“Why are you here?” Hanoch squinted, looking at Victor.
Victor crossed his arms on his chest, saying nothing in return.
“This is why I’m the clan leader, not you. You have to respect the opinions of the majority.” Hanoch continued.
“Is that so? Have you come up with a better plan?”
“That’s not my point. Anyway, how much water did you get?”
Hanoch was silent for a few moments after I finished speaking. His fingers began drumming on the surface of the table. Then he looked out the window and gave us a quick nod.
“You will get some scorn when the others learn that you have disregarded the clan’s decision,” he said.
“I know you can smooth it out.” I said, opening the door.
“Yeah. Right.” Hanoch muttered, returning back to his seat behind the table.
As we entered the corridor, I glanced at Victor.
“I’m going back to Alina,” I said.
"What? You can't go a couple of hours without her?" he asked.
“Nope.” I said already walking down the corridor.
“You are such a traitor!”
“Tell Frid how you feel before it’s too late,” I responded, not looking back.
“Why would it be too late?”
“She may find someone better than you.” I turned the corner clearly hearing the swears directed at me.
When I stepped into my room, Alina was still asleep. Without wasting any time, I got out of my clothes, washed up, and then went back to bed, watching the soft twitchingof her long eyelashes beneath the golden light of the morning sun. Before I could stop myself, my hand traced the skin of her exposed shoulder.
“Tynan?” she whispered, not opening her eyes.
“Princess?” I placed a light kiss on her arm.
She opened her eyes, and a soft smile spread across her perfectly pink lips.
“Where did you go?”
“I went for a run and talked to Hanoch afterward.”
“Your brother’s a good man,” she said.
“He’s alright.” My hand traced the constellation of freckles on her skin.
She finally opened her eyes and studied my face. “I wish... I really want you to meet my brother someday.” She sighed.
“Tell me about your home.”
She told me about her life in Gora, her friends, how they found a forest witch, and how it changed the course of their lives forever.
“A witch? I had no idea they were real.” I smiled, watching her glowing face.
"Where I come from, there are no shifters. I always thought I was the only one in the world."
