Page 25 of The Silent Mountain
Favian looks surprised and a little pleased. “You heard,” he says to Cassie. “I’m promised to someone, and I’m very loyal to this bond.”
His words warm my chest and calm Ros down.
“Alright,” Barbara says, glaring at Ludwig and Stefan. “I would like you two to stop with the nonsense.”
“What!?” Ludwig grumbles. “I didn’t start it!”
Barbara rolls her eyes and turns towards Favian and me. “King Favian, Princess Alana, I would suggest taking some of the birds back to the kingdom to examine them.”
“I was thinking of something similar,” Favian says. “We can’t keep flying Cassie back and forth here.”
“But… but let’s not bring them into the proximity of the clan,” Cassie whispers. “Up the mountain, yes, and close to the clan, but not right into its borders.”
“A witch being superstitious?” Ludwig asks, surprised.
“I’m not superstitious,” she blurts out. “It’s just… we don’t know what it is that killed them, and yes, it might also be bad luck.”
“I agree with Cassie,” I say. “Albeit not because of bad luck, but we don’t want to carry anything to our fellow clan members.”
“I want a few warriors stationed here at the shore,” Favian orders. “Stefan, put together a team. Make sure it’s shifters who are willing and mentally up for this draining task. I don’t want it to be those who are still too broken. And make sure they will be rewarded well. I want the payment to be good.”
“I will make sure to follow through with this immediately upon our return,” Stefan promises.
“May I suggest something?” Barbara asks.
“Of course,” Favian encourages her.
“If we take some of the birds up the mountains, should we build a small base, a camp maybe, for research purposes? It could be guarded and separated from the clan.”
“That’s a good idea, very thorough thinking, Barbara,” he praises her.
The tips of Barbara’s ears turn slightly pink at his praise. She tries not to look too proud, but I know what it means to her to be praised by the king in person. The dragons used to be very elitist. To have Favian talk to her, know her name, and listen to her ideas means so much to her, and to many other dragon shifters.
“How about I put you at the head of the team?” Favian offers. “Like Stefan, collect suitable warriors around you.”
“Yes!” She beams. “Thank you, Your Highness!”
With nothing else to do, because no one wants to step too deep into the landscape covered with dead birds out of fear of it being a contagious curse, we retreat.
Back at the clan, Favian makes sure to summon Frederick and the small team of healers around him. They are all still learning from him and are not on par with his skills.
Cassie is with them.
Favian explains the situation to them, and all of them are eager to get to work. The curse doesn’t seem to scare them, and I’m not surprised by that. I know that my youngest sister is similar. In the name of science, nothing truly seems to terrify her. She is rather curious and wants to find out the truth behind things.
“Cassie,” Favian calls her back before she can leave with the other healers. “I have one other thing to discuss with you.”
“Yes?” She eyes him curiously.
“Princess Alana is being tormented by nightmares. I want you to look into that and possibly find something that can bring her a peaceful sleep.”
He is one to talk! I think, unamused. He doesn’t sleep at all, but wants to make sure I sleep peacefully. Well, he is right with one thing, though, the nightmares are suffocating, and they don’t even make sense. Last time, I dreamed of drowning, a fear I’ve never had. I even dreamed of getting lost, another fear I usually don’t have, as my wolf senses are sharp, and it’s incredibly difficult for a werewolf to get lost anywhere.
Aside from the time I attacked Favian, I only sleepwalked once in the span of a week. It’s all a bit worrying. “I agree,” I say. “I would like you to look into that, especially because I sleepwalk.”
“Did you sleepwalk before?” she asks.
“No, never.”
