Page 30 of Kingdoms of Tides and Twilight

“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.

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