Page 103 of The Fae Warrior's Queen

“It’s very musty,” I croak out.

“You need to drink something.” Kai hands me the waterskin.

I shake the floppy container, noting it’s probably one third of the way full. We need to make it last, so I only take a small sip before giving it back.

The cool liquid feels good in my dry mouth, but a few seconds after I’ve swallowed it, my thirst persists.

Kai notices my wince and says, “Once we get to a better location, we’ll get you a proper snack.”

Nodding, I look around as my eyes adjust to the darkness. The foyer we’re in is more of a greeting area, kind of like a lobby. Wide and long, it displays broken benches at ten-foot intervals along the walls.

Above the seats, there are enormous empty picture frames.

I go up to one of the crooked rectangles and rub my finger over it. Dust coats my fingertip, and beneath the layer of filth, the saggy, dripping gold appears partially melted. Blackened bits of the burnt-away canvas are in the crevices of the frame.

“What happened?” I ask, and Kai’s questioning glance prompts me to clarify, “The Lost Land. How did it come to be? How could a place as vibrant as Valora just… die? It’s like a scorching fire torched the entire world.”

Kai shrugs. “It’s a mystery I’m not sure we’ll ever have the answer to, but it isn’t that shocking, is it? The history of Valora is full of so much conflict, sometimes I wonder how the faeries didn’t kill each other off a long time ago. And perhaps they did in this universe. With all the feuds and power clashes, all it would take is a few rogue wizards getting carried away, and catastrophe would ensue.” Striding over to the last picture in the lobby, Kai puts his hand through the frame and flattens his palm on the wall. “This painting was my favorite.”

“What did it look like?” I sidle up beside him to stare at the blank space.

“It was a country cottage in the Day Realm. It resembled the home I grew up in.”

“Do you miss it very much? Would you want to return there someday once your service is done?”

“Actually, I hope to retire in Sterling.”

“That seems right for you,” I say, because I could imagine him here, thriving with the luxury and serenity he’s earned ten times over. “And what will you do during your retirement? Sip champagne while lounging on the shore of Issika Lake?”

“Definitely not,” Kai answers with a scoff, like the idea of being idle is a funny joke. “I don’t care what I’m doing as long as I’m contributing. All the jobs in Sterling are volunteer only. The mayor, the event coordinators, even the street cleaners—they choose a job that keeps the city functioning. Since I’m so close with King Kirian, I could be a representative of The Night Realm.”

“Sounds peaceful. You won’t have to fight anymore.”

A naughty grin lifts the right side of Kai’s mouth, and his lopsided smile is ridiculously cute and sexy at the same time. “Don’t assume there’s no violence here. Is it safe? Yes. But with a city full of warriors—men who spent their entire lives with a weapon in their hand… Do you really think they’re going to be able to give up that kind of action? Here, fighting is a sport. There’s a small arena where weekly tournaments take place. It’s purely for entertainment value. No one gravely injures their opponent, but there’s enough bloodshed to satisfy our craving for it without any actual danger.”

“Clever.” I have to admit, I do like the mental picture of Kai in some gladiator-type situation where no one dies, but I get to see him kick some serious ass. “Would you let me come to one of the shows?”

“You can attend as many as you’d like.”

There’s no inflection in his response, and I can’t tell if he’s saying yes because as a former queen, no one could keep me out of the event. Or if he actually wants me there.

Pivoting away, he walks out of the lobby into a large, open, round area with a high ceiling. It’s a little brighter because there’s a dome of dirty skylights.

He points up at the crystal chandelier. “In Valora, this building is so grand. The City Hall is where the royals stay when they’re visiting.” Like a good tour guide, he motions to a curved staircase. “There are suites on the second and third levels, and the entire fourth floor is occupied by a library.” He gestures to some double doors by the bottom of the staircase, then across the way to an identical set. “There’s a ballroom for parties and a conference room to discuss business.” Walking forward, he heads toward a swinging door. “A kitchen is just through here.”

I follow him into the room, and it’s huge. A stove with eight burners is on the right, and a six-foot kitchen sink is to the left. On the wall straight ahead, there’s an ice box three times as big as usual. In the middle of the room sits an island for food prep. Above that, some rusted pots and pans hang from corroded hooks.

“They do catering for the entire city in here,” Kai goes on. “When the conference room isn’t being used for official business, it’s a free restaurant. All residents and guests of Sterling are welcome to it.”

“That’s quite the perk. I’ll be sure to check it out when I get the chance.”

Kai’s gaze turns warm. “You said ‘when.’”

Shy, I smile and shrug. “Yeah, I guess I did.When.”

“And you spoke of watching me fight. Does that mean you’ve decided to return to Valora for sure?”

I nod because I can’t imagine living a world away from him. Even if we’re not together in the romantic sense, I don’t want to be separated by such harsh lines.

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