Page 41 of The Silent Mountain
Trust Issues
*ALANA*
Ispendalmostthewholeday helping Cassie and Frederick while Elio stays with Maggie. Favian made sure that Elio is freed from most of his responsibilities, so he can spend time with her. I know they told Elio the basics, so it won’t blindside him when his surrogate mother passes away, but he doesn’t seem to have registered how sick she truly is.
No, maybe he has, but he is trying to ignore it.
He will lose another person close to him soon, and it breaks my heart that none of us can protect him from it.
I make sure to visit Maggie the next morning to see how she is doing, happy to see that she looks livelier than the day before. Cassie managed to put together a potion, with Frederick’s help, that will give her some strength, although it won’t heal her. Her body is past the stage of healing. While I chat with Maggie, she is feeling well enough to poke questions at me about Favian and my relationship.
“Please tell me you have accepted each other as mates,” she says.
“We are far past the stage of not accepting each other,” I admit.
Maggie smiles. “He deserves someone like you, someone brave, intelligent and strong. Someone who is not scared of him and his strength, and won’t be afraid to tell him her opinion. And you deserve someone like him, equally brave, intelligent and strong, a serious young king with a kind heart.”
“It’s undeniable that he is a catch,” I admit.
“So are you,” she chuckles. She looks at me, and I’m well aware of what she wants me to say. I decide to do her the honor of not beating around the bush.
“I’m starting to fall for him,” I admit. “It scares me that I do, but I can’t deny it. The mate bond pushes me to him anyway, but it’s more than that.”
“You are going to be his queen one day,” Maggie says with a contented smile.
“I’m not sure how to approach him,” I admit. “It would have been easier if I’d met him now, then I would have let the mate bond do its magic. But we agreed to progress slowly when we met for the first time, and now I have no idea how to take the next step.”
“Just be honest with him,” Maggie reassures me. “He has been ready for you since you came here. He is just waiting for you to give him the sign that you are too.”
She is right, he is flirty with me, and he is more and more seeking my touch. “I will keep your advice in mind,” I reassure her.
A knock at the door pulls us out of our talk. “That’s Elio,” Maggie says. “He wanted to visit after breakfast.”
Indeed, the young dragon prince peeks into the room. “Good morning, Maggie!” He beams at her. “I brought you your favorite book. Theo is here too.”
Theodor looks into the room as well and smiles.
“You two know my eyes are tired,” Maggie says softly.
“That’s why I will read for you,” Elio promises.
“What a lovely idea,” Maggie says, her eyes lighting up in joy. “Come, Theodor, help me up. I want to go to the living room to listen to Elio’s reading.”
Theodor doesn’t argue with her and helps her up. I assume Favian has given his orders by now that they are to follow Maggie’s last wish. I leave the three of them alone to give them some privacy. Maggie’s words are still in my mind, however, and I decide to seek out the Dragon King, who is so heavily invading my thoughts recently.
I bump into Barbara on my way, who was looking for me. She and Ludwig still take their guarding task seriously and try to make sure one of them is always accompanying me, although by now, they are aware I can defend myself. I’m not mad, though, it’s always better to have a second person with you in case of an attack.
“How are things going with the mare?” I ask. “You are responsible for guarding the area where he is kept, right?”
“Everything’s going well so far,” she says. “The silly little witch is there doing a lot of research on him.” She laughs. “She is a mess, but a cute one.”
“I think she was just forced to grow up without any guidance,” I say.
“I agree.”
My own words have stirred something in me. Cassie needs guidance, and while Fred is doing what he can, he is not a witch, he is a dragon shifter and healer, but not a witch. It just spurs me on further to find Favian. To my relief, I don’t need to search for long. He is discussing something with Ludwig and Stefan when I approach him. “My king,” I greet him, trying for a teasing tone.
I can see him tensing in shock at my words, while Stefan raises his brows in amusement, and Ludwig stares at me. Barbara just giggles.
