Page 73 of King Foretold
Jihun’s eyebrows hike up. “Pardon?”
“Not you.” I sigh. “Just sit still.”
I pick up the blue-green leaf and brush it beneath his eyes to give him dark circles. I bite the inside of my cheeks to hold back my smile. He looks like he hasn’t slept in a month. Then I pluck a shadowy brown leaf from my lineup and contour his face to make him look thin and haggard. I sit back and critique my handiwork. The seonnam remains much too handsome for his own good, but he looks gaunt and exhausted like the hunter assassin did.
My stomach clenches. The poor always suffer the most under an oppressive ruler. But the king will pay for what he did to the hunter. He will face the consequences of carelessly discounting the well-being of commoners to satisfy his hunger for power and wealth. The tyrant will pay forallthe lives he’s ruined.Today.
“That’ll have to do,” I tell Jihun as I push up to my feet. “Now you have achanceof passing as a commoner in the Kingdom of Mountains.”
“Thank you, Sunny.” Jihun stands and turns toward Ethan. “I won’t be long, Your Highness.”
Without further ado, the seonnam does a sharp about-face and marches away, his broad shoulders perfectly squared and his spine ramrod straight. I palm my forehead and groan. We’re so dead.
“Can you at least slouch a little? If you walk into town like that, you might as well stampsuhoshin in disguiseon your forehead,” I shout after him. “Why can’t you go as yourself, again?”
“Because I can’t implicate the Order of the Suhoshin in this mission.” The suhoshin captain looks back at me with a glower. “And before you askagain, I can’t go as a noble because nobles do not procure their own palanquins. I have no choice but to disguise myself as an ordinary commoner.”
“But you are so bad at beingordinary,” I protest.
“Enough. I’m leaving,” he barks but lowers his shoulders by a quarter inch and loosens his gait a smidgen.
“Maybe he could pass for a commoner with exceptional posture?” I rub my temples. When we lose sight of Jihun in the woods, I shoot Ethan an annoyed glance. “Who infiltrates a royal palace in broad daylight anyway?”
“It’s easier to hide in plain sight,” he says, “especially since our goal is to get to the jimil, the king’s inner chambers. We have a better chance of going unnoticed during the day.”
“Yeah, because you two aresounnoticeable.” I roll my eyes. “You’ll blendrightin.”
“You’re one to talk.” He scoffs.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I squint at him.
“What ...” He draws back and side-eyes me. “You do know how beautiful you are, don’t you?”
“Gods, Ethan.” My cheeks burn, which makes me more embarrassed because he can tell I’m embarrassed. “I’m downrighthomelycompared to the seonnyeos.”
“H ... homely?” His face goes slack with disbelief, and gods damn it, I’m flattered. He really thinks I’m beautiful.
“Never mind.” I wave my hands in front of my face. “It doesn’t matter if I’m a five or a ten. I just want to focus on not dying today. Okay? Okay.”
“I won’t let that happen.” He steps close and captures my chin between his fingers. “I’ll end anyone who dares lay a hand on you.”
I can only gape at him as a shaky exhale escapes past my lips. I don’t want to like it, but his protective side makes my insides melt. My knees wobble like Jell-O, and I press my hands against his chest to steady myself. His breath hitches, and a thousand butterflies take flight in my stomach.
“I saiddon’t,” I whisper.
“Don’t what?” His lips barely move.
“Love me.” I don’t know if I’m answering him or asking him. All I know is that we might both die today.
“If friendship is all you can offer, then I’ll take it gladly.” He takes a shuddering breath. “But don’t ask me to stop loving you, because it’s not possible.”
Oh gods.He still loves me. My blood pounds in my ears. Even after all the cruel things I’ve said to him—I squeeze my eyes shut—he still loves me. My chest tightens painfully, but my lips quiver as though they want to spread into a smile.He loves me.
Holding his eyes, I slowly rise to my toes. Ethan releases my chin and brushes his hands over the curves of my hips, so lightly they’re barely there. Yet, I feel his touch spark against my skin like licks of fire.I angle my head to the side, but I can’t reach him, not even on the tips of my toes.
Ethan stares down at me without moving a muscle. Does he not want to kiss me? What am I doing? I should back away. But his pupils are blown wide, his gaze hot and black, and I am starving to taste him. I didn’t realize they were out, but my claws dig into the firm flesh of his chest—impatient,insistent. The only reason I’m not drawing blood is because this is Ethan. My powerful, beautiful Ethan.
“What do you want, Sunny?” His voice is a rough growl, and his fingers flex against my hips. I sink my teeth into my bottom lip. “Give me the words.”
