Chapter 346: Chapter 346

"Are you really sure she’s human?" Shelby asked for what felt like the hundredth time, if not more. Days had passed since that strange incident with Samantha, yet Shelby still couldn’t shake off the thoughts about what they discovered that day.

Ian patiently nodded at her, responding to the same questions she had asked numerous times. This resembled a never-ending barrage of questions from a child, contrasted with the patience of a parent.

Shelby did not mean to pester, and Ian was certain that she was not even aware that she was doing that. It was still baffling for him, but all indications pointed to the fact that Samantha was human.

When the adults at the poolside came to that realization, they were at loss of what to do. What was even baffling was how Samantha had taken the scene. Ingrid was in her natural state and, therefore, did not look anything like a human, but instead of Samantha shying away or screaming her heart out, she had plunged into the water in all curiosity.

Samantha had maintained her older-sister demeanour and never treated Ingrid like she was anything other than Ingrid. If anything, Samantha was more amazed at what she was seeing. She repeatedly begged Ingrid to take her for that swift ride to get her adrenalin pumping.

Currey was the first person to kind of accept the situation as it was because he still remembered Ava’s reaction the first time that she was caught in such a situation.

"Mum?" Samantha had called out, drawing Shelby out of her shocked state.

Shelby took one tentative step towards the edge of the pool only to have Ian pull her back and place her behind him, where his body shielded hers from their daughter’s view.

Samantha, still in the water, had turned to look at her father, shocked.

’Why was he pulling their mother back?’ Samantha wondered, but whatever answer she was looking for was painted on her father’s face.

As Samatha’s gaze locked on Ian, she froze and in that moment, if she could have stepped back in fear, she surely would have—but instead, she found herself trapped, submerged in the pool. Her heart raced as their eyes met.

Once, she had felt fear and resentment toward him, then she learnt to let go and start to like him because of her new mother, but now, the expression on his face sent a shiver down her spine, proving even more unsettling than anything she had ever envisioned. His eyes glinted with a chilling intensity, as if he wished nothing more than to erase her very being.

Her breath caught in her throat, and a wave of panic surged within her as she grappled with the terrifying realization—he looked as if he truly wanted to harm her....no, he wanted to kill her!

Samantha could not tear her eyes away from Ian’s, but she felt similar killing intents coming from the two assistants in the room.

Even at this time, she still felt nothing odd with the fact that her baby sister had supernatural abilities.

Gabriel’s was more inward and not outward, but Samantha had a hunch that since Ingrid was like that and Gabriel was okay with her, he might also have something up his sleeve. It was the fact that this did not bother her that set Ian off.

Ian had dealt with Samantha in many ways including that night when she had slipped into her siblings’ room and Shelby had bene sleeping with them. At that moment, all Ian was seeing were red flag... very red-inked flags!

Ian said that one single name and Ingrid seemed to understand what he wanted her to do. She only hesitated a moment as she suddenly rushed towards Samantha with ice-cold eyes.

Right in that moment, a sinking feeling gripped Shelby’s heart as the dreadful realization dawned on her. This was because, even though what she was seeing was different, she had seen Ingrid do a similar thing once, but this wasn’t what she wanted, not at all. The thought of enmity brewing between her children was unbearable, something she had feared at the back of her mind for so long.

Shelby had always hoped they would work through their obvious differences should that day ever come, but it wasn’t that she ever thought of Samantha ever finding out that her younger siblings were super-human species of a sort.

Whatever the case, Shelby had always wanted them to co-exist peacefully, side by side. But now, as she watched the younger sister’s eyes flash with dangerous intent, and a tremor ran through her.

The room seemed to close in as panic surged through her veins. No, not this... Shelby could almost feel the moment slipping away from her control. She side-stepped Ian, placing herself right in front of him again, to his dissatisfaction, and her voice cracked with desperation as she screamed, "STOP IT" the words raw, pleading—hoping to stop the storm before it shattered everything. "STOP IT!"

Shelby repeated, only for Ingrid to stop short. Her beautiful scaly hand a few inches from her sister’s throat and Samatha gulped.

"I- I nearly died?" Her disbelief was the strongest emotion she was feeling then, and not terror that her sister had tried to kill her, probably on her father’s orders.

Shelby could not believe it. She had gone with her guts and a second late would have cost her the oldest.

Samantha’s teeth clattered in the water, but it was not from that cold water. It was from that near-death experience.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHY-"

"She could be a witch’s helper...." That single phrase stopped Shelby in her tracks, and she could not help but look at Samantha again.

"Can you check?" Shelby held a faint hope in her mind that it couldn’t be so but she also appreciated Ian for looking out for her on this. That was one of the plausible reasons for Samatha to see a per-person and think it was normal. No human being would ever think like that.

With a nod of his head but his eyes never leaving Samatha’s, Ian instructed Currey and Murray to take Samantha to the side. Samantha was in a daze and did not remember anything that happened. However, a few moments later, she was give the green light and she saw Ingrid change from ’Touch me if you dare’ to ’Cute, delicate pumpkin.’

Surprisingly, Samantha did not hold it against her parents and her admiration for Shelby shot up instead.

"Remind me never to get on your bad side...." She muttered to Ingrid and this time, one could sense a little barrier between the siblings.

"Would you have really done it, Ingrid?"

Ingrid nodded severely as if it was the right thing to say.

"If you are a threat to Mummy, then YES."

Samatha’s eyes widened and she gulped. At that, Ian knew that he did not have to worry. He was not overly surprised as the merpeople were not too apathetic in their dealings.

"Did you have to go that far?"

Ian gave Shelby a look that made her clamp up.

"I will never compromise your safety, child or not!"

Shelby turned and gave him a tight hug.

"Mama? Can I show Samantha what I can do?"

"What can you do?" Ingrid snapped catching Samatha by surprise. It was the first time she was seeing her younger sister out of her shell. Ingrid was so sassy, confident and outward that Samatha was having issues matching the Ingrid she knew with this one.

Seeing that Shelby remained quiet and his father said nothing, Gabriel continued,

"I am also cool.... It’s not only Ingrid..... but Mama said that I cannot tell anyone. She seems to be okay with me telling you... but don’t tell anyone....." Gabriel’s childish voice was the only sound in the room, apart from the occasional water splashing from Ingrid’s plunges.

After that day, the four of them, had deliberated on Samantha for a long time.

Shelby, like the men, had been caught in a big dilemma on what to do with her and in the end, they let her be. Therefore, like Suzie and Ava, Samantha came to be in the known. To them, Samatha was more dangerous as she could not be compelled.

Since that day, Currey had poured through the books and archives, trying to find a plausible explanation for this, but nothing fit.

Samantha was human, just one who could not be compelled. Shelby turned from the vanity in her dressing room and former room to glance at Ian, who was comfortably seated in the room, looking at her with a warm gaze.

She was trying on a few things in preparation for the Gala Dinner that was happening later that night.

She put Samantha’s issue out of her mind because they had enough eyes on her for days but Samatha was more curious about her siblings than she was scared of them. That put all the adults at a little ease.

Shelby was nervous about another thing, as she should rightly be. I mean, who would dress up to go to a dinner where her husband was supposed to be paired up with another?

Shelby did not remember ever meeting the extended Thornston family, but she did not like them from the few things she had experienced with them.

Ian stood up and, walking up to her, dropped a kiss, "Don’t worry about anything...." As if understanding her inner sentiments on the Gala Dinner.

At that moment, Shelby’s phone rang, catching her attention. "It’s Ava!" she exclaimed, her face lighting up with a bright smile as she reached for the phone. That sweet, curling smile made her look even more charming as she glanced up at Ian. "I’ve not heard from her for a few days now. I wonder what she has been up to." Shelby muttered as she picked up the call. Ian smiled... a very different and knowing smile.

Thank you so much to all for your votes and comments! I hope we can keep it up ^_^

Support the author by reading only on NovelHub :) ~Uploaded only on NovelHub by Loctovia ~