Chapter 43: Cutting the Ties of Family.

  The night was cold and still as Ava and Talon walked back to their cabin, the only sound was the soft crunch of snow beneath their boots. The air was sharp, carrying the scent of pine and the distant echo of a winter wind weaving through the trees. Talon’s thoughts were heavy, and after a long moment of silence, he glanced at Ava, his expression pensive.

  "You and Eli, you make a good pair," Talon said, his breath visible in the cold air.

  Ava looked at him with a raised eyebrow, curiosity piqued. "You think so?"

  "Yeah," he nodded thoughtfully. "He seems to ground you, brings out a softer side. It’s good to see."

  Ava offered a small smile, the corners of her lips barely curling up. "Thanks, Talon. That means a lot."

  As they approached the cabin, something felt off. Ava’s instincts kicked in as she noticed a faint light flickering inside, something she knew she hadn’t left on. She stopped, her senses immediately on high alert.

  "Hold on," she whispered, her voice tense. "There’s a light on. I didn’t leave any lights on."

  Without missing a beat, Ava smoothly drew a pistol from beneath her coat, the metal glinting briefly in the moonlight. "I’ll check around back," she murmured, her voice barely audible as she disappeared into the shadows, moving with the silent grace of a predator.

  Talon watched her go, a mix of admiration and concern on his face. "Where does she keep all these?" he muttered under his breath, shaking his head as he approached the front door, his knife already in hand.

  Peering through the frosted window, Talon’s eyes narrowed as he spotted a lone figure sitting at the kitchen table, casually sipping what looked like one of his whiskey bottles. The stranger’s posture was relaxed, almost too relaxed for someone who had broken into a Sentinel’s home.

  The man at the table turned slowly, the light from the lantern casting deep shadows across his face, making his features hard to discern. "Take a seat, Talon Holts. We need to talk."

  Stepping inside, Talon’s voice cut through the quiet with a deadly calm. "I don’t go by Holt. You’d better have a good reason for being here, or you won’t like what comes next."

  Before Talon could respond, Ava materialized from the darkness, her pistol pressed firmly against the back of the man’s head, her voice icy and precise. "Wrong house, mate."

  The man raised his hands slowly, a calm smile playing on his lips. "Impressive. Not many can get the drop on me. You’re good."

  Talon, sensing there was more to this than a simple break-in, gestured for Ava to lower her weapon. "Looks like we’ve got unfinished Syndicate business," he said, his tone grudgingly acknowledging the intruder's intent. He pointed to a chair across from the man. "Sit down. What’s this about?"

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  The stranger, still eerily calm, obliged, settling back into the chair as if he were at his own kitchen table. "I’m here to claim your father’s territory. As his son, I wanted to see if you planned on challenging me for it."

  Talon let out a short, humorless laugh, leaning back in his own chair, his eyes glinting with disdain. "I’ve got no interest in anything to do with my father or that life."

  The man visibly relaxed, a flicker of relief crossing his face. "That’s good to hear," he said, his voice measured. "I wouldn’t want the hassle of pissing her off," he added, nodding towards Ava, who hadn’t taken her eyes off him.

  "You two come as a package deal, right?" the man ventured, a trace of nervousness creeping into his voice.

  "That's right," Ava said sharply, her gaze hard and unwavering.

  The man cleared his throat, trying to hide his unease. "Green Arbor," he began slowly, "I believe there was some sort of deal with Holts?"

  Talon’s voice turned cold as ice. "That’s right. And if I ever see you or any of the Syndicate in Green Arbor again, I’ll kill you myself. Got it?"

  The man raised his hands in a placating gesture, smiling nervously. "Oh, don’t worry. I’ll honor that. No Syndicate business in Green Arbor. You have my word."

  For a moment, silence hung in the air, the weight of the unspoken threat lingering between them. Then, with a casual flourish, the man pulled a piece of paper from his coat and laid it on the table. "Before I go, something for you," he said quietly. "The last known location of your mother."

  Talon froze, his hand hovering over the paper as he stared at the man, a mixture of confusion and disbelief clouding his features.

  The man offered a brief, almost apologetic smile. "Holts lied to you. She’s not dead. You deserved to know."

  Talon’s hand finally lowered, gripping the paper tightly as he unfolded it. His eyes scanned the name of a village, "Dust Haven."

  Talon’s mind raced with possibilities, the unanswered questions that had haunted him for years bubbling to the surface. The man, sensing that his part in this tense encounter was over, stood up cautiously, backing toward the door. Ava’s watchful eyes never left him as she holstered her weapon.

  "I’ve said what I came to say," the man offered one last nod. "Good luck, Talon. Don’t let your old man’s shadow follow you."

  With that, he slipped out into the night, the door closing softly behind him.

  As the tension began to settle, Ava glanced over at Talon, her voice soft but probing. "You never really talked about your mother," she said quietly.

  Talon’s fingers tightened around the paper as he stared at it, his brow furrowing. "There wasn’t much to tell," he admitted, his voice low. "I can’t really remember her. I was like four the last time I saw her."

  Ava nodded, her eyes searching his face for any signs of what this revelation might mean for him. "And you believed she was gone?"

  Talon let out a heavy breath, sinking into the chair beside him. "Yeah. Holts told me she died, and I didn’t have any reason to doubt him back then. I just... I never thought I’d have to think about her again."

  Ava’s voice was steady, offering support. "Maybe it’s worth a look. If there’s even a chance, don’t you want to know?"

  Talon’s gaze flickered to the paper again, the name "Dust Haven" looming large in his mind. "Yeah," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "We’ll find out the truth".

  Ava’s presence was grounding, and Talon nodded, determination slowly replacing the confusion in his eyes. "We’ll go," he said, a quiet resolve settling over him.

  Together, they stood, the firelight from the lantern casting long shadows in the small cabin as they prepared for whatever answers the road ahead might hold.