Page 88 of Tangled Fates

“What do you mean dried up?” He looked confused.

“Oria has been scarce the last few months,” I said, while studying him. “No one has it and if someone gets it, they sell out quickly or they are attacked for their supply.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” he said, looking at Oria. “Her production hasn’t stopped; we’ve been making trips here every three weeks. The supply should be constant.”

“We have two suppliers who carry it, but they haven’t been able to get their hands on it and their supplier says they aren’t getting anything either.” He looked perplexed. “Something is wrong and if that’s the case someone is stealing it or hoarding it.”

“Someone is stealing it,” Blondie said, staring at Tay.

“That incident happened a little over a month ago; that can’t be the reason,” Tay said, flinching when he tried to sit up more. “Something is not right. Ria, we need to leave now. If what I’m thinking is correct, then we have to hide you now.”

“Powerful men will come looking for its source or worse, Laima is creating a vacuum to make Oria more valuable and it's going to backfire.” Tay tried to get up but didn’t succeed. “We need to leave now before she comes back from seeing Caston and whatever the hell they are doing.”

“Caston?” Ryder, Gray and I said at the same time.

“As in, Caston Belladonna?” Ryder growled.

“Yes. How the hell do you know him?” Tay looked at us warily.

“He’s married to our friend, Katarina, and he’s a piece of shit,” I said. “Heard he’s trying to get her out because he needs her.”

“Caston Belladonna is a spoiled shit,” Tay said with disgust.

“It’s almost Beltane, we need to go see her,” Ryder said. “One of them said they would need our help.”

“Was it the one with creepy eyes?” Gray asked.

“Yeah, he’s a seer and?—”

“Can we fucking focus?” Tay snapped. “She can’t go anywhere near the Belladonnas if Laima is there, she will know.”

“It’s not with the Belladonnas, it’s with the beasts and Katarina,” I snapped back.

“That’s even fucking worse. If she breaks the spell, shit is going to get crazy, they need her to fail.” Tay grunted trying to get up again.

“Don’t move, you're hurting yourself more,” Blondie said, walking up to him.

We all stiffened, and I almost grabbed her to yank her back to me, but Ryder stepped closer to them. I knew if Tay tried anything, he would be quick enough to handle him.

“I need you to lie down,” she said in a professional tone.

She inspected him, touching certain spots on him, until I realized she was hurting him on purpose.

“You've touched that same spot four times, Ria.” He grunted when she touched it again.

She shrugged. “I was just making sure that spot is what I need to heal.”

The innocence in her voice was believable, but the satisfaction through our bond made me chuckle.

“Flos nitor et rutilans tua virtus luceat,” she whispered.

The glow around her happened immediately, instead of building like last time. I felt her power through our bond stronger this time and she had him healed in less than two minutes.

Tay looked up at her with tenderness, making me growl.

“Ok, she healed you, enough with those looks,” I said, wanting to haul her back to me or Ryder to do it.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered to her.

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