Page 9 of Manor of Wind and Nightmares (Fae of Brytwilde #3)

Hands shaking, I tried to wipe them clean on the front of my dress.

Something sniffed the air, making my skin crawl. “I bet you’ll taste the sweetest,” a nasty voice crooned, “when I roast your flesh and pluck out those juicy eyes.”

I jolted upright, whirling to find another goblin, this one taller than me as it leered.

Its weapon was a wickedly sharp knife, tarnished and brown, like it had seen much blood and never been cleaned.

Swallowing bile, I searched for weak points as the goblin advanced.

Any hint that it favored one side over the other or had been injured fighting against one of the guards. Nothing.

It was much larger, much stronger than me, and fear was overtaking my rational thoughts.

And then—the blunt edge of a blade struck the goblin in the back of the head. For a second, the creature paused, eyes dazed. Then it pitched forward, collapsing in the dirt mere feet away from me.

Junseo was there, already striding forward as his dark eyes scanned me. “Are you hurt?”

I glanced down at the blood coating my hands and dress and numbly shook my head. “I-I killed him.” Though I tried to compose myself, to behave as Princess Briar would expect me to, I couldn’t stop the tears stinging my eyes. “You spared this one, and I killed...”

Sheathing his sword, Junseo stepped toward me, his expression surprisingly gentle.

He laid a tender hand on my shoulder. “Sometimes, we do not have a choice. When I can, I offer mercy. But these goblins would have killed you without hesitation.” His eyes searched my face as if finding something new, something he hadn’t expected in me.

Breathless, I stared back at him. I’d never imagined I’d meet a fae who spoke of offering mercy. Who chose to knock a creature unconscious rather than kill. After the violence of Emberglade and King Wystan’s cruelty toward his own people, Junseo was so unexpected, I was at a loss.

It was then I realized the commotion had died and we were surrounded by nothing but unconscious or dead goblins and weary guards wiping the sweat from their brows. None of the fae had fallen in the attack thankfully, but Junseo’s and my carriage was severely damaged.

Clearing his throat, Junseo stepped back, as if just realizing how close we’d been standing.

“Do goblins pester your roads as much as they do ours?” he asked.

“We have worse,” I said darkly. It was true—at least in my human estimation.

King Wystan alone was monstrous enough, and though I hadn’t ventured far beyond the castle walls, I’d learned that Emberglade was a land in which even its insects tried to kill its inhabitants.

It was why the royals had been able to send me with so many poisons that the Willowbark people wouldn’t even recognize.

Emberglade was a kingdom of poisonous plants and venomous creatures.

Though I could tell Junseo’s interest was piqued, he didn’t prod for more information.

Instead, he hurried to speak with one of the guards, who had a minor injury that he was already wrapping with gauze, and then assisted our driver with unhitching the horses from our ruined carriage.

The door and interior weren’t all that had been battered, unfortunately.

Two of the wheels had been damaged in the fight, perhaps from zealous goblins who’d wanted to ensure their prey couldn’t ride away.

I tried and failed to scrub the blood off my hands, only succeeding in staining my dress.

“Here, princess,” a female guard said, stepping forward with a waterskin. As I held out my hands, she poured fresh water over them until I washed the blood from my skin. “Was it your first kill?”

I glanced up at her, taking in her kind brown eyes and plaited hair with stubborn curls escaping and framing her freckled face.

For a moment, I hesitated, wondering if Princess Briar’s deadly reputation had preceded her.

But even if rumors had spread, it wasn’t as if the true princess would be here to dispel them.

And I’d already given away my horror to their captain.

There was no point in lying. “My first kill?” I managed. “Yes.”

“It’s incredible, really, how even slaying a creature that wants to murder and eat you can still inspire guilt,” the guard mused.

“Goblins are nasty creatures. I’m glad to see that you, however, are kind, unlike them.

Only a truly gentle heart would grieve killing one of them.

” She paused, as if remembering herself, and dipped into a little bow.

“Forgive me for the informality, Your Highness. I only wanted to offer comfort.”

“No, no.” I said hastily. “There is nothing to forgive.” I smiled at her, refreshed by her friendly manner. “What is your name?”

“Lavender, Your Highness.”

“Does it...get easier?” My stomach churned at the idea of killing becoming less difficult, and yet I also longed for reassurance that I’d find a way to live with myself after slaying the prince.

Lavender frowned. “I suppose when you know you’re defending yourself and those you care about, you learn how to stifle the guilt better.

” She shrugged. “And then there are some fae who are naturally bloodthirsty and live for violence as much as those goblins did. It’s rare to find someone like you with a bit of feeling.

I’ll be honest...I didn’t think you would be one of those fae, princess.

” She dipped her head quickly, as if regretting the words instantly.

But my smile only widened, even if on the inside, I was aching. You’re defending your family. That’s why you must kill the prince. That’s how you will learn to live with yourself afterward.

Before I could say anything more, Junseo approached. “I’m afraid I have inconvenient news, Your Highness. Our carriage is too damaged to be operational.”

Of course, I’d already noticed that. “I can ride,” I said smoothly. “It is no trouble.”

Junseo’s smile was forced. “Riding isn’t an option.

You’ll be too exposed, and not everyone in the kingdom is thrilled about this marriage alliance.

My task is to do everything within my power to deliver you to the palace alive.

” He gestured to a covered buggy in the back of the line of carriages, and my heart sank, already anticipating his words.

Guards were already unloading some trunks from within, clearing the floor and the buggy’s single passenger seat.

“We’ll be stopping at enough inns along the way that we can dispose of some of our supplies and make room in the buggy. ”

I wouldn’t meet his eyes. “I won’t be riding in it alone, will I?”

Junseo shook his head firmly.

I stifled my sigh, resigned. It only took a few minutes for the guards to finish leaving the trunks at the side of the road, which others had already cleared of the goblin corpses. Then, with an exaggerated flourish, Junseo offered me his arm, helping me into the buggy at the rear of the caravan.

As soon as he settled in beside me, my heart jolted uncomfortably. There wasn’t enough room on the seat to put any space between us. We were shoulder-to-shoulder, his warm thigh pressed against mine. I tried to tuck myself in, to make myself smaller, but it was impossible.

Junseo glanced at me, clearing his throat. “I apologize for the uncomfortable arrangements.” The buggy swayed as the driver urged its single horse forward, and the motion tugged me dangerously closer. For an instant, our faces were far too near. I leaned back, blushing furiously.

“Prince Kaede wouldn’t take issue to this?” I ground out, hoping I sounded more annoyed than scandalized.

The bodyguard laughed. “He trusts me implicitly.” He cocked his head to the side, surveying me curiously. “Why? Do you think I forced you into this situation so I could woo you for myself?” His dark eyes glittered with mirth.

I crossed my arms. “You mock me.”

Junseo leaned his head back against the seat, stretching his long legs as far as they could go in the cramped space. “This may come as a shock to your pride, Your Highness, but you’re in no danger of me falling hopelessly in love with you.”

I lifted my chin, trying to channel Princess Briar’s confidence to cover for my earlier un-fae-like embarrassment. “Well, thank the gods you’re spared from falling in love, as you’re already hopeless enough that I’m sure it’d be the death of you.”

My retort was enough to take the captain by surprise. “Hopeless?”

It was gratifying to see his cool demeanor ruffled for once.

“Yes,” I said with a light laugh. “I’m sure you wouldn’t have the first idea of how to successfully woo a woman.

” I ran a hand through my long hair, my fingers brushing against the point of my ear and reminding me that I wore someone else’s appearance.

“My suitors never left me questioning their intentions. And trust me, I had many to pick from.”

“And yet your father sold you to Prince Kaede.”

“Sold?”

He shrugged. “In exchange for peace rather than gold, yes.”

I chewed on my lip, unable to find a suitable response. It was true, after all. Except King Wystan hadn’t truly given up his daughter, but me. And not for peace, but for war, for bloodlust, and for his own greedy desire to have the ultimate revenge against his hated enemies.

And in the process, I was selling my conscience for my family’s lives.

Before I could sink into another storm of guilty thoughts, Junseo spoke again.

“But I am sorry that your first introduction to our kingdom was that goblin attack.” His gaze dipped to my blood-stained dress.

“And that we didn’t have time for you to clean up afterward.

” He paused, but before I could acknowledge his apology, he added, “Though you didn’t disclose that you were armed. ”

“You thought I’d travel to a foreign kingdom unprepared?”

He frowned. “It’s something I expected you to share with your bodyguards.”

“Because I would trust you alone with my safety?” I raised my eyebrows at him. “I don’t know you. I don’t know if you truly want to bring me alive to the prince or not. And I will not bet my life on your competence.”

“And I don’t know that you have truly peaceful motives for traveling to my kingdom,” Junseo snapped.

That gave me pause. What if the captain suspected me? My heart slammed against my ribcage as I tried to school my features into nonchalance. “Well, now you know that I am armed for my own protection. As long as you don’t threaten my safety, I won’t threaten yours.”

Junseo’s lips twitched. “Very well. Then we’re in agreement: no falling in love and no killing one another.”

I laughed. “Just so.”