Page 27 of Manor of Wind and Nightmares (Fae of Brytwilde #3)
Then
“ F lirting with the captain is one thing, but your mission is the prince,” Daisy snapped.
There was ice in her eyes. “You’ve lost sight of that.
Gained feelings. I saw the two of you together.
Your frail human heart will give in to his charm, and you’ll spoil everything, give away who you are and destroy the mission before we even arrive at the palace.
” She plucked a note from the pocket of her dress, waving it in front of me.
“So I think it’s time I remind you of what’s at stake. ”
Daisy shoved the crumpled paper into my hands, leaving me to scour its contents. “A message from the soldiers watching your family,” she explained.
We are constantly at the ready for your orders.
The women are in and out nearly daily, bringing back bags full of whatever these mortals amuse themselves with purchasing at their shops.
Nearly every evening, the entire family departs in their carriage for a social event in their town.
But they sleep late each morning, providing an easy opportunity to infiltrate the home and catch them unawares.
My vision swam. They were watching my family and their habits, and all it would take was a single command for them to storm into my home and slay my loved ones. Mouth dry, I struggled to swallow as I held the letter out to Daisy, letting her snatch it back.
“Know that failure on your part will send a swift message to our king and elicit a quick command from him. See that you never forget this.”
Knocking on the door made Daisy pause.
“Princess?” Junseo’s voice warmed me, almost enough to shut out my panic. “Please unlock the door.” He chuckled. “I’m leaving puddles in the hallway. I know you’re upset, but... Please let me talk to you.”
When I didn’t answer, his words turned urgent. “Princess? Are you all right?” He rattled the door knob at my persistent silence.
Clearing my throat, I forced calmness into my tone as I called out to Junseo. “I’m changing. One moment.”
Daisy strode to my trunks, yanking out a fresh dress. She didn’t attempt to be gentle as she plucked my sodden gown off me and shoved me into the new one, heavy with jewels and frothing lace.
Without another word, Daisy strode to the door and opened it, dipping into a curtsey for the captain and then darting down the hall.
Head spinning, I ran my shaking hands through my damp hair and attempted to look unperturbed as Junseo entered the room.
“Are you all right?” he asked. He was too good at reading me. The tenderness in his eyes made me ache.
I shrugged, refusing to meet his eyes. Letting him assume all my discomfort was due to our dancing earlier.
“I’m going to read,” I announced, slipping from the room.
Junseo didn’t try to stop me.
Lavender and her friend Pearl found me perusing the limited books the inn contained and had invited me to their shared room with another of the female guards.
“I know from that collection you might not believe it, but we do have some good books in Willowbark too,” Pearl had proclaimed, digging through her trunk to pull out a handful of books. “I’ve already finished with this one, if you want to read it. It’s a romance.” She winked.
With a smile, I took the book from her, wondering what a fae romance would be like. “Anything is better than dusty history books on war,” I said with a laugh.
They welcomed me into their rooms, letting me spend an enjoyable afternoon reading and talking. “The men are kind enough, but sometimes you just need to stay in the company of women.”
“Especially when you want to talk about them behind their backs,” Violet—the third female guard, who’d joined us later—said with a flutter of her feathery lashes.
“Yes.” Lavender cast me a sly look. “Perhaps you have something you’d like to say about your time with the captain?”
“Is it enjoyable sharing a room with him?” Pearl asked coyly.
I bit my lip, trying to keep my cheeks from flooding with heat. “I’m engaged to your prince,” I reminded them pointedly. “It doesn’t matter what I think of the captain.”
Violet shrugged carelessly. “Well, he is handsome.”
“And you can’t say you haven’t noticed,” Lavender pressed. “I’ve seen the way you look at him.”
“And yet, I cannot marry him .”
Pearl just snickered, covering her mouth and sharing a look with Violet. “You sound like most of us females who have to be around him at the palace,” Pearl added with a laugh.
I shifted uncomfortably and announced that I was growing tired and needed to retire to my rooms.
“Enjoy your rest with the captain,” Lavender called with feigned innocence as I bid them goodbye and shut the door.
After a quick detour to see my maids and take my vial of potion, I turned my steps to my shared quarters with Junseo.
I knocked on the door, feeling a sliver of panic growing inside me.
I wanted far too much. Wanted what I could not have.
The idea of having to even look at Junseo again seemed almost unbearable.
“You may enter,” the captain called.
He was sitting at the fireside, eating dinner as he perused his own book.
When I stepped inside, shutting the door behind me, he glanced up, a flare of hope in his eyes. He set aside the book, and I noticed that his collar was casually unbuttoned, revealing too much of his neck and upper chest.
I swallowed and glanced away.
“Princess,” Junseo murmured. “Forgive me if I made you uncomfortable earlier with my forwardness.” He cleared his throat as he searched my expression. “If you’re agreeable to it...I would like to be friends.”
Hesitantly, I approached his chair as he stood, extending his hand. “Friends?”
“Yes.” He offered me a smile. “Astonishingly, I enjoy your company. I’d prefer if we could converse, play card games, and perhaps not be miserably silent and avoidant the remainder of our time together...if that is possible? Could you forgive me and be friends?”
“I can do that,” I whispered, accepting his hand. His warm fingers enveloped mine, and instantly, my chest ached with longing. I didn’t want to only be friends—knew even that would end in heartbreak for me—but it was all I could offer.
At first, I’d thought taking breakfast downstairs the next morning would be a relief, a chance to be out of my close quarters with the captain.
Though he’d slept on the floor again and I’d slept in the bed, I’d yearned for what we could never have.
By the time I’d woken, Junseo was long gone, and Lavender and her friends had knocked at my door instead, telling me we would leave today and they would escort me to breakfast.
But as soon as we entered the room, my stomach dropped.
At the far end by the fireplace sat a musician, strumming a guitar.
A human musician.
I tried not to let my eyes linger too long on the curve of his ears or his gaunt face. Clothed in grubby attire, patched and dirty and faded, he sat with a distant, glazed look in his eyes and a half-smile that made me queasy. Worst of all, he appeared young, perhaps only twelve years old.
Swallowing the bile burning the back of my throat, I forced a smile as I seated myself between Lavender and Pearl.
A steaming plate of food and a mug of tea already awaited me, though I had no appetite.
Across the table, Junseo had a strange expression on his face. His own breakfast appeared untouched.
Some of the other guards were chatting in low voices, but there was an unusually somber mood over the group.
“Good morning, Your Highness,” Flint said, his posture too rigid, his smile too wide. “Now that the rain has stopped, I hope you are ready for more travels.”
I dipped my head in acknowledgement, unable to force myself to speak.
Abruptly, Junseo picked up his plate, shoved his chair back with a scrape, and stood.
Lavender and Pearl glanced at each other over my head. Flint shifted in his seat, and Violet cleared her throat, staring at her plate. The rest of the table fell silent. I glanced up, the fork I’d been poking my food with still held mid-air, but Junseo’s gaze wasn’t on me.
He turned, striding across the room toward the musician.
No one spoke. There were only a few other patrons around at this early hour, along with a server, who paused in his work of wiping down a table to watch the captain.
Without meaning to, I found myself holding my breath, the growing tension pressing down on me even though I didn’t understand the weight of this moment.
Junseo set the plate down beside the boy. His words, though spoken with the clear charm and cadence of a fae weaving glamour, held no malice. “Stop playing and feel free to eat what you wish from my plate.”
Eyes still glazed over, the boy instantly set aside his guitar, resting it against the wall, and stood to grab the plate.
He wielded the fork like a shovel, piling heaping mouthfuls onto it and then chewing and swallowing with such violence, my eyes stung.
How long had he been surviving on barely enough sustenance?
“Surely the king will discipline you for going against his wishes,” came a snappish voice.
Unperturbed, Junseo turned toward the innkeeper as he emerged from one of the back rooms, his complexion blotchy with anger. But when his gaze snapped to the captain, he hesitated, turning white. As if just now realizing whom he had been addressing: the Captain of the Royal Guard.
“Stop,” Junseo said coolly, when the innkeeper moved as if to bow.
“We appreciate your hospitality toward us, but, after this boy has been fed and given rest, he and any other human servants you have in your inn will be safely returned to their homes. If King Edwin takes offense to this, he can bring his complaints directly to me, his chosen captain of the guard.”
The heaviness in the inn was nearly suffocating. A wash of confusion passed over the innkeeper’s face, but only for a moment before he dipped his head, humbled and unnerved by the captain’s authoritative tone.