Bran crossed his arms against his chest, hugging away his anxiety.

“You are being such an idiot,” Isabella lamented, rubbing her temples in frustration.

“I think it’s unfair to--”

“No, no, that wasn’t a question,” she cut him off.

They were sitting on a grassy knoll in the space between their respective homes. He pulled at the smooth, green blades, refusing to look at her. He had told her part of Rowan’s story, not wanting to betray his confidence.

“He’s believing in love again. Who else could he be referring to?”

Bran shrugged defensively. “I don’t know everyone he spends his time with.”

“Liam does and he says you’re the one he spends his time with, when he’s not being forced to dine with the Carpenters.”

Bran saw an opportunity to change the subject and took it. “Speaking of Liam, I’m surprised you talk so much to your casual fuck buddy.”

She wagged a tan finger at him. “Nice try, but this isn’t about me. Bran, do you really think Rowan will care about your status? He’s shown no prejudice towards the fae. Diana loves him, and she’s an excellent judge of character.”

“The prince might not care, but I can’t imagine his father would be pleased,” the halfing grimaced. “Also, it’s not just my blood status; I am a servant. Some nobility might consider that to be even worse.”

She raised her eyebrows at him. “And you think Rowan is one of those nobles?”

“I don’t know,” he answered honestly. Rowan did seem to care for him and trust him, he must to have shared such a personal story during their library visit. “He might be able to see past it. It’s just… I’ve been lying to him for so long. What if I lose his trust?”

“You’ll lose him completely if you don’t even try. He deserves to know.”

In his heart, he knew she was right. Rowan did deserve to know his blood status and position of servitude, even if it did end in a heartbreaking rejection.

“Bran, please. You’ve been so happy lately. Can you really walk away from it all without even trying?”

“No,” he said. He looked at her, eyes wet with unshed tears. “I think I’d regret it for the rest of my life, but at this point I don’t even know what I’d say.”

“You have some more free time today. We’ll practice together. I think your evening at the lake is the perfect time to confess.”

Bran sighed. “Maybe you're right, but I’m not making any promises. And I doubt practicing could hurt. Maybe, after we’re done, you can talk about your guard to lighten the mood?”

“He’s not my guard,” she protested.

“Please," Bran snorted. "You have that poor man wrapped around your finger. Tell me, have you even slept with anyone else since you started seeing him?”

“No,” she sighed. “I’ll admit, he is quite sweet.”

"I thought as much," he grinned. "Who knows, maybe we'll both be able to keep our lover boys."