His words ran through my head as I strolled along the path toward my temporary living quarters. The place I belonged. It felt like a sign. A reminder that this was what I’d wished for that night as I’d held the wishing stone, when my heart had been heavy in my chest and the desire for adventure so strong it had been suffocating.
A world like I’ve only seen in my dreams.
Bremloc was just like those kingdoms I’d escaped to while lost in the pages of a book, but instead of reading about someone else’s adventures, I was living my own. The protagonist of my own story.
Movement from my peripheral caused me to look toward a field on the right. A field filled with glowing flowers. And amongst those flowers? A man.
“Briar?” I stepped from the path and approached him.
“Oh. Hello.” He stood from his crouched position and greeted me with a warm smile, one of the flowers in his hand.
“Are you stealing flowers?”
“Stealing? No.” He laughed and tucked it into the satchel slung across his upper body. “These are called Night Kisses and only bloom beneath the light of a full moon.”
“What do they do?” I knelt to look at them. The curved petals shimmered in hues of silver and glowing white.
“They have many uses.” Briar dropped down next to me. The excited gleam in his eyes was visible even in the dark. “Depending on what you blend with them, they can ease muscle aches. They also possess calming effects and help relax the mind. I use them for tonics to aid those suffering from insomnia as well.”
“You really like this herbology stuff, huh? Not just because you’re a physician.”
“It fascinates me.” His smile became a bit shy. “Much like you do.”
My face heated. “There’s nothing fascinating about me. I’m kind of boring, actually. If I was a plant, I’d probably be a weed.”
“Weeds are resilient,” he said. “They adapt to their environment and can survive harsh conditions. A great quality to have. But while I believe you to be resilient, you are not a weed. Far from it.” He lifted a hand and lightly smoothed away my bangs. “You are much too beautiful.”
Breath snagging in my throat, I tore my gaze from his. “I think you need a new set of glasses, Doc, if you thinkI’mbeautiful.”
Briar tucked a finger beneath my chin and tipped it up, our eyes meeting again. “You say that, yet you currently have two men under your spell. Captain Maddox and I have very little in common… with the exception of our attraction toward you.”
“Then maybe heneedsglasses while you get yours changed. It’s the only explanation.”
“My sight is fine,” he responded, amusement rich in his voice. That amusement then trickled away, exposing something much more tender underneath. “Since the moment you first walked through my door, you’ve left me spellbound. Eyes the deepest shade of green, skin as soft as rose petals, and a smile that warms all who see it. Try as I might, I can’t get you out of my head.”
“Well, I’m constantly in your clinic being a nuisance. That’s probably why.”
He released a low laugh. “You are far from a nuisance, Evan. I’ve greatly enjoyed our time together.”
“I have too,” I whispered, confused and excited at the same time.
After returning from the accounting department earlier, I had spent the afternoon in the clinic. In between tasks, I had looked through more of Briar’s books, and he’d allowed me to pick out some to take to my room. He was a lot like me in terms of communication. Long silences often passed, but they weren’t awkward with him.
“I find connections with other people difficult,” he said. “Many say I’m hard to like. My intelligence is off-putting to many people. Others mistake my quiet nature for egotism, as if I believe myself to be too superior to engage with them.”
“I don’t think that about you.” But I certainly understood the feeling of being judged for being too quiet or too passionate about a subject. “Can’t say I’m much better at making connections. I’ve never really fit in with the people around me.”
“Is that why you left your home?” he asked. We were sitting close together in the grass, the patches of Night Kisses glowing around us and the stars bright in the sky. It felt like a dream. Or a scene from a swoony romance novel.
“It’s part of it,” I admitted, remembering my wish. More so, the deep craving for somethingmore.“Do you ever feel like you’re going through life in a sort of daze? Like you’re existing but not truly living?” I dropped my gaze to one of the silvery flowers. “That’s how I felt. Leaving home was kind of impulsive.” Aka forced on me by a mysterious magical stone. “But now that I’m here? I don’t know. I’m excited to start the day when I wake up in the morning. And I haven’t felt like that in a long time.”
All thanks to Lupin. As much of a headache as he’d given me, I was grateful in that moment.
“Days had begun to feel that way for me as well.” Briar removed his satchel and placed it beside him. “Your arrival in Bremloc changed that. I woke this morning excited by the thought of seeing you.”
“Because I’m such an amazing assistant, right?”
He laughed and placed his hand over mine. “Because you make me feel like I never have.”
