Page 41 of Crown of Storm and Silence
We leave the square together, moving toward the path that leads to the river. I'm acutely aware of him beside me—the feral grace of his movements, the way shadows seem to bend toward him like flowers following the sun. But underneath the otherworldly power, there's something else. Something almost…vulnerable.
The silence between us isn't uncomfortable, exactly, but it's charged with unspoken questions and the weight of everything we haven't said. My skin tingles where he's touching me, and I find myself fighting the urge to step closer, to see what would happen if I pressed against his side.
Hormones,I tell myself firmly.This is just pregnancy hormones making me feel things that aren't real.
But even as I try to rationalize it, I know it's more than that. There's something about his presence that makes me feel more alive, more myself—whoever that might be.
"The blonde warrior," I say suddenly, the words spilling out before I can stop them. "Elçin. She called me cousin, but I don't remember her at all."
He glances at me, interest sharpening his dark eyes. "Tell me what you felt when you saw her."
"Recognition. Not memory, exactly, but something deeper." I pause, gathering my thoughts as we follow the winding path away from the village. "She moves like she owns whatever space she's in. Expensive armor, weapons that cost more than most people see in a lifetime. She's not just nobility—she's someone with real power."
"What did she say to you?" His voice is careful, probing.
"That there are larger forces at work. That people are coming for me whether I remember who I am or not." The words feelheavy on my tongue, weighted with implications I can't grasp. "She said even you can't protect me forever if I don't remember who I'm supposed to be."
I can feel him watching me as we walk, his attention focused and intense. "And what did you think of that assessment?"
"That she knows things. About me, about whatever I was running from." I shake my head, frustration bleeding into my voice. "But there's something else. The way Banu reacted to her like they have a history. And Elçin kept looking at me like I should remember something important."
"Would you like me to help you find out what she knows?" he asks, and there's something in his tone that makes me look at him more carefully.
"What do you mean?"
His smile is sharp, predatory. "I could have a conversation with your cousin. I'm quite persuasive when I need to be."
"What kind of conversation?" I ask warily.
"Oh, nothing too dramatic," he says with the casual tone of someone discussing the weather. "I'd just pin her to a wall with shadows and extract whatever information she's hiding. Very efficient method, really. Warrior types become remarkably forthcoming when they realize their weapons are useless."
I stop walking so abruptly that he's pulled up short by our joined hands. "No!" The word comes out sharper than I intended. "Absolutely not. She came here to help me, even if I don't understand how yet."
He blinks, looking genuinely surprised by my vehemence. "Help? She's clearly manipulating you with cryptic warnings and family obligations you can't remember."
"Maybe," I admit. "But she also stood between you and me when you were being threatening. She didn't have to do that." I meet his dark eyes directly. "Promise me you won't hurt her."
For a moment, he looks like he wants to argue. Then his expression softens into something almost fond. "Very well. I promise I won't pin her to any walls. I'll just intimidate her instead. A few well-placed shadows, perhaps a demonstration of what happens when I'm displeased?—"
"Kaan." My voice carries a warning.
"What? Intimidation is much more civilized than physical restraint. I'm showing remarkable restraint here."
"No intimidation either. Just…talk to her. Like civilized people do."
He looks at me like I've suggested he sprout wings and take up interpretive dance. "Talk. Like civilized people. Do you have any idea how inefficient that is? My way would have answers in under five minutes."
"Your way would start a war with someone who might actually be able to fight back," I point out. "Did you see her weapons? She's not some village merchant you can terrorize into submission."
"Your way is considerably less entertaining," he mutters, but there's affection in his voice. "Fine. I'll attempt civilized conversation. With words instead of creative applications of darkness."
"Thank you."
"Though for the record, my way would be much more satisfying."
"I'm sure it would be," I say dryly. "But maybe try to remember that alienating my family—even family I can't remember—probably isn't the best strategy for winning me back."
His expression shifts, becoming more serious. "You're right. If she truly is your cousin, if she knows who you were..." He pauses. "I suppose I should be grateful someone from your past cares enough to find you."
