hearts of metal

xxxvi. you can trust me

Aelin wasn't exactly used to having friends. It was an unusual experience. Having them care about her was even more unusual.

Trust was another unfamiliar concept. Those she let in and trusted had ways of turning against her...or getting hurt. She was at the point where she had started to trust her family. Aedion, her father, the twins, and Vaughan. Hell, even Salvaterre was growing on her.

And Rowan...might have been the only person to know her whole story. See every part of her and not be scared of her.

Her friends were another matter. She couldn't tell them the whole truth, caught in a web of lies instead. But she wanted to trust them, even when her paranoia made her wary of the most recent addition to their group.

It was small slip ups that made her suspicious. A sentence here and there flawlessly spoken in the Common Tongue, before she would return to the Eyllwe accent. Knowing looks whenever Aelin and the twins mentioned the mafia in coded language.

Aelin trusted her gut. And it told her that Nehemia was hiding something. But it also told her that Nehemia could be trusted.

They were sitting in a cramped corner of the library, hiding behind two large bookshelves. This was their usual spot for lessons, where Aelin helped Nehemia practice the Common Tongue and revised her essays.

Nehemia was across from Aelin, nervously twiddling her fingers.

"You good, Mia?" Aelin asked as she closed her book.

Nehemia nodded, then hesitated. "Can I be honest with you? Or I should say, let's be honest with each other," she said.

What was she talking about? "Alright. Go on."

Mia sighed softly. In Eyllwe, she whispered, "I know who your family is. Because my family is in the mafia as well."

Aelin blinked. She stood up and peered around the shelves, checking if there was anyone in the vicinity who could listen in. Even if they were speaking a different language, you couldn't be too careful. Then she sat back down and said, "you knew all this time?"

Nehemia only nodded. "It was my job to find you."

Immediately on edge, Aelin's hand slipped for her hidden daggers. Surely, if the aim was to kill her though, there were better opportunities?

"Not like that," Mia rushed, seeing the way Aelin's expression hardened. "I didn't know who you were when you helped in front of Kaltain. After you told me...I genuinely wanted to be your friend as well."

Aelin was skeptical, as she looked over the girl. "Find me for what?"

"To warn you," she said. "But I had to wait a while. I wasn't sure what you knew. Yet, if you know about your family's job, I'd imagine you know about the Valg."

She nodded brusquely.

"They'd kept to themselves for so many years. I don't know why they chose now to interfere with us or what their goal is, but I know they're dangerous," she said. With a pained sigh, she added, "we think they're the ones who killed my brother."

Aelin jolted at that. She'd already heard about Mia's brother, but hadn't known that he'd been killed. If they suspected the Valg...

"I'm sorry, Mia. But how can I trust you on this?"

"You can trust me. I understand that you're suspicious, however. I have some information. A potential ally of the Valg. I can give you their location as proof of good will."

"Tell me."

Connal made his way to Aelin's room. He knocked once and sighed in relief once it opened.