Silver Linings

E I G H T E E N

Genevieve

SILAS HAS BEEN FOR MUCH LONGER THAN I THOUGHT HE'D BE. I want to be patient and wait for him to come back and tell me who it is, but it's been well over ten minutes. I push my empty plate in front of me and make sure I look presentable—I'm in his shirt from last night so I'm sure I'm as far from presentable a person can get—then rush out of the dining room. I see his back as I close in on the front door and a relieved smile breaks through. I was nervous he had last-minute plans with work.

"You know, it's pretty rude to desert beautiful women the way you did," I tease. He doesn't say anything. When I get closer, I notice the tension in his back is far greater than I've ever seen in him. "Silas?" My hand touches his back and he jumps, quickly turning, finally acknowledging me. Every feature has darkened, returning him to the expressionless man I remember when I first got here. "What's wrong?"

Someone clears their throat, forcing my attention off him. I lower my gaze to whoever he was staring at. I can't even hold in my gasp when I meet my mother's eyes, but she isn't staring at me. Her wide-eyed look is focused on every part of me below my head. Shock turns into disappointment into anger, which is not a look I see on her face often. What is she doing here?

"Genna," she greets shortly. My attention moves to the ground. "I was just getting acquainted with Mr. Aventinus."

"I'm sure you were," I mutter. My eyes flicker up to Silas, who still hasn't said a word. I'm growing worried. Did seeing my mother remind him of the contract between him and my family? Does he... does he regret it?

As if he can hear my thoughts, two molten-lava eyes look down at me. In a split-second, he lowers his head and presses his lips to mine. The pressure of his mouth is so hard that I'm caught off-guard only a soft gasp escaping me. But as soon as I start to move mine, he pulls back to stare down at me. Darkness looms behind them. Darkness that wasn't there before.

"I'll let you two talk." His voice is distant. He sounds nothing like earlier inside. "I'll be in my office when you're done."

I nod weakly. Silas glances at my mother before stalking in the house and retreating upstairs, not once looking back. Something seems off with him, and I know the mere presence of my parent isn't the cause of it. My eyes rest on my mother who still waits outside, a look of shock on her face. I won't entertain the topic. She'll surely report this back to my father. Gods know what he'll have to say on the matter. Then again, he always has something to say

"Come in. I'll make you some tea."

She slowly steps inside, taking in her surroundings while I shut the door firmly behind her. I escort her to the kitchen, glancing at the two plates where Silas and I sat together earlier. Mother takes a seat and I lift a mug in her direction which she shakes her head at. I wonder why she's here? I've sent both Elijah and Stefan updates on what I've learned—which hasn't been much—and, so far, I haven't been caught by any of the Sins. A sudden thought crosses my mind, making my blood run cold. What if she knows about me and Silas?

How could she? I think. I'd know if she sent someone...right?

"How are you?" I ask her. She ignores my question.

"I see you've gotten friendly with everyone here."

This isn't at all how I wanted to catch up with her about everything. Just great. "Yup."

"Especially Silas."

I sigh and decide to focus on the boiling water. I won't entertain this conversation when I have a feeling it won't end well. "That was the point of me coming here, was it not?"