House of Korba: The Ghost Bird Series: #7 (The Academy) by C. L. Stone

“There’s gyros, shawarma, moussaka, kibbi ...” he said. “Try some. Tell me what you like.”
    I bit my lip, leaning forward and feeling awkward, but speared a piece of gyro with a fork and ate it. A blend of onion and garlic melted with the meat in my mouth. It was heavenly. When I swallowed, I asked, “What’s a gyro?”
    “Lamb,” Silas said, forking his own piece and eating it.
    I swallowed again, my eyes wide. Baby sheep? Why not full grown sheep? Why sheep?
    Silas smirked. “Good?”
    I nodded. I couldn’t lie. It was great. I pushed the idea of baby sheep out of my mind. “What’s shawarma ?” I asked, spearing a piece but holding it before he told me it was kitten or puppy.
    “Chicken,” he said.
    I ate it. It was good, different, but I liked the gyro better, which I hated to admit.
    Silas remained patient with me, explaining the different foods and what was in them. After every new bite, his eyes remained on me, as if trying to figure out which were my favorites based on my facial expressions. In the end, I knew gyros were my favorite, and there was a delicious cream sauce that went with it that I liked.
    After I ate, I curled up against Silas, my arms around my stomach as I felt too full to move. Charlie found a sports channel and watched the news recap of events of the day and talking about the upcoming games. The lull of people talking along with Silas’s warmth caused me to start to nod off. To wake myself up, I sat up and stretched, but a yawn escaped me.
    Silas grinned at me. “That sounds like a plan.”
    “She’s sleeping here?” Charlie asked.
    My eyes bugged out at Silas. He didn’t know? That made sense, I supposed, considering he seemed surprised earlier to see me at all. I wasn’t going to let him make me answer this one.
    “Yup,” Silas said, ignoring me and squaring off with Charlie. “Problem?”
    I held my breath.
    Charlie didn’t answer, but he grinned in a way that sent a chill through my spine.
    “Shut up,” Silas said, starting to pick up leftover containers. I got up to help, wanting to be useful and also not wanting to be alone with Charlie anymore. He was sweet but that knowing grin made my heart go into full panic. I couldn’t think. This wasn’t normal for a lot of parents, and I shoved a hand over my cheeks, pretending to rub it while hiding my blushing.
    I rushed behind Silas into the kitchen where he stuffed the leftovers into the fridge, already packed with other takeout containers.
    “You cook awesome,” I said.
    Silas smirked at me, closing the fridge and poking me in the stomach. “Get your ass moving.”
    I laughed.
    He nudged me toward the second hallway and to his bedroom. My heart tripped over itself at this. His dad knew I was there, and was okay with me sleeping there...and in his room. That alone was scary.
    As we approached his bedroom, a door further down the dark hallway opened. Out stepped a figure, a skinny, tall shadow that I could tell was male. The thin veil of smoke I’d smelled earlier increased a hundredfold now. I swallowed to keep myself from coughing.
    Silas stiffened behind me, and stared down the figure in the doorway. I looked at him, trying to spot details, but it was too dark. The person stepped backward into his room again, closing the door.
    “Silas,” I whispered.
    “Forget it,” he said, opening his bedroom door for me.
    “But who was it?” I asked, stepping in the room and turning around to look at him.
    “My brother,” Silas said.
    My eyes widened. “Oh.” Was he home the whole time? “Is he hungry? Should we tell him there’s leftovers?”
    “He’ll eat if he wants,” Silas said. He huffed, but shook it off, smiling at me. “Don’t worry about him. He’s a big boy. He can take care of himself.”
    I pursed my lips, following his lead, but wondering why his brother didn’t greet Silas or come out. Was he shy?
    And why did it feel like Silas didn’t want me to know about him?

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