Page 79 of Kingdom of Betrayal and Unknown

Following his instruction, my body melts into his as he holds me close.

“Everything is going to be okay. I know it can be scary when this first happens. Your body recognizes that you are my mate. It trusts me to take care of you and make sure that you are safe,” he explains. “It happens to everyone. Deep down, you know you can trust me, and your body is trying to tell you that.”

But I shouldn’t want that.

“I know you are still struggling with what you were taught growing up, and it’s going to take time, but it’s not bad that you trust me. It’s not bad that you feel a connection with me and feel safe. I’m honored you do, and I will never betray that,” he whispers and kisses my forehead.

CHAPTER 21

“Ithink I would like to meet some of the other females who are mates with the Fae,” I tell Kieran when I see him walk out from behind the tree.

Two weeks are almost up, and Prince Archie should be back here any day now. I’ve loved having freedom without so many guards in town, and without having to worry about Prince Archie trying to find me. It’s been nice to walk and let my mind clear.

“What has changed your mind?” he asks. “I will let their mates know so they can tell them.”

I shrug. “I’m curious.”

I really just want to see if I’m alone in this or if there are other people in the same situation as me.

I take a deep breath and look back at Kieran. How is any of this going to work out between us? He’s a Fae, and I’m human. There are laws in place that could get us both in trouble. He could die, and I could get whipped and thrown in the dungeon. Or how is it going to work out since he is so much taller than me?

“Take a deep breath,” he gently reminds me. “Hold it for a couple of seconds and slowly let it out.”

I didn’t even realize I had been holding my breath. My shoulders slump as I inhale.

“Sorry,” I mumble.

Kieran bends down slightly and cups my face with his right hand, and I find myself leaning into it. “There is no need to be sorry. Everything is okay. Everything is going to work out.”

“Is it though?” I ask. “How is it going to work out between us if we really are mates? How is this going to actually happen when you are a Fae and I am human? How? There are rules against this. We wouldn’t be able to do anything.”

Kieran searches my face and gives me a small smile. “Everything is going to work out. I know it’s hard to believe and see past everything happening right now, but everything is going to work out. We are going to get out of the curse, I promise you.”

“Before I die?” I take a step back. “You’ve been slaves, under this spell, for hundreds and hundreds of years. What has changed?”

“I found you,” he gently says.

“Wh-what?” I stutter.

Kieran takes a step closer to me. “The thing that has changed is that I found you. That is what is different and is going to change everything.”

I shake my head. “You are crazy. You don’t know how to break the curse. No one does, so how am I going to change anything?”

I knew I shouldn’t have believed a word he said. Everything he has been telling me probably has been lies.

“We may not know how to break the curse yet, but we will. We have been slowly working on it, but everything is going to go much faster now,” Kieran tells me. “Soon, we are going to be able to be together in public without any fear of being hurt or killed. I promise you it will happen.”

I take another step back as his words sink into my brain. Could he be behind all of it? I know Fae are said to be vicious, but ever since talking to Kieran, he has changed my mind.

“Why are you giving me that look?” He cocks his head to the side.

“Are you.” I take a deep breath. “Are you behind all of those attacks happening in the other towns?”

He shakes his head. “No. They have gone rogue, but they will be hearing from me. As High Lord of the Fae, I do not tolerate what they are doing. Word has been sent for them to stop what they are doing. Now is not the time to attempt a revolt. Not when I just found you, and not when we don’t know how to break the curse or even who the witch is.”

I shouldn’t believe him, but it sounds like he is telling the truth. Everything that I have seen has made the Fae non-violent. Maybe they are and are just trying to show that they have changed so the curse gets broken. Or maybe that’s how they always were.

“In the beginning, we tried to revolt and take over, but we lost many and realized if we killed everyone, then we wouldn’t be broken from our curse,” Kieran tells me. “So we have been slowly trying to figure out how to break the curse without raising any alarm and getting us all killed.”