Chapter 78
Charles walked back over to us a few minutes later with a worried expression on his face.
He studied me and pressed his lips into a thin line before he bowed his head and cleared his throat.
"I have told Jonah what you told me to tell him, Marini," he said and lifted his head to look at me.
"He is almost done and will bring you three back shortly. "
"Four," I said and nodded toward the ?ren, who paused in drinking his drink to look at us before he did just that. "Our friend isn't going to stay back while we go talk to them."
Charles looked at the ?ren before he looked at me. He didn't say a word and slowly blinked, and I could tell that he wasn't sure if Jonah was going to like a stranger following inside the area.
"He will listen to what the N?ran has to say," I said and leaned back in my seat while I folded my arms across my chest. "And he knows who he is and why he is here even if we do not." I gave the ?ren a weird look before I looked toward him.
Charles nodded and looked toward the kitchen before he looked at me with a bemused expression on his face as if he realized something. "Oh, we had a friend visit the kitchen," he said, and the hair on the back of my neck stood at attention while I scowled, pressing my lips into a thin line.
"Shilan," I warned, forgetting that I couldn't link him for a second before I cursed myself for my luck or the lack thereof. "What did he do this time?" I asked and started to drink some of my water while I scowled and narrowed my eyes. "Did anyone see him?"
Charles nodded in confirmation. "Maron did," he said, biting back a small chuckle. "She was the only one there and scared him so bad that he will not enter the kitchen ever again."
"We hope," I muttered under my breath, earning a small snicker from Charles while he nodded in confirmation.
"Yes," he said and cleared his throat to hide another chuckle. "We hope that he will not enter the kitchen after that, but there is no guarantee because of the way that he is."
I bit back a small snort and nodded, pressing my lips onto a thin line, biting back an annoyed sigh. "How much did he eat, and how much damage did he cause?" I asked and raised an eyebrow in question while he studied me.
"From what Maron told me, he had eaten everything in the kitchen that could be eaten." He raised his hand to silence me when I opened my mouth, but I closed my mouth while I pursed my lips in annoyance. "There is still food for everyone, and no one has had to go without."
"And what about Maron's herbs and stuff?" I asked and raised an eyebrow in question while I studied him.
"She will need stuff, but it can wait. She doesn't want you to do anything dumb like sneaking out when you are not supposed to." He gave me a pointed look and raised both eyebrows in unison.
I rolled my eyes and scowled, pressing my lips into a thin line. "I will still try to go out sometime this week," I said, "that way I can get her stuff and hopefully get more stuff for our friend so that he doesn't try this again."
I grabbed my water and took a sip of it. I also want to go back to the lake and see if I can't find any answers there... I added silently.
Charles narrowed his eyes and scowled while he searched my face for answers that I made sure to keep off of it.
Finally, he sighed and shook his head as if to say that he wasn't going to deal with this and wagged his finger at me with a small scowl on his face. "Don't do anything stupid, Marini," he warned. "We need you alive."
I rolled my eyes and scowled. "It takes a lot to kill me, Charles," I said coldly. "I do not know why you are telling me not to do anything stupid. All I do is stupid by someone else's standards."
I paused and licked my lips. "Was there much damage done to the kitchen? Does Maron need anything else besides herbs or stuff?" I asked and raised an eyebrow in question while I studied him.
Charles shrugged and looked at the lanter before he looked at me with a small smile on his face.
"The light is off," he said instead of answering my question while he bowed his head.
"You four can go ahead and go back. He doesn't want you to wait for him in your normal room, but go all the way down to the area. "
I scowled and narrowed my eyes, even though my whole body grew relaxed because I knew that it meant I would be able to see Shilan sooner.
"And what about my question, Charles?" I asked and raised an eyebrow in question while I studied him.
"How much damage was done to the kitchen, and does Maron need anything else besides herbs and stuff? "
"We will talk more tomorrow about if she needs anything or not," Charles said. "Go ahead and go see your friend. He has been expecting you and not patiently, might I add." He flashed me a small smirk and a wink, and I rolled my eyes and scowled.
"Very funny, Charles," I said and moved my basket so that I could get out of my chair. "I will ask Jonah instead since I won't be seeing Maron until later on tonight."
Charles chuckled and nodded before he looked at Caspian and smiled warmly. "Come by anytime, Rupor," he said and bowed his head. "Next time, you will be able to eat some of Maron's cooking and not just have the water that we serve here."
"The water is good, anyway," Caspian said politely.
He moved my chair back and watched me get down before he pushed my chair back into its spot and then got down himself.
"However, I believe that it would be up to Marini and Jonah if and when I am allowed to be back.
Correct?" He looked at me when he said that and raised an eyebrow in question, biting back a small smile.
"It will mainly be up to Jonah," I said and grabbed my basket.
"I can suggest something to him, but he is the one that is in charge of this place.
" I paused and licked my lips, hesitating ever so slightly.
"I would appreciate it if I were with you if you do decide to come here.
However, we will talk to Jonah to see what he has to say. "
Caspian smiled and nodded. "I will come if he allows me to, but I will make sure to mainly come when you come, Marini," he said and bowed. "Lexus will be with me wherever we go."
"Lexus will always be with you until the N?ran tells him not to be with you," I said. "The N?ran will make sure of that." I looked at Lexus when I said that, and Lexus bit back a small smile and bowed before he stood and looked at Caspian."
"She is right, Rupor," he said. "If the N?ran says that I can go, then I will go, but I do not think that will be for a long while until after the threat has been taken care of."
Caspian bit back a small sigh of relief and nodded. "Good," he said before he nudged Lexus's shoulder, "because I don't know what I will do without you watching my back."
"Even though he didn't do that good of a job because you did escape without him by your side a few days ago.
" I flashed him a small smirk and a wink before I walked away from them with the group following me.
"I will see you later, Charles, and I will make sure that he doesn't escape where he is supposed to be and enter the kitchen again. "
"I will hold you to that promise, Marini," he said and bowed his head with a small smile on his face, "but I will understand if you can't control your friend. He has a mind of his own and seems to be very stubborn."
I bit back a small chuckle and slowly nodded, grabbing my basket tighter in my hand. That he does, I thought and pressed my lips into a thin line, and my heart ached and became filled with pain and sadness. That he does.