Stolen By The Fae King (Mated To The Fae King Book 1)

by Bailey Dark

  “I understand,” I say. I stretch out on the grass beside her. “Why did you really come back? You were in your world, in your home. You could have stayed.”

  Verity edges closer to me, her eyes drifting over my body. “I’m not sure why I came back. But I do want to help you. I want to break your curse; protect you from Maaz.”

  My heart swells in my chest at her words, happiness coursing through me. This is a step. I nod my head, hiding the happiness I feel. “There may be hope yet.”

  “I still don’t know what to do,” she says quickly. “But I’m willing to keep trying.”

  “My people and I are at your disposal,” I murmur.

  We fall silent and Verity shifts uncomfortably on her knees before finally falling back into a sitting position. She reaches for one of her books. “Should we continue the book?” She asks, waving it at me.

  I study the cover and groan. “The romance?”

  “The romance,” she confirms. “We have to finish it before we start the next one.”

  “And how many books are there?” I ask, dreading her answer.

  She grins wickedly. “Five.”

  “Oh, gods,” I groan. “Fine.”

  I lay down beside her as she falls onto her back, the book lifted above her face. My head is beside hers, and my breath ruffles her hair with each exhale. She reads, her melodic voice ringing through the garden. I imagine that every tree and every flower leans closer to hear. The story itself is a poorly written rendering of a classic myth in Alnembra; the tale of the nymph that fell in love with Sadal Melik, the Dark God.

  But I don’t read with Verity for the stories. I listen to her read because I love the sound of her voice. I love the way she struggles to pronounce our words and names but never blushes with embarrassment. I love the way her face shows every reaction to the story, whether she knows it or not. I love that she’s chosen to spend time with me.

  I close my eyes, letting the soft lilt of her voice lull me to sleep. My body aches from the battle and I’m exhausted from the rage and sorrow I felt when she left. All I want to do is sleep. I hear her shift beside me, rolling, and I open a sleepy eye. Her gaze breaks away from the page for an instant to look at me, but she never stops her narration. When she looks away, I let my eye slip closed again, assured that she’s still beside me.

  The words she reads mean nothing to me as I doze, only the sound of her voice. The grass is soft beneath me, the perfect cushion for me to rest on. The garden is filled with the singing of birds and the lapping of the pond beside me. I purr softly as her cool fingers stroke my head rhythmically. The last thing I remember before I fall asleep entirely is her voice.

  Chapter 16

  Verity

  Altair blinks sleepily at me as he wakes. I arch a brow at him, the book still open in my hands. He fell asleep almost an hour ago, snoring softly. Altair stretches like a cat, his claws extending from his paws. Specks of dried blood coat his claws and I drop my gaze back to my books.

  “Leaving?” He yawns, watching me gather the books.

  I stand, grunting as I pick up the stack of thick books. “Going to help me?”

  He grins. “As you can see, I’m powerless to save you from those heavy texts.”

  “Of course you are.” I roll my eyes. “I’ll see you at dinner.”

  “I won’t be at dinner tonight,” Altair says. I turn, surprise flickering in my eyes. He lounges back and dangles one of his massive paws in the pond. “Come to my room after the sun sets.”

  “Why?” I ask warily.

  Altair turns his hazel eyes to me. “Because I want to see you again.”

  My heart does backflips in my chest at his words, warmth rushing to my cheeks. “I’ll think about it.”

  I turn away and hurry from the garden back to the library. We both know what my answer will be. I can feel Altair’s eyes on me as I disappear through the hedge gate. A moment later, his shadow streaks over the ground ahead of me as he soars away past the castle turrets. Since I’ve been here, Altair hasn’t missed dinner once. I bite my lip, wondering what he might be doing. He might simply be skipping dinner with me to spite me for leaving. I wouldn’t put it past him, I smile to myself.

  Three guards are posted in the library, and one stations himself beside the door when I enter. Altair seems to have been shaken by Maaz’s visit. I drop my books onto a nearby table. The librarian hasn’t taught me the Fae shelving system yet, but she promised me she would. It will be a good way to spend my time, since I’m sequestered to the palace.

  I sigh and search through the bookshelves for any texts I haven’t read yet pertaining to magic and curses. I wish I had been clever enough to question the Bloodbane witches about the curse more. I should have. Anxiety twists my stomach as I think about Altair and the curse. He hasn’t pressured me with his timeline, but I know that time is running short. And I haven’t made any progress.

  I release a deep breath, glancing out the window as the sun is setting. Whatever Altair is occupied with, it will keep him for a few more hours. I settle into an armchair in the library with books on the Bloodbane history and lose myself in them. At least I try. My thoughts wander to Altair as I my eyes roam the pages.

  I know I did the right thing leaving Henry. My brief visit with him proved that to me. I’m not a story for him to boost his celebrity or a trophy for him to wear on his arm. Henry never could understand that, and now I see it clearly. Altair didn’t even put me on display during the ball; my time in the spotlight was brief, and it seemed meaningless to him.

  I purse my lips. It’s hard to come to terms with the fact that Altair is using me just as Henry was using me. And like I was using Henry. Is that what relationships are? Two people using each other? I trail my finger across the words of the page, eyes staring blankly. My only relief is that I’m not using Altair. Not yet anyway.

  The clock strikes, drawing me from my reverie. My eyes snap towards the window, the darkness is all encompassing. Quickly, I set my books aside and uncurl from the chair. I consider going back to my room and changing into something more elegant for Altair but change my mind as I climb the steps. He probably doesn’t care what I wear. And I don’t care what he thinks of what I wear, I lie to myself.

  His door is cracked open, light spilling through it into the hall. Navi doesn’t stand guard outside as she usually does, and I wonder why. I slip through the cracked door and close it softly behind me. Altair’s back is to me as he bends over a heavy wooden table in the center of the room. I admire him, his muscles shifting beneath the long-sleeved tunic he wears.

  “Did you get anything to eat?” He asks, twisting to look at me.

  I bite my lip under his hazel gaze. “No.”

  He gestures for me to come closer. “Good, I had some food brought up for us.”

  “I thought you said no dinner?” I cock a brow, moving to his side.

  The air between us is warm. My elbow grazes his arm and his eyes slip across my face with an expression I can’t read. “You truly are never satisfied, are you?” He asks, though a smile plays across his lips.

  “I could be,” I say defensively, perusing the food spread across the table. I pluck a sweet bun from one of the plates. “What are you doing?”

  He leans to the side so I can see the map laid out in front of him. “Looking at my kingdom. My home.”

  His voice carries a melancholy edge to it. “Saying goodbye to it already?” I ask, keeping my voice soft.

  “Just in case,” he whispers. He traces a river with an elegant finger.

  “Will you die if I don’t break the curse?” We’ve never discussed the curse much. I never thought it would end in anything sinister, but after seeing Maaz—I wonder if I was wrong.

  He nods. “I will. And so will my people.”

  “Everyone?” My voice cracks.

  Altair’s hazel eyes bore into me. “I spent hundreds of years looking for you, Verity.”

  “Altair.” I drop his gaze, a feeling of
anguish washing over me.

  I wander to the balcony, brows furrowed. I stare out at Desmarais beneath us, the city that stretches from the cliff faces below to the sea in the distance. The city lights glimmer in the darkness, some soft music reaches my ears from below. It isn’t nearly as vibrant as it was when I first saw it. There’s a gloom that hangs over it now.

  “All those people,” I murmur. “Maaz would kill them all. Why?”

  Altair makes a choking sound, and I whirl to face him. He lifts his hands, gesturing for me to stay back. “My hands are tied,” he croaks out.

  “I won’t ask any more questions,” I say hurriedly, face crumpled with worry.

  He’s silent for a moment, lips twisting in sorrow and frustration. He comes back to himself and stands tall, straightening his tunic. “I’m sorry. I didn’t ask you to come tonight to pass my burden to you. Or sadden you.”

  “Why did you ask me to come tonight?” I move to the table and trail a finger over the gleaming wood.

  “I’m curious about you,” he says simply.

  “Curious?” I stop by his side, staring up at him.

  His eyes gleam as he meets my gaze and his nostrils flare. “Why did you come back?”

  “We can’t talk about the curse, remember?” I smirk. “Ask me something else.”

  “Ah, this game,” he says softly.

  “This game,” I echo, curling into an arm chair by the fireplace.

  He joins me, slinging an ankle over his knee. He looks thoughtfully at me, a finger tapping his arm rest. “What did you do before I brought you here?”

  A laugh bursts from my lips. “I was a librarian at an inner-city high school. I helped students do research and I kept the library in order.”

  “That explains your love for reading,” he muses.

  “My turn.” I shift, tucking my legs beneath me and leaning towards him. “Tell me about your parents.”

  “That’s not a question.” Altair smirks.

  “Tell me anyway,” I say, crumpling my brows. “Please.”

  Altair shudders dramatically. “Your pleading is rather unsightly.”

  I glower at him. “Unsightly?”

  “I’m teasing,” he reassures me. “Though it doesn’t suit you. It doesn’t suit you at all.”

  I purse my lips, wondering what he really means. “Are you going to tell me or not?”

  “So demanding,” he huffs. He leans forward, the light of the fire illuminating his handsome features. “There isn’t much to tell. My mother was arranged to marry my father when they were young, around six hundred years old. They ruled together for almost three thousand years before they died on their way to a neighboring kingdom. The ship was caught in a storm and they drowned. Their bodies were never found. I took the throne then, but I was young and rash. That’s when Maaz came.”

  “I’m so sorry,” I whisper, searching his eyes. I find little sorrow in them.

  He sniffs, leaning back. “It was a long time ago.”

  “Still.” I cock my head. “I can imagine that losing a parent is hard. Let alone two.”

  Altair’s lip curls and I feel a flash of fear. “I’ve never felt comfortable with pity.”

  My brows twitch together, and I press my lips into a thin, angry line. “When someone offers their condolences, it isn’t pity, Altair. It’s sympathy. And you should get used to pity. Because if the curse takes you, there will be no one left to pity you but me.”

  As soon as the words leave my lips, I feel a wave of guilt and shame. Altair’s sneer fades away as the silence draws out between us. I close my eyes, cursing myself for speaking harshly. I don’t like being snapped at for trying to be kind, but that doesn’t mean I can be cruel. Especially not to Altair. Because whether I like it or not, I feel an irresistible urge to be near him. To be close in more than just the physical sense.

  I open my eyes, expecting to find Altair glaring at me. But he’s crouched in front of me, staring knowingly at me. “Are you finished?” He asks, arching a brow.

  I nod hesitantly and sigh. “Alta-,” I say.

  But he cuts me off, pressing his lips against mine fiercely. My entire being explodes with brilliant light and flame as he cups my face in his hands. I lean into him and my fingers find a purchase on his shoulders. I dig my fingers into his muscles, clutching at him. His lips are soft and warm and fierce. Our lips move as one and I imagine that our hearts beat to the same rhythm.

  A small gasp escapes me as I feel his tongue dart across my bottom lip. But he doesn’t take the kiss any further than that. He kisses me as if he just needed to know that I’m real. That I’m here with him. So, I curl my fingers around his cheeks, feeling the short bristles of his facial hair. Desire floods through me. I want more than this. My body desperately needs more from him, and I know I want it just as much. Whatever it is that I feel for Altair, it’s only heightened by the tender way he kisses me.

  He pulls away, panting, but doesn’t release my face. Altair stares deeply into my eyes, his lips slightly parted. I know my cheeks are flushed, and that I’m breathing just as heavily. For what feels like hours, we simply stare at one another and I imagine he can see right into my soul. Right into my deepest thoughts and desires. And they all revolve around him.

  Finally, his hands slip away from my face and he moves back. “I’m sorry,” he says, not sounding very apologetic at all. “But I had to punish you for your insolent tone.”

  I gape at him. But despite the outrage on my face, I feel a tendril of excitement at his words. “You’re unbelievable.”

  He bites his lip and then grins at me. “I believe it’s my turn in the game.”

  “Fine,” I sigh, falling back into the chair. I shake my head and roll my eyes as he settles into his own arm chair.

  “If you weren’t a librarian, what would you do?” He asks.

  “Indiana Jones,” I blurt.

  “Indiana Jones?” His brows furrow in confusion. “What is this?”

  I pluck at a stray thread on my trousers. “Not what; who.”

  Altair is quiet and curious as I launch into my explanation of the famous adventuring archaeologist. He insists that I tell him the stories and our game of questions quickly devolves into an argument about Jones.

  “Must the woman always die?” Altair asks, anger tinging his voice.

  I laugh. “Well not always, but it’s a simple way to make sure he can have a love interest later.”

  Altair grumbles under his breath but doesn’t stop me as I plunge back into the forays of Dr. Jones. He interrupts from time to time with questions, mostly surrounding the artifacts in the stories. I do my best to explain and Altair catches on quickly.

  The more I speak, the more his eyes soften, and we find ourselves leaning imperceptibly towards each other. My gaze drops to his lips, quirked into a smile. I want to save Altair, but I don’t know how. And if I can’t, I don’t want to spend the rest of my life pining after a man I couldn’t save. So, I keep my distance, and focus my attention on the stories.

  If I save him, maybe I could open up to him more. Maybe this could be something. But then again, I’ll die in another seventy years at most. And Altair will live on for thousands. I falter, my sentence fading into silence.

  “What is it?” Altair asks.

  I drag my eyes away from the flames to meet his worried gaze. “I should go. It’s getting late.”

  “It’s barely ten,” he says, eyes narrowing.

  “Just let me go, Altair,” I snap, rising.

  He presses his lips together. Silently, he waves towards the door. I rush past him, but his hand snakes out and snatches my writs. I yelp as he pulls me backward into his lap. With my legs draped over the arm rest, I strain my neck to keep upright. His face hovers over mine, an intelligent gleam in his eyes.

  “What are you doing?” I ask, voice strained.

  “More punishment for presuming to tell the King what to do,” he purrs.

  A thrill courses through me, hea
ting blooming in my body. I stare at him with wide eyes, expecting him to kiss me. But he doesn’t. Altair drags a finger from my temple down my cheek. I shiver as he trails it down my neck and along my ribs. When my breath hitches in my throat as his finger runs along my thigh, he grins wickedly.

  Suddenly, he has me upright, hair disheveled and mouth gaping. He eyes me from the chair, propping his chin in his hand. “Goodnight, Verity,” he murmurs.

  I blink at him and force my body to move. Walking stiffly, I manage to make it out of his room before turning a bright shade of pink. He knows exactly what he does to me. I bite my lip, picturing the delicious smirk he wore as he teased me. My heart is beating wildly, emotions running rampant. Everything I do, every moment I spend with him, only brings us closer. It’s a dangerous place to be; close to Altair. But I don’t want it any other way, I realize as my heart pounds. How much longer can I convince myself that I don’t want him?

  Chapter 17

  Altair

  I’m beginning to wonder if it will ever get boring teasing Verity. I doubt it. Somehow, she always manages to surprise me with her reactions. The moment I expect her to lash out at me, she’ll blush prettily instead. I stretch my wings behind me, letting the wind ruffle through the silky feathers. Since the ball, all I’ve been able to think about is Verity.

  It was on this tower that I first learned of Verity’s existence from Navi. This is the place I would come to when I felt the most discouraged about the curse. It was here that I would look out over Desmarais and curse myself for failing them. But Verity has brought me hope. And now the tower has become just another place, rather than the pillar of all my fears.

  I bask in the light of the rising sun. It’s high summer now, and soon all of Alnembra will celebrate the Summer’s Eve. I didn’t think any of us would be alive to celebrate, but perhaps we will. I lay my wings back on the stony floor, letting them splay out beside me. How much longer will I have these wings? How much longer will I be tethered to this beast that Maaz drew out from within me? I’m beginning to think that I’ll miss it.