I open one eye and instantly regret it. “Brienne?!”
There she stands, arms crossed and eyebrows raised, her face alight with amusement. I barely give her a second tobreathe before I’m out of bed and throwing myself at her. I wrap my arms around her so tightly, she lets out a startled squeak.
“I can’t believe you’re here!” I squeeze her harder, like if I let go, she might disappear.
Brienne laughs, patting my back like I’m a child. “Yes, well, you can thank a certain royal for that.”
I pull back, blinking. “What do you mean?”
She makes her way over to the tub, starting to fill it with water with her magic, the steam rising in the cool air. “Last night, Prince Rylan came to see me. He officially asked for me to work in his quarters, with you.”
I frown, confused. “He did?”
Brienne flashes me a knowing smile, one eyebrow arched. “Maybe he’s not as heartless as you think.” Before I can respond, Brienne interrupts my thoughts. “Come on now, it won’t do for you to show up late on my first day back.” She winks at me. “You wouldn’t want to give Prince Brooding another reason to lecture you.”
I shake my head, unable to hold back a grin. Then, without warning, I scoop Brienne up in another hug, lifting her off the ground to the sound of her squeals.
I arriveat the training grounds with a wide grin on my face, the cool morning air delicious against my skin. I don’t know what I’m going to say to him. Is a simple thank you enough? He stands in the middle of the field waiting, arms folded across that huge strong chest, watching me walk toward him. His posture seems tenser than usual, his gaze sharp and distant. Our eyes meet, and for a moment, neither of us moves. Then, before I can stop myself, I close the distance between us and wrap my arms around him in a hug. It’s impulsive, but I can’t help it.
“Thank you,” I whisper against his chest.
“For what?” he says after a pause, his voice lower, guarded.
“For giving me my friend back.”
I feel him stiffen. For a heartbeat, he doesn’t move, and I think I’ve overstepped. But then, his arms come around me, slow and careful, as if he’s not sure he should be doing this. He holds me tightly, longer than I expected, but I’m not going to be the one to let go first. The heat of his body warms me through the thin fabric of my shirt. There’s a slight tension in his muscles, and I wonder if it’s from an injury. Word had spread that he and his guards were attacked last night while patrolling the city.
When I pull back, his face is softer, his usual guarded expression gone for just a moment. His cheeks are a little flushed, and he clears his throat, looking away as if to compose himself.
“It’s nothing,” he mutters, voice rough. But it wasn’t nothing. I know that, and so does he. I smile at him, and as I’m about to let go, he leans in, his breath warm against my ear. His voice drops, a low whisper that sends a shiver down my spine. “I’d do anything for you, Eirabella.”
The way he says my name, the way his voice wraps around it like it’s something sacred… my heart stumbles. I freeze, the world narrowing to just the sound of his breathing and the warmth of his body so close to mine.
I step back, but my eyes stay locked on his. His gaze lingers on my face, a storm of unspoken thoughts swirling in their depths. It feels like the air between us has thickened, and I can't help but notice how he clung to me just now. Had something happened last night during the attack? Something that compels him to need comfort? I’ve come to realise that after skirmishes, he tends to withdraw, as if he needs to take some time to process what happened. What he did. But something feelsdifferent about this morning; it’s as if he’s building walls again, and I don’t know why.
I swallow hard, trying to remember how to speak, how to act normal. “Did I say something silly yesterday? I should’ve warned you that I cannot take my wine.”
He blinks, and then clears his throat, the guarded mask sliding expertly back into place. “You… don’t remember anything?”
“Well, I remember some of it. We talked. You told me about… your scar. And somehow you got me to talk about fucking Samfer. But… I don’t remember much after that.” I make an apologetic face. “I didn’t do something silly like perform a naked dance to the gods, did I?”
He pauses, then shakes his head. “Er, no. No. Nothing silly.”
I let out an exhale in relief. “Okay, good. And… you didn’t say anything of importance that I should have written down, did you?”
He just shakes his head again.
“Good. Anyway, the fact I’m here at my training session on time is a miracle. I should warn you, you are not going to be happy with my progress today,” I manage, holding my still-recovering head.
Rylan doesn’t move at first, just stands there, watching me with that same unreadable intensity. Then he says, “I’m not staying. I only came to tell you that you should join Master Gavrik and Doran this morning. I’m too busy to train you. Go through the manoeuvres we practised yesterday. Don’t forget to hold your focus; your mind tends to wander. Don’t think a headache is going to get you out of training.” His tone is clipped, colder than before. Then, without so much as another word, he stalks off the training field, almost angrily, leaving me standing there, confused and hollow.
Moonlight spillsthrough the Aetherhold windows as Doran and I creep down the hall, half-stifling our laughter with cupped hands. Every step feels like a risk, but the thrill of the night’s mission—raiding the kitchens for ice cream—keeps me moving.
“I swear you’re going to be the reason I get kicked out of Aetherhold one day,” Doran whispers, barely holding back his grin.
I snort, trying to keep my own face straight. “It wouldn’t be any fun for you here without me anyway..”
He rolls his eyes. “Only because you get all the special treatment and I like how much it annoys Selene.”
