Page 17 of Kingdoms of Tides and Twilight (A World of Sun and Shadow #2)

R enya floated in a sea of golden light, cocooned in an overwhelming sense of love. Above her, a breathtaking mural of the sun and stars shimmered, its intricate details mesmerizing in the ethereal glow that bathed everything around her. Strong, familiar hands reached out, and she found herself gazing into a pair of blue eyes that mirrored her own, filled with a tenderness that made her heart ache with recognition.

A voice, tantalizingly familiar yet somehow different, drifted from just beyond her field of vision. Renya strained to place it, feeling as though the answer hovered just out of reach. Suddenly, the warm golden light vanished, plunging everything into darkness. The ground beneath her feet began to tremble violently, and the voice grew urgent, tinged with fear.

“It's time to go,” it insisted, the words laced with panic. “She's found out, and it's only a matter of time before—”

Renya jolted awake with a gasp, her heart pounding so furiously she could feel it in her throat. Disoriented, she found herself engulfed in darkness, the remnants of her dream clinging to her like cobwebs. “Where am I?” she choked out, her voice barely above a whisper. A sob escaped her lips as panic threatened to overwhelm her, the line between dream and reality blurring in her mind.

In an instant, warm, strong arms surrounded her, their steady presence instantly grounding.

“Shhhhhh, Little Fawn,” Grayden's deep voice rumbled soothingly in her ear. “You've had a bad dream.” His lips brushed her forehead, damp with a cold sweat, before his fingers gently tucked strands of hair behind her ears.

The realization washed over her like a warm wave: she was in Grayden's bed, safe in his arms. Renya rolled towards him, and he effortlessly lifted her onto his lap, cradling her against his broad chest. As he held her, an inexplicable calmness began to seep through her, gradually slowing her racing heart and chasing away the adrenaline coursing through her veins.

The sensation was strange, almost foreign, as if the tranquility wasn't entirely her own. Confused, Renya lifted her head to meet Grayden's concerned gaze, his jade eyes luminous even in the dim light.

“You're doing that, aren't you?” she asked, her voice thick with wonder.

Grayden's brow wrinkled slightly as he explained, “My mother could calm my father sometimes. I never understood how she did it, but when I felt your panic, I instinctively tried to push it away, replacing it with the calm I felt holding you. I honestly didn't think it would work.”

The effect was undeniable. Renya could feel her blood pressure dropping, the tension draining from her muscles as she melted into Grayden's embrace, suddenly exhausted now that the adrenaline had ebbed away.

“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

“Renya, you never have to thank me for anything again,” Grayden assured her, his voice warm with affection. “But what happened? You were sleeping so soundly and then started thrashing.”

Renya scrunched up her brow as she tried to grasp the fading tendrils of her dream. “I had a nightmare. I...I just realized I've had it before. It starts off warm, and there's light everywhere, and then darkness comes in and...” She trailed off, frustrated as the details slipped away like water through her fingers.

A sudden thought struck her, causing her to sit up straighter in Grayden's arms. “Grayden, do you think it's possible these are memories from my childhood?”

Grayden's expression turned thoughtful, his thumb absently tracing soothing circles on her arm. “It's possible, Little Fawn. What did you see?”

Renya closed her eyes, concentrating hard as she tried to recall the rapidly fading images. “There was someone standing over me. They had blue eyes, and there was a painting on the ceiling. A mural, I think. Suns and stars.” Her voice grew softer as she strained to remember. “And then, everything turned dark, and the earth rumbled...that's all I can remember now.”

Grayden remained silent for a moment, his eyes distant as he considered her words. “It could very well be memories,” he said finally. “Fae, even as young children, have the ability to recall memories that have strong emotions tied to them. Perhaps it is a memory from your time here.”

Renya nodded slowly, the ethereal quality of the dream feeling far removed from her life in Los Angeles. She snuggled closer to Grayden, drawing comfort from the solid wall of his chest. As if on cue, her stomach let out a loud, protesting growl.

“How long have I been asleep?” she asked, suddenly aware of how famished she felt.

“Only a few hours,” Grayden replied. “I went to Almory's workshop and let him and Tumwalt know we had returned. I came back upstairs as soon as I was done and fell asleep while watching you sleep.”

Renya couldn't help but smile, a teasing note entering her voice. “That sounds incredibly boring.”

“I always love to watch you, even if you're sleeping. You fascinate me,” Grayden admitted, his voice soft with affection. “But we do need to make an appearance at dinner. Selenia is quite desperate to see you.”

At the mention of Selenia, Renya felt a surge of excitement. She crawled out of bed, pulling on the tunic Grayden had discarded on the floor. It hung comically large on her smaller frame, but she found she loved wearing it, surrounded by his scent.

“I'm excited to see her too,” Renya said, heading towards the bathroom. She spotted her hairbrush on the counter and picked it up, running it through her tangled locks. “Hey, you found my brush,” she remarked, working out a particularly stubborn knot.

“About that...” Grayden began, his tone suddenly hesitant.

Renya turned to face him, eyebrows raised in question. “What?”

Grayden sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Tumwalt thinks I've been bewitched by you and was having Almory try to find traces of magic on your brush. He says I've neglected my duties.”

Indignation flared in Renya's chest, her hands coming to rest on her hips. “Well, that's ridiculous,” she declared firmly. “You do everything for your lands.”

Grayden's shoulders sagged slightly, the weight of his responsibilities evident in his posture. “It seems like it's never enough. I told him I didn't want to see him at all for the rest of the day. So at least I'm yours for this evening.”

Renya's heart softened at the weariness in his voice. She crossed the room to him, placing a gentle kiss on his lips. “Be mine forever,” she murmured.

Grayden's response was immediate, his fingers trailing up her legs to grasp the edge of the borrowed tunic. The height difference between them meant the garment fell past her knees, and Grayden groaned in mock frustration. “I never thought I'd want to remove a man's tunic so badly.”

Renya laughed, pulling away with reluctance. “It'll have to wait. I want to see Selenia.”

Getting dressed proved to be a far more challenging task than Renya had anticipated. For every piece of clothing she managed to put on, Grayden seemed determined to remove it. When she refused, a playful battle of kisses would ensue, which he often won. It was only when his own appetite finally got the better of him that he relented, allowing Renya to dress in peace.

Arm in arm, they made their way to the dining room. The moment Grayden pushed the door open, Selenia was upon them, her enhanced hearing having alerted her to their approach.

“Renya!” she squealed, her scarlet ringlets bouncing wildly as she rushed forward. “I can't believe you're really here!”

“Me either,” Renya replied, embracing Selenia warmly. The genuine affection in the other woman's welcome touched her deeply.

Selenia's eyes sparkled with excitement as she pulled back to look at Renya. “And you're fate-bound to my brother! That makes us sisters.”

A warm smile spread across Renya's face. “Yes, I guess it does.” Selenia's happiness was infectious, and Renya found herself caught up in the other woman's enthusiasm.

“I'm so glad you're here,” Selenia continued, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “To be honest, I would have traded my brother for you in a heartbeat.”

Grayden rolled his eyes good-naturedly, moving to pull out chairs for both women. Selenia, in a show of playful defiance, ignored the chair he offered her and instead took a seat on Renya's other side.

“So, tell me everything!” Selenia urged, leaning in eagerly. “What happened? And what's up with your ears? Are you fae?”

Renya took a deep breath, trying to organize her thoughts. “I always was,” she began, her hand unconsciously reaching up to touch the delicate point of her ear. “My appearance was glamoured. Since I'm part of this prophecy, my aunt said it was done to try and conceal me in the human world. My magic was also locked. I'm guessing it was part of the glamour.”

She paused, the memory of her encounter with the Shadow Queen sending a shiver down her spine. “The Shadow Queen took me from the human realm and tried to take my power. It backfired, and long story short, here I am. All-powerful, I guess. But I haven't the faintest idea how to use my magic.”

Selenia nodded, as if everything Renya had said made perfect sense. “Your magic...it was there all along. I could sense it before, but it was buried. Now it's strong and...scorching. It feels wild and untamed. You need a teacher, Renya.”

“She does,” Grayden agreed, leaning back in his chair thoughtfully. He swirled the burgundy wine in his glass, his forehead wrinkled in concentration. “I was hoping we could help her.”

Selenia's skeptical look said it all. “Grayden, be realistic. I haven't used my powers in years, and yours are disappearing faster than Tumwalt's hairline. We can't teach her.”

Renya could see the moment an idea struck Grayden, his eyes lighting up with sudden inspiration. “What about Kalora?” he asked, turning to Selenia. “I need to go to the Twilight Kingdom anyway. King Triston and I are reaching out to other rulers to shore up our resources against the Shadow Queen.”

“Who is Kalora?” Renya asked, her curiosity piqued. Despite her gnawing hunger, she had yet to touch her plate, too engrossed in the conversation.

“Queen Kalora,” Selenia explained. “I know her daughter a bit, Julietta. We've met a few times. She's sweet, but kind of boring.”

“You think everyone is boring,” Grayden accused, though there was no heat in his words.

“But you're the worst,” Selenia mumbled, earning an eye roll from her brother.

Grayden turned his attention back to Renya, his expression serious. “What do you think, Renya? We're in this together. We make all the decisions together.”

Renya felt a warmth bloom in her chest at his words, touched by his insistence on including her. She considered for a moment before speaking. “I think it's a good idea. I need to learn how to use the power I have if I'm going to save the world.” She tried to inject some humor into her voice, but the weight of expectation settled heavily on her shoulders. The enormity of what was expected of her threatened to overwhelm her if she dwelled on it too long.

“Perfect. We'll leave as soon as possible,” Grayden decided, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Selenia's arms crossed over her chest, her expression haughty. “You better not be thinking of leaving me this time.”

Renya caught Grayden's conflicted look and gave him a pointed glance. Finally, he relented with a sigh. “You can come, Selenia.”

“I knew I liked you,” Selenia declared, winking at Renya conspiratorially.

As servers arrived with several more platters of food, Renya felt a sense of contentment wash over her. The easy banter between the three of them, the way they laughed and made plans together, it all felt so... right. Like family. A bittersweet ache bloomed in her chest as she thought of her aunt, wishing there was some way to let her know she was safe and happy.

The realization hit Renya like a bolt of lightning: she was happy. Truly, deeply happy. Who could have guessed that when she fell through that portal, she'd be stepping into her own future? It was as if everything that had come before in her life had been setting the stage for this moment, for the life she would build here with Grayden by her side.

As the meal drew to a close, Grayden rose to pull out Renya's chair, ever the gentleman. As he escorted her from the dining room, they caught sight of Tumwalt rounding a corner. The moment he spotted them, he quickly turned and retreated in the direction he had come.

“You must have really scared him,” Renya observed, unable to keep the amusement from her voice.

Grayden's response was simple but fierce. “No one insults my mate.”

Back in the privacy of their room, Grayden wasted no time in unlacing the back of Renya's dress. She shivered as his fingers brushed against her skin, her body already responding to his touch. He pulled his tunic over his head, tossing it carelessly to the floor before drawing her close.

His kiss was exquisitely slow, as if he was savoring every moment, committing the feel of her lips to memory. The sensation sent jolts of electricity through Renya's body, her pulse quickening as she melted into his embrace.

As Grayden's hands tangled in her hair, Renya found herself wondering if this feeling would ever fade. How had his parents managed to accomplish anything? All she wanted was to be with Grayden, to lose herself in his touch and never emerge.

Shifting to get more comfortable, Renya's hand brushed against something behind her pillow. Curious, she reached back and pulled out a book, its cover instantly recognizable in the flickering firelight.

“Grayden, how did you get this?” she asked, her voice filled with wonder as she traced the familiar title with her fingertips.

Grayden rolled over to face her, his expression soft. “I found it in the woods after you went through the portal. I found your entire bag. I couldn't bear to leave behind anything that belonged to you.”

Emotion welled up in Renya's throat, rendering her momentarily speechless. The gesture spoke volumes about Grayden's feelings for her, even before they had been fated.

No words were needed as Grayden pulled her into his arms. Renya nestled against him, feeling for the first time in her life that she was exactly where she was meant to be. As sleep began to claim her, she sent a silent prayer of thanks to whatever forces had brought her to this world, to this man, to this moment of perfect belonging.