Page 48 of When the Moon Met the Sun

“Give me five minutes! I need to change!” I said, after having looked down at my still damp and dirty clothes from this morning.

A few moments later, I was standing in front of the full length mirror in my room, quickly braiding my hair into a single plait down my spine and fluffing out my bangs. I opted for black, cotton pants and a silk, silver shirt, two things I found at the top of my luggage.

The North was rich in silver, which is why I seemed to have grown so fond of it. Meanwhile, Robyn seemed to feel the same about gold, which was the South’s most valued ore.

Instead of tucking my necklace into my shirt, like I’d done for years, I let it hang loose, openly adorning my neck. I looked into the mirror one last time, taking in my simple yet modest appearance, then headed out of the room.

I found Robyn waiting for me in the hallway, leaning against the wall behind him.

When I stepped out, I watched as his eyes roamed my body, drinking the sight of me as though it was all that mattered to him.

It didn’t take me long to do the same to him. He had on a pair of deep green pants so dark they were nearly black, with a white shirt adorned with gold detailing and buttons. These types of shirts, I noted, seemed to be among his favorite. His long sleeves were rolledup to his elbows, showing off the different markings on his arms. His top two buttons were loose, showing off a sliver of his smooth, muscled chest.

I found myself thinking once again about how he was the sun to my moon. He lit up my dark world anytime he was around, and he didn’t even have to try. Just existing near him made my stomach do flips.

And while it was terrifying to think about my feelings about him, I was also starting to accept it.

I was falling for my own husband.

I shook my head at the sound of Robyn clearing his throat, a small smirk on his face displaying his dimple.

I felt myself turning pink and stood up straighter, focused once again.

He reached across the space between us, holding out his hand.

I looked up into his face, still worried this all might be some extensive mind game. Part of me was still waiting for the other shoe to drop.

But when I saw the genuine, open look on his face, my worries melted away. I found my lips tugging into a small smile as I placed my hand in his. Our fingers intertwined, and I listened as our footsteps softly sounded against the wooden floor below us as he led us to the dining room.

“There’s no servants here,” I said suddenly as we walked, “who’s doing the cooking?” I asked.

“Teagan and I both know how to cook, as well as Chess. He’s great with spices and herbs. I think it’s the trokav in him,” he responded as we turned down a corridor.

“Really?” I asked, surprised.

He nodded. “Our mother wanted to make sure we’d be able to take care of ourselves in every aspect. That included cooking. Teagan and I have even taken to teaching Margo, when we find ourselves with a sparemoment.”

A strong pang of sadness shot through my chest, and I could tell he was thinking about his parents. Sometimes I forgot he’d lost loved ones, too.

“As for Chess, if I remember correctly, his late sister taught him. He’s kind of a jack of all trades, but plants are his specialty. After his sister passed in the war, he joined our army as a trokav, just as his sister had been. He was always one of our top performers, and my family and I have worked with him for years. Once I started ruling, I offered him the royal trokav position. He was so shocked I think he almost cried,” Robyn explained.

I listened intently, genuinely interested in learning more about his friends. I opened my mouth to respond, but then I heard the sound of multiple voices at the end of the hall, and my nerves hit me all over again.

Robyn and I came to a stop right before we reached the open door, and I could already smell the aroma of fresh bread and herbs and something sweet I couldn’t place wafting out into the hallway.

I took a shaky breath, attempting to calm my nerves, when Robyn gently placed a finger under my chin and lifted my face to meet his eyes.

“There’s nothing to be worried about, my love, I promise. They just want to get to know you,” he said softly.

I nodded, taking another deep breath, finding comfort in his gaze. I watched as his eyes flicked down to my lips, then back up to my eyes.

That warm feeling returned in my chest, and the air between us suddenly felt electrified.

Quickly, he dropped his hand from my face and took a step back. He ran a hand through his hair, mussing it, and I couldn’t help but imagine how soft it must feel.

He smiled uncertainly at me, then quietly reassured me everything was going to go perfectly. He placed a hand on my lower back, leading me as we walked into the dining room together.

A piece of me melted inside from that small gesture.

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