Here's a teaser for Book 2
The Dano Festival sparkled with life, its colors and sounds wrapping around Yun Yuhua like a dream. She wandered through the crowd with joy in her eyes and a small jade charm in her palm — a gift that had made her day feel even more special. With a smile tugging at her lips, she returned to the swing where Ae-shim waited. But just then, a burst of firecrackers cracked through the air, startling the crowd. Laughter turned to gasps as people jolted and shifted in every direction. Yun Yuhua felt herself being pushed, her balance faltering—
Then, suddenly, a hand seized her wrist. Before she could fall, someone had pulled her away — swift and sure. She stumbled forward in a daze, catching a final glimpse of Ae-shim's wide-eyed face.
"Ah! Yuyu!" Ae-shim's voice rang out, but it was swallowed by the chaos. Yun Yuhua didn't understand what was happening. She didn't even know why she was running — only that someone was leading her, and her feet kept following. Her heart pounded, not from fear, but something else… something breathless.
By the time they reached the quiet bank of the Seong Juk Bridge, she finally tugged her arm free. Her breath caught in her throat as the stranger turned around, grinning like a mischievous boy caught stealing sweets.
Seo Ju.
Flushed from the run, he couldn't stop laughing. He tried to hold it in — failed — and laughed even harder.
"Sire?" Yun Yuhua blinked while being completely stunned.
"I can't believe you actually let me drag you all the way out here," he teased with his eyes sparkling. She stared at him, flustered and unsure whether to be annoyed or amused. But his grin was infectious.
"You… You just grabbed my hand out of nowhere!" she huffed. "I didn't know if I should scream or strike you!"
Seo Ju tilted his head, still catching his breath. "And yet," he said softly, "you didn't let go."
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The wind brushed past gently, carrying with it the distant hum of the festival. Yun Yuhua's cheeks warmed as she looked away — but she smiled quietly, helplessly. So did he. In that small pocket of stolen time by the river, beneath the fading echo of firecrackers, the world briefly belonged to just the two of them.