483- The Weight of Silence
POV Thalyndra Moonclaw:
"We're adults, as you said yourself. Yes, what happened here can happen again, but no one else has anything to do with it. We're just young people with screaming hormones having fun." He opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off. "But even if no one has anything to do with it, that doesn't mean I want your parents to know. So I prefer to keep everything discreet."
He scratched the back of his neck, thoughtful.
"So I'm just a bit of fun for you?"
"And wasn't that the point?"
He parted his lips, seeming genuinely offended by where the conversation was heading.
"Didn't you feel there was something more between us, Fer?" He blinked slowly, fluttering his dark lashes, the silver around his pupils expanding.
"A sexual vibe?" I made a dismissive gesture.
I knew what he was talking about, but I preferred to ignore that part and be completely cynical about it. It was the best thing to do.
"Just that?"
"Uh-huh," I affirmed.
He stared at me for endless seconds, without even blinking. The muscle in his jaw popped and a vein pulsed at the side of his neck.
"Fine, then I'll see you at the next sexual vibe that arises between us," he spat, full of sarcasm and disdain. He pointed in the direction over my shoulder. "Go home—we're close to my parents' chalet, you can't get lost." There was something in his tone, something I couldn't identify.
"Anton," I called out, not knowing what to say, feeling... upset that he was treating me that way. I swallowed the words, keeping them to myself. They weren't necessary—there was nothing to be said. "Thank you for showing me the right direction," I said the first thing that came to mind, no matter how stupid it was.
He nodded, spun on his heels, and walked away. I watched him, analyzing the muscles of his tense back, the authoritative, self-assured stride of someone who had power and knew it, until he disappeared from my sight, leaving me alone in the middle of the forest.
His absence sent a chill up my body, making me shudder.
I wrapped my arms around my waist and moved in the direction he had pointed. All the heat of the moment had dissipated—it no longer burned as before, replaced by a throbbing cold.
My steps were too slow, lethargic. I no longer had the excitement, the racing heart, the warm body, the goosebumps.
I didn't know why I felt so affected when I had only spoken the truth. There could have been something deeper, but it wasn't interesting to bring to light something that had no future, something already doomed to fail.
Our worlds collided—too incompatible to be reconciled. And that was what I needed to hold onto in order to move forward, always setting aside the most important thing of all: my heart.
...
I didn't know if the Eldorians had the custom of gathering for breakfast or if this was just a special occasion. They were all present when I came downstairs. Edric, Lunara, Anton, Aurelka, Myrion, Lana, Vladren, Lyris, Celindra, the twins, and Nicoleta, who was serving at the table.
I greeted all of them and pulled out the chair between Aurelka and Lana, sitting down. I couldn't lift my head and look in Anton's direction, not after how things had ended in the forest.
I poured myself a cup of coffee and took a sip, warming my skin with the drink.
Edric cleared his throat from the corner of the table.
"How was the party last night?" he asked, to no one in particular.
I held my breath in my lungs.
Heavens, he could only know that something had happened.
I grabbed a slice of bread, keeping my eyes on the table, avoiding eye contact with any of them. I brought it to my mouth, chewing slowly, keeping myself too busy to speak.
"Fun, as always," Myrion replied. Lunara sighed.
"Obviously, you would tell me if anything… had gotten out of control," the Eldoria leader continued, turning his head toward Aurelka.
She swallowed hard.
"Of course, Father. Why do you ask?"
Edric leaned back in his chair and drummed his fingers on the wooden tabletop.
"Nothing, I just heard… some rumors this morning."
"What kind of rumors?" Anton asked.
"Some males from the pack have mysteriously disappeared," Vladren commented.
"Have you tried looking for them in the city? They might have gotten lost in some human cunt," Myrion retorted.
"Pup!" Lunara scolded. "More respect at the table and in front of the girls."
He rolled his eyes.
"Sorry, Mother."
She glared at her son for another moment before accepting his apology and shifting her gaze to her husband.
"I don't think they actually know. Lana would have told us something, wouldn't you, pup?" Celindra inquired, staring fixedly at her daughter.
She nodded, too quickly.
"Of course, Mother."
I noticed what they were doing, trying to uncover something through the most exemplary children: Lana and Aurelka, since they knew they wouldn't get anything out of Anton and Myrion.
But they didn't seem to realize that they were a much more united group than they could imagine; neither Lana, nor even Aurelka, would reveal the truth and turn in their brothers.
Edric shifted in his chair and directed his gaze toward me. The coffee I had drunk threatened to come back up my throat.
"And you, Thalyndra, what did you think of the party? Is it… civilized like the ones you used to attend?"
I felt everyone's eyes on me and began to wonder if it had been a good idea to get up that morning for breakfast. I wouldn't starve if I went a few more hours without eating.
I nodded my head.
"I found it… interesting. I loved the brilliance of creating a party to entertain the young…"
"Thank you," Anton shot out.
"The music is incredible," I continued, ignoring him. "And, yes, they're even more civilized than humans," I lied, since no human would rip out another's heart like that. "It was an… unforgettable experience."
Edric shook his head.
"It was Anton's idea, to keep the young protected and entertained. At first, I also thought it was brilliant, but over time, I discovered that perhaps it wasn't so much," he murmured.
He was testing his children. Edric was an old, cunning wolf; he knew something had happened, but he wasn't certain yet, so he tried to catch any trace of guilt that any of us might carry in the air.
I put some bacon and eggs on my plate, keeping myself occupied with the food.
If Edric depended on my guilt to discover the truth, it would never show. The deaths of Rares and Petru didn't even move me, so insignificant they were.