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In that moment, I saw my brother through different eyes. No longer was he my hero with a glowing crown, the one who I ran to when I needed safety, but he suddenly became an oppressor with chains I had to escape from.
I couldn’t look at him without my sight clouding. I shoved myself out of Ayen’s arms and stared at Faelyn, refusing to think about when he had turned into a villain.
He was my brother. How could he become a villain?
I shook my head before I turned my back on him and dragged my feet to my room.
The house had become silent ever since Ayen left, Elanil and Faelyn murmuring among themselves before they went to their room. I was left alone in my own room, huddled on my bed with nothing to soothe me but the cooing of Vyrin and the gentle fluttering of Keia’s coloured wings.
Footsteps teased my ears. I lifted my head from my crossed arms to see Elanil approaching me with a comforting smile. She sat on the edge of my bed carefully, as though hesitant.
“Faelyn seems to trust that Elf, Aias,” she murmured. Her hand reached for me, and I allowed her to smooth my hair, her touch so gentle that I closed my eyes and basked in it. “I’m sure he will be a great mate for you.”
Even though I could be courted and wooed, I was not mature yet, but no one seemed to truly care. All of them simply cared about whether I had a mate to provide for me and look after me as if I was incapable of doing so on my own.
But I had found a potential mate. I’d found someone I could leave my home for, knowing I would be protected and sheltered from any harm. I found someone who would watch over me while I explored and transitioned from being a juvenile to a mature female. He was young like me, and being with him felt like I didn’t need to rush at all.
Like I could be who I wanted, do what I wanted with no judgement or rush.
“What if I have chosen a mate?” I tried, weaving my fingers together as I glanced at Elanil from under my lashes.
She paused. Her lips parted and her brows furrowed. Then her features seemed to glow as her lips stretched wide, her eyes squinting with joy.
“That’s wonderful!” she squealed. “Why didn’t you mention anything?”
How could I when I knew no one would approve? How could I when I knew I would be cast away?
Silence stretched between us, and Elanil’s excitement dimmed a little. “Is it Ayen?”
I wished it was Ayen. I trulywishedit was Ayen,because then I wouldn't face such turmoil. Ayen was familiar andhere.
But Ayen wasn’t who I wanted.
I shook my head and buried it into my crossed arms over my knees, unable and unwilling to watch the moment her joy turned to betrayal or worse.
Silence stretched once again.
“Is it an Elf?” she asked, confused and something else.
I hesitated, then shook my head again—slowly and carefully.
The silence that followed was more frightening than earlier. Stiff, strained, and charged. My throat tightened as I swallowed.
Finally, she asked the question.
“What is he?”
There was no way around it. I couldn’t tell her without specifically mentioning the nature of my mate. I couldn’t prolong my silence, and I couldn’t keep my secret hidden any further.
I only hoped Elanil wouldn’t abandon me once she knew.
So I took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, closed my eyes, and reluctantly whispered, “Spider.”
36
The silence that followed my revelation was long. Elanil moved closer and held my hands tightly—so tight I nearly winced. When I hesitantly peeked up at her, her eyes were vacant, her face void of any emotion that I could grasp to help me understand what she was thinking or feeling.
“Never let your brother hear that,” she said, her tone so cold and sharp it made me tense.
