Chapter 17 The Fae King
THE FAE KING
No, this can’t be right.
He couldn’t be an actual king.
A dark fur mantle draped his broad frame, fastened at the shoulder with a bone clasp. Beneath it, just a simple leather tunic. His cloak brushed the floor as he rose.
He was extremely handsome. Not the porcelain beauty of Skalgard’s nobles with their soft lives—harsher. Carved from granite and brought to life. This wasn’t the beast who’d dragged me through mud, snarling like an animal. This was a king.
Somehow, that made it worse. Kings didn’t just break bones—they broke worlds, reshaped them to their liking. And I was standing in his.
He closed the distance between us in three slow strides. I had to tilt my head back to meet his gaze, my neck craning at an angle that made me feel small. He was massive, thick with muscle that shifted beneath his clothes with every breath.
My breathing hitched. “You’re a king.”
He lifted a brow. “Yes.”
I swallowed hard, my mind racing to understand. “But you said you were from Caelir.”
“Caelir is where I was born. Sanguir is where I ended up.”
“How long do you mean to keep me here?”
He gestured to the feast. “We’ll discuss it while we eat.”
Venison glazed with dark sauce glistened under firelight.
Tubers roasted with herbs. Loaves of bread.
Honeyed root vegetables, drizzled with a golden gravy.
Bright, jewel-toned berries, some I’d never seen before, and a bowl of persimmons.
Rheya would’ve loved this. As a child, I used to sneak her old pastries and watch her face light up over bread that wasn’t moldy.
My stomach twisted violently, almost in protest of the rich aroma. I stepped closer. Just to look at it all.
Kairos pulled out a chair. “Have a seat.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“You haven’t eaten in two days,” he ground out, his knuckles whitening on the chair.
“You’ve cured me of my appetite.”
His jaw tensed. “Starvation is a poor strategy.”
I tasted the succulent air. Either this was impressive illusion magic, or they really did cook an incredible meal. So much delicious food. Even Henrik hadn’t fed us like this.
I wavered, my mouth watering. Even the silverware was wonderful. Real, polished silver with tiny dragons engraved on the handles.
A place had been set for me.
“Sit,” Kairos whispered. “You need your strength.”
My eyes snapped to his. “For what? Being locked away?”
“I won’t ask again. Your pride is your own to burn.”
Then he walked to the head of the table and sat like it didn’t matter, but a muscle ticked in his jaw. Loading a plate with tubers, venison, and carrots, he slid it toward me.
I hovered for another breath.
Screw it.
Slowly, I lowered into the chair, clenching my fists so I wouldn’t reach for the food.
A door opened behind me—so silent I barely heard it, despite the massive iron-bound hinges that should have groaned. I glanced back. The door was a work of art, carved with scenes of battle: fae warriors clashing with beasts, their faces frozen in eternal fury.
Elwen stepped through, her footsteps echoing across the vast space. Each tap of her boots against stone rang out, bouncing off the high ceiling. The room was so deep that sound seemed to travel forever before dying. It made everything feel exposed.
The awkward weight of her presence settled over us like a blanket.
Elwen joined us. “Is the food not to your liking?”
“She likes it.” Kairos didn’t look up. “She’s just choosing which utensil to stab me with.”
Sauce pooled dark and glossy along the meat. Salt, thyme, cracked pepper—I could almost taste the seasonings.
I licked my lips. “What’s the price for all of this?”
“Nothing,” he said quietly. “Just eat.”
“If I do, will you let me go?”
His lips thinned. “You might consider that I’m the only thing standing between you and a very unpleasant death.”
“Threatening me now?”
“No, a reminder of what awaits you in the forest. Even if you make it out, most fae wouldn’t tolerate your existence. I’m offering you a seat at the table.”
“I don’t want one.”
His smile darkened. “Would you prefer the floor?”
“Is that where you keep your pets?”
“Eat, Aelie.”
I didn’t trust him. But if I passed out, I’d be helpless. Picking up a fork, I stabbed into a chunk of meat and shoved it into my mouth. Rich, smoky, salted to perfection. My eyelids fluttered. A low hum escaped my lips before I could stop it.
I shoveled more in. To spite him. Not because it was incredible.
Another moan slipped out—I couldn’t help it.
Meat so tender it melted. Water so cold and crisp.
Bread that wasn’t stale. I inhaled my plate and went for seconds.
Two helpings of the berry-glazed roasted venison disappeared before I came up for air.
Grabbing a persimmon, I turned it over. The bright orange skin reminded me of sunsets in Skalgard—a sliver of beauty in that city. I devoured it, sucking the juice from my fingers.
Kairos cradled his goblet loosely. “It’s like you’ve never tasted anything good before.”
I tore off bread. Drenched it in sauce.
Elwen glanced sideways at him. “You could sound less like a jailor admiring his captive.”
His sharp gaze didn’t waver from me.
“She’s been through hell.” Elwen’s voice softened.
He scowled at her. “I’m feeding her, aren’t I?”
“She’s not a prisoner. Don’t treat her like one.”
They talked about me like I wasn’t here. Like I was a problem to be solved.
I needed an advantage. Something to shift the power in this room, even for a moment. My eyes flicked to the scars on his wrists, the way his shoulders carried tension like he still braced for chains.
That was it. The one thing that could hurt him.
I shouldn’t. It was cruel. But he’d dragged me here, and now they discussed my future while I sat silent.
Screw it.
I met his eyes. “Tell me how a king ends up chained in a foreign court, doing the bidding of another.”
“Because I made a deal.”
I frowned. “A faerie deal?”
Kairos’s jaw worked like he was chewing glass. When he finally spoke, his voice was rough, stripped of its usual arrogance.
“A rune bound me to Skaldir. You broke it.”
“So the rune I destroyed—”
“Shattered more than my chains.” He cut me off, his tone making it clear the subject was closed.
A sick silence rippled between us.
He’d been a prisoner for decades, and he wasn’t what the realm remembered. I glanced at his sister. How did she feel about this? Were his subjects loyal to him?
“Trust me, human. You’re safe here,” he said, gesturing to the food. “You’ll eat like this every day. Sleep on soft sheets. Bathe in hot water. Wear all the pretty dresses you could ever want.”
I hated how my heart pounded.
He smiled slowly. “If you don’t run, it’s all yours.”
“For how long?”
“Forever. I swear it. All I ask for is loyalty.”
He made it sound so simple. As if pledging myself to him was another transaction.
“A message came from your prince this morning.” Kairos dragged out a crumpled note and tossed it onto the table. “Delivered by hawk.”
I leaned forward. The wax seal bore the Skaldir crest, cracked down the middle. The parchment looked like it had been crushed in someone’s fist. I reached for it, carefully unfolding the letter. It contained a single rune.
Kairos pressed his finger onto the inked lines. They shimmered, reforming across the page into letters.
Kairos,
Return what belongs to me. Force my hand, and your realm will bleed. You know how this ends.
—V
My stomach clenched.
He lifted his finger, and the ink vanished. “Touch the rune.”
“Why?”
“Just do it.”
I touched the mark. The ink swirled, looping into new words.
Aelie,
I’m coming for you.
-V
I read the words again. Then again. My heart fluttered with hope. So he hadn’t forgotten me. Good. Perhaps he’d negotiate for my return and we’d find my sister.
“What is your relationship with the Halfbreed?” he asked coldly.
I pushed the message aside. “He hates that word. So do I. You shouldn’t spit on someone for how they’re born.”
He sneered. “Are you in love with him?”
“Why do you care?”
Kairos leaned forward, his nostrils flaring. “When a male vows to burn my realm to the ground over a mortal girl, I take notice. Especially when the Halfbreed is sending me love notes written in blood.”
“It’s not a love note.”
“‘I’m coming for you, Aelie.’”
“He didn’t mean it like that.”
Did he? The words had felt real, like the man I’d fallen for had slipped through the cracks. Would I even take him back?
“Look at me.”
I dragged my gaze to his and wished I hadn’t. His expression was merciless, his mouth curved into a smile that promised pain.
“If Vaeris enters my realm, he dies. Slowly.”
I gripped the edge of the table. The wood bit into my palms. I forced myself to inhale, but each breath was shallow.
Kairos stood, his chair scraping back. “See that she’s fed.”
I grabbed his arm. “If I run, what then?”
He looked down at me. “Then I’ll enjoy the chase.”