Taken

Chapter 12 (Part 1)

"Except, that level of power doesn't exist in these parts of the realm," Hilda hissed. I could hear her pacing anxiously.

"And you think the explanation a tavern full of drunk Fae would jump to is the Blood Stone?"

But he wasn't the one with the Stone...

"All it takes is one sober Fae," Hilda countered.

"No one in Neeve's tavern is ever sober."

Hilda made a noise of frustration. "Including you. Which means your judgments can't be trusted. You can't know for sure that no one saw."

"I can and I do. I was far from drunk."

Hilda scoffed. "Not enough to keep control."

"I could, if it wasn't for you and what you did. It's clear what's caused this unexpected development."

Unease crept its way up my spine. I grew deathly still, straining my ears to hopefully catch some of the missing pieces of the puzzle that Hilda was keeping from me.

"All the more reason for you to complete-"

"No," Silas harshly stated, cutting her off before I could hear what it was that she wanted him to finish.

"It could help you stabilize. Give you control. Going around setting fires and bursting pipes will only draw attention we don't need. Attention we can't afford."

A tense silence was followed by Hilda's disappointed sight. "Have you tested if you can manipulate Spring's strings?"

Silas hesitated before humming an affirmative. "It was what first caught my notice. While hunting a boar, before I could pull out and notch an arrow, the branches of the tree closest to it grew and impaled it through the stomach where I had intended to aim."

A stunned silence stretched out between them.

"What about your other ability? Has it been affected?" A nervous quality had entered her voice when Hilda spoke again.

"I haven't attempted to test it yet. I was too busy trying not to leave a trail of destruction in my wake. I didn't need to add carcasses to the list."

"You can weld Spring now. Maybe it was reversed."

"Or maybe the curse only grew," he replied pessimistically.

"Stop calling it that," Hilda scolded.

"Would you prefer I refer to it as a punishment?"

She let out a tired sigh. "You weren't punished for simply being born."

"It could be for killing my mother-"

"Don't. You did not kill your mother. You almost died yourself. The one who broke Nature's law while targeting her was responsible for her death. It would pain her to know that you think otherwise-"

A barked laugh that had me jumping at its raised volume cut Hilda off.

"No, it wouldn't. I was a means to an end. She only wanted me for the coin and power she thought she could gain with me. If she knew carrying me would have led to her death, she would have gotten rid of me long before anyone caught wind of her pregnancy."

"And I am thankful that she didn't. Otherwise, I wouldn't have gotten a son gifted by nature." The flapping of wings sounded as Hilda spoke, pride lacing her voice.

That explained why they didn't look anything like each other.

I turned my head to watch Artemis land on the floor beside me, just outside the kitchen.

"Did you know this would happen?" Silas inquired as his bird tilted her head at me. "Was that why you weren't worried about a human having the Blood Stone? Because you knew I would gain the powers with her?"

Hilda hadn't mentioned that. Or that sharing the Stone's effects was a possibility.

"No. I didn't know. Most of the Stone's previous bearers only wanted power. They would never risk their downfall by taking on a-"

"Caw!"

I flinched at the bird's shrill cry that had silence falling over the other room.

Shit.

Taking a deep breath, I swallowed hard to try and push down my pounding heart that had lept to my throat at being caught eavesdropping. Again. Squaring my shoulders, I stepped away from the wall, turning to try and make it appear as though I had just approached the kitchen instead of standing outside it listening. Stepping around the bird that was still watching me, I gave Hilda and Silas a strained smile. Only one of them looked at me.

"Morning," I greeted.

"Morning!" Hilda echoed with a warm smile. "How'd you sleep, dear?"

"Good," I lied. No one but me needed to know the nightmares that had me tossing and turning last night. Especially not two of the people who I had seen in a few of them.

"Come, sit. I'll get breakfast started," she said, her gaze nervously flitting toward Silas.

"I'll tend to the animals before I head out." He reached for a jacket hanging over the back of a chair that was free of scorch marks.

"So early?"

Silas hummed as he nodded. "I have a contract for boar meat and hide that should have been completed yesterday."

Hilda let out a breath. "Be careful."

"I will," he reassured as he turned to head for the door leading outside, giving me a wide berth. And not looking at me once.

Artemis's claws scratched over the floor as she jumped in his direction before flapping her wings to fly after him. 

"I should have known he wouldn't be accompanying me this evening," she sighed as she made her way toward the fridge. "How about you?"

"Huh?" I asked, dragging my eyes away from the door Silas had shut after him and Artemis. I had a feeling I wasn't going to be seeing him for the rest of the day or be able to ask him for answers like Hilda had told me to.

"There's a potluck happening at one of the houses in town this evening. A weekly ritual that all are welcome to join. Do you want to accompany me? It's a great chance to get out and make some friends."

I pretended to contemplate it while having my answer clear in my head, wanting to let her down gently. I shook my head, feeling bad when her smile dimmed. 

"I think it would be best if I stayed here rather than risk drawing unwanted attention. Cedric and his friends may still be around looking for me."

Taken is complete and available on Patreon. 

Captive, book 2 of The Blood Stone Series, is currently being updated. Read more at:

https://www.patreon.com/DRK_Stories