Page 22 of Kingdoms of Tides and Twilight (A World of Sun and Shadow #2)

G rayden woke before dawn, his internal clock as reliable as ever despite the exhaustion of their journey. He carefully extricated himself from Renya's embrace, pausing to admire her peaceful expression in the dim light. The sight of her, vulnerable and trusting in sleep, stirred a protective instinct so fierce it almost overwhelmed him.

As he dressed quietly, his mind wandered to the day ahead. The thought of Renya training with Phillippe filled him with a mix of pride and apprehension. He knew it was necessary, crucial even, but the idea of her being hurt, even in practice, made his jaw clench.

Stepping out into the biting pre-dawn air, Grayden made his way to the camp's kitchen area. He wanted to surprise Renya with breakfast, a small gesture to start her day of training on a positive note. As he waited for the food to be prepared, he found himself lost in thought, fingers absently tracing the sun mark on his wrist.

The camp was already stirring to life around him, soldiers going about their morning routines with practiced efficiency. Grayden observed them, his keen eyes picking up on small details—a slight limp here, a favored arm there. He made mental notes, already planning how to address these issues in future training sessions.

When the tray was ready, laden with dried fruits, pastries, and two steaming mugs, Grayden made his way back to their cabin. He paused outside the door, balancing the tray carefully as he listened for any signs that Renya was awake. Hearing movement inside, he pushed the door open, a gust of icy wind following him in.

“I thought you'd abandoned me in a camp full of men,” Renya teased, her voice still husky with sleep.

“Never,” Grayden replied, his tone light but his eyes conveying the seriousness of his words. He would never abandon her, not for anything in this world or any other.

He handed her the tray, watching with satisfaction as she began to eat. “I wanted to bring you breakfast in bed, but it appears the bed part of your day is already over,” he said, reaching down to play with her braid. The silky strands slipped through his fingers, and he marveled at how such a simple touch could ground him so completely. “It's going to be a long day of training, and I want my woman fed and ready.”

“I appreciate it,” Renya said between bites. “I'm excited to train and get to know Phillippe better. What are you going to be doing while Selenia and I learn?”

Grayden stroked the stubble on his chin, considering his response. He knew the missing maps that Phillippe had filled him in on were a serious concern, but he didn't want to worry Renya unnecessarily. “I'm going to talk to the men, train with them a bit, and manage some business that needs to be seen to,” he said, opting for a partial truth. “Phillippe said some maps with the positions of our other camps have gone missing. He repositioned the men, just to be cautious, but it has us concerned.”

He watched Renya's face carefully as he spoke, noting the flicker of understanding in her eyes. Sometimes he forgot how perceptive she was, how quickly she pieced things together.

“Any leads?” she asked, her tone casual but her eyes sharp.

Grayden hesitated, weighing his words. “Phillippe has a suspicion that we could have a spy here,” he admitted finally. “If that's the case, we need to be sure that no one knows of your powers.”

“Easy enough. I haven't even figured out how to use them yet,” Renya said, a note of defeat in her voice that made Grayden's heart ache.

“Don't worry, my love. You will,” he assured her, wishing he could do more to help her unlock her potential. “I am just sorry I can't train you myself.”

As Renya finished eating, Grayden held out his hand to her, pulling her to her feet and into his arms. He placed a kiss on the top of her head, inhaling her scent deeply. It centered him, reminding him of all he had to fight for.

With a mixture of pride and nervousness, he reached into his boot and pulled out a small dagger. He had commissioned it specially for Renya, wanting her to have a piece of him with her always, even when they were apart.

“Your dagger?” Renya asked, surprise evident in her voice as he placed it in her hands.

“No. This one is yours. I had a duplicate made. Well, a near duplicate,” he explained, his voice soft with emotion. “Read the inscription.”

He watched as Renya tilted the blade, her eyes widening as she read the words etched into the steel: Queen of my Heart and Light of my Life. The sight of tears in her eyes made his throat tighten with emotion.

“Thank you,” she stammered, and Grayden could feel her gratitude and love flowing through their bond.

“Tuck it in your boot,” he instructed, pushing her braid over her shoulder. “I never want to see you without it.” He couldn't resist adding with a wink, “Well, with one notable exception.”

As they made their way to the training area, Grayden's mind raced with all the things he wanted to tell Phillippe about Renya's training. He knew he was being overprotective, but he couldn't help it. The thought of her being hurt, even in practice, made his blood boil.

When they reached the clearing, Grayden's eyes narrowed as he took in the array of weapons surrounding Phillippe and Jurel. He knew this was necessary, but every fiber of his being rebelled against the idea of Renya being in any kind of danger.

“Are you ready to get your ass kicked?” Phillippe said playfully to Renya, and Grayden had to bite back a growl.

“Phillippe, not a scratch,” he warned, his voice low and dangerous. “If Renya has so much as a bruise when I come back later, you'll pay for it.”

“Grayden!” Renya scolded, and he felt a flash of shame at his overprotectiveness. “How am I supposed to learn? I need to be sore and bruised. If I'm not, then I'm not learning properly.”

Grayden knew she was right, but it did nothing to quell the surge of protectiveness he felt. Unable to argue, he instead pulled Renya to him for a deep, passionate kiss. He poured all his love and concern into the embrace, hoping she could feel how much she meant to him.

“We get it. You're fated and in love,” Phillippe's exasperated voice broke through the moment. “Grayden, go away. You're distracting my pupil.”

Jurel sighed audibly. “I’m missing my student.”

Phillippe groaned. “I’m not waiting for her. She’s your responsibility, Jurel.”

Before Jurel could argue, Selenia came rushing towards them, struggling in the snow. Grayden heard Jurel sigh deeply as he went to her and grabbed her arm, helping her combat the glistening ground.

“Sorry I’m late! I overslept.”

“Only you could oversleep in sub-zero temperatures with a camp that’s been awake since sunrise,” Phillippe said, shaking his head in disbelief. A few minuscule flakes floated from his short hair, hovering around his ears.

Selenia ignored him and dragged Jurel away from Renya and Phillippe.

Phillippe turned his attention to Renya. “Are you ready to do this?”

“Absolutely,” Renya said. “Where do we start?”

With one last warning glare at his brother, Grayden reluctantly tore himself away from Renya and headed back towards the cabins. Every step felt like he was leaving a piece of himself behind.

As he walked away, Grayden's mind was already racing with plans. He needed to find out what happened to the maps, to eliminate any threat to Renya and their cause. The weight of leadership settled heavily on his shoulders, but for once, he didn't feel alone in bearing it. With Renya by his side, he felt even stronger.

Grayden spent the morning coordinating with his men, reviewing reports, and strategizing their next moves. But no matter how engrossed he became in his work, a part of his mind was always with Renya, acutely aware of her presence in the camp.

When noon approached, he couldn't resist the urge to check on her training. As he made his way back to the clearing, he saw Renya sparring with Phillippe. Pride swelled in his chest at her determination, even as his protective instincts flared at the sight of her being thrown to the ground.

Grayden retreated reluctantly, reminding himself that this was for Renya's own good.

He went back to Phillippe’s office, pouring over the records and trying to see if anything looked off in their roster. Something that would explain the missing maps. His eyes searched the list of names, and then a sudden realization hit his mind as his finger traced a name.

Rage and fear warred within Grayden as he stormed back to the training ground, his mind racing with worst-case scenarios. How could they have let a spy into their midst? How close had this impostor gotten to Renya?

Grayden approached, brandishing a piece of paper as he spoke.

“You picked up new recruits on the way here,” he said, thrusting the parchment at Phillippe. “Look at the name under the Lile family.”

“Sabin? What about him? He’s been a great asset.”

Grayden fumed, and he knew Renya could feel his anger trickling down the bond. She tried to calm him, but she was so tired from training with Phillippe that she could do nothing but feel his anger course through them both.

“Sabin Lile died three months ago in a hunting accident. Whoever that is, it’s not Sabin.”

Phillippe’s face instantly fell and he paled. “Oh shit.”

“You let a spy into our camp. We have to assume it’s a member of the Shadow Realm. How could you be so careless? And with my mate here? You know Cressida would do anything to get her hands on her, yet you put her in danger.”

“Grayden, I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t realize—”

“I’m tired of being the one who cleans up all the messes. This time, it’s your turn. Find him and question him. Then kill him. Immediately.”

With that, Grayden turned on his heel and stalked back to his cabin, his mind a whirlwind of fear and anger. He knew he had been too harsh with Phillippe, but the thought of Renya in danger clouded his judgment.

Alone in the cabin, the weight of everything crashed down on him. Grayden sank onto the mattress, head in his hands, feeling utterly defeated. He had sworn to protect Renya, yet danger seemed to lurk around every corner.

When Renya entered a few moments later, Grayden felt a mixture of relief and shame. He didn't want her to see him like this, but her presence was the only thing that could soothe the storm raging inside him.

“Honey, what's wrong?” she asked softly, and the tenderness in her voice nearly broke him.

Grayden sighed heavily, reaching for her hand like a lifeline. “I'm scared, Renya,” he admitted, the words feeling foreign on his tongue. “I'm trying to protect you the best I can from Cressida, and here comes another opportunity for her to know our plans and movements. I've allowed you to be taken twice now. What kind of man am I?”

“Grayden, you’ve saved me so many times. You protected me from the elements, from tygres…the list goes on and on. But you have to understand, as much as I love you being there for me and keeping me safe, I need to stand on my own two feet in this world. You can’t shelter me forever. Eventually I’m going to have to step into my role and play my part on this stage.”

“I'll always protect you,” he vowed, looking up at her with desperate eyes.

“Grayden, I need this,” Renya insisted, her voice gentle but firm. “I need to learn to rely on myself. The weak girl you rescued in the forest is gone. I'm no longer powerless. I'm no longer alone in a mysterious world. I'm home and I'm with my mate.”

Her words struck a chord deep within him. Grayden swallowed hard, nodding as he tried to reconcile his need to protect her with her need for independence. “I just can't lose you again,” he confessed, his voice raw with emotion. “I'm a man possessed. My thoughts, my feelings, my body...they all belong to you. Even my soul is yours and yours alone.”

“You won't lose me, Grayden,” Renya assured him, her conviction clear in every word. “It's you and me. Forever.”

As the last of the tension left his body, Grayden placed a tender kiss on her temple, drawing strength from her presence.

“Now, go find Phillippe and help him deal with this problem. And apologize. You acted like an idiot again.”

He groaned before rising from the mattress. He held out his hand and Renya allowed him to pull her to her feet. Another gentle kiss and he was out the door.

However, before he could find Phillippe, chaos erupted in the camp. The impostor Sabin was gone, having either accomplished his mission or fled upon realizing his cover was blown.

As Grayden issued orders alongside Phillippe, sending men out to track the spy, he felt a renewed sense of purpose. They would face this threat as they had faced all others – together.

When Renya joined them, asking if they needed to leave, Grayden felt a surge of pride at her strength. Despite the danger, she remained calm and focused.

“Yes, I think we should leave tomorrow,” he decided, already planning their next move. “Sabin, or whoever he is, was here this morning for count so it'll take him several days to reach the Shadow Realm.”