Page 146 of Halfblood Deceived

“Darkwood’s autumns are rather cold,” Zeydan said, taking off his coat and helping Aella put it on.

“Thank you,” she said, shivering as his warmth and delicious scent wrapped around her. Strangely, her stomach tightened with something like hunger. “Diana rarely runs cold, I don’t know why I do.”

They moved away from the bookshop’s entrance when two women approached. One of them almost hit her head with the glass door, trying to steal a last look at Zeydan. He didn’t seem to notice.

“We aren’t all the same,” Zeydan said. “Gabby is prone to feeling cold as well. Andreas and I aren’t.”

“Have you known each other for a long time?” she asked, then cringed. “You don’t have to answer that.”

Zeydan gave her a puzzled look as they walked down the sidewalk. “You’ve hardly asked anything scandalous. And you can ask scandalous questions if you want. There are very few things I wouldn’t tell you.”

That unknown sensation in her stomach and chest increased. She felt short of breath and tingly, but pleasantly. It was utterly confusing.

“Why?” she asked.

“Why what?” Zeydan asked back.

“Why would you tell me almost anything?”

He blinked, staying behind her while a woman pushing a baby stroller passed by them. “Because I like you.”

Aella’s eyes went wide. She lifted her eyes to gauge Zeydan’s expression. He looked a bit surprised as well, but earnest.

Aella bit her lip. “I know I’m starting to sound like a broken record, but why?”

Zeydan looked ahead for a moment, gathering his thoughts. “You are brave. I value that in a friend.”

“I’m not brave.”

Zeydan gave her a thoughtful look. “You honestly believe that, don’t you?”

Aella shrugged.

He pointed across the street to a park illuminated with warm yellow lights. It faded into the more untamed stretch of forest across Diana’s home. “Would you like to have a longer walk and conversation with me?” he asked.

She nodded.

They crossed the street and entered the park’s main trail.

Zeydan took a deep breath. “It takes a lot of courage to turn your back on the beliefs forced onto you all your life.” His gaze was faraway. “It’s scary and makes you feel guilty. You wonder if you aren’t betraying those who raised you for daring to go against them. No matter if you know with all your heart that they are wrong, that they’re monsters.” His throat bobbed. “And even after you break bonds with them, after you’ve defied them so thoroughly that you know they’d kill you on sight, you feel indebted and duty-bound to them.” He blinked, giving her a knowing sideways glance. “You made the right choice within seconds of realizing the truth, Aella. You fought and bled for what was right without hesitation. I’ve met few people braver than you.”

Aella’s throat closed up and her eyes prickled. There was so much meaning behind what he’d said. He’d gone through something similar, she was sure of it, but she didn’t know how to ask, what to say.

She gulped. “Thank you.”

“It’s the mere truth,” Zeydan insisted.

Aella huffed ruefully. “The mere truth is something I’m still getting used to, and wasn’t considered worthy of for most of my life.”

“I see,” he said.

The scent of cocoa teased Aella’s nose as they reached a bend in the path. It opened to a small round square with benches where couples sat, drinking cocoa that came from a stall managed by a small woman with long black hair, a dark blue tunic, and many bracelets.

“Would you like something to drink?” Zeydan offered.

Aella nodded.

They approached the stall.

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