Chapter 43
Both Arden and Jonah looked at each other with a matching frown on their faces. They didn't say a word while they talked with each other secretly, silently going over what I told them and trying to come up with a plan.
"Are you sure that it wasn't the real Silan?' Jonah finally asked while he looked at me. He looked older, graver, and I had a feeling that it was because of the news I had bestowed on them.
I nodded in confirmation. "If he was, then that mark would have turned gold," I replied.
Again both Jonah and Arden looked at each other and had another silent conversation with each other. They turned grave while they talked, and I had a feeling that they were trying to come up with a plan or something to see if they couldn't locate the fake Silan and then find the real Silan.
Shilan nudged my side, and I looked at him. He stayed silent and cocked his head, and I could tell that he wanted me to interrupt their conversation and tell them what else I knew that dealt with him.
"There's... something else too," I said slowly, not knowing how they would react to the news of the other Silan.
Arden and Jonah looked at me and stayed silent, patiently waiting for me to say what was on my mind and what I found out.
I cleared my throat and shifted in my seat, growing nervous for I was not used to this type of attention. "There are two of them," I said.
Again, Jonah and Arden looked at each other before they looked at me.
"What do you mean that there are two of them?" Jonah asked and raised an eyebrow while he studied me. "How are there two of them?"
I shrugged and grimaced. "That is what I am hoping that you two can figure out," I replied. "All I know is that there are two of them, and I don't like it one bit."
Jonah nodded, and I had a feeling that he understood what I meant. "When did you meet the second one?"
"Earlier today," I tried. I shifted in my seat and cleared my throat. "I first saw him while I was taking His Highness into the alleyways," I said. "He was an old beggar man, and he looked downtrodden and whatnot."
"How did you know that it was him?" Arden asked. He paused and cocked his head while he studied me. "This was the real Silan, correct?'
I nodded and furrowed my brows while I dipped my head closer to my chest. I could recall this pull towards him, still seeing him with his hand outstretched, silently begging for what was hidden, silently begging for the feather to confirm that I knew he was the one that I was looking for.
"Well?" Arden pressed gently.
I cleared my throat and shook my head, breaking myself from the memory. "He was seated at the entrance, downtrodden," I said. "When I came across him, I felt this pull towards him that only ever happens with him."
Arden hummed and nodded, gesturing for me to continue with my tale.
"I stopped in front of him and reached into my basket to grab the feather. He held out his hand towards me and waited for me to deliver the feather."
"Did he know that you had the feather?" Arden asked, and I shrugged in response.
"I think so," I replied. I cleared my throat and shifted in my seat, trying to relieve some of the tension that I felt.
"I don't know how he knew that I had the feather, but I know that he did.
After I had given him the feather, I walked into the alleyway, and that was that. " I shrugged and cleared my throat.
Jonah and Arden looked at each other before they looked at me. "Well?" Jonah asked, and I raised an eyebrow in question. He smiled innocently and wiggled his eyebrows, and I scowled and rolled my eyes. "How did the meeting go?"
"Don't tell them about what you had seen," Shilan said, and I subtly nodded while I shrugged.
"It was fine," I said. "The Old Man wasn't there when I got out, and I was a little worried when he wasn't there to collect the rest of his change."
Again, Jonah and Arden looked at each other before they looked at me. "Do you know where he had gone?" Jonah asked, and I nodded in confirmation. "Where?"
"I think he had gotten word that a strange man was asking for help, but the people didn't help and had shunned him."
"Did they lay a hand on him?" Arden asked, and I shook my head, no.
"He had my feather clutched in his hand, so they weren't going to harm him anyway."
"But they did shun him," Jonah said, and I shrugged.
"It was better than nothing," I replied. "They could have harmed him, and I know that when he became his true form, there would have been hell to pay."
"Hmph." Jonah nodded, amused. "I don't think that he would have harmed them when he was in his true form, however."
I raised an eyebrow in question. "And why do you say that?" I asked, and Jonah shrugged.
"Because he knew that you would have been pissed. Silan doesn't like seeing you angry."
"Neither do you," Arden said, looking at Jonah from the corner of his eye, and I nodded in agreement because he didn't.
Jonah shrugged and cleared his throat. "I am sure that no one does," he said. Again, he cleared his throat and gestured for me to continue with what had happened.
I shifted in my seat and ran a finger across Shilan's nose. "The Old Man found him sitting on one of the stoops with the feather in his hand. He looked defeated and lost, and he had no idea who to turn to so that he would be able to contact me."
"Did you get into contact with him?" Jonah asked, and I nodded. He raised an eyebrow and cocked his head. "How?"
"I'm getting to that," I said, my tone sharp, and Arden hid a laugh with a covered cough. I scowled and narrowed my eyes at the male I called my teacher. "Can I continue, or is there something else you need to say?"
Jonah smiled and shook his head. He made a signal for me to continue, and I rolled my eyes but did what he told me to do.
"The Old Man placed his hand on Silan's head and did some magic thing so that it was the real Silan sitting there and not the old white male that Silan was made to be. He pointed in a direction that he wanted Silan to go in, and Sialn did what he was told to do and ran in that direction.
"While this was happening, I was exiting the building with the prince. I noticed that the Old Man wasn't there like I told you, so I was nervous and had to quickly get him out of the alleyway because something felt wrong, and I didn't like it one bit."
"What felt wrong?" Arden asked, and I shrugged and grimaced.
"I think it was because of Silan, the real Silan, but I don't know," I admitted. "All I was focused on was getting the prince out before something bad happened to him."
"And nothing did?"
I shook my head, no. "Nothing did," I confirmed. "I followed a path that they had set for me and was able to deliver him safely to his guard." I glanced at Arden and raised an eyebrow in question. "Why is an Elf protecting the prince?" I asked. "Aren't you worried about him being found out?"
Arden smiled and shook his head. "We shall talk about that later," he replied, and I scowled. He gestured for me to continue my story. "Now, go ahead and finish. What happened after you delivered the prince to his guard?"
I shrugged and grimaced. "I ran back into the alleyways, and Silan fell on me," I said.
"The real Silan or fake Silan?" Jonah asked.
"Real," I replied. "He had the feather clutched in his hand, and there was this bond between us that the other one and I didn't have."
"Did he say what happened?"
I shook my head, no and grimaced. I wished that he did say what had happened to him, but I knew that if he did and they found out, then something bad could happen to either him or me.
Jonah and Arden looked at each other. Worry filled their eyes while they looked at each other, and I had a feeling that they knew something and weren't telling me.
I scowled and narrowed my eyes while I looked at them and they continued to have their conversation in front of me. I didn't say another word while I waited, wondering if they were going to let me in on their little secret or not.
"I wish that he would have," Jonah said finally and looked at me. He furrowed his brows in confusion and cocked his head when he noticed me scowling at the two of them. "What?" he asked. "What is it?"
"Are you going to tell me what you two are silently communicating about or not?" I asked. "I know that it is important."
Jonah sighed and looked at Arden before he turned to look at me. He dipped his head, and I had a feeling that he wasn't going to tell me what they were silently talking about. "I am afraid that we can't," he said sadly. "I wish we could, but we can't."
I sighed sadly and nodded. "Of course," I said, letting him hear the annoyance in my voice that had them looking at each other before they looked at me.
"What happened with the meeting with the real Silan?" Arden asked, shooting Jonah a look that had him closing his mouth.
I leaned back in my seat and pressed my lips into a thin line while I studied them. I didn't say a word while I looked them over, trying to see if I couldn't get them to break and tell me what they were hiding.
Arden sighed and glanced at Jonah to make sure that he kept quiet before he looked at me. "It's dangerous," he said in his tongue, knowing that I'd listen to him that way because he can't tell a lie in his tongue.
I scoffed and rolled my eyes, ignoring the sting in my chest. "Does that mean you don't trust me?" I asked, letting him hear the bitterness and sadness that I felt. "Or my abilities?"
Shilan dug his head a little bit harder in my lap to get my attention, and I looked down at him while Arden stayed silent. "That was a bit too harsh," he said.
"I don't care," I replied and pressed my lips into a thin line. "It is how I feel."
And I did feel that way. I felt as if they didn't trust me nor my abilities.
Jonah sighed and moved a hand through his hair. Pain filled his eyes, and I felt guilty for making him feel that way, but I stayed firm.
Arden cleared his throat and leaned back in his seat, and I turned to look at him.
His face was leveled and firm, and I shifted in my seat a little unnerved about his unfaltering gaze.
"You have surpassed our expectations, Marini," he said, his voice levelled and firm.
"We trust your abilities and what you know and can do. "
He raised his hand when I opened my mouth to retaliate, so I closed it instead and pressed my lips into a thin line.
"I know what you are thinking and what you are about to say, and it is not true." Arden looked at Jonah for him to say something, but Jonah didn't say a word because he was looking at me.
Jonah studied me, his eyes holding this sadness in them that I couldn't describe. He was searching for something, something that I kept hidden.
Finally, my protector sighed and shook his head.
He cleared his throat and moved a hand across his face before he cleared his throat again, gathering his thoughts.
"I have promised your father that I would protect you to the best of my abilities," he said softly.
He raised his hand to stop me from talking when I opened my mouth.
"I know what you are going to say, Marini, so hush," he scowled and narrowed his eyes, and I closed my mouth without an ounce of protest but with pursed lips in annoyance.
"You have become a fine warrior, surpassing our expectations and our beliefs.
You are strong, far stronger than what I had expected.
" He paused and sighed while he shook his head, smiling sadly.
"But I still see you as a little girl sometimes," he said, his voice quivering a little, "the same little girl that has looked at me with eyes of fear, wanting help but not knowing how to get it. "
Again, he shook his head and sighed. A grim smile appeared on his face while he studied me, his eyes turning a darker color while he did so. "I still see that girl but then in a blink of an eye, I see the woman that you have become and are becoming.
"Do not think that we do not trust you nor your abilities, Marini, because we do; I do. However, a selfish part of me wants to keep that young girl, full of innocence and wonder and this excited fear for a little while longer."
He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat. "You are ready to become a leader, Marini, someone that can help us fight against the darkness that we face, but..." He trailed off and shrugged with a sad smile on his face.
I waited for a bit before I cleared my throat and raised an eyebrow, feeling slightly relieved that he did trust in my abilities. "But..?" I inquired and raised my eyebrow higher. "But what? What is it?"
"But I am not ready to let you lead us," he said softly.
He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat.
He sighed and shook his head before he cleared his throat again.
"I still see you as the young child that was hiding behind your father's leg when we first met.
" He smiled sadly and shook his head. "You're like a daughter to me, Marini," he said softly, "and I can't believe how much you have groaned in a short amount of time. "
He raised his hand to silence me when I opened my mouth to rebuttal. "I know what you are going to say, and there is no reason for it," he softly scolded, "so please close your mouth."
Annoyed, I closed my mouth but scowled, and much to my annoyance, the other dragon rider grinned and leaned back in his seat, amused.
"You still have a lot to learn and to uncover for yourself, Marini," he said and dipped his chin closer to his chest while he stared at me through half closed eyes. "There will be times when we know that you aren't ready for something unless you find something else."
The old rider sighed and cleared his throat and tucked his head closer to his chest before he shook his head and cleared his throat. "And there will be times where we, me in particular, have to let you take on your own path no matter how dangerous it is or will be."
He cleared his throat and moved a hand across his face.
"We will tell you when it is time, and now is not the time.
You have accomplished more than what any of us have accomplished at such a young age, and Arden can agree with that.
" He gestured towards Arden, and Arden nodded in confirmation.
I shifted in my seat and raised an eyebrow, making sure that my face was blank. "And what have I done that you haven't?" I asked.
"The wraiths," Jonah replied instantly. "You have earned their respect and trust. They will follow your lead and do what you wish, something that none of us have been able to accomplish. When we ask them something, they will not answer, but they will answer for you and do what you ask."
I set my jaw while I looked at the two of them and stayed silent. I had no idea if the reason why they had listened to me was because I was destined to have that dagger or if it was something else.
It had to be something else, for there was no way that they could know about me being the owner of the dagger... couldn't they?
The other dragon seemed surprised when the wraiths bowed, however...
So maybe, there was something there, and we didn't realize it just yet because they wouldn't tell me either.
I pressed my lips into a thin line and stayed silent.
"You have also earned the respect of others quicker than anyone could," Arden said and glanced at Jonah before he looked at me. "I have known Silan for a long time, and I know that it takes a while for him to warm up to people the same way as you."
I glanced at Jonah to see if he would confirm what Arden was saying, and he nodded in confirmation.
"Silan does not trust nor respect people easily," Jonah said. "Your courage and bravery were what had earned Silan's respect and trust quicker than what others have done."
He chuckled and shook his head sadly. "I think it also has to deal with the fact that you weren't afraid of him when you first met him."
I leaned back in my seat and bit back a small smirk while I dipped my head closer to my chest. I could still remember the first time that I had met him and how I had almost punched him because I had no idea who he was and knew that he was in my way from whatever I wanted to do.
Jonah sighed and grew serious, and I shifted in my seat and grew serious too. "But the point is, you are a lot stronger than we had thought possible," he said. "You know how to take care of others even at your weakest, and that is why we want to keep you safe."
"We want to keep you safe for your family and for your people," Arden said, echoing Jonah's silent words. "If that means we have to keep something from you, then we will keep something from you unless you are able to find the information on your own."
I opened my mouth to argue, wondering how that was fair to me if I couldn't trust them to give me that information, but Shilan dug his head into my side.
So instead, I looked at him with a scowl on my face while he looked at me through one eye that held knowledge that only he could possess.
"Leave them be," he said. "You and I will know in time and will know more than they can ever provide us.
Their job is to make sure that we are ready for whatever we find out through them or through others.
Their job is to train us until we are to take over whatever they have been doing or tried doing without their other part. "
I pressed my lips into a thin line before I looked at Jonah and Arden before I looked at my dragon, knowing that he was talking about their dragons.
Sighing, I relented and nodded. "Ok," I said softly, and Jonah raised an eyebrow in question, surprised that I didn't push.
"Ok?" he asked, his voice turning high pitched because he was a little shocked.
"I won't push. I don't like not knowing, but..." I trailed off while I shrugged and grimaced. "I won't push to know."
"Good," Arden said, and I could tell that he was relieved. "Now," he said and leaned forward while he cleared his throat, "before we start your training for today. What do you want us to do with both Silans?" He raised an eyebrow and cocked his head while he stared at me.
I cleared my throat and leaned my arms on my legs. "I want you to watch them and make sure that they stay "safe"," I replied. "Don't treat the other one any differently as if he was the real one. He doesn't know that you two know."
"What about his biddings?" Jonah asked. "Or his doings and goings?"
"If it isn't going to hurt anyone, then don't intervene," I replied. "I don't want them to become suspicious of you two knowing."
"What about the real one?" Arden asked.
"Make sure that he stays sane, and keep him safe. I don't want others to know that he is the real one because they will say something to him or to the other one."
"What if he talks to them?" Jonah asked.
"Then they can." I leaned back in my seat. "Horon talked to the fake Silan. I wanted to know what was said, but I couldn't talk to him. Maron wouldn't allow me to."
"Will you talk to him after then?" Jonah asked after he and Arden gave each other a secret look before they looked at me.
I pressed my lips into a thin line and didn't say a word about the secret look between the two of them. "I will," I said instead with a slight nod and set my jaw.
"We'll keep watch over them," Arden said. He cleared his throat and grew serious. "Now, come. Let's get your training done so that you can get home and get to bed. You have a long week ahead of you."
I bit back a sigh and slowly nodded. I knew that I wasn't going to get anything else out of them, so instead, I stood and cleared my throat. "Then let's get started," I said, my voice sounding different and forlorn in my ears.
"One day you'll know," Arden said in his tongue. He smiled sadly when I looked at him and slowly nodded. "But until then, please understand that we are trying to protect you until you are able to protect yourself with the help of him." He gestured to my dragon.
I looked at my dragon before I looked at him and pressed my lips into a thin line, annoyed.
My dragon moved to my side and stood close to me. He stayed silent and watched the Elf King, flicking his tail.
Jonah looked at us and something flickered behind his eyes that I couldn't read. He cleared his throat again before he looked at me and smiled sadly. "Now," he said and clapped his hands together. "Let's start training and get you ready."
And with that, we did, my heart aching and silently praying that what he said was true.
I would be ready for whatever...