Page 60 of Bred

SEDUCING THE FAE KING

KAYLA ST JAMES

CHAPTER ONE

IknewIshouldn’tbe lurking in dark corners, but it was impossible not to stop. The royal herald was focused on his task, and the nails between his clenched teeth glinted in the early morning light.

The canvas sack slung over his shoulder bulged with rolls of parchment and my fingers itches to snatch one for myself. He struggled with his hammer and dropped the satchel onto the cobblestone street to give him more range of motion. A roll of parchment tumbled out onto the ground and I inched closer.

The crash of the man’s hammer against the first nail made me jump.

Three strikes echoed in my ears.

Then three more for the second nail.

A rooster’s strident crow made the man pause, but he turned back to his task and didn’t see me as I crouched low and snatched the parchment from the ground.

With the previous scroll clutched tight in my fist I ran as fast as I could down the street and didn’t pause when the herald’s shout followed me down the narrow street.

I ducked into an alleyway and pressed myself against the uneven stone wall. The roughness of the hastily applied mortar bit into my shoulder but I barely noticed. I held my breath and counted the frantic beat of my heart.

He’s not chasing you, silly goose. Not for this.

I’d just given him less work to do.

My smile felt like more of a grimace, teeth grinding together as I forced my fingers to unclasp and release the parchment. I checked over my shoulder to be certain that I was alone, but no one was awake this early… at least no one who cared what I was doing. I unrolled it slowly, flinching at each crackle of the parchment.

A flake of golden paint fluttered down onto the sleeve of my woolen dress and I gnawed on my lip as I stared at the beautifully inked letters.

These announcements were definitely official. I wanted to run my fingertips over the gilded and illuminated letters, but couldn’t bring myself to do it. They looked like what I’d always imagined the sacred scrolls kept in the oracle’s temple high above the royal citadel looked like.

Too fine for someone like me to look at.

That’s what Mistress Beyra always said.

But she said that about everything.

What if this was what I was meant for?

“His illustrious Majesty, Venali Leonan seeks a loyal subject to bear his child.”

I said the words slowly, my voice hushed and reverent as I struggled to read the words. I could read well enough, but the words were inked in a fanciful hand and the swirls and flourishes added to the letters made them difficult to read with confidence.

I frowned at the page as I whispered the words.

“Bear his child.”

It seemed simple enough. The three kings of Kraterra, powerful royal brothers born of surrogates chosen from the women of the kingdom. The women would be faithful servants of the kingdom. Hopeful beauties. High born fae looking for power and influence.

And me.

To be chosen by the king was a singular honor.

It was a tradition that had been passed down for generations.

Three kings who would take no wives and seek their heirs elsewhere.

I swallowed hard and focused on the words.