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Grayden didn't even have it in him to pretend to be embarrassed. All he could think about was seeing Renya again, holding her in his arms, and never letting go.

Chapter Eight

Renya's heart thundered against her ribs, a wild rhythm that matched the surge of magic tingling beneath her skin. Grayden was here. The realization buzzed through her like sweet wine, leaving her light-headed and almost giddy. Safety, power, and Grayden—she had all three within her grasp. Or at least, she would soon enough.

Throwing her towel on the bed, Renya quickly dressed in the light blue gown, the silky fabric cool against her skin. She laced up the sandals, the leather straps snaking around her ankles. Her damp hair clung to her neck as she tossed it in a quick ponytail. With a deep breath, she left the room, her sandals sounding softly on the stone floor as she searched for Grayden.

Surprise flickered through her as she found the corridor outside her room empty. Earlier, when she had tried to run after Grayden, two guards had blocked her path, their firm hands holding her back. Now, with Grayden gone, the hallway stretched before her, silent and uninhabited. She started down the passage towards the main entrance, but something tugged at her consciousness, an invisible thread pulling her in the opposite direction. Following this inexplicable instinct, Renya turned on her heels and began retracing her steps, moving past her room.

As she rounded a corner, she spotted King Triston ahead, his regal figure emerging from one of the doors. He strode towards her, and Renya's keen eyes caught what seemed to be the ghost of a smile playing on his lips. As he drew closer, the subtle expression became more apparent. A knot of fear twisted in Renya's stomach, her mind conjuring images of Grayden in distress. Had the king done something to him? She held her breath, muscles tensing in anticipation. However, as Triston passed her, his smile morphed into a knowing grin that lit up his usually stoic features.

“He's all yours, Renya,” he said, his voice tinged with amusement. With a conspiratorial wink, he continued down the hall, leaving Renya standing in bewildered silence.

Heart racing, Renya sprinted the rest of the way to the door from which King Triston had emerged. Her hand trembled as she grasped the knob, her breath coming in short, rapid bursts. She forced herself to inhale deeply, trying to calm the tempest of emotions swirling within her.

She pushed the door open, and in an instant, she was engulfed in a frenzied embrace. Grayden stood before her, his presence overwhelming her senses. His lips were everywhere at once—her face, her hands, her eyelids—showering her with lavish attention. Each kiss left a trail of fire on her skin, igniting a desire that threatened to consume her. She wanted to ask him about his encounter with Triston, but his mouth claimed her lips, swallowing her words before she could give them voice. She barely had time to kick the door closed behind her before Grayden scooped her up in his arms, cradling her against his chest as if she were the most precious thing in the world.

As he carried her to the bed, Renya sensed a shift in their dynamic. Before she had left through the portal, Grayden had been hesitant, always holding back as if fighting some internal battle. But now, there was no resistance as he lowered her onto the soft mattress, his body hovering over hers. She could feel the evidence of his desire pressing against her thigh, hard and insistent. His kisses continued their passionate assault, trailing down her neck and leaving her breathless.

“Grayden!” she exclaimed, her voice a mixture of desire and confusion. She placed her hands on his chest, gently pushing him back. “Honey, look at me.” The endearment slipped from her lips unbidden, surprising even herself.

Grayden lifted his head, his jade eyes meeting hers. She could see the struggle for control etched on his face, his jaw clenched with the effort of restraint. It was so unlike the Grayden she knew—the serious, calculating leader. The few times they had gotten carried away with their mutual attraction, he had always been able to pull back. But now, as she gazed into his eyes, she saw a consuming lust that threatened to overtake them both.

“Honey...” he murmured, his gaze fixed on her lips as if they held the secrets of the universe. “Renya, say it again,” he groaned, his voice rough with need.

“Honey?” she repeated, uncertainty coloring her tone. She tried to sit up, but Grayden's weight pinned her to the bed.

“Yes, that's it,” he breathed, his lips descending to capture hers once more.

Renya turned her head, denying him the kiss. A flash of hurt and confusion crossed Grayden's face, and regret washed over Renya in waves. His fallen expression was heartbreaking, and it took all of her resolve not to give in to his passionate advances. Desire coursed through her veins, making it almost painful to resist him.

With huge effort, Renya managed to sit up, gently pushing Grayden back. “Grayden, what happened? How are you here?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

He looked at her, his eyes dark with desire, lips swollen from their kisses. “I think the better question, Little Fawn, is how are you here?”

Renya could see his hands twitching, longing to reach for her. Taking pity on him, she grabbed them, entwining their fingers. The contact seemed to soothe him somewhat, though she could still feel the tension thrumming through his body.

“The second I went through the portal, I saw my aunt bound in a corner,” Renya began, her voice soft. “Before I could do anything, the Shadow Queen pushed me through another door and I ended up on this beach. Brandle and Sion were there too, and they took me to this outcropping of rocks—”

“I saw it,” Grayden interjected, his grip on her hands tightening. “I tracked you to the jungle and then back here. When I couldn't get to you fast enough, I went...a bit primal.”

“A bit?” Renya raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in her voice. “You looked crazed when you came into my room.”

Grayden had the grace to look embarrassed, a faint blush coloring his cheeks.

“She did something to me,” Renya continued, her voice dropping to a whisper. “Some kind of spell or ritual that unlocked my power. Sion helped me, he told me what to do and as she tried to take my magic, it backfired and caused the cave-in. I got away and fled here.”

Grayden reached out, his knuckles tracing feather-light circles up and down her bare arm. Renya shivered at his touch, her skin tingling everywhere his fingers brushed.

“Grayden, what's going on?” she asked, her voice thick with emotion. “You're so desperate...I'm glad to see you too, but it's like you're possessed.”

His eyes roamed over her, drinking in every detail as if committing her to memory. Renya felt his body tremble with barely contained desire. “Renya, my Little Fawn, don't you feel it? Don't you want me?”

“Of course I do,” she responded, her cheeks flushing. “I can just control myself.”

Grayden's face fell, hurt once again readable in his eyes. “It has nothing to do with control,” he said, his fingers finding their way to her waist, stroking her sides through the thin fabric of her dress. “When the Shadow Queen unlocked you, it unlocked something in me, too.”

Confusion swirled in Renya's mind, an ocean of questions and half-formed theories. What could be driving Grayden to this obsessive need for her? As she pondered, a realization began to dawn. She thought back to the moment after she had claimed her powers, to the desperate urge she had felt to find Grayden. The need to get back to him had been her first coherent thought after Cressida's ritual. And hadn't she sensed him earlier? When she had left her room, she had started towards the other side of the palace before changing her mind and heading back towards this room.