Page 8 of Kingdoms of Tides and Twilight

There, half-hidden by fallen leaves, lay Renya's cloak. Grayden's hands trembled as he lifted it, bringing the fabric to his face. Her scent overwhelmed him, so vivid he could almost believe she was there. His heart raced as he scanned the ground, years of tracking experience kicking in.

Boot prints materialized in the soft earth—small, delicate indentations that could only belong to Renya. Alongside them, larger prints and the unmistakable mark of high heels. Grayden's jaw clenched, recognizing the implications. Cressida had been here, along with at least one other person—Brandle, most likely.

He followed the trail deeper into the jungle, every sense on high alert. The path led to a clearing where a collapsed megalith blocked the entrance to a cave. Grayden's fingers traced the rough stone, mind racing to piece together what had transpired. He noticed a small passage carved out, stones stacked neatly beside discarded fruit peels. Someone had escaped the cave—but who?

A large stone cauldron caught his eye, its presence ominous in the clearing. He approached cautiously, peering inside. Golden residue clung to the bottom, shimmering faintly in the dappled sunlight. The air felt charged, remnants of powerful magic lingering like static electricity. Grayden's skin prickled, recognizing the telltale signs of a ritual site. Ancient fae dwellings were known to amplify magic—it was no coincidence Cressida had brought Renya here.

Crouching low, Grayden studied the ground around the cauldron. Scuff marks told a story of struggle, of bodies in motion. His heart clenched as he identified Renya's prints, imagining her fear, her determination. He pictured her standing here, facing off against Cressida, and felt a surge of pride mixed with worry.

Relief flooded through him as he traced her path away from the cave, back towards the beach. She had escaped, had left here alone. The realization propelled him into motion.

Back on the beach, Grayden's keen eyes picked out Renya's trail heading east. The Tidal Gate lay in that direction—had someone guided her, or was it mere chance? He remembered the reclusive nature of the Tidal Fae, their preference for cave dwellings carved by centuries of tides. Once, they had lived in underwater palaces, but the fading of magic had forced them to higher ground.

It didn't matter how Renya knew where to go. She was ahead, and he would find her. With a sharp whistle, he called Damion to his side. In one fluid motion, he swung himself onto the horse's back, ignoring the protest of his sore muscles.

They took off down the beach, hooves pounding against the wet sand. Each stride brought Grayden closer to his mate, to the future he now dared to imagine.

Chapter Six

The gate to the Tidal Kingdom was not exactly a gate, Renya realized as she approached the monstrous opening on the side of the cliff. It was a massive canyon venturing back farther into the land, cutting a path through the terrain. Roughly carved structures surrounded it, partially submerged in the sea. The mouth of the inlet was full of water as well, with two rope bridges connecting one side to the other. Four guards stood on the bridges next to a platform holding two small canoe-type boats. Renya guessed the only way into the kingdom was to be ferried across the inlet. The rest of the bay was filled with more tall buildings, winding their way up to the darkening sky. They looked abandoned, like dark gravestones stretching up towards the heavens.

She approached the rope bridge and made her way to the center of the cave where the guards stood. The bridge swayed slightly under her weight as she stepped carefully on the sea-worn planks. Renya was nervous, hoping the guards would be sympathetic and provide her shelter. Her heart raced, a mix of exhaustion and anxiety. What if they turned her away? The thought of facing Cressida again made her stomach churn. She longed for Grayden's reassuring presence, his steady gaze that always seemed to say, “I've got you.” Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself. She'd come this far on her own; she could handle this too. The journey to the Tidal Gate took longer than she thought it would, and she was desperate to get indoors and away from anywhere Cressida could spot her, especially with the sun starting to set and darkness slowly encroaching upon the land. Plus, she was so tired. She wanted Grayden, and then to sleep. As exhausted as she was, she knew sleep would be difficult unless Grayden was with her. She felt protected in his embrace and within the circle of his arms.

As Renya approached the center of the rope bridge, two of the guards turned towards her. Renya noticed one was a woman, and she was hoping she might get more sympathy from her. The guards wore tight sleeveless tunics with scaled leather crossing diagonally on the front like armor. The scales were black and deep green and reflected the light, giving the effect of fish scales distorted in the water. They each carried a wooden spear with a sharp metal tip. The male nearest Renya had spiked black hair, and the female's was cut short to the scalp and slicked back, dark like licorice and coiled tightly.

As Renya moved forward, both guards tensed up on their spears. She raised up her arms in what she thought was a friendly, non-threatening greeting.

“Hello,” Renya started nervously. “I need help, I was kidnapped by the Shadow Queen but managed to get away. I was told you might offer me shelter and safe passage to the Snow Lands. I'm a…friend of Prince Grayden's,” she finished lamely. She was much more than a friend, but they never put a label on what they were. Boyfriend and girlfriend? It sounded foolish, even in her head.

The guards looked at each other and began communicating rapidly in a language Renya didn't understand. The tones sounded a bit more guttural than Grayden's speech when he was talking to his men, but she couldn't tell for sure if they were the same tongue.The male seemed surprisingly more sympathetic than the female, Renya thought. He gestured at Renya and said some words in a soft tone, but the female crossed her arms and shook her head.

“Please…” Renya began, sensing the exchange was quickly turning sour. “Look, I have his pin to prove I'm a friend of the Snowden family.” She held out the elkten pin and the female flinched as if Renya was going to attack. The male glanced at the pin and then back at the female guard. The woman threw up her hands as if to say that she was exasperated and gave up.

The male looked Renya up and down once more, as if checking to make sure she wasn't dangerous, then gestured to one of the small canoes. “Come,” he said, with a thick accent.

Renya looked at the tiny boat and stepped inside as the guard held out his hand to help her. She dropped her boots on the floor of the canoe and sat down on a wooden bench straddling the two edges of the little boat. The canoe was hardly wider than Renya.

The male guard carefully put his spear behind the last seat in the boat, and gracefully slid in the back. He grabbed a pair of oars and began to row.

The canoe moved through the glassy water, creating a small wake as it sailed farther into the cave. The sides of the cave were covered in green seaweed and barnacles from high tides, but instead of getting darker as they voyaged inside, it became lighter. Beautiful crystal stalactites hung from the ceiling of the cave, illuminating it with a glowing green light. Torches lined the walls, further lighting the vast and dark cave.

The guard silently continued to row across the mirror-like water.

“What's your name?” Renya asked.

“York,” he responded in his gruff voice.

“Thank you, York, for taking me in.”

“I'm just taking you to the king,” he said, his muscular arms continuing to propel the canoe through the water. “It's he who will decide what to do with you.”

“Still, I appreciate you taking me to see him. I need to get to the Snow Lands as soon as possible.”

York didn't reply, but gave a slight nod. They were approaching a dark bend in the cave and it narrowed significantly, perhaps only a dozen feet across in some spots. Renya held her breath as the ceiling lowered and the sides of the cave seemed to box them in. The lights from the stalactites were gone. York continued to row, and Renya lowered her head, afraid she was going to hit the top of the narrowing passage. She saw a pinprick of light ahead, and then suddenly the canoe was thrust into another enormous cavern.

Renya had never seen a natural space so big. There were multiple docks lining a stone outcropping, with numerous canoes tied up. Fishing nets and anchors lined the dock, and there were shops and shanties just steps away from the noisy harbor. Beyond the docks, more and more buildings came into view. High above, in the farthest recesses of the cave, Renya saw an elaborate palace carved into the rock. She couldn't believe anything like this existed in any world.

York looked pleased at her reaction. “We house six hundred Tidal Fae in this cave and mountainside,” he said proudly.

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