Ash and Fire

Chapter 11

The Silent Fairy was more than she expected. Crystal lights seemed to float on the ceiling, the glow reflecting across the space like luminescent fireflies. The atmosphere was cozy as they made their way through the semi-scattered tables, some filled with people silently reading or chatting quietly with the person across them.

She waved lightly to Tharbek, who was seated near a back corner, glaring at those who decided to glance his way.

His face softened once he noticed their approach, his eyes narrowing behind her where Asher was following behind with a smirk. Glancing at Asher, she didn't see what Tharbek was glaring at, returning a questioning glance at him.

"See you brought him with you again. Sure, he's a suitor and not some sort of stalker?"

Lydia bit her lip to stop the laugh that wanted to come out at Tharbek's taunting. The smirk on Tharbek's face widened as she heard Asher grumble behind her, his words anything but friendly. It was relieving to know Asher and Tharbek could take each other's words with a grain of salt after most of their lives; one was grown up to look down on the other.

"So, Tharbek. Tell me about where you're from. I'm curious about what it's like where you live," she asked as she took a seat opposite Asher taking the chair to her right.

"You're really curious? I had thought you were joking yesterday when you talked to me still."

"I wouldn't joke about not liking someone. Just as I'm sure you'd make it known you don't like anyone, I wouldn't sugarcoat my words either," she countered.

She saw how Tharbek's eyebrows scrunched together, his confusion evident as he responded. "Sugarcoat? You have a weirder way of saying things than I've seen all the time I've come here."

Asher tensed slightly beside her. Sometimes it was hard to remember what phrases that world didn't know and ones she could use without sounding like she had come up with them by herself.

"It's when someone says something they know the person they're talking to wants to hear, but the truth can be much harsher than what they were told. The person sometimes feels like their words are saving them from whatever truth they feel might be too much for the other to handle."

The words tasted bitter coming from her mouth because she knew no matter how hard and far someone tried to bury the truth, it always came back up and made it so much worse in the end. She didn't ever want to be that person who tried to make a small moment of pain turn into pure agony down the road.

"Hm," Tharbek hummed, hand rubbing against his jaw as he seemed to ponder her words. "Never would have seen it that way before. I like that, though. You don't hide behind words like everyone here. No-"

Tharbek cut his sentence off as he clammed up, his eyes taking a hard edge. She turned to find a server with a strained smile and a pad of paper in her hand. She could tell the waitress would only glance over Tharbek but never stay on him too long, keeping her eyes between her and Asher as she asked what they would like.

Letting Asher order, having no idea what they made there, she trusted him to get something unique they would like. Her eyes followed the waitress, watching how her eyes wandered Asher's figure.

Smugness wound its way through her as displeasure took over the waitress's features as Asher barely raised his eyes to meet hers. Whether he did it because he really didn't see the way her eyes sought his attention or he knew and wouldn't indulge her with attention.

"You forgot to ask someone else what they wanted," she spoke up as the waitress turned to leave, making her stop and glance back at her.

Lydia tilted her head toward Tharbek, who stayed silent with his arms crossed, features hardened, staring off to the side with narrowed eyes.