Page 18 of Silver (Shunned Mages #2)

Silver

We rushed to get dressed, then ran over to where Xari and Niam stood, looking down at a letter.

“Guys, we don’t have time for letters right now, you can read it when we’re far enough away from this place,” I said, knowing we were on borrowed time before another horde of mages were sent our way.

“Silver’s right,” Niam said, taking the letter from Xari. “Let’s gather our stuff and get on the move. But first, we all need to add to the ward around the van and trailer.”

We stood holding hands and created the new ward around us, figuring it would be the best choice to start out with. Then as soon as we’d packed the essentials, we dismissed our familiars, who were all glowing now, by the way.

“Ready?” Xari called, standing by the driver’s side. He was still the only one of us who could drive, and luckily didn’t seem to mind.

“Ready,” we replied and got in the back of the van. At least I was getting some quality time with my bonded.

The quality time was all fun and delightful until he asked me that question.

“So, what did you do for work before they found you?” he looked so interested and eager to know, but would he think less of me if he knew?

I couldn’t exactly keep it a secret anymore, not that I was embarrassed.

I’d loved working as a stripper and my friends there were all amazing.

But I also knew my former job wasn’t for everyone.

I decided just to say it, and hope it wouldn’t change things between us. “I was working as a stripper.”

I could tell he hadn’t been expecting that. His eyes grew big, his mouth gaping as if he waited patiently for me to add “Just kidding!” but I wasn’t, so I just waited for him to catch up.

Then he laughed. I was unsure if I should be offended or relieved, so I kept watching him until he gave me further indication on how he felt about it, then he’d either get a slap or a kiss.

When he realized I was watching him and not laughing with him, he stopped. Taking my hand in his he smiled. “I have no idea why that surprised me so much, but it also makes so much sense. Did you like doing it?”

I blinked, then remembered he’d asked me a question. “Um, yes. I loved it, actually.”

“It seems fun. I don’t have the confidence for it, so I became a waiter instead,” he shrugged. “I would’ve been paid better as a stripper, but Emma, my boss, became a very good friend and offered me to rent out her apartment. So, it turned out okay.”

“I didn’t always get paid a lot. We shared tips among us, making it more like a group effort than competition.

It was what helped us all be friendly and think as a team.

I have to admit that I miss them. They were the first ones to truly accept me as me.

Except for my grandma. She always loved me, even without my powers.

” I hated talking about Grandma when I was still unsure if she was alive or not.

But I wanted Wilston to know everything.

I needed someone to know every part of me and still love me regardless.

Wilston was that man for me. My soulmatch. My bonded.

“I didn’t have anyone,” he admitted. “My grandpa stood up for me the day before I was shunned. But he was many years too late at that point.”

“What do you mean he stood up for you? To the leaders?” I asked, knowing Grandma would’ve done the same for me.

He shook his head. “No, my mother liked to yell at me a lot whenever I said something mean.”

“Mean?”

“Yeah,” he sighed. “I’ve always been bad at expressing myself correctly and sometimes I talk without thinking and the words can be misunderstood as something negative.”

“But did you mean for them to be negative?” I asked, knowing there was a very big difference.

“No, never! I just needed to think the words through before speaking, since it’s my fault when I say words that could be hurtful.”

What?

“You had to think over every sentence to make sure it couldn’t be seen as anything but genuine?

What about sarcasm? I mean it would be easier to just shut up all the time and never deal with all that,” I said, then I promptly shut my mouth.

Omg. That was why he’d been so silent at first. He smiled sadly when he saw my eyes widen with the realization.

“It was just easier to not say anything, than to risk offending people.”

“But did you offend people? Or was that just something your mother said you did?”

He blinked. “Shit.”

I patted him on the back and let him work through his thoughts. I hoped the bitch was still alive. I knew Niam’s parents had been assholes, too, at least Xari had someone we could count on back home. And maybe, hopefully, I did, too.

“I’ve spent my whole life thinking something was wrong with me.

Not just the lack of magic, but I’ve been afraid to talk to people.

Even here in this new world. All because my mother hated me and took everything I said wrong, because she wanted to hate me.

Because she deliberately searched for hidden meanings so she could yell at me. ”

The car pulled over even though we hadn’t been on the road for more than an hour. I looked out the side window and found us parked at a big general store. Great, I could use some new clothes.

Xari opened the doors. “Anything wrong? I felt immense sadness coming from back here.”

We shook our heads. I was glad he worried, but it was up to Wilston to tell his story when he was ready for it.

“Shopping?” I asked, hoping we had time for clothes shopping, too.

Xari nodded. “We need to stock up and this could be the last big store we pass by. As soon as we’re done here we’ll drive another hour or so and get a motel room. We’re all tired and I can feel you’re both exhausted from truly using your magic.”

“I’m starving, too,” Wilston added, rubbing his stomach.

“God, me, too,” I whined, feeling just how famished I’d become.

“Then let’s go shopping and then eat,” Niam said, standing beside Xari. “Call your familiars out.”

I was so glad we remembered to order them to be invisible as soon as we called them to us. It was a neat trick and was already coming in handy.