Page 30 of The Silent Mountain
“I agree,” I say. “My brother Endellion, who just became king, is a patient man too. As was my father. Sorry,” I brush through my hair, feeling flustered. “I shouldn’t have commented on your patience; not all alphas are like that.”
“Why are you apologizing?” he chuckles. “It’s not like you were wrong. Dragon leaders aren’t known for their patience, usually. I think it’s part of the reason why Elio always thinks I’m going to hit him. The person I was before the war, maybe, would have. I was happy and go-lucky back then, a bit reckless, but also impatient. However, that guy doesn’t exist anymore.”
“I like the person you are now,” I say.
Favian looks at me before turning his head away. I could swear that he looks flustered.
“Shall we leave too?” I ask. “I am very tired.”
“It was a very long day,” Favian agrees. He holds the door open for me, following me out into the corridor before we walk next to each other towards our chambers. When we pass mine, I ask him to wait for a moment, hurrying inside and grabbing my necessities for the night. Then, I rejoin him.
He looks at me, surprised.
“The kingdom needs you at your best,” I say, as if that explains anything, while walking towards his chambers.
Favian follows me without saying anything.
“You need to sleep,” I add.
He still doesn’t say anything but opens the door for me to enter. I’ve bathed before, so I don’t take a long time to change. I use the time that Favian is cleaning up and changing to slip into his bed. Goddess, what am I even doing here?!
If it weren’t for Ros, I’d already have chickened out. Ros, however, is head over heels for my new idea, cheering me on and claiming it’s the best idea I’ve ever had!
When Favian returns to his bedroom, he looks so handsome. His long hair is hanging loose, and he is clad in a pair of silky pajama pants and an unbuttoned top, revealing his chiseled chest. He looks like a sculpture.
His gaze goes from me to his bed, the anxiety suddenly radiating off him.
I allow my instincts to take over. “It’s alright,” I say, reaching out my hand. My heart skips a beat when he steps closer. It feels like a small victory when he allows me to pull him into his bed.
“Alana,” he says. “Not that I don’t love and appreciate this, but I…” His voice trails off.
“I know,” I say quietly, pulling him down next to me and making sure he lies on his back. I curl up against his side. “If something happens, I’m here. I’ll make sure you wake up again.”
ten
Nightmares
*FAVIAN*
Iopenmyeyestothe most peculiar sight ever. A beautiful redhead is lying next to me, and while the sun hasn't risen yet, it’s starting to get lighter outside, indicating we have approached the early morning hours.
I haven’t slept that long since I was woken up from my coma. And now, I didn’t only sleep for an hour or two, I slept through the whole night, which is a new milestone for me. I get up quietly, so as not to wake up Alana, and go to my bathroom to freshen up a bit. The beast inside me is very content, and so is Favia. Despite being her own entity, we are also one and bound to each other. The bond I feel with Alana, she also feels. Maybe not as strong as I feel it, but their fates are also bound to each other.
Once done, I silently move through the bedroom and walk out onto the balcony to enjoy the cold air and the first rays of the sun coming through, dipping the land into a dark shade of orange.
It’s magical.
I’m engrossed in the view in front of me when I hear some noises coming from my bedroom. It seems like someone is groaning and muttering something. As if on cue, Favia alerts me.That’s Alana’s voice!
Is someone attacking her? I should have felt someone entering my room!
I don’t wait for Favia to answer and, instead, hurry back into my room, the door to the balcony falling shut behind me. I halt in shock when I see Alana in my bed, tossing around as if she is in great pain. I ball my hands into fists, fighting all my instincts to just go rushing there. My beast growls inside me, but Favia is on my side, backing my decision to wait for a moment.
Keep it together,she encourages me.You can only help her if you know what’s haunting her.
I can only help her when I know what’s going on. Until now, I only saw her when she was sleepwalking, but now I finally see how her nightmares begin. My whole body tenses up when I watch her toss around in the bed, gasping for air. She mumbles something like she is haunted, begging for someone or something to spare her family… and me. She is scared for my life.
Her body convulses, before it looks like it’s pressed into the mattress again, almost as if something possesses her.
