Taken

Chapter 19 (Part 4)

When she pulled her hand back to reveal the crystal, it seemed to glow and hum with energy that slowly faded until it looked like a regular emerald again.

Setting it on the table, she picked up the dark ruby I had chosen and repeated the same process. Once done, she fit the crystals in the ring settings before polishing any remaining imperfections away. I just hoped her magic was as good as her ability to make jewelry.

Tia finished, removing her protective equipment before grabbing the finished rings in her hand and rounding the table to approach us where we sat on a bench against the wall.

Well, I sat. Silas had begun pacing a dozen or so minutes ago. His steps had grown increasingly clipped the closer she got to finishing. Now that she was done, his spine snapped straight as he turned towards her. His hand rose between them, quietly asking for the glamours.

She dropped the larger emerald ring meant for him into his hand but moved mine into her pocket. "You get the other once you've completed your end of our bargain."

Silas kept his hand open. "Then keep this one as leverage."

"Meaning it doesn't hold as much weight. You get hers once I have my answers."

Silas's jaw ticked as his fingers curled over the ring, forming a fist. Pulling his hand back, he slipped his ring onto his finger while giving her a curt nod.

"Where's the body?" Silas asked, sounding as though he was asking about the weather. It was the casual nature of his tone that told me how unnerved he was. It was strange not hearing the growl of emotion in his voice, especially when it was to compose himself-

Wait, what? Body?

"At my house."

My wide eyes snapped to Tia while Silas furrowed his brows at her response.

"How long has it been since she passed?"

Were they seriously discussing a dead body that Tia apparently had at home?

"A few months."

A dead and rotting body.

Silas's shoulders tensed. His head tilted to the side, regarding her with distrust. Whatever he and Tia seemed to have once shared was no longer there, even if traces of it could be seen here or there.

"And you've just been keeping her body at home while hoping I would show my face again?" He questioned.

Tia's expression wavered before hardening. "You know me. Did you think I would let her answers die with her?"

"That's the thing, Tia, we don't know each other. Not anymore. But, considering how things ended between us, I don't think I ever truly did."

She looked at him for a moment. "You did. But I guess we've both changed since then." Turning, she grabbed her coat from a hook on the wall. Shrugging it on as she made her way to the door. "I've persevered her body to ensure I would get my answers. No matter how long it took."

"Answers to what?"

"How she could kill Korren."

Her answer had Silas pausing for a moment as we moved to follow her out into the hallway. She turned to head in the opposite direction from where we had entered.

"He's dead?" His voice had lowered in disbelief as he caught up to her with ease.

"She stabbed my Bonded through the heart with an iron blade while he slept. She did the same to our son. He was only three months old."