“Mmhmm.”
“That is very special, you know. Not everyone gets to experience that.”
“I had no idea I even had one, but now that I have, I do not ever want to let go of it. Haveyouexperienced it yet?” I asked gently, trying not to sound like a bragging bitch.
“Not yet. Growing up watching soulbound parents makes you want to have that, you know.”
“Then I hope that one day you’ll find him. I’m sure you will.”
“Her. I pray that it will be a she.”
“I’ll change my wish, then. I hope that you’ll find her.”
Her lips curved into a smile. “You were raised in Ramel, yet you do not seem to mind my preferences.”
“I had a friend who loved another man. Not a friend, a brother, and I didn’t mind it at all.”
“I like you, Elara.”
Gods, when saying it like that, the sound of my own name felt strange. But I found myself saying, “I like you, too.”
“Did something happen to this brother of yours? I noticed you saidhadand nothave. I hope he’s all right.”
“Oh, no. I mean, I think he’s all right. We just lost contact and I don’t know if I will ever see him again.”
“Then I wish that you’ll find him.” A tear slid awkwardly down my nose. “Besides, I’m sure Aegir could track him down for you.” I smiled at the thought of Aegir tearing apart the continent searching for Semuel.
“I’m surprised you haven’t asked me anything about my past,” I said quietly.
“Well, Ryvar already told me about what you said and what you did in that basement yesterday. Which wasvery regal, by the way. And you know, tonight, you’ll be asked those same questions and I don’t want”—to bother you, I imagined she would say, but instead she said—“to get bored during the meeting, you know.”
Well, good for us both.I didn’t feel like reopening old wounds while new ones were currently being hand-poked.
“We’re soon finished. I’m doing some final touches,” she said, wiping my back with a cool, damp cloth, giving me a bittersweet feeling along my spine.
“So!?” Amani exclaimed. “What do you think?”
I twisted myself to get a good view of my back. She adjusted the long mirror for me.
I gasped. “Oh, it’s perfect. I love it!”
Then she gave me a hand mirror, which I angled inelegantly to get the best view of my back. “You’re incredibly talented, Amani.”
“I know, right. Come on, let’s get you all cleaned up and ready for tonight.”
One of her bedroom walls was the biggest wardrobe ever, and I had almost missed it. Its doors slid sideways, revealing an infinite number of the finest dresses.
“Pick one.”
“Any one? Wow, I don’t even know where to start.”
I skimmed through the dresses, skipping the longer ones until… “This one.”
“Already? But you saw only less than half of them,” she said as she slid open the other side of the door, revealing more dresses.
Thalassa, how many dresses does one person need?
“I’m quite sure about this one.”
