“Yes…” I reply, barely a whisper, anticipation pulsing through me.
“We don’t have much time.”
I blink and ground my feet firmly back onto the creaky wooden decking. Thankfully the laces of my dress aren’t that tight. If they were, I would have swooned.
You’re independent and autonomous, Hannah. Not hoping some guy who’s made it clear he’s emotionally unavailable will kiss you.The reminder hits like a splash of cold water, and Kane’s warning runs through my thoughts.
Do not make the mistake of thinking you can trust anyone within the kingdom.
But why do I feel like I can trust him?
He opens the creaking door and steps inside, completely unaware of the battle that wages within me between the desperate and stuck past version of myself I’m trying to get away from and the new and much improved woman I am running toward headlong. Unfortunately, it’s starting to feel like one of them would be having much more fun than the other.
We haven’t been gone long, but as I step inside the snug hideout, I already feel like a different person than who I was when I first arrived. I know what’s happening and what I need to get home. More than that, I know falling into bed with Kane Blackthorne won’t solve any of my problems.
I trail my fingers along my waist and the soft gold scar that rests beneath the fabric of my dress. Kane has saved me more times than I’d like to admit, but I’m not helpless.
Okay, maybe when I first landed in Towerfall and was attacked by that mob, I was helpless, but I’m not anymore. I can contribute to this journey as much as he can. More even. Like at Posh Pulse, I bring the ideas and the clarity of action. I know how to create a brand. I can dream up a campaign that would sell rocks to a quarry, sunglasses during winter to that town in Alaska where the sun literally does not shine. I turn hot garbage into the garbage people think they need. And Kane is way more appealing than hot garbage.
He heads out of the cottage to gather the rest of the clothes from Shadow’s saddle, and I say to his back, “I can help you too, you know.”
Arms overflowing with lace and powder-blue velvet, he tilts his chin. “Don’t keep me in suspense.”
“Okay, so…” I begin, pacing around the small living room area like I’m back home in my studio apartment coming up with a new marketing strategy. “Sure, there are a lot of things in Towerfall that I’m not familiar with, but there is one thing I do know. And that’s branding.”
“Branding?” he asks, dumping the clothes and bag of jewels onto the chair in front of the fireplace.
“It’s like a vibe or signature style.”
He blinks down at me, confusion furrowing his brow.
“I really wish you would stop looking at me like that.” I hand him Lord Ashwood’s jacket and tap my nail against my chin. Coming up with a way to define branding without mentioning marketing, ads, or tech is more difficult than I realized. “Branding is basically about creating a unique picture that sticks with people. When you think of the Kingdom of Pentacles, what comes to mind?”
“I am its protector and—”
“No, no, no. I mean, yes, but that’s not what I’m looking for. So, when I think of my favorite coffee shop, I picture their cozy leather chairs, the warmth of their chunky, oversize mugs, the books that line the walls…” I close my eyes, lost in the memory of braving the windy Chicago winter to use their Wi-Fi to finish my term papers. “The smell of the from-scratch zucchini muffins they’re always baking, the jazzy music that’s just loud enough to drown out all the chatter…”
I take a deep breath, practically able to fill my lungs with the nutty caramel scents of my favorite latte. “Branding is about evoking a feeling. It’s about making whatever you’re selling unforgettable. About making people want to keep coming back for more. Does that make sense?”
Kane stares at me, his gaze so deep and black that I feel like I’m falling.
He remains silent, glancing down at the jacket in his hands. With an exasperated sigh, I pluck the dress from the chair and turn to search for some modicum of privacy.
“When I think of Pentacles, I think of honor and duty. The vast forests that stretch beyond the horizon. I think of the clear, cold rivers that wind through the land. Rolling hills and fields of grain. The Tower that has stood guard for centuries over its people—the families who have lived and loved and fought for this land for generations.” His gaze lifts to meet mine, and I see something there that wasn’t before. It’s as if a wall has cracked, letting a sliver of light through.
I swallow, my throat tight. “I understand why you want to protect it.”
He nods. “And I will do anything, hurt anyone, in order to keep it safe.”
“Then let’s make you look like a lord.” I motion to the tangled black waves resting on his shoulders. “Starting with your hair.”
He rubs his thumb against the rough pad of his forefinger. “I don’t suppose arguing will get me anywhere.”
“Admit it. You know this is an argument you wouldn’t win.” I step into the tiny kitchen and rifle through the cabinets. Amid the clutter, I find a rusted pair of shears. They’re not great, but they’ll do the trick.
My years at Posh Pulse haven’t just been about navigating the intricacies of brand management; it’s also about understanding the power of presentation. And countless evenings lost in the worlds ofBridgerton,The Tudors,Outlander, and every other ye-olden-days shows I can stream through my sister’s accounts have given me a clear blueprint of exactly how to transform Kane into the epitome of nobility.
I remove the stool from under the wooden table stillcovered in the breadcrumbs and egg-crusted pan from our earlier meal and motion for him to sit.
