Freya covered her mouth with her hands, giving herself a mental scold. How could she have said that out loud? It was meant to stay in her heart.

Rowan’s brows arched, his arms now crossed on his chest. "Tell me more," he said with an interested look etched on his face as he tried to stop himself from smiling.

"T-tell you what? Let’s go back to the palace, wasn’t that why you followed me." Freya stammered, looking around as if it wasn’t her who had said anything a few seconds ago.

"Silly girl," Rowan said, turning his back as if he were busy getting the horse ready, but the corner of his lips pulled up and he smiled.

Freya looked down at her feet, shifting them slowly. "Why am I a silly girl?" 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"Because you enjoy trouble instead of running away from it," Rowan replied, turning his head to look at her. He couldn’t hide his feelings anymore or act annoyed. He wanted to touch her face and see her smile again. "If you knew I was trouble, you should have tried to hide."

Freya raised her hand to her face, tucking a strand of hair that had fallen out of place behind her ear. "I tried to hide," she mumbled. "I guess trouble is always going to find me. I don’t even need to do anything."

"Ha," Rowan chuckled softly, watching her say something so serious in such an innocent way. He wanted to wrap his arms around her waist and hold her. "You’re right. Your hiding had my attention."

Freya raised her hands tiredly. "Then it’s not my fault. I wouldn’t have done anything, and the Grim Reaper would still find me."

"Grim Reaper? Am I the Grim Reaper?" Rowan asked, leaning closer to look at her face. "Do you not like that the Grim Reaper steals you away?"

Freya pressed her lips together, and just as she opened her mouth to speak, a loud cheer coming from the festival ground startled her, and she gasped. Rowan quickly wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. But Freya wasn’t the only one startled, the horse neighed and galloped away.

"The horse," Freya tried to call Rowan’s attention, but he didn’t let go. He held her tightly, his eyes closed.

"It’s okay, as long as you’re safe," Rowan whispered, inhaling deeply. Freya’s head pressed against his chest, and without realizing it, she wrapped her arms around his waist and listened to his soft heartbeat. She had really missed holding him like this and didn’t want to let go.

When Rowan finally did let go, he gently stroked her hair. "You let the horse leave."

Freya widened her eyes, looking at Rowan with a mix of disbelief and shock. "Didn’t you just say it’s okay? I tried to call your attention!"

"You did?" Rowan hummed, bending down to brush off the sand on his heavy leather boots. "I remember you enjoying staying in my arms. I didn’t want to ruin that moment for you."

"I didn’t!" Freya exclaimed, shaking her head as she tried to move away from Rowan, almost tripping on a small rock.

Rowan’s hand moved quickly, wrapping around her waist, and he pulled her back to his chest. "You don’t have to try to fall. I’ll hold you if you ask politely."

"If I kill you, will I get punished?" Freya asked, her hands resting on Rowan’s chest as she stared into his lazy, deep black eyes.

Rowan hummed thoughtfully. "If it were when I lived in the slums, you won’t get piunished by anyone for killing a nobody," he clicked his tongue, "but now I’m the Kingdom’s heartthrob. Though I fancy the idea of dying by your hands, you wouldn’t be free of punishment."

Freya smiled, looking at Rowan’s face. The seriousness with which he said those words was almost believable. She pushed his chest gently, but her hands on his chest were more like feathers on his skin, causing Rowan to act as if he had been hit by an arrow, making Freya laugh even more.

"Do you still remember where you used to live?" Freya asked after her laughter had died down. She was now looking at Rowan with seriousness, as he rarely talked about his past or family.

Rowan dipped his hand inside his pocket. "Do I?" he muttered. "Of course I do. During my early days in the palace, I used to go there and wait, hoping my family would come looking for me. You know, losing a very handsome son can be a hassle," he smiled, raising his brows.

Freya felt her heart squeeze. Although Rowan was saying it to make her laugh, she picked up on the sadness in his words. He had been abandoned by his real family. Freya had lost her mother, and it had felt like life was unfair. She couldn’t imagine being abandoned by her own family. "Can you take me there?"

Rowan’s eyes turned serious, studying Freya’s face. After a few moments, he smiled. "Milady, places like that shouldn’t be graced with your beauty."

"But that’s where you come from. Where you were born. I want to go there." Freya didn’t back down. She knew Rowan was trying to push her away. It was one thing she had noticed about him, he didn’t like talking about himself, preferring to know about others instead.

Rowan raised his face toward the sky and sighed. He had never shown anyone where he came from, not even Adric. He had decided to leave that life behind. Since no one from there had claimed him, maybe he didn’t belong there. He had locked that part of himself away, hoping to serve Avon until the day he died. It was the filth of the kingdom, the darkest part of Avon. That was where he had come from.

Taking Freya there would be embarrassing, but it might also free him. If someone else saw where he came from and still accepted him, it would complete him. But he was scared that Freya wouldn’t look at him the same way if she saw where he was born. Women only wanted to see the polished parts of men, never their dark side.

"We can go nex—"

Freya shook her head. "No, I want to go tonight. Show me where you were born. Please." Her soft voice, carried by the night breeze, melted Rowan’s heart.

Rowan groaned as she blinked. "You know I can’t say no to you. That’s not fair!" He rubbed his temples.

"Please, please...don’t say no...please," Freya raised her hand to her face, acting even cuter.

"Fine," Rowan sighed. Maybe he should give it a try and let someone in. And if it didn’t work, if Freya left him after seeing the place, he would let her go. Rubbish. He would steal her and keep her to himself.

"Let’s go."