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— Ilana... — she began, forcing out a quiet voice. — I wanted to tell you something. About... us.
Ilana, raising an eyebrow, looked away from the shop window and turned her curious gaze on Lin:
— Hm? Why so serious all of a sudden? I’m all ears-s-s...
— I... — Lin swallowed, her ice cream tilting slightly in her hand. — I might sound stupid, but...
And then everything around them seemed to explode. A deep blast from the horns on the city walls, a shrill town crier's voice, and a booming shout:
— Sir Brain de la Corte returns to Tambarekas! Open the gates!
The crowd stirred, a wave of excited chatter rose, and Ilana gasped as if she'd just seen a living god.
— AAH! No way! Holy goddesses, is it really him?! Is it really HIM?! — she clutched Lin’s elbow. — I heard he conquered the Fragmar Tower and saved Lady Siela from orcs recently!
Lin turned to look. The wrought-iron gates creaked open slowly, like a scene from a stage play. Through them rode a man on a black stallion, clad in armor that gleamed in the sunlight like it was forged from living metal. On his chest — the crest of Tambarekas. At his hip — a sword. In his eyes — a calm arrogance.
‘Brian,’ — Lin hissed internally, unable to look away.
Him. The very one. Once her best friend, once her college dorm mate where they first met, a gamer, a whiner, a chronic loser. Always bitching that "the world owes him nothing," always envying "lucky Dan" — which was her. And now he was the radiant Brain de la Corte, hero, knight, ladies’ darling.
— Look at him, Lin! Just look at that hunk! God, if a guy like that wanted to marry me — I wouldn’t think twice!
Lin stared, annoyed, her eyes wide. ‘Fucking Brian! Why the hell now?!’
She clenched her teeth. The pink ice creams trembled in her fingers, one nearly slipping. Her whole body tensed up, her breasts suddenly felt heavier, more present — the thin straps of her dress digging deeper into her shoulders, and the fabric itself practically screaming: You’re not a man, Lin’s never gonna love you like this, better go find yourself a groom.
— You really like him? — Lin breathed out, her voice cracking, taking on a hoarse tone, almost male in its cadence — though it still sounded like her usual cute, ringing girl's voice.
Ilana’s eyes went wide as she turned to her friend:
— What kind of dumb question is that? — she laughed, turning her gaze back to the knight, stepping forward and rising on her toes to get a better view. — He’s perfect! Look at those shoulders! The way he holds himself! That look in his eyes... mmm...
‘That look… yeah, right.’ Lin swallowed hard, recalling that very look Brian had when both of them realized something was about to happen. Right before they got sucked into this place. Brian had looked at Lin — no, at Dan — with panic. His eyes were begging for help. For Dan to fix everything again, like always. Even though it was all, completely, entirely, from beginning to end, Brian’s fault. It was because of him that Dan had even been at his place, trying to save his sorry ass from some locals who were threatening him. And it was Brian who had poured that damn tea for Dan, the one with those weird pills. Not drugs, as Brian would later swear when he finally admitted it. "Just some experimental shit, bro. Let’s just play 'Medieval and Magic' instead! I’ve got two VR headsets right here!"