Page 8 of The Silent Mountain
“We have a nurse and a retired doctor,” Stefan says. He is a tall, athletic man, and his temples are graying already, giving away his age and experience. “They are currently working for the clan.”
“The doctor’s name?”
“Frederick,” he says.
I nod. “I know him, but he is already of an older age. I’m grateful he agreed to jump in until we find someone else, so let’s not overdo it and exhaust him. Can he mentor someone to take over?”
“That’s certainly an option,” Stefan says. “I will see if we can find someone.” He pauses. “I was thinking. If we could invite a witch to live with us, it would probably solve a lot of our problems. Don’t you think so, my king?”
Although I have known him ever since I was a kid, he still addresses me formally. Stefan was a friend and advisor of my father, originally, and one of the very few dragon shifters of my father’s guards who survived. He is very skilled and intelligent, and I am glad I have him as my support, although I don’t like him much. I don’t have an explanation for my dislike; he has always been loyal to my father and now me, and I truly need his advice. But certain things of his past, certain decisions, don’t sit right with me.
Besides, he annoys me. Maybe it’s the patronizing way he talks. Maybe the many question marks surrounding his survival.
Now, however, his suggestion makes my skin crawl.
“A witch?” I say, not able to hide my displeasure at his suggestion. “After what happened? After what the last one did to us?”
Stefan looks at me, raising his hand as if he wants to squeeze my shoulder, but then he drops it again. “I know it’s not what you wanted to hear,” he says. “But I am your advisor. It’s my task to give advice.”
“And you think a witch would solve our problems without raising new ones?” I ask bitterly.
“No,” he says. “I think it will be terrifying for many of us to have a witch around, which is why I wouldn’t suggest just anyone. We don’t even need a powerful witch, just someone who can use witchcraft, a healer.” He pauses. “The dragons look up to their king,” he says, repeating what Alana said before. “They will follow your lead because you saved them and brought their kingdom back. If you hate the idea, they will too.”
“It’s not fair,” I mutter, not minding that I sound like a petulant child.
“It isn’t,” Stefan agrees.
Silence engulfs us for a while. Stefan doesn’t talk; he doesn’t even seem to breathe too loudly, so that I can think things through. It was a witch who led to the downfall of the dragons and to the destruction of the kingdom. It was a witch who had my family killed and who almost killed me. It was a witch who imprisoned me and tortured my mind for years.
But it was also the werewolf kingdom, with awitchat their side, who saved me.
Part of me wants to set out and destroy every witch I meet, but then I remember that I am also indebted to one. Do I really want to be the type of leader who condemns a whole group just because of one rotten apple?
“I am not happy,” I say shortly.
Stefan looks at me, his wise eyes looking at me with a hint of nervosity now.
“I want someone who will not remind me of the witch who destroyed us. I’m not looking for strength in her, I am looking for empathy and the ability to heal.” I look at him now. “If you find a witch like that, and she is willing to pledge her loyalty to me, I will consider giving her a chance. But if this fails, it will be on you, and you will carry the responsibility for it!”
Stefan looks stunned.
“Why are you so surprised?” I ask. “You are not agreeing with my decision?”
“I am,” Stefan says, a smile curling his lips. “I just didn’t expect you to…to…”
“To see the bigger picture?” I want to know. I sometimes feel like I am giving him a hard time, but Stefan was my father’s advisor once, and I need to know if he can put that aside and be mine. While he was very young back then and none of my father’s other advisors listened to him, he was the one who had the best intuition. He was also the first to see the approaching danger. It’s the reason I respect him and his opinion, but we don’t have a close bond yet, and I don’t trust him fully yet. I know he survived by hiding while other shifters like Ludwig and Barbara risked their lives, and I’m not sure how I feel about that.
Maybe distrust became part of my nature after everything my kind went through.
“No,” Stefan says. “Since I started to work for you, I knew you were able to see the bigger picture.”
“But you think I am immature.”
Again, he shakes his head.
“Then what do you think?” I ask. “You can be honest. You are the only advisor I currently have. It’s not like I can kill you for your opinion.”
My words draw a smile from him before he grows serious again. “I didn’t believe you would be able to shove your trauma aside—not so soon—and agree on inviting a witch.”
