A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust

"Who the heck are you guys, anyway?"

The folks from Ivory Town eyed Calliope and Silas with open suspicion, arms crossed and brows furrowed. Nobody here was looking to make friends.

"They're not tourists, are they?"

"Tourists don't get a say around here, that's for sure!"

"Yeah, Neil, look at that kid from your town. He's barely hanging on. You're just gonna stand there and do nothing? If he kicks the bucket, that's not our problem!"

"If you want him back, then prove it. Show us you mean business!"

Everyone was talking at once, voices loud and sharp, all of it aimed at the Oxcreek Town folks gathered on the other side.

"I'm not a tourist," Calliope replied icily, her gaze cutting through the crowd. "I'm from Oxcreek, same as you all are from here." She glared at the Ivory Town group. "Let me be clear: there's no way we're agreeing to your terms. And if you're not handing him over, well, we'll just take him back ourselves."

"Take him from us?" someone scoffed, rolling their eyes. "You think you can? Oxcreek Town has never been able to stand up to us, and you know it.”

The crowd from Ivory Town jeered, their younger men looking ready for a tussle. It wasn't a fair fight-Oxcreek was outnumbered and outmuscled.

Neil's face had gone pale. He looked over at the Ivory Town's leader. "Isaiah, come on, we can talk this out. You don't have to be like this."

"Yeah, Isaiah, you're taking this way too far! Maybe we can discuss these conditions, figure something out-"

The tension was thick enough to slice with a knife. Oxcreek's people were already halfway to giving in, realizing they'd lose if things got ugly. Nobody wanted a fight, especially not with Calliope here.

But Calliope just drew herself up, eyebrows knit into a scowl, and strode forward, Silas following right behind her. As they closed the distance, a strange hush fell. Even the rowdiest Ivory Town boys felt a chill run down their spines.

"Hand him over," Calliope said, her voice low and cold. "And I won't hold a grudge. Refuse, and I promise, none of your homes will sleep easy tonight."

A murmur rippled through the crowd.

Isaiah sneered. "You think you're tough, kid? Word of advice: stay out of things that don't concern you."

"This does concern me," Calliope shot back. "He's family."

She didn't waste any more words and moved.

Kyle, one of Ivory's biggest guys, built like a linebacker, stepped up to block her path. But before he could even get his hands up, Silas grabbed his arm, twisted, and snap. The crack echoed across the clearing.

Kyle howled in pain, dropping to his knees.

"What the hell?!"

"Hey! What are you doing?"noveldrama

"Kyle, are you okay?"

Panic erupted. In seconds, it was a full-blown brawl.

Only, it wasn't really a brawl, because Silas was moving through the crowd like a hurricane. One by one, the Ivory Town guys hit the dirt, groaning and clutching bruises. Silas never even loosened his tie

Everyone who'd tried to face him was now staring in stunned, terrified silence. Not only was he strong enough to take down Kyle with one hand, he did it looking like he'd just stepped out of a business meeting. And, honestly, he was annoyingly handsome while doing it

The fight drained out of Ivory Town fast. They backed away, none of them eager

to test their luck against Silas again.

While they stood there, wary and defeated, Calliope knelt beside Jacob, checking his pulse and looking him over, focused and determined.