Page 19 of The Sins of Silas (The Otacian Chronicles #2)

Chapter Nineteen

MERRICK

“ W ell…that's not something you see every day,” Roland mumbled.

Indeed. Just as Dani had said, a woman with three large breasts and hair as black as night was on stage, waving at the crowd. To her right was a man even taller than Hendry. He had to have been at least eight feet tall. On his shoulder appeared to be a little girl…but also not. She wore a ruffly blue dress and a matching hat.

“The tall guy is Ren, and on his shoulder is Petal. She's actually twenty-seven years old.”

Edmund's jaw fell. “So, she shifts to be young?” he whispered.

Dani shook her head. “No. Petal and Ren are not Warlocks. They were just born that way.”

My gaze settled on Petal. She was teeny alright, around the size of a three-year-old .

“Ren is actually only twenty years old. He takes care of Petal like a brother,” Dani explained as she eyed the tall, strong man. He wore a sheer tank and tight pants, his feet bare as he roamed across the stage floor. People were waiting patiently to compare their heights to the ginger-haired man, girls ogling up at him.

“I've never seen a man taller than myself,” Hendry uttered. “He makes me feel small.”

Roland shot him a devilish grin. “I dare you to go up there and compare.”

Hendry chuckled. “Fine. Come with me.”

Dani laughed as the two stepped in line, then started speaking to one of the workers. Leaving just Edmund and me.

“Do you see her?” Edmund whispered, pointing at something. I followed his gaze to a woman performing on the other side of the stage. A woman with a beard.

I slapped his hand down.

“Ouch,” he pouted.

“It's rude to point,” I hissed. “Didn't your mother teach you any manners?”

“Isn't the whole point of this to gawk at the people on stage?” he retorted. “I'm sure I'm not the only one who has pointed.”

I rolled my eyes, arms crossing over my chest. Just as Edmund went to continue, a couple of girls wandered up to him.

“Hi,” one said sheepishly, her friend next to her giggling as she covered her mouth.

His green eyes widened. “Uh…hi?”

The girl speaking ran her hands through her aqua hair. “My friend over there,” she hushed, motioning her head back at a girl standing awkwardly by the stage. “She thinks you're cute. Would you be interested? ”

His eyes grew. “Oh, I'm taken. My girlfriend's just outside the tent.”

The girls laughed, and the one speaking batted her lashes. “She doesn't have to know. You two could just sneak in one of the private rooms in the other tent.”

I was about to tell this bitch to kick rocks, but Edmund beat me to the point.

“My girl is a thousand times sweeter, kinder, and prettier than all of you. Better in every way, actually,” he said simply, the girls’ faces dropping. “So, no. I'm not interested.”

My mouth went slack as he walked away. Dani shot me a perplexed stare, but I gave her a wave of dismissal. I rushed to follow him, leaving the dumbfounded girls behind.

I gaped at the side of his face as I followed him wherever he was going, which appeared to be out of this area.

“What?” he asked, golden brows drawing together.

“What do you mean, ‘What?’ I've never seen you…behave in such a manner.”

He stopped once we exited the tent, running his hand through his blond waves. “Those girls pissed me off, actually thinking I'd do anything like that. It's one thing to admit attraction, but to suggest I betray her in such a way…” He shrugged, looking around the crowds of people playing games. “Elowen is the last person on this planet deserving of any more heartbreak. I just want to be by her now if that's the type of people that are here.”

I pulled my lips to the side. “Wow, Edmund. I think you may have actually earned a bit of my respect.”

He blinked, then gave a soft smile. “Let's find her.”

We strode back to the main stage, where a woman was posing atop an elephant that was prancing its heavy legs about. Acrobats were performing around the border, the ringleader off to the side.

I scanned the space, staring at the various heads until light pink hair and violet caught my eye.

“Over there,” I shouted to Edmund, pointing toward Elowen, Viola, and Era.

He gave me a lopsided grin, and when he slapped my arm, I whirled at him.

His smile grew. “It's rude to point!” he mocked. “Didn't your mother teach you any manners?”

I narrowed my eyes at him, and damn me for smiling.

“Ha!” His eyes lit up. “I made you smile!”

I let out a groan just as he called out the girls’ names. They turned, and Elowen waved excitedly as they stood from their seats and weaved their way toward us.

Where was Lena…and where was Silas?

“Mare! Edmund! You should've seen the acrobats hanging from the ceiling earlier!” she panted, throwing her arms out. “The rings they held on to were lit on FIRE!”

Edmund chuckled, then pulled her into a hug. She melted in his embrace, and for the first time, I didn't feel disgusted looking at them. Perhaps he really did care for my sister.

Okay, fine. I already had quite literally felt that he cared. But I didn't accept it…not until now.

Roland, Hendry, and Dani wandered back to us a moment later.

“Why'd you guys dip?” Dani asked, a crease between her blue brows. “You didn't like it?”

“That wasn't it—” I began.

“I just missed Elowen,” Edmund interrupted, and the girls went, “Aww.”

“I love you,” he mumbled to her.

“I love you ,” she whispered back, standing on her tippy toes to kiss him.

Okay. I’m still mildly disgusted.

“We're gonna head to the other tent—see what this adult area is all about,” Roland mentioned, his eyes looking over us all. “Whose comin' with?” Then, he frowned. “Where's Lena?”

Erabella glanced around. “She went to get Silas. I'm not sure where they went.”

Dani interlocked her arm with Viola, and Vi blinked, her almond-shaped eyes widening at her touch. “Vi and I are going,” she announced.

I frowned. Hating to do so but unable to stop, I tuned into their emotions, their feelings seeping into mine.

Viola was mildly uneasy, presumably by Dani's contact, but I could feel the attraction she felt while she looked at her. And Dani certainly felt it back.

Viola's eyes met mine, and her face fell. The unpleasant feeling washed over me—guilt overcoming her because she knew I had sensed her interest.

I mustered up a small smile, knowing it didn't reflect in my eyes. “Go. Have fun.”

Her face then changed, her eyes trailing down my body.

Desire.

I cleared my throat, ignoring the feeling in my pants as that emotion bled into mine, and the corner of her lip turned up. “See you later tonight,” she purred, and she walked toward the Adult Only tent with Dani. Roland and Hendry followed behind.

I supposed she still felt attraction for me, but it hurt that she felt it for Dani, too.

I hated my gift sometimes.

"I'm gonna go grab a drink," Edmund said, kissing El's temple before trekking to a stand selling alcohol.

“What was that about?” Elowen asked while wiggling her brows.

I knew my cheeks were stained with color. “Nothing.”

My eyes went to Era, who gave me a knowing expression. I rolled my eyes, but my lips turned upward by the time my eyes met hers again. Era smiled then, too.

“Are you guys…?” Elowen drawled.

I sucked my lips in and went to turn away when Elowen slapped my arm.

“Ow!” I whined.

“Don’t be a baby! Are you guys together?” she pressed, barely hiding her excitement. Era’s eyes went down before looking the other way.

“We aren’t together, per se.”

Images flashed in my mind of what happened between us last night. Everyone was so focused on Lena and Roland this morning that no one realized Viola had snuck into my room.

I’d never had sex with a friend before. Never had sex with anyone before. And now I wasn’t sure what that meant for our dynamic.

“But you’re—”

“Jeez, El, I don’t wanna give you any details,” I mumbled, wishing I had my own drink in hand .

Era snorted, and Elowen narrowed her eyes at me before a conniving grin took over her face. “Well, I have plenty of details of my own. Just last night, Edmund and I—”

“I will shatter his bones!” I growled.

“Oh, come on, Merrick.” Era brushed my arm, and when I shot a glare at her, she laughed. “You and Edmund were getting along a moment ago, and now you want to hurt him again?”

“Getting along is different than liking him,” I retorted. My gaze stuck on hers for a moment. She looked fantastic in blue.

“Ugh, forget I mentioned anything,” Elowen drawled while waving her hand. When her eyes caught a cotton candy cart rolling around, she bolted.

I chuckled as I watched her approach the worker with a big grin. Edmund waltzed up to stand in line with her, drink in hand.

“You two are entertaining, that’s for sure,” Era said.

I shot her a half-smile. “Glad I can amuse you.”

“It’s a surprise—you and Viola...” I raised a brow, and she continued. “After she said what an uneventful evening she had.”

My stomach flipped, and I narrowed my eyes, tuning in to read her. But I didn’t even have to before she broke out in a giggle, her hand covering her mouth.

“Oh, you think you’re funny, huh?”

Her eyes sparkled with merriment. “She was in a rather good mood this morning. Nearly matched Lena’s. And El’s, for that matter.”

She giggled when I fake vomited, and I laughed. “Sounds to me like her evening was rather eventful then…some might say unforgettable.”

Era snorted. “Is that so?”

“You don’t believe me?” I tuned into her emotions, giving her a smirk. I liked her expression anytime she watched my eyes go dark.

“That’s cheating,” she drawled.

“Answer.” I grinned.

“No, I don’t believe you.”

My grin only grew.

Liar.

“Ah, you’re annoying.” Era laughed and shoved my shoulder just as Elowen skipped back over, Edmund right behind her. The spun sugar she held was light pink, just like her hair.

“Some for you, some for you,” she said as she handed Era some and then me.

Era took a bite of hers, licking her lips afterward. I realized as I watched her smile softly at me that I’d grown to like her. She came across as cold and uptight when we first met her, but now? Now I could see the real Era. Someone bubbly, kind, and witty, too.

I smiled as I took a bite of my treat. The sweetness was pleasant, and it melted on my tongue.

We made our way over to the Adult Only tent, Edmund and Elowen hand in hand, Era and I following behind. Just as we were getting in line, Era stumbled in her heels. I caught her elbow before she fell.

“Shit,” she muttered, then shot me a grateful smile. “Sorry—thanks.”

I cocked a brow. “You sure you're a princess?”

She nudged me again. “Your peasantry is rubbing off on me,” she teased.

I dragged my teeth over my lip ring, hiding my smile as I shook my head. “You've hurt me.”

She laughed. “Yeah, right.” We came to a stop as we stood in line. “How was the other tent?”

I tapped my foot as I thought about it. “Unusual…and thoroughly impressive. As is this entire place.”

Era smiled, tucking her blonde bob behind her ear. “I love it here.”

To that, my brow raised again. “Yeah?”

Her warm brown eyes settled on my blue ones. “Yes. It feels authentic here, don't you think?”

I blinked, tuning in to her.

She felt delighted. Inspired.

And she felt…

She felt…

Her smile slipped, and she cleared her throat, looking away.

Surely…surely those feelings were not for me.

My thoughts were reeling as we stepped through the curtain, and my eyes widened at the lack of clothing displayed before me. Breasts were everywhere. Asses were everywhere. No one was entirely naked, though, from what I saw in front of me, anyway.

“Oh…whoa.” It was too dark see, but I imagined my sister's face was beet-red.

When I dared a glance at Era, her hand was covering her mouth. When her broad eyes met mine, I chuckled.

“It doesn't get more authentic than this,” I shouted over the music.

She withdrew her hand, sucking in her smile before she inevitably chuckled.

My sister then ran forward, and I followed her steps when I realized she had found Lena and Silas. “Hey, we were looking for you guys!” Elowen chirped as we approached the visibly stressed Prince.

Era's brows drew together, and she wandered to Silas’s side, her arm wrapping around his waist.

My eyes slid to Lena's, her chest moving up and down like she'd just run for her life.

Gods, the tension…the lust.

I shook my head, focusing on building up a wall between me and each of them. What were those two doing in here together?

They didn't find a private room together…did they?

“Have you seen Vi? She, Dani, and the guys came in here not too long ago,” Elowen asked, eyes darting around the room, a slight cringe on her face as she attempted to avoid looking at any bare body parts.

Lena's eyes flared slightly. “No.” She shook her head. “I haven't. It's pretty dark in here…”

Yep. She was anxious as all hell.

Why can't I stop reading her?

“Having fun without me?” Era asked the Prince.

I felt Silas's guilt, just for a moment. He glanced down at Erabella with a hesitant smile. As she angled her head up, puckering her lips, Lena turned, storming off in the opposite direction before she could witness their kiss.

I immediately followed her, Elowen and Edmund on my tail. My sister was munching away at her cotton candy as Edmund was downing his drink.

“I can feel your emotions without even trying,” I muttered in annoyance as I reached her side.

She huffed. “Sorry. I wish I didn’t feel them. Believe me.”

“Did something happen between you two?” I pressed.

Elowen caught up before Lena could reply. “Hey, what was that about?”

“I just want to find Roland," she grumbled, and I decided to stop following her as she continued on her hunt for the soldier.

What happened?

I sighed, shrugging at El and Edmund. My eyes settled on Era kissing Silas, his hands on her hips, her fingers in his hair…and it bothered me.

Why did it bother me?