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Jacin slipped into the silent menagerie, glancing over his shoulder. “Winter?” he called. “Winter, are you in here?”
Silence. Where was she? Removing his gun from his belt just in case, Jacin slowly began walking through the menagerie. Past the albino hares and the peacocks and foxes… and there she was, outside Ryu’s enclosure.
Winter jumped to her feet as Jacin put his gun away and neared her. “You came!” She ran to throw her arms around his neck.
"Winter,” Jacin murmured, wrapping his arms around her. “I can’t stay long.”
"But I’ve barely seen you all week!” Winter wailed.
Jacin let go stepped back. “Have you forgotten that I’m not a member of your guard?”
"I don’t care.” Winter grabbed his hands. “Do you know how much I want you?”
Jacin nodded.
“It’s not like it’s a secret.” Winter cozied up to Jacin. “I know you want me, so why must you pretend you don’t?”
“It’s not proper,” Jacin protested halfheartedly.
“You always say that!” Winter pouted. “You always say things like ‘it’s not in the stars’ and ‘fate is pulling you miles away,’ but I don’t care! You’re here in my heart.” She caught his hand and placed it against her heart. “Jacin, what if we rewrite the stars?”
Jacin put his hand on her waist and nudged her back. “You know we can’t!”
Smiling her sweet smile that sent Jacin’s heart into his boots, Winter put her other hand on his shoulder and began to dance with him. “Yes, we can," she whispered. "For you and I were meant for each other."
Jacin released Winter's waist, and she twirled. “It’s up to you and me,” she assured him. “No one can tell us what we get to be.”
As she snuggled into his chest, Jacin spotted a red light over the top of her head. A camera.
He nudged Winter off and walked briskly away. “No, you’re wrong. Queen Levana can tell us what we get to be. She made you a princess and me a guard.”
“Wait!” Winter ran after him and grabbed his hand again.
Jacin twisted to face her. “Winter, do you think this is easy? Do you think I’m just being stubborn? There is so much that keeps me away from you. Our positions. The queen’s wrath.” Off Winter’s heartbroken look, he sighed. “Look, we can be ourselves in here, but outside, I’d be executed for daring to look at you. No one can ‘rewrite the stars.’”
“All I want is to fly with you,” Winter protested, spinning him around so she was the one with her back to the door. “That's all."
“It’s imposs-” Jacin began, but was silenced when Winter placed a finger on his lips.
"It’s not impossible,” she said confidently. “It’s only impossible if you make it so. So say that it’s possible.”
Jacin’s mouth moved without his permission. He might have thought that he'd been glamoured, had it not been Winter he was speaking to. “It’s possible. We’re possible. But how exactly is one supposed to go about 'rewriting the stars?'"
“Just say that you were made to be mine,” Winter said confidently.
"Winter, I love you.” Jacin was barely breathing as he stared into her eyes. “It’s like you said, you’re the one who I was meant to find.”
“And I was wrong, earlier,” Winter said. “People can tell us what we’re meant to be all they like. But they can’t tell us how to feel.” She ascended onto her toes and moved in for a kiss. “So let’s rewrite the stars.”
The fast rhythm of boots on the ground distracted them, and Winter’s bodyguard came tearing down the path. Winter released Jacin, and he snapped into a stiff, formal pose. He clicked his heels. “Sir.”
“Oh, hello, Sir Kinney!” Winter smiled brightly. “Jacin and I were just, ehmm…”
"Talking.” Jacin said stiffly. “We were talking.”
Kinney clearly didn’t believe that, but he put a light, guiding hand on Winter’s shoulder. “Come along, Princess.” He nodded at Jacin. “Sir Clay.”
Winter allowed herself to be escorted out, leaving Jacin behind. They wanted each other more than anything, and each other was the one thing they couldn't have.
It was so unfair. But it could have been much worse.
Jacin shook his head and walked out of the menagerie.