Chapter 51
Silan/Ilas, as I would call him until we "fixed" him looked at the person with his face before he looked at me.
"Now, this is going to be fun," he said, his voice barely above a whisper, while he took a sip of his drink.
He flashed me a small wink before he smirked and turned his attention away from me and to his food.
I held back an eye roll and pressed my lips into a thin line while the person with Silan's face walked over to us. I stood and grabbed my basket so that I could sit near Ilas while Silan sat in front of us. "Hush," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
Ilas bit back a small chuckle and dipped his head closer to his chest. He didn't say a word while he looked at me and then at Silan, waiting for him to get nearer to us.
The patrons of the place looked at us but didn't say a word while they looked at Silan and nodded in greeting before they turned their attention back to what they were doing beforehand.
Silan didn't say a word to them and kept his gaze on us. He looked nervous for some reason while he looked between Ilas and I, and I had a feeling that he didn't like the idea of Ilas being near me.
I rolled my eyes and scowled before I narrowed my eyes, and Silan raised an eyebrow in question while he stopped looking between us and just looked at me. "Stop," I said firmly and pulled my basket off of the chair before I started to move closer to Ilas. "There is no need to act like this, Silan."
Silan tried to smile, but it looked more like a grimace, and dipped his head closer to his chest in greeting. "There is too, Marini," he said while he looked at Ilas before he looked at me again, and I raised an eyebrow in question. "There is always a reason to act like this."
"How?" I asked and raised the eyebrow higher. "And why?"
Silan didn't say another word and shrugged. He cleared his throat while he looked between Ilas and me, and I couldn't help but wonder what was happening in his head.
"What is it?" I asked and narrowed my eyes while I scowled. "Why are you looking at him like that?"
Silan shrugged and looked at me again. "For no reason," he replied, innocently. "All I am doing is looking at him." He tried to give me his best innocent look, but for some reason, it didn't look that well on him, and I could tell that he was lying.
I slowly blinked and stayed silent before I set my jaw. I didn't say a word while I looked at him, not knowing what he was planning and wondering if Jonah had been informed about this new situation and about the two of them being in the same room as each other.
Silan chuckled and dipped closer to his chest. "Come now, Marini," he teased, playfully. "Why are you acting like this?" he asked while he raised an eyebrow in question.
I narrowed my eyes and scowled while I grabbed my basket tighter.
"Because you are acting weird, Silan," I said before I cleared my throat and gestured to the chairs on the other side of the table, and he looked that way before he looked at me.
"Now, why don't you go ahead and take a seat. Are you hungry? Have you been eating?"
Silan's smile faltered a little when I told him that he was acting weird, but it grew as if he didn't want me to notice his nervousness.
"Oh, I have been eating, thank you," he said and nodded.
"Anyway, why do you think that I am acting weird?
" he asked and cocked his head while he studied me with a raised eyebrow in question.
I set my jaw. "Because you haven't sat down yet," I said and gestured to the seat that my basket had once resided in before I had moved it. "And because you haven't asked me who I was talking to. You are nosey after all." I scowled playfully and narrowed my eyes.
Ilas cleared his throat to hide a chuckle. He didn't say a word while he started to drink his water, the amusement in his eyes dancing merrily.
I gave Ilas an annoyed look before I looked at Silan again and slowly blinked, waiting for him to say something or do something else besides standing there.
Silan shrugged and looked at Ilas before he looked at me. "Why don't you sit there?" he asked and gestured to the seat I had resided in and not the one that I told him to sit in. "Wouldn't that be better?" He raised an eyebrow in question, and I shook my head no.
He scowled and narrowed his eyes. "And why not?" he asked.
"B-"
"Because I would like to sit beside you, Old Friend," someone said from behind me, interrupting me, and I bit back a sigh of relief while my shoulders sagged in relief.
Oh, thank the Great. He is here.
I turned around and saw Jonah there with a hard smile on his face but fire in his eyes, swirling with anger and power.
Silan's face grew slightly pale, and he took a step back while Ilas took a sip of his drink to hide back a smile. He didn't say a word while he stared at the male in front of him, and I couldn't help but wonder what was going through his mind.
Jonah raised an eyebrow in question when Silan didn't say a word. "Well?" he asked while he cocked his head and studied me. "What do you say, Old Friend?" He gestured to the chairs in front of me where no one sat. "Care to sit? Or would you like to stay standing?"
Silan blinked and blinked again before he cleared his throat and shifted on his feet, trying to not look as nervous as he should be feeling.
"I would like to sit next to our new friend, Jonah," he said while he gestured to Ilas, and I set my jaw and narrowed my eyes because I was not going to let that happen.
Jonah looked at Ilas before he looked at Silan. "Come now," he said while he chuckled and shook his head. "You don't want to do that, Old Friend, for I am sure that Marini already claimed that spot. Correct?" He looked at me and raised an eyebrow in question.
I nodded in confirmation. "I have," I confirmed. "However, the Witch Master hasn't moved out of my way yet." I gave Silan an annoyed look before I looked at Jonah and slowly blinked, making sure that my face was blank.
"But you wouldn't want her to be hurt by this new friend, right?" Silan asked while he raised an eyebrow in question. He gestured to Ilas, and Ilas bit back a small snort while he continued to drink his water, not saying a word.
Jonah glanced at Ilas before he looked at Silan again, unamused. He slowly blinked before he looked at me and silently raised an eyebrow in question as if he wanted to know if I would like to take this, and I set my jaw before I slowly nodded.
"I do not think our new friend will be a problem for me, Silan," I said and grabbed my basket tighter while I looked at him, and Silan looked at me with a small scowl on his face.
I held back an eye roll and cleared my throat while I shifted on my feet.
"I am sure that I will be able to defend myself against an old man that can't even sit up straight. "
Ilas bit back a small snort, amused, and we looked at him. He didn't say a word while he placed his drink down and started to eat his food again, and I shook my head, unamused at his behavior.
Silan set his jaw and narrowed his eyes while he looked at Ilas. He didn't say a word while he looked at me before he looked at Jonah and then back at me.
Jonah cleared his throat, and Silan looked at him. "So, sit," Jonah said and gestured to the seat beside him. "We shouldn't keep Charles waiting with your food, right?" he asked and raised an eyebrow in question. "He does have other business to attend to as well as other guests."
Silan pressed his lips into a thin line before he sighed and slowly nodded. "Fine," he said. "However, if he hurts her, then know that it is your fault, Jonah." He walked over to the other side of the table and was about to sit down in front of Ilas.
"I am going to claim that one," Jonah said, and Silan paused and looked at him with a small scowl on his face. "Why don't you sit in front of Marini, considering that you are worried about her?" He raised an eyebrow in question, giving him an innocent smile.
Silan looked at me before he looked at Jonah again, and his scowl deepened. He didn't say a word while he slowly blinked, and I rolled my eyes and scowled.
"Come on, Silan," I said while I softly scolded, and he looked at me. "Take the seat in front of me, or are you scared?" I raised an eyebrow in question, and Silan's scowl deepened further while he narrowed his eyes.
He didn't say a word while he stared at me, and I couldn't help but feel slightly unnerved and also annoyed that he was taking so long to answer us.
"Your food is getting cold, Witch Master," Charles said softly, and we looked at him with blank looks on our faces. "Also, I think Marini's basket is getting heavier for her to carry, right?" He looked at me and raised an eyebrow, silently telling me to say, 'yes.'
I bit back an annoyed sigh before I slowly nodded. "Yes," I said and shifted a little while I grimaced, making it seem that I was struggling. "It's getting heavy, but I want to make sure that you and Jonah sit down first, Silan, before I put it down behind me and then sit down, myself."
Ilas bit back a small snort while he took another bite of his food. He didn't say a word when we glanced at him, and it looked like he was in his own little world, and I rolled my eyes and scowled before I turned my attention back to Silan.
Silan set his jaw and narrowed his eyes. He didn't say a word while he looked between the three of us before he finally relented and slowly nodded, knowing that we weren't going to change our minds.
"Of course," he said before he cleared his throat and took the seat closer to the window, and Jonah chuckled while he sat down in the other chair.
"Go ahead and sit, Marini," he said after Jonah sat down.
"Why don't you put your basket down closer over here, though?
" He gestured to a spot near him, and I scowled and narrowed my eyes, not trusting him with my basket.
"No, thank you," I said and shook my head while I set the basket underneath my chair, praying to the Great that no one would try to take it away from me. "Right here will be fine." I stood and pulled out my chair before I sat down and looked at Silan to see him scowling at me.
I slowly blinked before I cocked my head and studied him, amused. "What?" I asked and raised an eyebrow in question. "What is that look for?"
Silan bit back a small sigh and shook his head. "It's nothing," he gruffed, and I held back an eye roll while I scowled. "Do not worry about it, Marini."
"Hmph," Ilas said while he looked at us amused. He slowly blinked before he looked at me and then at Silan. He didn't say another word, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes at him and let my scowl grow deeper.
Jonah watched us with mild amusement before he turned to look at Silan and cleared his throat. "So, what have you been up to, Old Friend?" he asked while he raised an eyebrow in question. "It had been a while since we last talked."
Charles placed food down in front of Jonah and Silan before he went to get them something to drink, and Silan watched him do it before he looked at Jonah with a blank look on his face.
"Nothing much," he said, not touching his food while he shook his head and cleared his throat. "I have been busy."
Jonah raised an eyebrow higher in question. "Busy?" he asked, amused while he cocked his head and studied him. "Doing what?"
Silan pressed his lips into a thin line while he narrowed his eyes, and I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "It's none of your concern, Jonah," he said with a slight warning in his tone that had some of the patrons stirring and glancing at us through narrowed eyes.
"Silan," I bit back a small hiss while I narrowed my eyes and scowled, and he looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "Be nice. There was no need to act like that."
Silan pressed his lips into a thinner line and slowly blinked. He didn't say a word while he looked at me, and my scowl deepened while I kept looking at him, not backing down like he thought I would.
Jonah chuckled and leaned back in his seat while he folded his arms across his chest. "It's ok, Marini," he said. "He doesn't have to tell me if he doesn't want to. He is a grown man and is able to take care of himself."
Ilas bit back a small snort, and we looked at him with equal scowls on our faces. He didn't say a word while he drank some of his drink, his head moving to the side, but somehow, he didn't spill his drink, much to my relief.
I held back an eye roll while I shook my head and looked at Silan again. "I am surprised that you haven't talked to Jonah in a while. I thought I was one of your favorite topics to talk about with him."
"You are one of a few topics that we discuss, Marini," Silan said while he shrugged and took another bite of his food. "Why would you think that you were any different?"
I held back an eye roll and stayed silent.
Jonah looked between us and set his jaw. "Pain" flashed through his eyes while he looked at me again before he cleared his throat and shifted in his seat. "Are there some things that you tell him that you don't tell me?" he asked while he raised an eyebrow.
"Silan has a better time of keeping secrets than you do, Jonah," I said before I looked at Silan and raised an eyebrow in question. "Isn't that right, SIlan?"
Silan slowly blinked and then blinked again while he stayed silent. He hesitated before he looked at me and then at Jonah, and I bit back a small sigh of relief because I had a feeling that Ilas made sure that Silan wouldn't know that much about me.
"Well?" Jonah asked, sounding slightly shocked and amused that Silan didn't answer. He raised an eyebrow in question while Silan looked at him. "Is what she is saying true, Old Friend? We have known each other longer than we have known her." He gestured to me, and I rolled my eyes and scowled.
"But he is closer to my father than he is with you, Jonah," I said with a small smirk on my face, and he scoffed and rolled his eyes teasingly. "So that might be the reason why he would keep stuff from you, especially if it deals with me."
"Hush, Marini," he teased. "That doesn't mean a thing." He leaned back in his seat and cleared his throat. "He should tell me everything he knows about you because I am your guardian not him."
"No, you aren't," I said and shook my head. "You aren't my guardian, for my mother is still alive. If my mother dies, then you might become my guardian, but since I am older, there might be a chance that I have to live on my own and take care of my siblings."
Jonah set his jaw and slowly blinked. Worry filled his eyes, and I had a feeling that he understood what I meant. He didn't say a word before he cleared his throat and shifted in his seat.
"You could move in with me," Silan offered, and Ilas almost choked on his drink but didn't as he placed his drink on the table again. He looked at Ilas before he looked at me, setting his jaw, annoyed. "I mean, it's not much, but it is something."
I grimaced and shook my head. "You've reminded me constantly that it's not safe for my siblings to be near you, Silan." I gave him a pointed look while I looked at him, and Silan shrugged and grimaced but didn't say a word.
That was a complete and total lie, for my siblings were allowed to be near him and interact with him, even though my mother didn't like it, but she wouldn't say a word to either of us, knowing full well that our father wouldn't like it.
"We'll make sure that they stay safe," Jonah said. He looked at me and winked before he raised an eyebrow in question. "Won't we?"
I held back an eye roll and scowled. "Very funny, Jonah," I grumbled, and he grinned and shrugged. "I am sure that I will be able to take care of myself and the kids alone."
"Griffin could work here," Jonah said while he started to eat again. "Charles wouldn't mind having another young body to work for him."
"No," Charles and I said at the same time while Charles walked back over to us with drinks for Silan and Jonah. "I wouldn't like that at all. There might be a very angry and protective Marini coming in more times than not if something happens to him, and she catches wind of it."
"You are darn right," I gruffed while I grabbed my fork tighter and set my jaw, and Jonah snorted, amused while he looked at me. "I need Griffin with the kids to make sure that they stay safe and stay at home."
"Don't you have problems keeping him safe and making sure that he stays where he needs to be?" Jonah asked while he raised an eyebrow in question, and I hesitated before I slowly nodded.
"Then I can meet him?" Silan asked while he raised an eyebrow in question while he looked at us.
I shook my head no. "I wouldn't suggest it, or else you will have to deal with a very angry mother," I said. "She's more dangerous than some of the creatures that you've faced before, Silan."
Ilas bit back a small snort, and we looked at him. He didn't say a word while he continued to eat his food, not looking at us, but I could see the amusement in his eyes.
I rolled my eyes and scowled before I looked at Silan. "Promise me that you won't try anything with my siblings or interact with them," I said, and Silan looked at me and slowly blinked. "I do not want to have to choose between the two of you if something happens to my siblings."
"Bu-"
"Promise me," I said, interrupting him.
I gave him my best pleading look, my eyes filling slightly with tears.
"Please, Silan. I c-" I cut myself off and shook my head, blinking back fake tears as if I had a feeling that something bad would happen.
"Please," I begged again, my voice barely above a whisper.
Silan sighed before he seemed to deflate while he slowly nodded. "Ok," he said, and I bit my lip, biting back a small sigh of relief. "I promise that I will not interact with your siblings so that you don't have to choose between me or your mother."
Ilas did something underneath the table, and I could feel that promise tighten around both me and Silan, and Silan flinched and looked shocked and confused.
I breathed a sigh of relief while I slowly nodded, and Silan's mouth grew wide, but he didn't say a word or question it as if he was scared of what we would have to say if we "found" out.
"Thank you, Silan," I said softly while I bowed my head a little in thanks.
"From the bottom of my heart, thank you. "