Chapter 13
Chapter
Thirteen
Trent entered the emporium. His heart lodged firmly in his throat. “Good evening, Mr Marin.”
Mr Marin stood at the counter. He looked up. “Good evening, Mr Berry.”
“Trent.”
Mr Marin raised a slender brow.
“You can call me Trent.” He approached the counter. “That’s my first name, and since we’re…” He trailed off. “I figured you could use my first name now.”
Mr Marin inclined his head. “Trent.”
Trent smiled, pleased to hear his name in Mr Marin’s dulcet voice.
“Then you should also call me by my first name. It’s Malachi.”
Malachi. Malachi Marin. Trent rolled the name around in his head. It suited the stunning siren.
“I know it’s still a few minutes before you close,” Trent said.
“But I figured I still needed to get the elothea seeds. And if you need to do anything before closing, I can just wait around. As long as I’m not in your way, of course.
If I am, I can leave for a little bit.” Trent pointed at the door behind him.
Although, he really didn’t know where he’d go. But he figured he should offer. He didn’t want to be in the way. That would be a poor start to a date.
And he really wanted this date to go perfectly. He wanted there to be a second. And a third. And many, many more.
Mr Marin… Malachi reached beneath the counter and lifted the elothea grass. “You will not be in the way.”
“Oh. Good.” Trent watched as Malachi picked, examined, and packaged the elothea seeds.
Trent counted out the coins and placed them on the counter. He pocketed the package. He fidgeted, uncertain what to do next. “Do you need any help with closing?”
“No, thank you.” Malachi shook his head. “I have already tended to all my plants. I just need to do a few more things and we can go to the Christmas markets.”
“All right.”
Malachi moved around the room, extinguishing lanterns. Trent tried not to bounce on the spot.
Malachi switched the sign to closed. Then he walked towards a tank where a big yellow flower grew. Trent approached.
“There is one more thing I need to do.” Malachi leaned towards the plant. “I am going out tonight, my dear. You’ll have to wait down here a little longer.”
Trent frowned. Why would the flower be waiting for him?
Wait. Was this some sort of sentient plant?
A croak sounded.
Trent’s eyes widened. “Did that flower croak?”
Malachi laughed, a lyrical sound. Trent realised he’d never heard him laugh before.
“No.” Malachi pointed at the stem. “This is Kelby.”
Trent stepped closer. He could see nothing but the plant. “Kelby?”
“The frog.”
Trent’s gaze searched the big leaves sitting on the water. He could see no frog.
Then finally, he did. A small green frog sat on the knobbly green stem of the flower. Its black eyes looked exactly like the little black dots that marked the stem. “I didn’t see it at all.”
“She is perfectly camouflaged.” He smiled affectionately at the frog. “She always waits for me to finish up, and then we go up to my room above the emporium.”
“That’s sweet.”
“She is.” Malachi straightened. “Shall we go?”
Trent nodded.
Malachi locked the store, and they left. Snow started to fall as they walked down the street. Malachi tilted his head back and gazed at the sky. Light from a lantern reflected off his glasses. His tentacles hanging down his back wiggled slightly, the movement hypnotic.
For several minutes, they walked without speaking. Their feet crunched in the snow.
Was Malachi bored?
Trent bit his lips and tried to think of something to say.
But what if he is enjoying the silence? What if I say something stupid? What if I make him regret going out with me?
He closed his eyes and tried to breathe slowly in and out.
Just breathe. No need to panic. You’re just going to the Christmas markets with Malachi. No need to worry. Everything will be fine.
“So you’ve never been to the Christmas markets here?” Trent asked, trying to keep his voice calm and steady.
Malachi shook his head. “Never.”
“And how long have you lived in the city?” Trent asked.
“A bit over ten years.”
“Really? And how old are you? If you don’t mind me asking.”
Malachi seemed to consider for a moment. “I must be thirty-four now.”
Trent tried to calm his quickening breath. He’d known Malachi was older than himself. But he’d thought Malachi would be a maximum ten years older.
Was this going to be a problem? Did Malachi think Trent too young for him? But no. He’d agreed to this date.
And there were lots of age differences between his siblings and their partners. After all, Uzoth was an ancient gargoyle and was much older than Grady. Age was just a number. It didn’t mean anything!
“Why have you never gone to the Christmas markets?” Trent asked.
“Truthfully, I don’t go out much in general.”
“Why not?”
Malachi didn’t speak for several moments. Trent began to worry that he’d been too pushy.
“I have my routines,” Malachi said finally.
“I work. I go out to buy supplies and groceries. I go to the forest once a week and harvest plants. But other than that, I do not have much reason to go out.” He glanced at Trent before looking ahead.
“My life must sound quite dull to someone as young and lively as yourself.”
“No.” Trent shook his head. “I don’t go out that much either.”
Malachi raised his brows in what might have been disbelief.
“I mean, I’m always running around,” Trent explained.
“I go to the bakery. I go to the Christmas markets to work. I go to your emporium every day to pick up Jasper’s medicine.
I go to Ordelia’s, she’s my sister, most days to help with her kids.
I go to stores or wherever needed to pick up supplies or do whatever chores need doing. ”
Trent paused. “But I don’t really go out for enjoyment. More I go wherever is needed for the family. I like to be helpful.”
Trent glanced at Malachi, who watched him with his steady blue gaze.
“I don’t really spend time with anyone who isn’t my family. I’m not good at meeting people.” Trent laughed, somewhat self-conscious at the admission. “Sometimes I think I got so comfortable around my siblings that I never learnt to socialise with people not related to me.”
Trent closed his mouth, worried he’d overshared. But this was exactly what he meant! He’d not had enough experience conversing with others, and now he was terrible at it.
“I can understand that,” Malachi said softly. “In recent years, I have not gotten to know many individuals. Honestly, I have not put in the effort. That is perhaps the main reason I don’t go out often. I have no one to go with.”
Trent stared. For months, he’d admired the siren. He’d not once considered he might be lonely too.
“So I am glad that we can go out together.” Malachi smiled at him.
Trent smiled back. “Me too.”
“And I think your siblings are very lucky to have someone so dedicated to helping them. You are a very caring young man.”
“It’s the least I can do.” Trent shrugged.
“I’m the youngest, and they’ve always looked after me.
” Trent hesitated. But his mouth was moving again before he had time to fully consider if he was about to overshare once more.
“My parents died when I was little. So my older siblings provided for me, raised me, and took care of me.”
Malachi frowned. “I am so sorry to hear about your parents. I am glad you were not alone.”
“That’s why I always try and be helpful,” Trent said. “To try and pay them back for what they did for me. Which is silly, of course. No matter what I do, I could never repay them.”
“I am sure they appreciate what you do for them.” Malachi’s gaze met his.
“And what about you? Do you have much family?” Trent asked.
Malachi shifted his gaze to the snow-covered sidewalk ahead. “I… I have not seen my family since I moved to the city. They live in the sea to the north.”
“I couldn’t imagine being far away from my family.”
Malachi inclined his head. “It can be difficult.” He did not elaborate further. And there was something in Malachi’s tone that made Trent think he did not wish to speak any more of it. Trent could understand that.
“I’m sorry.” Trent thought of how it would be if he wasn’t surrounded by his family. It would be like a never-ending ache.
They turned a corner and headed towards the town square. The lights from the Christmas markets glowed ahead. “And here we are, the Christmas markets.” He watched Malachi, waiting for his reaction.
“Wow. It’s lovely.” Malachi’s voice filled with awe.
Trent’s shoulders relax. He’d suggested the Christmas markets because some of his siblings had gone on dates with their now mates and partners here. Trent hoped this date would be just as successful as theirs.
He wanted to impress Malachi.