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Renya approached the glistening waterfall in the doorway, and as soon as she came close, it stopped and allowed her to pass, falling once again as soon as she fully entered the room. It provided more privacy than she thought it would; she couldn't see anything from the outside or hear anything.

The room was carved out of the stone rock, just as everything else was. It wasn't as large as her room at Grayden's lodge, but bigger than her studio apartment. A large bed stood against the wall in the middle of the room, windows framing it on either side. Renya crossed and looked out of them, surprised to see no glass blocking her from the elements. Rather, the thick rock was carved out and she looked towards the dark horizon as if through a short tunnel. She could smell the marine air and a gentle breeze drifted in. The effect wasn't unpleasant. Renya wondered if they ever got tropical storms and how the open-air windows would function with storm-like gales. She shuddered, thinking of the rain back in Seattle.

Renya turned and made her way to the side of the room, where a bathroom stood. Renya spotted a tub and delight coursed through her body. She started shucking her clothes at once, only stopping when she saw the waterfall at the doorway stop.

A young girl entered the room and Renya covered herself with a towel hanging from a hook on the wall.

No older than fourteen or fifteen, she had pretty auburn hair that hung around her shoulders. She wore a simple green dress that stopped at the knees, and there were satin fringes hanging off the hem, resembling seaweed. Her skin was darkly tanned, as if she spent very little time in the palace but instead, out underneath the sun. The girl carried a large parcel and dropped it on the bed, before turning on her golden sandals and walking out of the room. Renya didn't even have a chance to thank her before she disappeared through the archway.

Renya dropped her towel and crossed over to the bed. The girl had brought a simple periwinkle dress, cut a bit too low for Renya's taste, but infinitely better than the dirt and sweat-covered dress she had been wearing. She loved the riding dress and the sweet gesture from Grayden, but after being through the nightmare dungeon, she wanted to be rid of the outfit Grayden had Doria make for her. The bundle also held some soap and flat blue sandals that tied up the leg. Renya was most excited about the soap. She didn't think she'd ever feel clean again.

She went over to the large tub and turned the handles. Hot steam rose up and Renya shivered in anticipation. She sank down into the warm water and pleasure shuddered through her body. She rested against the back of the tub and let her hair float in the water before lathering it up with the soap. The soap was a cream color with strange petals mixed in with it. It smelled heavenly and Renya couldn't place the scent but it was familiar.

She had just finished rinsing the soap off her body when she heard a frightening roar from down the hall. It was so loud it passed through the water barrier at her doorway. Startled, she quickly got out of the tub, wrapped a towel around her, and moved towards the back of the room, as far away from the watery archway as she could get. She heard commotion coming from the hall and looked for a place to hide. The water in the doorway wasn't going to keep out any intruders. Fear gripped her and she wondered if Cressida had found her. Renya instantly felt guilty for bringing the war here into this peaceful kingdom. Could she use her magic to defend herself? She was mad she hadn't even attempted to use it yet.

A scuffle came, and it sounded like there was a brawl happening in front of her room. A dark shadow passed by her door before instantly coming back. Renya trembled, knowing this was about to be the third time she was taken against her will and her anger mounted.

Renya's heart pounded so loudly she was sure it would give away her position. The footsteps outside grew closer, heavy and determined. She closed her eyes, summoning whatever newfound power lay dormant within her. As the watery curtain began to part, she braced herself, ready to face whatever came through—be it friend or foe.

The tall figure broke through the screen of water, dripping wet.

Renya looked up and met Grayden's emerald-green eyes.

Chapter Seven

Grayden would later look back at his behavior at the Tidal Kingdom and realize he might have slightly overreacted. He probably shouldn't have pushed the guards at the mouth of the cave inlet into the water and stolen their canoe. He shouldn't have forced his way into their harbor and dodged all the guards that tried to stop him as he raced up towards the palace. He also probably shouldn't have punched King Triston and accused him of keeping Renya from him. He also probably shouldn't have forged a path of destruction through the palace until he found his way to Renya's room.

When he had pushed his way through the waterfall blocking her door, he saw Renya and he had frozen, momentarily forgetting he was being pursued by numerous guards. His heart had pounded, a deafening rhythm in his ears, and the desire to make her his had overwhelmed him like a tidal wave. He had made a move towards her, arms outstretched, fingers aching to touch her, as if to sweep her up and never let go. However, at that moment the guards had finally caught up with him, their heavy footfalls echoing in the chamber. They had tackled him to the floor of Renya's room, the impact knocking the breath from his lungs. Hands pinned behind his back, he had looked up at Renya, his piercing green eyes meeting hers.

“Renya!” he had roared, his voice raw with emotion, as two guards yanked him upright and out of her room. Renya had tried to follow him, her bare feet slapping against the stone floor, but she was in nothing but her towel and Grayden saw two more guards holding her back, their hands gentle but firm.

“Grayden!” she had exclaimed, her voice a mixture of relief and confusion, her eyes wide with disbelief.

“Don't you dare touch her!” Grayden had yelled frantically at the guards, his protective instincts flaring. “Renya! I've come for you!” The words had been torn from his throat, desperate and primal. He then managed to overpower both guards, muscles straining as he broke free, but another three guards came around the corner and pulled him back. It had taken all five of them to subdue him, their combined strength barely enough to restrain him as they dragged him to an empty chamber.

Now he sat there, seething in anger and nearly trembling with desire, so close to Renya yet unable to claim her. The frustration was maddening, like an itch he couldn't scratch, a hunger he couldn't sate.

He looked around the room they had shoved him into, taking in his surroundings with sharp, assessing eyes. There was a bed, its sheets rumpled as if hastily made, a small opening in the wall which he assumed was supposed to be a window, letting in a sliver of moonlight, a plain wooden chair, and a tiny bathroom.Still, better than a dungeon, he thought to himself, a wry smile tugging at his lips. He sat on the bed, its frame creaking under his weight, and removed his sword from across his back. The familiar weight of it in his hands was oddly comforting. He was surprised they hadn't taken it away from him. Of course, he didn't draw his sword at all in his pursuit of Renya, instead resorting to his fists. He might have head-butted one of the guards too. His forehead felt a bit sore and, in his desperation, he had used whatever force he needed to.

Now that his mind had cleared a bit and he saw Renya was unharmed, he started to reconsider his actions. The adrenaline was fading, leaving behind a growing sense of chagrin. Punching King Triston in the jaw wasn't the most diplomatic move he'd ever made. The memory of his fist connecting with the king's face made him wince. Of course, when Grayden had asked him where they were keeping Renya, Triston had glanced at his sister and taken way too long to answer. Still...he realized he might not exactly be thinking clearly at the moment. In fact, he was beginning to think he had acted like a ruffian, a far cry from the composed leader he prided himself on being. He never resorted to physical violence unless it was absolutely necessary. He hadn't even tried to explain to the guards at the cave entrance what he was there for. He had just shoved them as hard as he could into the still water and taken off with their canoe like a thief in the night.

Grayden stood up, his muscles protesting after the night's exertions, and checked the door. Unlike Renya's room, this door was metal, solid, and locked tightly. Fair enough. He had thrown quite the punch at their king. He went back to the bed and sat with his head hung low, the weight of his actions settling on his shoulders. Renya was unharmed, he kept repeating to himself, forcing his fists to unclench and his shoulders to relax. Grayden laid back on the bed, boots still on the floor, and stared at the stone-cleaved ceiling.

The memory of Renya's face swirled before him, as vivid as if she were there. She had been clad only in a towel, and the recollection of her so skimpily dressed, or rather, undressed, gave him a rush of pleasure, followed swiftly by a surge of jealousy that the guards had seen her like that. She was his and his alone to worship. Her face had been so lovely, pink and clean and...her ears. Her ears were now like his! He pictured her in his mind again, mouth opened in surprise as he had tumbled through the archway. His hair had been wet, and water had sloshed down his face, but he was sure of what he saw. What had happened to her? Had Queen Cressida done something to her? Or had her aunt?

Another realization struck him like a ton of bricks, leaving him breathless. Their fated bond. Was this the reason it appeared all of a sudden? Had he been fated to her all along and just hadn't known it?

He thought back to the time they had spent together before she went back through the portal with her aunt. He remembered finding her in the forest and cradling her limp body to his before he even knew her name. The memory was so clear, he could almost feel her weight in his arms again, smell the crisp scent of snow mingled with something uniquely her. Grayden hadn't wanted Dimitri to touch her, and even at the time, he hadn't understood his own reasoning. He should have left her at the inn when he went back to the lodge, but instead he had risked them both by taking her with him. He had told Charly he wanted Almory to meet with her as quickly as possible, but he also hadn't wanted to leave her behind where other men could stare or talk to her. He had wanted her by his side. Even when Almory had grabbed her hands to get a read on her, or when Jurel had taken her arm to escort her and Selenia to the village, he had felt a rush of possessiveness that he had struggled to control.

Fates. It had been there all along. Just muted, like Selenia had said Renya's magic was. What had Selenia said exactly? That Renya's magic was like a painting with gray over it?

This entire time he had been with his mate and hadn't realized it. All those times he had felt guilty for kissing her or when they were together in the snow cave. The whole time she had belonged to him, and he had belonged to her. He had felt horribly selfish, taking her when she wasn't his, but in those moments, how could he have possibly fought the bond that was there?

And then there were the elkten. They had appeared not once, but twice when he was with her. Gods, how could he have been so blind? His own animal guardian, thought to be extinct, had appeared to him twice, and he still hadn't put it together. He couldn't decide if he was dumb or just oblivious.

Or...maybe this was how it was to have a fated bond. His thoughts and judgments were so clouded by her. Every thought and action he took had Renya factored into it.

For the second time in the last week, Grayden wished his father was here. He had so many questions about the bond and no one to ask. To his knowledge, there wasn't anyone within his lands, and maybe even his world, that had a fated mate. Grayden exhaled loudly, the sound echoing in the quiet room. He and Renya would have to figure it out together.