Page 40 of Kingdoms of Tides and Twilight

“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.

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