Chapter 6
The Lip Thief
Two days without proper rest, riding nonstop on horseback, had left me utterly drained.
Even in my state of stomach-churning hunger, I kept my composure—befitting the second daughter of the Marquis of Uzkal—while eating, so I completely missed the mischievous glint in King Mikrok’s eyes.
“I don’t know if you’ve realized, but our little midnight escape was so impulsive I forgot the tent is only big enough for one person. Is that all right?”
I froze mid-bite, bread still in my mouth. Of course it wasn’t all right!
Tearing my gaze away from his playfully upturned lips, I silently listed all the reasons this was unacceptable.
We’d been galloping for two days straight, my entire body coated in dust and my hair matted—how could I possibly share a tent with him? No, wait, that wasn’t even the main issue!
Even if I were perfectly clean from head to toe, doing that in a tent in the middle of the forest was… no, no—wrong line of thought!
Even in a pristine bedroom, sleeping together before marriage was out of the question. Yes, that was the point!
Regaining my composure, I said firmly,
“We haven’t even had our wedding yet. Sharing a bed doesn’t seem appropriate. If the tent’s only for one person, I’ll sleep outside instead.”
“Is that so?”
With a lazy glance around, he replied,
“Then do as you wish. If you insist on sleeping outside, I recommend that tree up there.”
He calmly began packing away the dishes, then brought out a blanket from the tent and—was he seriously making up a bed in the tree he just mentioned?
“Want to try it? I hope it’s to your liking.”
I was so dumbfounded I couldn’t even think of a retort. Sleeping up there? One fall and I’d break an arm—or worse.
“I have a fear of heights, so I’ll just sleep here by the fire.”
“Puhahaha!”
When I lifted my chin primly and replied, he suddenly burst into loud laughter. I had no idea what was so funny.
But seeing the normally stoic man laugh aloud was so strange, I momentarily forgot I was supposed to be sulking.
“So you can laugh out loud.”
His laughter stopped abruptly. He raised a long finger to his lips, as if surprised at himself for making the sound.
Without a word, Mikrok climbed down from the tree and finished setting up the tent. His back to me, he said,
“You take this. I actually like that tree.”
He turned to leave, but the thought of being alone in the dark forest unsettled me, so I stopped him.
“Where are you going?”
“To wash up. From up there I spotted a decent stream nearby.”
“I’ll come too.”
I jumped to my feet. The thought of fully immersing myself in fresh water, even if cold, was too tempting to pass up.
“How curious.”
He tilted his handsome head.
“You refuse to share a tent with me, yet you’re fine bathing together?”
“Who said anything about bathing together?”
I snapped, startled by the absurd turn in conversation.
Ah! No, brain—don’t you dare picture him undressed!
Not the solid chest I’d felt at my back while riding, nor the strong arms that held me securely, nor the powerful thighs that brushed my hips when we picked up speed…
Stop! No imagining!
Face burning, I turned sharply away.
“It’s not like it’s a real bathhouse. If Your Majesty washes over there, I’ll be way over here. So don’t worry about it.”
“Will that be fine?”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m going to be completely naked…”
Naked, huh…
A pause hung in the air. His eyebrow arched.
“Strange. I thought you’d either be furious or flustered by now.”
Ah! I’d been picturing how naked he meant instead of reacting properly—damn it!
“We’ll be in different spots, so whether you’re dressed or not is none of my concern.”
I turned my head primly. Beside me, he gave a soft chuckle.
“Suit yourself.”
Without further teasing, he led the way, and I hurried after him with the bare essentials.
If I could wash in the water, I could endure a little embarrassment.
By the time we reached the stream, the surroundings were dim.
A small waterfall tumbled into a sizable pool below—a perfect place for swimming or bathing.
Scanning the area, I found a large boulder to hide behind. I could slip off my outer clothes there and dive straight into the water.
After plotting my course, I glanced around—Mikrok had vanished. From the splash I heard downstream, he must’ve already jumped in.
Relieved he wasn’t hovering nearby, I stripped down to my shift and waded in.
The water was a bit cold, but in midsummer it felt refreshing.
When I ducked my head under, it was as if the cool water washed away the clutter in my mind.
After splashing around for a bit, I lathered my hair with soap. Yes—life was better clean.
The moon’s reflection rippled with every movement I made. The air was quiet enough that the insects’ chirps and the rush of the waterfall seemed loud. Moonlight painted everything in silver.
I tried holding my breath and curling up underwater, knees to my chest. It reminded me of playing games with Robby after sword lessons from Pallet during summer.
‘Leah, let’s have a diving contest.’
‘Robby, if you throw a fit after losing again, I won’t play with you anymore.’
‘Don’t worry, I’ll win this time.’
We used to compete to see who could last longer underwater—no prize, no glory, just the pride of it.
Not to brag, but I’d never once lost to him.
Floating there, curled up like a child in the womb, I let my hair and shift drift weightlessly in the water.
From above, it might look eerie. The thought made me smile.
I was so content I forgot my troubles—until suddenly, a strong grip yanked me up.
I gasped, water rushing into my nose. Damn! That stings!
“Cough—cough!”
I hacked and spluttered, but the hand gripping my shoulder didn’t let go.
When I finally caught my breath, I looked up into Mikrok’s furious face.
“What were you thinking?”
“What do you mean?”
“Did you come here intending to pull something like this? Trying to get yourself killed?”
Huh? You don’t die from holding your breath in a stream! What a scary misunderstanding—
When Mikrok had first spotted the stream from the tree, he’d been in a good mood.
He loved water, and hearing Leah say she’d join him made him oddly excited.
Watching her dart her eyes around, searching for a secluded spot to undress, had amused him. He’d considered teasing her, but decided she wanted to bathe even more than he did and quietly left her to it.
Diving into the cold water was invigorating. Floating on his back, he watched the moon in comfort.
From the other side, he heard splashing. He wanted to call out, but knowing her shyness, he resisted.
Then he noticed it was too quiet—only insects and waterfall now. Her splashing had stopped.
Alarm jolted through him. He swam hard toward where she’d been, scanning in the moonlight.
For a brief, terrifying moment, his vision blurred with panic.
Then he saw her—platinum hair and white shift drifting in the water, limp in the current.
It was the first time he truly felt what it was like for his heart to stop.
Instinct took over. He seized her by the nape and hauled her out in one motion.
She coughed and gagged, but pity didn’t come to him—only a sharp, rising anger.
How dare she risk leaving him? Or maybe he was angry at himself for being fooled by her innocence.
“Did you plan this from the start? To die here?”
“What are you talking about? I was just holding my breath!”
“Holding your breath?”
“Yes! I play like this all the time.”
Her steady gaze suggested she wasn’t lying, but his unease lingered.
The mere thought of her leaving had brought him a kind of terror he’d never known—he, who’d spent half the year at war, cutting down thousands, razing nations, even his mother’s homeland.
And yet, here was one strange woman who could shake him so deeply.
Looking at her frowning up at him, his heartbeat began to settle. Through the thin wet fabric beneath his palm, her warmth seeped into him.
Her soaked hair clung to his hand, silky against his skin. Moonlight caught in her pale skin and unusual violet eyes, making her look almost otherworldly.
He stared into her eyes, and his heart began to pound again—different from moments before, but just as strong.
He leaned in, dizzy from the sweet scent of her mingled with soap.
His thumb brushed over her wet eyelashes, wiping away the droplets trailing from her hairline. Then he cupped her cheek.
Her lips parted softly in surprise, then closed again. She blinked slowly at him, as if entranced.
Just as he was about to lower his face to hers, she placed her hands on his shoulders.
With a push, the buoyancy of the water lifted her body upward until her eyes were level with his.
Peck!
Startled, Mikrok froze—just as Leah swiftly stole his lips.
