Page 32 of The Silent
Kyra had known from a young age that she was far more beautiful than most women. It was an accident of angelic blood, yet she was given respect and privileges for no other reason than her looks. After living with her own beauty for so long—being the object of lust for so many while constantly sensing their true thoughts—superficial beauty felt like a burden she would happily lay down given thechance.
“It’s nothing I’ve done,” she said. “I’m like a pretty, useless vase bought to decorate a shelf. Anobject.”
“I think you are unfair to both yourself and tothevase.”
She scoffed. “I’m being unfair tothevase?”
Sura looked up. “Look at these lanterns. These flowers. Creating more beauty in the world is never a bad thing if it is offered freely and accepted with grace. There is something beautiful about desiring to please another when it is not an obligation. It can be a gift we give thosewelove.”
His perspective humbled Kyra. “I’ve never thought about itthatway.”
“I’m sure Leo sees what I see,” Sura said. “A gifted woman with a generous heart. That is the most beautiful thingofall.”
“I’m surehesees—”
“You.” A voice came from the other end of the garden. Leo stepped out from the shadows. His face was glowing. “Iseeyou.”
Her heart seized again, just like it had at the market the previous night. Would he ever stop having this effect on her? It was verydisconcerting.
“Sura,” Kyra said, “this is Leo. Leo, please meet Sura, Niran’sbrother.”
Leo blinked and tore his eyes from Kyra. “Sura,” he said, walking toward them with an outstretched hand. “It is a pleasure to meet any friend ofKyra’s.”
“I feel exactly the same way,” Sura said. “Join us forabeer?”
“You must be the calm one.” Leo grinned. “I’dloveto.”
* * *
“That’s the reason I came,”Leo said, talking loudly to shout over the band playing at the end of the street. “They knew you were here and they knew you were patrolling the city regularly. They want to open a dialogue. See if you’re open tocooperation.”
Sura nodded. “And this is something you havepracticein?”
“Leo and his cousin Maxim have coordinated with my brothers for years now,” Kyra said, leaning over the table. “They seem to work welltogether.”
“Not that Kostas can stand me,” Leo said. “He doesn’t like anyone who is too interestedinKyra.”
She blushed, but Sura answered as if Leo had said nothing extraordinary. “Kyra’s brothers reached out to us asking for information. We wanted something inreturn.”
“Whichwas?”
Kyra said, “They have sisters of their own. Four of them. The youngest is only thirteen. They’d heard that I could teach them to shield theirminds.”
Leo said, “Anexchange?”
“It seemed like the fairest way,” Sura said. “Our sisters needed help that Kyra could give. We have practices that could help Kostas and his brothers control their magic more. She would come here first. If she proved trustworthy, her brothers couldbesent.”
Leo raised an eyebrow. “Kostas didn’t approve this,didhe?”
“Sirius did,” Kyra said. “Kostas is furious with both of us right now, but I text him regularly. He knows I’m safe and that I’m doing somethingimportant.”
Leo smiled. “Guts. Ava would say youhavethem.”
Kyra shook her head. “That phrase has never made sense to me. Everyone hasintestines.”
Sura raised his hand for another beer. “I’d like to know who you’ve brought with you,scribe.”
“Excuse me?” Leo finished off his bottle. “Who I’vebrought?”
