The Kinsman: A Sequel to Hwarang: The Saga of the Sooks Book #5

Chapter 21: Calling on Help

"I understand," he murmured. Not looking at her. "But...this is your room now. I will stay in the other room."

He climbed off the bed and walked over to the chest of drawers. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I never should have presumed I could stay in here with you. I was just so upset that your father dared to beat you when you were under my protection. I wanted to wrap you up tight and never let you go. To protect you from him. But I realize now how stifling that must have felt."

She turned towards him then, but he wasn't even facing her. Her heart sank. She hadn't felt stifled. She'd felt loved.

But she was a little terrified of his kind of love now. If he didn't balk at sliding a sword into his brother to save him, what would he be willing to do to her if he felt like she was threatened again?

Quietly, he gathered his belongings before disappearing out into the hallway. He didn't even use the shared door to enter his new room. Nor did he speak to her again. He closed her door firmly and headed for his room.

Wondering what on earth he was supposed to do now.

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She wandered back to her bed and fell onto it to lie alone as she had before he'd joined her. She missed his comfort terribly...already.

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He shouldn't have told her. But what else could he have done? She'd already believed the worst of him. How could the truth possibly make things worse? But somehow it had.

He remembered with bitterness her sweet kisses, and his heart took a nosedive. Would he never feel the brush of those honeyed lips against his own again? Was he to be forever locked out from her life now? Would they go their separate ways once again? He to the king's side, and she to...where? What did she have but him now?

Perhaps he should bend all his powers of concentration on that task. Finding her something worthwhile for which to live.

He wondered what interested her. Or how she'd occupied herself before she'd married him. He would have to investigate. This was the only gift that he had left to give her.

Suddenly, he knew exactly what to do.

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Jung Sook glanced up at Lady Bit Na in surprise. "What? Seok Dan Se is here? Requesting to see me?"

Her mother-in-law nodded. "Yes. Please hurry. He looks quite distressed."

"Is it about Mi Sook? Was she hurt even more badly than I thought?" Her heart ascending into her mouth, Jung Sook jumped up from her chair.

Lady Bit Na frowned. "I do not know, my dear. He simply requested to speak with you."

Jung Sook hurried out to the sitting room.

"Seok Dan Se, is Mi Sook all right?" she quizzed him as fear continued to spiral through her.

His expression melted at her concern. "Yes. First of all, I have to thank you, Kim Jung Sook, for alerting me to my wife's condition." He bowed to her. More than once. "Second, I have come to ask for your further assistance."

Her brow cleared as relief flooded her soul. "She is truly all right?"

"She is damaged beyond belief. But she will not die. And I think that fear is what was distressing you, was it not?"

She nodded at the perceptive man. "But...what has damaged her?" she asked. Ignoring the obvious.

"Beyond her father's fists, I have damaged her. Damaged her faith in me, that is. We are now...estranged, I believe." He wandered over to the window and stood staring up at the sky.