Page 45 of The Sins of Silas (The Otacian Chronicles #2)

Chapter Forty-Five

MERRICK

T he energy in the local tavern was obvious enough, even without using my power to sense the emotions rippling through the people.

The many Faltrunians sat at various tables and along the large square bar, keeping their heads low, nursing their drinks, and mumbling to those around them. Many of them wore frowns, and many of those frowns deepened when they watched me without a glamour weave my way through the space.

From the looks of it, no other Mage was in this place, but I was in desperate need of a drink and truly didn’t give a fuck.

Today had been brutal. Mage and Faltrunian alike were slaughtered in a battle that, in idealistic terms anyway, never should have happened .

While we did have access to the royal cellars, meaning unlimited booze, I noticed that Era had wandered to this place. I was intent on finding her.

I weaved my way to the bar, ignoring the glares and the occasional person baring their teeth at me. Sure enough, I noticed her familiar female figure sitting alone at the bar, wearing a long and tight red dress, two skinny straps holding the fabric up.

Era was staring off into space, holding a martini glass in her right hand as I approached her. I placed my hand on the back of her leather stool and gave her a small grin.

“Hey, you.”

Era angled her head back toward me. “Hey…” Her voice was soft and quiet, and her brown eyes were dimmed. She anxiously focused back on her drink.

I swallowed, attempting to ignore the attraction I felt toward her.

I still couldn't believe I had kissed her. I had healed her in silence after I pulled away, remaining in that room until the battle had ceased.

I wasn't sure how to even address what happened between us.

“How are you feeling?”

“Good as new.”

“I’m glad,” I said softly. “Where’s Silas?” I looked around the tavern to see if the dark-haired prince was anywhere to be found. I selfishly hoped he wasn't around.

Era sipped her drink. “He turned in early. Today was…” She sighed. “Today was a lot on him.”

That it was. Seeing him so torn up about a little Mage girl really showed us all that the Witch Slayer truly did have a heart after all.

I studied her beautiful form .

Something was weighing on her. Though, given all the shit that happened, that was to be expected.

After a few moments, she angled her head to me again, quirking a brow. “It’s creepy as hell when you give me those dark eyes, you know.”

I blinked, and the corner of my lip turned up.

Liar.

“Creepy?” I questioned.

Her smile took over, and she gestured to the seat beside her. I had to admit, I was surprised she wasn’t giving me the cold shoulder again.

I slid in, and the bartender quickly took my order and hurried to fulfill it. The three workers were busting ass, considering all the stressed Faltrunians begging for a buzz. But I also knew the bartender wished to have nothing to do with me. At least she took my order.

I frowned as I surveyed the room. A handful of wary eyes were on the both of us, mostly on me, but still. Era really shouldn’t have been alone in here.

“A gimlet?” she asked with a surprised smile, breaking me from my thoughts.

I offered a lazy grin. “What? It’s a good drink.”

She shrugged, sipping the clear liquid in her glass.

I eyed the olive sitting at the bottom. “A martini. Not surprising,” I commented.

Her empty glass clanked on the countertop as she slid it toward the other side of the bar. She rested her cheek on her fist. “How so?”

I nodded my thanks to the bartender as she walked up, setting my drink down in front of me. I placed a few bronze pieces on the wooden bar top and slid my drink to myself, taking a sip of the refreshing cocktail before responding, “I’m just not surprised we both prefer gin.”

She blinked, then snorted. “You think us kindred spirits, Merrick?”

I studied the red lipstick she wore and her short blonde hair laying softly along her jawline. Her brown eyes were nearly amber at times, depending on how the light shone in them. The low lighting made it look like flames danced in her irises.

“Merrick?” she asked, her smile falling.

Shit—I was staring.

Creepy indeed. I swallowed, shook my head, again sipping my drink.

“Another, miss?” the plump worker asked Era with a smile—a different treatment than she gave me. I wonder if she knew the Princess of Otacia was who she was serving.

“Please,” she slid a handful of bronze, and the woman nodded gratefully before stepping away.

“How are you holding up?” I asked.

She studied me with narrowed eyes. “Why do you feel the need to read me?” she countered coldly. “Do you anticipate me to lie or something?”

I willed my magic down, and my eyes, I knew, shifted to their normal icy blue. “No,” I answered honestly. “l just like to know how you’re feeling—how others are feeling,” I quickly added, looking back to my drink. “Though it is true, most people do not say what they mean. I navigate people better when I feel what they feel.”

A moment passed, and I tensed when she placed her hand on mine, her tan starkly contrasting my pale skin. When my gaze shifted to her, she wore a small smile. The bartender slid her drink to Era and hurried away. Era kept her eyes on mine and said, “I don’t mind it.”

I raised my brow and decided to test her by reading her again.

She means it. And when she looks at me, she feels…

I felt myself flush slightly. I gave her a tight smile and sipped my drink.

How am I supposed to remain friendly toward her when I can feel how badly she wants me, too?

Her hand gently slid away, and she held her martini glass as she surveyed the room, sucking in that delicious bottom lip.

“Where do you think the others are?” she asked, tucking a strand of golden hair behind her ear.

“The better question is, why did you come here alone?”

She sighed, and instead of dropping her olive in her drink, she decided to slip it off its toothpick and into her mouth. I bit the inside of my cheek as I watched her chew it.

After a moment, she swallowed. “Didn’t feel like sleeping just yet.”

“How are you holding up…really?” I asked again.

She smiled at me. “You are the first person to ask me that, you know,” she admitted softly. She took a sip. “Honestly? Every time I close my eyes, I see that man hovering over me. That sword—” She twisted her lips to the side and stared off into the distance, her left hand’s fingertips brushing along her neck. “I have never been so close to death. It…” She took a slow breath through her nose, then faced me again. “You don’t know how grateful I am that you were there. That you stayed by me.”

I grinned. “Despite your many protests.”

She laughed quietly. “Yes… ”

It was my turn to place my hand atop hers. “Anytime, Princess,” I teased softly.

“I mean it,” she insisted, not taking to my dismissive humor. “You saved my life, Merrick.”

My smile faded away, and I squeezed her hand gently. “I feel everything you feel, Era. I know you mean it.”

Her eyes bounced between mine before they dropped to my lips. Just for a second, they hovered there before she glanced away. She kept her hand under mine.

Comfort.

I smiled softly to myself at the feeling my hand atop hers gave her and dared a drag of my thumb along the tops of her fingers. Her skin was so smooth.

Her eyes slowly shut.

Conflict.

Era gently slid her hand away, finishing her second glass. I quickly worked on my first.

“I’m surprised you want to stick around me,” she muttered, eyes looming on her empty glass, her fingertip slowly tracing its edges.

“Why would you say that?”

She gave me a knowing expression, but my brows remained drawn together. She huffed a sigh. “You have disliked me since the moment we met. My people…” she said quietly. “I understand why you don’t like us. I just don’t understand why you’re here.”

In this tavern with her was left unspoken.

“The only one I truly didn’t like was Edmund, and that was ‘cause he was trying to bang my sister.”

Era giggled.

“I’ve never disliked you,” I said softly .

“Bullshit.”

“Truth.”

She gave me a blank stare. “I am the princess of a kingdom that is your biggest enemy. And you say you never disliked me?”

“Loathed is a better word,” I smirked. She grinned and pinched my thigh, and I chuckled. “I had my presumptions of you. As I’m sure you did of me. Mine turned out to be incorrect.” I shrugged, and then my smile fell as I asked, “Did yours?”

Her smile faded, too. “Mine were correct,” she said quietly.

My heart fell at those words.

As I began to look away, she squeezed my knee. “My assumptions of you were not bad ones, Merrick,” she said softly.

I willed myself to ignore what the feeling of her hand on my knee was giving me, and before I imploded, she slipped her hand back to her lap. Her voice went a little high as she asked, “Where’s Viola?”

I narrowed my eyes as I read her, sipping on the remainder of my gimlet.

Jealousy.

I choked on my drink and willed my magic down. Era raised a brow, and I nervously drummed my fingers along my knee, which was missing her touch. “Sleeping. All that shifting took a lot out of her. I imagine she’ll be sleeping into the late afternoon.”

Era wouldn’t meet my eyes. “What did you mean when you said, ‘I can’t’?”

I frowned, my lips pulling to the side as I studied her blank stare at the bar top.

“I don’t know.”

Her head turned toward me, a little wrinkle now between her brows. “Don’t lie. ”

“What, are you an Empath? Can you tell?”

“Answer me.”

“Why did you get jealous mentioning Viola?”

Her eyes widened. She let out an incredulous laugh. “I did no such thing!”

I let my eyes go dark again, a smirk overcoming my face. “You did, Princess. I felt it.”

Her eyes narrowed, and she puckered her lips, her eyes now on her empty glass, her index finger tracing the rim.

“Why did you kiss me?” she asked, her voice just above a whisper.

My heart rumbled in my chest, my nerves overtaking me, finally addressing the elephant in the room. “For the same reason you kissed me back.”

She swallowed, and her eyes trailed to my mouth, then back up to my eyes. “I’m married.”

“I am aware.”

"Then why did you kiss me?" she pressed, her brows lowering.

My eyes shifted as they bounced between hers, feeling the anger, the guilt, and the confusion that wrecked her.

I dragged my tongue against my lip ring. “Desire overcame me,” I admitted. “I felt like I had no choice.”

Excitement brewed in her chest, quickly snuffed out by the overwhelming guilt she felt. “There's always a choice,” she whispered, scooting back and standing from her stool. “I should probably head to bed.”

I blinked at her sudden withdrawal. “I’ll walk you.” I quickly offered, my stool squeaking as I stood.

“No, Merrick.” She shook her head. “I…I need space. ”

I went to touch her arm when I was roughly shoved back. “Witch scum! The lady said no!” The drunk human who pushed me yelled. “You’ll all be enslaved again one day, filth that you are.”

Voices around him mused their agreement. “I bet we can take him,” a drunken voice slurred.

The man who pushed me did so again. “I’ll hang this ugly bastard by the hooks in his face."

Instantly, Era rushed forward, shoving the man who touched me. “You shut your FUCKING MOUTH!”

Her anger took me aback. Quickly, I squeezed past the angry drunk and placed my hand on the small of her back. “They aren’t worth it,” I insisted, pushing her toward the exit. “Come, let’s go.”

“It seems you angered the human whore,” another chuckled. “Some are into those pointy-eared pricks. Some fucked up kink or something.”

I bared my teeth, ice prickling my insides, begging to be let loose on those fuckers. Era's eyes shone with tears, and she grasped my hand in hers and pushed open the bar's front doors, tugging me along.

We were greeted by the pleasant night air and starry sky. Most places were closed now, and the people were fast asleep. Era continued trudging along, and I tuned into my power, feeling all that she felt.

Rage. Humiliation. Sadness…so much sadness.

“Era,” I said softly. She squeezed my hand tighter, her grip near painful, and continued pulling me to the castle. “Era!”

She came to a stop. I quickly walked around to face her. Tears were spilling down her cheeks. “Hey,” I said gently, wiping them away and then holding her hands. “Don’t let what they said about you hurt. They don’t know anything about you. ”

“I don’t give a shit what they said about me ,” she snapped, her brown eyes gazing up at me through wet lashes.

I blinked. “You’re upset with what they said about me ?”

Her lip trembled, and her face crumpled as she said, “I hate how people treat you.” Her voice broke as she squeezed my hands. “You are so fucking kind, Merrick, and sweet. And you are nowhere near ugly. You are beautiful —”

Her eyes widened, and her hand slapped over her mouth.

I gaped at her, and we stood there silently for a few moments. “I-I had a couple of martinis before you showed,” she admitted, her cheeks heavily flushed.

Embarrassed. Painfully embarrassed.

I instantly pulled her against me, hugging her tightly. She was stiff for a beat, and then she returned the embrace, burying her face into my chest. She smelled like berries and cream. She smelled heavenly.

“Thank you for caring, Era,” I murmured, stroking her golden hair. “Thank you.”

I don’t know how many moments passed, but I held her until that embarrassment slowly disappeared, until her sob hindered. Then she gently pulled away, wiping her eyes. Our arms were still around each other.

I bit my lip to prevent a grin. “So…you think I’m beautiful?”

She groaned and pushed me away, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

We walked up the stairs once inside the castle, and I gave a curt nod to the Mages stationed there before Era and I were in the hallway where our rooms were. Her hand was on her room’s doorknob when I said, “Hey, Era? ”

She twisted her head toward me, her face showing annoyance by what she presumed I’d say.

“I know things are weird between us. I know It's wrong.” I stepped closer, her eyes dilating as I leaned down and whispered, “But I think you’re beautiful, too.”

At the sight of her fluttering eyelids, I turned on my heel and headed to my room.