Page 50 of The Silent Mountain
“Your sister?” Favian asks curiously.
“Yes, but her gift is a secret,” I say. “Until the ceremony. At least, if my guess about her gift is right.”
Favian eyes me curiously while Aza grabs my wrist. “Come,” she says. “And your guess is correct.”
“Can I join you?” Tynan asks.
“Of course,” I say. “The more the merrier. You both need to tell me everything! I am sure I missed a lot. How is my brother doing?”
“Endellion is doing really well, but he is stressed,” Aza explains while I lead them to my and Favian’s chamber. “He really wanted to join me, but it’s not been possible.” She smiles. “I am counting on your other siblings to distract him and make sure he takes breaks.”
I chuckle. “Don’t worry, they will.”
When we enter the chambers, my two friends look around in awe. “This is his place,” Azadeh concludes.
Ty blinks at her. “Wait… you mean…”
Aza takes my hand and squeezes it. “You are living together.”
“It kind of happened,” I admit.
“What else happened?” Tynan asks while Aza rummages in her bag and pulls out a tightly secured fabric.
“Not much,” I admit. “We are taking it slow.”
“But you like him,” Ty concludes. “I can easily tell.”
I shrug, neither denying nor agreeing to his words. “I am scared,” I admit quietly.
“I figured,” Tynan mutters. “But I doubt the goddess would be so cruel and mate you to someone just to take their life again. You need to have faith in him and his abilities.”
“What about you? What’s the weird tension between you and Shayan?” I ask.
“It’s just… stupid,” he groans.
“What is it?”
“His ex was quite the imposing man,” he mutters as if he is not sure how to answer. I eye him in confusion, but before I can enquire further, Azadeh clears her throat.
“You can say it, Tynan. I know about it.”
“Know about what?” I ask. “Come on, guys!”
“His lover before me was a king,” Tynan says quietly. “How do I ever compete against someone like that?”
What!? So, it’s not just that Shayan was a close friend to his former king; he was his lover?
“You don’t need to compete with him,” Azadeh says. “Because there is nothing to compete against. I don’t know when Shay and my father were a thing, but it was many, many years ago. My father is a different man today. And I know for a fact that Shayan feels much more resentment and indifference towards him than love or respect.”
“She is right. He even let you mark him,” I point out. “A man like him wouldn’t have bound himself to a werewolf if he wasn’t certain about his feelings for you.”
Tynan blinks. “I forgot about that. You are right… he carries my mark.”
Aza and I exchange an amused look. “How could you forget?” Aza chuckles while finally unwrapping the fabric, revealing an emerald-green velvet dress.
“Alright, Kilah said that she made sure it suits you,” Aza tells me while handing me the beautiful dress. “She said she had it tailored just scandalously enough so that you would like it, but not too flashy, and that it would be perfect for an important festivity.”
“Put it on,” Tynan encourages me.
