The Rise of Fortune and Fury (Chronicles of the Stone Veil #5) - Sawyer Bennett Page 0,30

her bath facilities were like, but I take great joy in showing her how the shower, bath, and toilet work.

When she follows me back into the bedroom, I turn to her with an eager smile. “What would you like to do first? Want something to eat? Want to go out and explore? The Space Needle is a must for any visitor. Oh, I know… a spa day. We should do a spa day together.”

Zora frowns in confusion, and I’m sure I’m speaking what must be akin to a foreign language. “Actually,” she says in a detached voice. “I think I’d just like to be alone for a while. This is a lot to take in.”

Guilt flushes through me as I realize I’m throwing way too much at her too fast. My zeal and excitement to have my twin here is overshadowing the fact that my sister might be slightly traumatized by her sudden change in circumstances. I need to back off, but I’m sure as hell not leaving her alone.

Smiling apologetically, I step forward slowly and take her hands in mine. I can feel her instinct to jerk back, but I hold tight. “I’m sorry. This has got to be incredibly overwhelming to you, and I’m not doing a good job at easing you into things. So let’s slow down a bit.”

“Maybe after I rest a bit—”

“I’m not leaving you, Zora,” I admonish, then lead her over to the bed. “We can talk. Get to know each other. Or we can sit here in silence while you absorb things. But you’ve been alone far too long, and that’s one thing I’m not budging on.”

“You’re going to stay by my side indefinitely?” she asks, one beautifully shaped and pale white eyebrow cocked.

“Not indefinitely,” I reassure her with a chuckle. “But for the next few hours. Let’s just talk, okay? And we can talk about whatever you want. No pressure at all.”

I point to the bed. “Pop a squat.”

Zora’s eyebrows knit in confusion.

“Here,” I exclaim as I move around the bed. “Like this.”

I hop on the bed, fluff a pillow up against the headboard, and lean back against it. Stretching my legs out, I cross them at the ankles and pat the space beside me. “Come sit.”

She’s not as exuberant in popping her squat, but she manages to settle herself up against the headboard, clasping her hands together on her lap as she looks around the room. “Are these typical living conditions?” Zora asks.

I snort, shaking my head. “No. This is one percent of the one percent.”

“I don’t understand.”

I really have to stop using cliches with her. “Carrick’s home is not typical at all. He’s incredibly wealthy, and everything here is very extravagant. I’ll take you to my house sometime. It’s probably more representative of the average person.”

“Which I’m sure is still far superior to the living conditions in the Underworld,” she murmurs.

“Actually, we do have many places in the world where it’s pretty awful. The Earth realm is not without its problems, but it’s so much better than where you were since we have sunlight here.”

Silence falls between us, and I realize sitting side by side is not conducive to meaningful conversation. I rise and reposition myself further down the bed where I sit cross-legged, facing Zora.

“Can I ask you a question about Amell?”

When Zora nods, I’m surprised. For some reason, I thought he might be an off-limit topic until we got to know each other better.

“I was really surprised he suggested you come, which told me that he cares for you.” I pause because I’m just setting the background for my real curiosity. “What did he say to you right before we left?”

Zora’s expression is bittersweet. “He told me to give you a chance.”

Yup. That definitely proves that he cares for her. And now I’m just being nosy. “Do you have feelings for him?”

I don’t get an answer. Instead, Zora looks down at her interlaced fingers. While I wait for her to decide what she wants to share, I remind myself to keep an open mind. Everything I know about Dark Fae tells me that Amell should be cruel, evil, and incapable of caring for Zora. But I’ve learned that nothing is as it seems when it comes to the fae and other immortals.

“It’s hard for me to describe what I feel for Amell,” Zora admits, and it’s quite the admission. It means she’s conflicted and vulnerable, and Zora has strived so hard to maintain a tough exterior. “He’s done