That made Lia's heart stop. Tamara's son? Alive? It was clear it was a lie, a lure for Tamara. She looked around to see if the others thought the same thing. But, one look at her mother and all of her hopes shattered.
Yolly voiced what Lia was thinking, a mixture of shock and exasperation on her face, "You can't be thinking that what they are saying is true right?" To her credit, she looked like she was doing her best to hold back from shaking her friend.
Tamara looked anywhere but to any of them.
"Don't be mad, Tamara! We've both been there. We've seen the pavilion get burned to ashes," Yolly's voice shook.
"But we didn't see the body afterward..." Tamara said as though repeating a line.
'Perhaps from the letters,' Lia thought.
The gruff man snickered. Lia almost forgot that they were there. His next words made her want to punch that crooked smile off his face.
"My Lord is right, don't you think? You didn't have proof. None of you have seen the body. You assumed that he died. Or is that what other people told you? They made you believe that your son had died?" He gave a pointed look at Yolly which she answered in a hiss.
Tamara seemed to still give it a thought. Lia moved closer, afraid that this piece of information might take her mother back to her dark past. But her movement caught the eye of the leader.
"Ah, just as well. We have your new child here."
That seemed to snap Tamara from her reverie and went back to looking like a tigress shielding her cub. "Don't."
"Don't what?" The gruff man smirked. "I'm just getting a look."
"What are you doing here?" Lia asked, her voice whole and deep. She was not going to be intimidated by these people. The gruff man flicked his wrist, casually brandishing his knife. Well, okay, she may be intimidated a little.
He shrugged. "Just here to fetch your mother and deliver her to her dearest child." He arched a brow at Lia, "You know, the real child."
"You were the one sending the letters?" Tamara asked.
The gruff man spread his arms and pointed to himself, "Not me, no. Can't write. Or read. We're just the messengers. Those letters are from my Lord."
"Who is this Lord you are talking about?" Lia clutched at Tamara's arm as though that might keep her mother. Keep from what she no longer knew.
The other goons shared a burst of laughter like Lia was the biggest joke. "Missy, if you want to get to know him, why don't come with us? You won't regret it. You two beauties should come."
Tamara had been silent all this time as if she had withdrawn to her own world. Lia's heart thudded.
"Mother."
"Tamara, My Lady. They're lying. I'm begging you, don't listen to them," Yolly pleaded.
"Whether we're lying or not, one way to find out is to come with us, is it not?" The gruff man smiled as he could already taste the victory. "How about that?"
Lia gulped. This was all sorts of wrong and madness. But what if it was madness that could save them?
She stepped forward, gripped the door, and stood tall. "How about...no?"
Then, she slammed the door to the shocked faces of the goons.