Page 23 of Manor of Wind and Nightmares (Fae of Brytwilde #3)

Anxiety clawed up my throat. As much as I dreaded reaching the palace and my mission there, I was beginning to fear spending time with Junseo more. “What if we ride?”

Junseo arched a brow at me. “If I didn’t let you travel on horseback before, I certainly won’t now that you’ve already nearly died on me. You’d be far too exposed and difficult to defend galloping through my kingdom.”

“Well,” I said, straightening. “Then I suppose I’ll go downstairs for breakfast.”

Junseo cleared his throat. “I’ve reserved the upper room for our party so we can have a private breakfast. If you want, you can head down the hall to meet with the others and I’ll join you shortly.”

Nodding, I left the room and swept down the hallway toward an open door on the far end, following the sound of voices.

The Willowbark guards were warm, welcoming me to their table and engaging me in their small talk as we ate a veritable feast of bacon, ham, eggs, toast, fruit, pastries, and cheese.

When Junseo joined us, he was his typical charming self, amiable among his guards as if they were old friends and he was no better than them.

His humility and care toward each was a delight to see.

Once we finished, we wiled away the day in that room, some guards setting up card games while others lounged, spreading out around the fireplace or near the windows in the large space.

I tried to occupy myself within the pages of a book, but the inn didn’t have many options aside from tedious historical accounts of endless wars and conflicts among the fae kingdoms of Brytwilde, and I struggled to focus.

Instead, I sighed and tossed the book on an empty chair.

I was about to stand and walk about the inn to stretch my legs when Junseo appeared, lifting the book to inspect the cover with a quirk of his lips.

He settled into the seat and tipped his head to the side to search my expression. “Not amused by our violent ways?”

“Emberglade is not so different.”

Junseo’s expression turned gentle. “I know,” he said softly. “I suspect you hate it as much as I do. We don’t fit in, you and I, do we?”

I met his gaze, swallowing. If only he knew how true that was of me, here in this strange world.

Standing, he offered me his hand. I stared at it blankly. “I have a better idea.”

Trepidation and excitement warred within me. “What’s that?”

“You’ll find out.” Junseo’s crooked smile told me it was probably something I wouldn’t find proper, or reasonable. But I couldn’t resist taking his hand.

We made our way out of the room and down the stairs, Junseo carefully sweeping me through the cozy downstairs of the inn, where garlands of flowers framed arched windows and wrapped around the golden candlelight of the lanterns.

The fire looked especially inviting, and I had the urge to sink into the vacant armchair beside it to watch the rain and bury myself in a book. A good book.

But Junseo led us toward the door, a mischievous smirk playing on his mouth.

“Captain...” I began as he pushed it open to the rain pouring outside. The street was deserted, a mess of puddles and mud.

“I find the spring rain quite refreshing,” he told me. “Have you ever let yourself just soak it in and enjoy it?”

“You mean to jump in puddles like a child?” I asked, aghast.

He shrugged. “Jump in puddles, run through the rain, dance...whatever I choose.” He turned to me, offering his hand. “Enjoy the moment. Be carefree.”

I arched a brow at him. “This is ridiculous.” It wasn’t proper back home to frolic like a child through the streets, and I imagined even for a fae princess it would be considered unseemly—or at least odd. Surely Princess Briar would find it as impractical as I did.

“Dance with me, princess.”

Something loosened in my chest at the low timbre of his voice, somehow both pleading and commanding. My gaze locked with his, and for a moment, I thought I’d drown in their depths. Without another protest, I let my fingers slip around his, let him draw me out into the rain.

Rivulets splattered down my face, soaking my hair and my dress, but it was a warm, fresh rain, bringing the scent of spring.

Droplets clung to my lashes as I looked up at Junseo, who pulled me into his arms and began swaying to a song only he could hear.

My heart thundered in my chest as I imagined his guards peering out the windows, or someone in town glancing out and seeing us.

But I’d already spent nights in Junseo’s arms. This was tame in comparison, and yet, with my sopping dress plastered to my frame and my body flush with his, with the music of the rain filling my ears and my face upturned to his laughing one, this somehow felt more intimate.

I couldn’t resist Junseo’s charm as we swayed beside the inn, my slippers growing wet from the puddles collecting in the street and my hair clinging to my cheeks.

Laughter bubbled up in my chest, and I couldn’t stop myself from letting it out, joining in with Junseo’s deeper chuckle.

With a smirk, he twirled me around until my back was to his chest. The steady beating of his heart filled my being, and for a deliciously warm moment, I let his arms encircle me and closed my eyes, memorizing every sensation.

He leaned forward, his breath skating along my neck and tickling my ear.

“This is the real you, is it not, princess? When you release all the expectations society places upon you, when you allow yourself a moment of joy... This is who you are.”

My eyes flew open and I wrenched myself from his grasp. “Captain,” I said, my pulse erratic and my cheeks flushed.

He blinked at me, his smile faltering.

“We cannot do this. We can’t...” My voice broke.

I wanted this.

I wanted him .

What an awful realization it was, crushing my soul and hollowing my chest.

I set my lips in a flat line, raising my chin defiantly. “I am Princess Briar Emberglade, and this is highly impractical. And that is what I am. Practical. Logical. Sensible. I don’t know what overcame me...boredom, perhaps...but I am not one to dance about in the rain like a child.”

Junseo tilted his head to the side, a droplet of rain sliding down his cheek. “Because you haven’t permitted yourself the freedom. Not everything has to be practical to be worthwhile.”

I fisted my hands at my sides. “But it does have to be possible and right. For someone who spoke of mercy and kindness, you are being cruel to your prince. To me. This...” I gestured between us and shook my head, my words trailing off. I swallowed. “This cannot be.”

But to my surprise, Junseo’s expression turned earnest. “What if it could? I am of Willowbark, and I am of good standing with the royal family. Why could our union not be good enough to seal the alliance between our kingdoms? I know the prince would understand.”

I gaped at him. “Because... M-my father would never...” I stammered. “I don’t think he would accept that.”

Junseo ran his hands through his hair, the wet ends growing endearingly tousled.

I wanted to reach up and run my own fingers through it, and the impulse startled me.

I swallowed and stepped back, as if I could no longer trust myself.

Maybe I couldn’t. All my practicality was slipping away, my wild emotions tangling with my better judgment.

“We don’t know,” he said, the look in his eyes turning pleading. “What if he did accept it?”

“And what if he does not?” I forced my voice to turn cold.

Anything between us was ill-fated. Junseo thought he was falling for a fae princess.

He had no idea I was mortal, an assassin who would murder his friend and then flee to her own world.

We could never be for reasons I couldn’t begin to explain to him. Soon enough, he would hate me.

Junseo opened his mouth as if to say something else, frustration lining his brow. He reached for my cheek, but I stepped back further, shaking my head and turning toward the inn. “I’m cold,” I lied. “I need to change.”

Before he could say anything else, I fled inside, nearly slipping on my sodden skirts as I ran up the steps toward our shared room, praying he wouldn’t follow any time soon. Wishing for solitude.

But that was a fool’s wish. As soon as I swung the door to our room open, my eyes locked on a furious Daisy. She slammed the door shut behind us, locking it, and whirled on me.

“Idiot human,” she fumed. “We need to talk.”