Epilogue

backstory 9. royal yakamoz palace

T I M E - 2016

L O C A T I O N - Royal Yakamoz Palace, Turkey

"Holy shit. Pinch me," Teresa said in awe, holding her arm out to Yasmine. Yasmine shrugged, grabbing her skin in between two of her acrylic tipped fingers. "Ow! I didn't mean actually!"

"Did we die on the plane ride to Turkey?" Vi asked, staring up in wonder. "Either this is heaven, or we're getting punk'd by Jesus right now and we're going to hell after this."

The hotel in front of them, which was the subject of all their admiration, looked like a beautiful marble pavilion painted gold and washed with light, made for the gods and goddesses themselves. It stood tall and intimidating, a haze of celestiality surrounding it. Behind them, a large round fountain sprayed blue and aureate-lit waters into the sky, and continuing the ethereal theme, Zalia thought it could be mistaken for a potion of eternal youth and beauty. Against the darkening night sky twinkling with pearly stars, the hotel seemed more like a divine house for otherworldly buildings to the group's sleepy minds.

In a way though, this was the case. Zalia groaned as she was startled by a woman fussing over the waiter bringing her Siberian Sturgeon caviar instead of Beluga Sturgeon caviar from the Caspian Sea; some rich people really thought they were above everyone else.

"Zalia, don't let your annoyance at entitled millionaires ruin your trip. You're in Turkey with your best friends! This trip is going to be so fun you won't be able to remember your name in the morning," Yasmine grinned, nudging her arm playfully.

"I'll make sure you remember mine though," Sorin winked.

But before Zalia could say anything, Vi beat her to it and punched Sorin's arm. "You, my man, need a better way to flirt. What the fuck was that?"

"Wait, I don't get it," Yasmine frowned.

Teresa leaned into her ear, whispering, "He's saying that she'll be screaming it all—"

"I get it now," Yasmine interrupted her, her eyes wide.

"No more dirty talk," Zalia instructed, moving the topic along. After the long airplane ride, she could barely stand her own rambling mind, let alone the group's weird jokes and annoying remarks. "We're all sharing the Ultra Royal Deluxe Suite, alright? I'm going to check in. You guys mingle."

"Actually, do you need help? You need help," Teresa insisted, following after her. Zalia, in fact, did not need help, but Teresa was so assertive that she really didn't have the energy in her to disagree. "In fact, you need so much help that Vi should come. Right, Vi?"

"Wait, what?" Vi scrunched his eyebrows.

"Come or else," Teresa threatened.

Vi raised in hands in surrender, walking after Teresa and Zalia as they entered the hotel. "Fine. At least it'll leave me out of whatever Yasmine's planning for Sorin."

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Sorin and Yasmine stayed silent for a while, both of them waiting by the luggage and watching the guests come and go through the front entrance. Finally, Yasmine turned to him in determination. "Sorin."

Sorin glanced up from his phone, nodding to her. "What's up?"

Yasmine hesitated, taking a deep breath before rushing her question out. "Why do you like Zalia?"

Sorin blinked at her. "What?"

"Don't get me wrong. I love that Zalia's happy with you, because that girl's only ever happy screaming at the TV when a show's medically inaccurate. And I never want to take that away from her," Yasmine began slowly, "but you guys happened pretty fast. A month or so. And you approached her, using her for an investigation. How do I, as one of her best friends, know you're genuine? That you're not just using her?"