2_-_court_of_mist_and_fury_a_-_sarah_j._maas

salary. But he suddenly asked, “When is your birthday?”
“Do I even need to count them anymore?” He merely waited. I sighed. “It’s the Winter
Solstice.”
He paused. “That was months ago.”
“Mmmhmm.”
“You didn’t … I don’t remember seeing you celebrate it.”
Through the bond, through my unshielded, mess of a mind. “I didn’t tell anyone. I
didn’t want a party when there was already all that celebrating going on. Birthdays seem
meaningless now, anyway.”
He was quiet for a long minute. “You were truly born on the Winter Solstice?”
“Is that so hard to believe? My mother claimed I was so withdrawn and strange because
I was born on the longest night of the year. She tried one year to have my birthday on
another day, but forgot to do it the next time—there was probably a more advantageous
party she had to plan.”
“Now I know where Nesta gets it. Honestly, it’s a shame we can’t stay longer—if only
to see who’ll be left standing: her or Cassian.”
“My money’s on Nesta.”
A soft chuckle that snaked along my bones—a reminder that he’d once bet on me. Had
been the only one Under the Mountain who had put money on me defeating the
Middengard Wyrm. He said, “So’s mine.”