. But we must do so in secret. If anyone learns that you possess this, they will know that you are my A’lyra.

A soft knock at the door is Kyven’s personal guard, Aren. Kyven’s hands slip from mine as he turns to face him, and I find myself already missing the warmth of his palm in my own. “What is it?” he asks.

He bows. “There are a few matters that need your attention.”

Kyven hesitates a moment before his sister steps into the doorway. “It’s all right.” Emryll smiles. “It will give me a chance to get to know my new sister better while you are gone.”

I’m glad of the warm welcome Kyven’s sister has given me and I can’t help but smile.

Kyven presses a tender kiss to the back of my knuckles. “I will return to you as soon as I can.”

When he leaves, I look down at my hands, and the wedding ring he gave me for our human wedding. I can hardly believe that was less than a handful of days ago. And now I will be bound to him in a Fae ceremony. And while I’m not quite sure what that entails, I find myself already worried.

Before I agreed to this marriage, I thought it would be one made out of the necessity of politics and built upon mutual respect and perhaps even friendship. After what happened with Joren, I erected a wall around my heart, vowing to protect it.

But in less than a week, my new husband has already begun to crack the walls I have built with his care of me. How could I not fall for a man who goes to such lengths to put my needs and my welfare above his own? And yet, his statement about instinct and news of the fated bond concerns me.

Does he do these things because he is falling for me as well? Or is it simply instinct, carried through from his ancestors? Until I know which it is, I must be careful. I cannot allow myself to fall until I know for sure that he feels the same.

CHAPTER28

GRAYCE

Emryll flashes a bright smile. “How are you feeling?”

“Fine.”

“Are you hungry? Thirsty?”

“No, but I would like a bath and”—I glance down at my dress—”a fresh change of clothes.”

“Of course.” She gestures to a door across the way. “The cleansing room is in there. I will have someone bring you some new clothing.”

When I enter the cleansing room, I’m surprised to find a raised pool in the corner of the room, carving out from the wall. It is already full of water, a light mist of steam rising from the surface. Beside it is a shelf with two bottles. When I remove the stopper, the calming scent of lavender and jasmine hits my nostrils.

I remove my clothing and step into the pool. A sigh of contentment leaves me as I lower myself into the water. The warm liquid surrounds me like a soothing balm, easing all of the tension from my body.

A light knock on the door is one of the servants. I’m startled when she simply walks in as if I’m not in the middle of a bath. But then I remember I’m in Anlora, not Florin. The Fae, it seems, do not have any qualms about nudity.

“I hope these are to your liking, my queen,” she says, setting the clothes on a low bench, beside the pool. “Is there anything else you require?”

I shake my head. “Thank you.”

Her mouth curls up in a polite smile before she disappears through the door.

When I’m finished bathing, I quickly dry off and then change into my new clothes. My cheeks heat when I notice the undergarments are little more than scraps of silken lace. The tunic dress and pants are a lovely shade of purple, the fabric soft as silk against my skin. It’s strange however, to feel the air on my back through the slit-like openings for the wings I do not possess.

I wonder where my clothes have gone that I brought with me. But when I recall the fight with the griffins, I would not be surprised if my belongings were lost in the battle.

It’s best, I suppose, to dress in the fashions of my new home. Perhaps it will help the people to accept me more readily.

When I step back out into the room, I find Lord Torien waiting for me. “Good.” He pins me with an assessing stare. “I see they have found temporary Fae clothing for you. Your human clothes were left behind in Nyllthar, but they should be arriving no later than tomorrow.”

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