The Voice: A Sequel to Hwarang: The Saga of the Sooks Book #1

Chapter 32: The Plot Thickens

A few moments before, Jin Heung had lain down next to Eun Sook to rest his eyes. But they flew open now as he sprang up, sitting straight up on the bed.

"What?!" he roared as he stared at his marvelous author-nim. "She's not the councilman's daughter? I did not see that coming."

"I hope nobody did," she mumbled.

He stared at her as a thought occurred to him. "Why did you want to tell me this story tonight?"

"Because it's time," she whispered. Not looking at him.

"Sookie," he breathed. Then he reached out one long finger and used its tip to lift her chin up until her eyes met his. "Are you trying to tell me something?"

His heart began to race.

"Will you just let me tell you the rest of the story? Right now?" She blinked rapidly several times.

And that's when he realized that she exercised that quirk when she was nervous. Not just when her eyes spasmed.

"Don't you want to know who she is?" she asked.

"Very much," he declared. But they both knew that he wasn't talking about Su Bin.

Eun Sook cleared her throat before she picked up her tale where she'd left off.

"'Whose daughter are you?' Yong Joon queried.

"'That's not important,' she insisted. 'What's important is that I know what it is to live among the peasants. And I want to see a compassionate king rise to power. A man who isn't out to make himself comfortable while his subjects suffer.'

"'I agree,' he murmured, but he was still wondering who she was. 'Why do you call the councilman Father?'

"'Because he married my mother when I was eleven years old.'

"He furrowed his brow. 'Is Yun Seo your stepbrother?'

"She nodded. 'He's his child from a previous marriage. Yun Seo's mother died when he was tiny.'

"'Ah,' he nodded in understanding. Still curious about her origins.

"But she wasn't going to enlighten him. Not today.

"Of course, he was hiding his own secret, so he decided not to press her about hers.

"Just then, another hwarang jogged up to them and informed Yong Joon that his presence was required on the training ground. He glanced at her. 'Will you be coming tomorrow to check on your brother?'

"She nodded. 'Yes. Is four o'clock a good time?'

"'It is. The perfect time. Shall he meet you here?'

"She bobbed her head again. Fairly sure that she would find a certain tall and gorgeous hwarang here tomorrow. And not her younger brother.

"She watched as that charming hero strode away, following the other hwarang. And she sighed. For she wished she could spend much more time basking in the presence of the kind man. He was just the sort of man whom she was hoping to marry someday.

"She met him the next day under a cherry blossom tree that had bloomed long ago. All that remained were its lush green leaves. They sat and talked to each other for the next hour. They would repeat this lovely time daily for the next few weeks. Getting to know the other's heart, thoughts, and motives. On their last afternoon together, she promised to return tomorrow at the same time.

"However, she did not see him the next day. Her father wouldn't let her leave the house. He told her that he had important guests coming, and she must be prepared to entertain them. That was the afternoon that she discovered that he planned to marry her off to another hwarang. They weren't announcing any engagement yet, but it was quite clear that he and the boy's father had come to an agreement.