Page 21 of King Foretold (Realm of Four Kingdoms #2)

“The relationship between the Kingdom of Sky and the Kingdom of Mountains, which has always been tenuous, became even more unstable after the death of the Queen of Mountains,” he says.

“The Council of the Suhoshin strongly advised that we do not discipline Jo Danbi to the extent that it would increase the tension between the kingdoms.”

“Oh.” I can’t express a proper level of outrage as a wave of vertigo hits me and cold sweat breaks out on my forehead.

“You should lie down.” Jihun wraps his arm around my waist to hold me steady as I mimic a tall, delicate willow swaying in the breeze.

“I’m fine.” My head lolls onto his shoulder without my consent, and I squeeze my eyes shut against the tilting room.

“Minju, the comforter.” He shifts onto his knees and sweeps me into his arms.

I’m too busy trying not to hurl to object to the manhandling. He carefully lays me down on the sleeping mat, and my head gradually stops spinning. I crack open an eye and see Captain Seo frowning down at Jihun, who kneels by my side with his body curved protectively over me.

“Why is she so weak?” he barks, his voice cracking on the last word. “Are you sure she is fully healed?”

“She needs rest, Captain,” Minju says calmly. “And we should send for dinner. It’ll help her get her strength back.”

“Dinner?” I had breakfast right before I sparred with the Mean Girl. “How long was I out?”

“About twelve hours.” Minju places her hand on my forehead. It feels so cool and soothing that my eyes drift closed on a sigh. “First, you need to eat, then you can sleep.”

“Jihun,” Captain Seo says. “Can I talk to you? Outside?”

I force my eyes open in time to see him glance up at Captain Seo, then frown down at me, hesitant to leave my side. I scowl at him because even the thought of rolling my eyes makes me dizzy. “Why are you sitting here? Go talk to her. Outside.”

“Only if you’re sure you don’t need me,” he teases, his lips quivering at the corners. For some reason, Captain Seo looks furious at this.

“Bye, bye now.” I sink as much sarcasm into my words as possible, but it’s not up to my usual standards.

I don’t bother watching the suhoshin captains leave and close my eyes again. I drift in and out of sleep until Minju urges me to sit up.

“Here, have some dakjuk.” She holds a spoon to my lips.

I try to grab the spoon from her, but I end up swiping at the air because I see two spoons laden with chicken porridge. It smells so good that I give up and open my mouth like a baby bird.

“Mmm.” I swallow and open wide for another bite. “Yummy.”

After a few more bites, I manage to eat the rest on my own, feeling strength return to my limbs. Then I drink from a small bowl, thinking it’s tea, but it’s savory.

“It’s bone broth,” Minju explains. “I want you to eat well and get plenty of rest for at least twenty-four hours. I doubt you can stay still for longer than that.”

“What about our lesson?” I yawn.

“We can take one night off.” Minju helps me lie back down and pulls the comforter up to my chin. “You’re in no shape to wield the Yeoiju.”

I’m too sleepy to argue. The next time my consciousness floats to the surface, I feel my hand engulfed in another. I blink my eyes open to a softly lit room. I’m not in Captain Seo’s room anymore.

“Why are you awake?” Ethan brushes my hair off my forehead. “You need more rest.”

“Where am I?” I rasp, my voice scratchy from sleep.

“You’re at Jihun’s estate.” He pours tea into a small, handleless mug. “I think this is one of his guest quarters.”

I rise to one elbow and drink the tea from the mug in his hand, guiding him with the tips of my fingers.

When I struggle to sit up, he reaches out to help me, but I weakly shove him away.

I manage to maneuver myself into a seated position, but I sway and droop in exhaustion.

Still, I stay seated out of pure stubbornness.

I look blearily around the room and realize I’m in my old room at the Sunset Pavilion. Jihun must have brought me here. Grateful tears sting my nose, but I sniff away my sentimentality.

“Why are you here?” I harden my expression even as my heart thuds in my chest and my eyes roam his face.

“Is that even a question?” Ethan shakes his head and shifts to sit behind me, his legs outstretched on either side of me.

“What are you doing?” I yelp. He ignores my question and tugs me close until my back rests against his chest. I lurch forward, then promptly flop back against him in a wave of dizziness.

“Letting you use me as your backrest since you’re too stubborn to lie down.” He drops his chin on top of my head and wraps his arms loosely around my waist.

I don’t push him away. It has nothing to do with how strong and warm he feels. I’m just too weak to move. Liar. I ignore the accusatory whisper in my head, but I stiffen my body and don’t let myself melt against him.

“What time is it?” I peer at the hanji-covered window.

“Late.” He absently sweeps his thumb back and forth on a bare slip of my stomach, and a shiver travels down my spine. “I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner. No one told me you were hurt until they moved you here.”

“I don’t know why they told you at all.” I clamp my hand over his to tug it off, but my fingers somehow get tangled with his. “There’s nothing for you to do.”

“If I’d known sooner, I would’ve tracked down the person who did this to you.” Menace laces his voice. “But they sent her back to the Kingdom of Mountains.”

“A good thing too.” I look over my shoulder at him. “You can’t take on everyone who hurts me.”

“Watch me,” he growls, his arms tightening around me.

“I can take care of myself,” I say flatly, even as my heart knocks against my ribs. “You have your own problems to deal with.”

“It’s hard for me to see you hurt.” He tugs me back to him before I can stop him. “I want to keep you safe, Sunny.”

“I know,” I whisper. I can’t accept his love, but I won’t insult him by pretending I don’t know he loves me.

He draws a ragged breath and slips his hand under my shirt, spanning his fingers wide against my stomach. “Does it still hurt?”

“No.” I shake my head, willing my body not to react to his touch. “I’m fine.”

“I need to make sure,” he pleads.

“Okay.” I can’t accept his love, but I won’t let him hurt for me when I can make it go away. I can do that much.

Ethan drops his arms from my waist and widens his legs. I draw my knees up and turn around to face him, then raise my shirt past my smooth stomach. His gaze travels over me, not missing a single detail. I hold myself still and keep my expression even so he can see for himself that I really am okay.

After a long moment, he breathes a sigh of relief, his face lighting up with a tremulous smile. I lower my shirt and meet his eyes. Neither of us speak, and the silence stretches on. Now that I’ve reassured him, I should politely but firmly ask him to leave. But I can’t bear to let him go.

“Minju took good care of me.” My words come out in a nervous rush.

A flash of anger passes over his face, but he only says, “I hope she continues to do so.”

“She will.” I look away. He knows about the word of power and my bloodlust. I hate that I’m such a mess. “She promised to find a way to remove the rune.”

“No matter what”—Ethan gently grasps my chin to turn my face to meet his gaze—“you will always be perfect to me in all your imperfections.”

I bite the inside of my cheeks and look away from him, afraid my eyes will betray me.

He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, and the backs of his fingers brush my cheek.

My pulse quickens with want, sharp and hot, and I have to fight to not reach for him.

When he brushes his thumb across my bottom lip, I forget why I should stop him.

“Sunny.” He savors my name on his tongue.

There is so much love in the single word that my heart swells. One word from him, and I feel cherished. I feel perfect beyond measure. I am a wonder so precious he can hardly believe I’m real. I am loved in a way I never dreamed possible.

I jerk away from his hand. That is why I have to stop him.

Because he is cherished. He is so precious that my heart feels like it will burst. My perfect, wonderous Ethan. I love him with every broken part of me, so I have to push him away. If fate would have him end my life, I could at least spare him from knowing I love him.

But it isn’t enough that he believes I don’t love him back. He has to believe that I don’t want his love. He won’t give up until I hurt him, and I have to make him give up. Because if he doesn’t ... I’ll give in and ruin everything.

“I’d love to blow off some steam with a hot make-out session.” I offer him a wicked smile and scrape my fingernails down his five o’clock shadow. I lean in until my lips are a breath away from his. “But I would hate for you to get the wrong idea.”

He rears back as though I slapped him. I might’ve hurt him less if I had. I feel as though I’ve buried a dagger in my own heart. I harden my resolve even as my soul bleeds.

“Come on, Ethan.” I click my tongue with feigned irritation, encasing myself in the cold, tough veneer I’ve hidden behind for a century. “Don’t take it personally.”

“I know you, Sunny,” he rasps, fisting his hands on his lap until his knuckles turn white. “I don’t know why you’re doing this, but you would never be cruel to me without a reason.”

“How am I being cruel?” I arch my brow, but nausea roils in my stomach. I am being cruel, and I hate myself for it. “I thought we already went over this. Like I told you in Vegas, I don’t want any attachments to anyone —more so now that I’m a walking bull’s-eye. Why is that so hard to understand?”

“And I told you in Vegas that I don’t expect anything from you.” The intensity of his gaze bores into me, but I force myself not to look away. “Just don’t push me away.”

“I’m not pushing you away.” I shrug, then smile coyly at him, even though I’m screaming inside. My next words feel like jagged shards of glass as I push them past my tight throat. “All I’m saying is that I’m open to fooling around if you’re willing to keep things purely physical.”

Ethan turns to stone, all the warmth flickering out of his eyes. My chest constricts, and I can’t breathe. It hurts so much. Still, I smirk at him with my head cocked to the side. My nails dig into my palm, breaking skin.

“We both know I’d be lying if I said I can do that.” Ethan draws away from me and rises to his feet. “I can’t take my beating heart out of my body, Sunny. If you ever decide you want me, you’ll have to take all of me.”

I hug my knees to my chest, gripping my arms tight to hide the shaking in my hands. Please don’t go. Tears blur my vision as he turns toward the door, with his back braced against the pain I caused him. Maybe he hates me now. My breath comes in panicked pants. I can’t do this.

“Ethan, I ...” I’m sorry. Stay with me. But a sharp knock cuts off my plea.

“Come in,” Ethan says in a deep, commanding voice.

“Your Highness.” Jihun steps inside the room, then halts, catching sight of me. “Sunny, you’re awake.”

“What gave it away?” I drawl, both grateful for and furious at the interruption. “The fact that I’m sitting up? Or that my eyes are wide open?”

Jihun walks past a stiff-shouldered Ethan and crouches down by my side. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine.” My bluster seeps out of me at his steady gaze. “A bit woozy and weak, but nothing some food and sleep won’t fix.”

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” He glances up at Ethan, who watches us with an unreadable expression.

“No ...” I say in a small voice. I look down at my hands, and Ethan’s gaze heats the curve of my neck. “He was just leaving.”

“That’s good,” Jihun mutters.

“How exactly is that good?” Ethan arches an arrogant brow at him.

“It’s time for you to return to General Bak’s estate, Your Highness.” Jihun manages to sound deferential despite the challenge in the jut of his jaw. “I came to remind you that the guards will be changing shifts soon.”

“Thank you for the reminder, Captain,” Ethan says coolly, his narrowed eyes belying his words.

Jihun rises to his feet and bows his head. “Of course.”

When Ethan turns toward the doors once more, I think he’ll leave without a word to me. But he pauses with his hand on the door and murmurs, “Get well, Sunny.”

I stare at his back until the door slides closed behind him. It’s for the best. Too bad I don’t believe it for a second. Doing the right thing shouldn’t feel this apocalyptically wrong.

“I need to sleep.” Numb and hollowed out, I lie down and turn away from Jihun. “Thanks for letting me stay at the Sunset Pavilion.”

“I told you.” If he’s offended by my terseness, I don’t hear it in his voice or feel it in the tender way he pulls the blanket over my shoulder. “You’re always welcome here.”

Jihun blows out the candle, plunging the room into darkness, and lets himself out with steps so light that I don’t hear them fall. Then, I close my eyes against the darkness, feeling more alone than ever. I’m so sorry, Ethan.

I wouldn’t have thought it possible, but I fall asleep before the first tears fall.