He then goes over to Jiron where he about has all the coins and such put back in the sack. Glancing at the table, his eyes briefly examine the coins and jewels still awaiting their turn to be returned to the sack. Several gold coins and others of a lesser value, half a dozen jewels of varying sizes and colors, and two necklaces.
Just about to turn away and cross over to the room where Potbelly has the children, he pauses and turns back toward the items on the table. When Jiron reaches to pick up another handful, he holds out his hand. “Hang on a minute,” he says. Something, a whisper of memory comes to him.
Then realization strikes. Reaching out, he picks up one of the necklaces. It bears a heart shaped gold medallion with two small diamonds in the middle. The heart with two small diamonds is what drew him to the necklace, in his dreams they had been two lights.
Each time in his dream when he had entered the Tunnel of Love, there on the wall just inside was a large heart with two lights blazing forth. In each subsequent dream, one of the lights had continued to grow dim until at the last, it was all but out. The two stones, Cassie and Tinok. The one growing dim had to represent Tinok and the situation he is in.
Jiron halts putting the items back in the sack as James stands there motionless with the necklace in his hand. “You okay?” he asks.
Snapping out of it, James’ eyes meet Jiron’s. “This is the necklace Tinok gave Cassie,” he says in a hushed whisper. “The one he took with him when he left us after her death.”
“Can’t be,” he says then takes a closer look. Though only having a good look at it a couple times over a year ago, he comes to realize that James is correct, this is indeed that necklace.
Eyes narrowing, he pulls a knife and moves to the remaining two captives. Pointing to the necklace he shouts, “Where did you get that necklace?” Holding the knife close to the face of one of the captives, he yells, “Where!” The man’s eyes stare at the knife before him, ready for the blow he’s sure is to come.
“He can’t understand you,” James tells him. “We’re going to have to wait until we get back to the inn so Reilin can interrogate them.”
Jiron stands there with knife still before the man for several more seconds before turning away. As he does, he sees Potbelly in the doorway to the bedroom and then glances over to the front door where Scar and Shorty stare at him too.
Pointing to the necklace James is holding he says, “They have Cassie’s necklace!”
Scar actually gasps. Shorty asks, “The one Tinok took with him when he left?”
Nodding, Jiron replies, “The very one.”
“But how did they get it?” Potbelly asks.
“I don’t know,” Jiron says. Then turning to the men on the floor, he adds, “But I’m going to find out.” To Scar he says, “Bring that other man back in here.” Then with a glance back to James he adds, “I’m not about ready to hand them over to the authorities for justice until I have a chance to ask them some questions.”
James meets his gaze and nods. Turning to Scar he says, “Go ahead and bring him back in.”
Once the man is brought back inside, James says, “Potbelly and I will take the children back while you three remain here with them.” When he receives Jiron’s nod, he continues. “Then I’ll return with the others and we’ll see if we can learn anything.”
“Good,” states Jiron. He holds his hand out obviously wishing to have the necklace.
“Oh,” James says as he turns to Jiron and sees his hand out. “I should take the necklace with me. It may have been that they stole it from the family at the inn. If so, then the woman may know where it came from.”
Nodding, Jiron lowers his hand. “I want it when you return,” he says.
“Don’t worry,” replies James, “You will have it.” Turning to Potbelly he says. “It’s time to bring the children out.” Crossing over to the doorway, James follows Potbelly in. The three children have managed to relax a little bit, maybe they realized that he and the others are not there to hurt them. After all, they did kill the ‘bad men’.
The older boy says something to them in the Empire’s tongue but they fail to understand. In as soothing a voice as he can manage, James says, “It’ll be okay. We’re taking you home.” The tone, if not the words, further relaxes them. When he motions for them to follow him from the room, they hop off the bed to follow.
He leads them through the front room where Jiron, Scar, and Shorty are working to remove the men killed in the fighting. They shy away from the three men sitting bound against the wall and hurry to follow him outside.
Potbelly helps the girl onto one horse while James assists the younger boy to mount another. The older boy is able to make it into the saddle of a third horse on his own. Once they are settled and not in any immediate danger of falling off, he swings up behind the younger boy just as Potbelly mounts behind the girl.
Giving the kids an encouraging grin, he leads the way with the older boy in the middle and Potbelly bringing up the rear. The return trip to the inn takes less time than the trip out and soon its lights appear in the dark.
Chapter Thirteen
Several people are milling around outside the inn as they draw close. One takes notice of their approach and runs inside. As they come to a stop, Stig emerges through the door with Brother Willim. “You did it!” exclaims Stig.
Brother Willim comes and reaches up to help the girl down from the horse. She gives a glance back to Potbelly who nods that it’s alright, then allows Brother Willim to help her down.
From out of the inn another couple emerges and immediately takes possession of the two boys. The calls and cries of the boys tell James they must be their parents. He can see the tracks of tears down the woman’s face from where she’s been crying over the loss of her boys.
Once the father helps the younger child down from where he sits before James, he extends his hand in gratitude. Words rush out from the man as James takes his hand. The older boy has dismounted and wrapped his arms around his mother in a hug that’s likely going to last awhile.
“He’s saying thank you,” Reilin’s voice comes from where he just exited the inn.
“I figured as much,” replies James. “Tell him that I am glad I was able to bring his boys back to him.” When Reilin translates, the boys’ father again shakes his hand vigorously as the mother gathers the children to her. He then takes his family and they move off to where a wagon sits next to the inn. Climbing aboard, the father takes the reins and with a last wave and salutation to James and the others, he gets the team of horses moving.
As James dismounts, Reilin comes to him and says, “The boys disappeared two days ago. When word spread that another child was taken and that someone had gone to get her back, they came in hopes you would return with their boys.”
“I’m glad it worked out well,” replies James. “How’s the woman?”
“She’s better,” he says. “The loss of her husband was a brutal blow and she went into hysterics when told of what happened to her daughter.” Glancing over to where Brother Willim is just entering the inn with the girl he adds, “But now that her daughter’s back, I think things will be okay.”
“Where is everyone else?” asks Stig.
James quickly fills them in on what happed at the farmhouse and of finding Cassie’s necklace. When he’s through, he tells Stig, “Get our horses ready. We’re going out to the farmhouse once I ask the mother about this.” He holds up the necklace to show them.
“She may not be in much condition to answer questions,” explains Reilin.
“We’ll see,” he says. “Make sure our things are out of the rooms too.”
“I’ll take care of it,” he assures him and moves off to get it done.
Reilin follows James as he heads toward the front door of the inn. The people he passes pat him on the shoulder as well as other forms of congratulations on bringing back the children.
Inside, he finds Miko and Brother Willim sitting at a table with the woman they found upstairs. Next to the woman sits Aleya with a smile on her face as she watches the mother and daughter. The girl is wrapped tightly in her mother’s arms and they are crying together, both for happiness at being reunited and sadness at the loss of the father. The innkeeper meets him just within the foyer. Reilin translates.
“I’m sorry,” he says. “I was mistaken about you.”
James gives him a reassuring nod. “Don’t worry about it, I understand,” he assures the innkeeper. “By the way, we’ll be leaving just as soon as I talk with the mother.”
