The door opened smoothly, and no one seemed to notice their entrance, except one man, a red haired man, with an intense grey stare. Isaak said nothing, but his eyes were glued to the chain between her and Elias. He didn’t rose from the chair, but he took Elias hand in his, and he tugged him close and whispered something in his ear.

“Sasha, kitten, you beat me to it”, Isaak said and brought her down to his lap. He did carefully maneuverer as to not drag in the chain.

“So it is true.”

They spoke both at the same time, and Sasha laughed. She knew him, and Isaak knew her. They had been like that since they were teens.

“My most sincere…”

Sasha stopped him with a brief kiss on the cheek. She wouldn’t say her mother was still alive, but she wouldn’t listen to his consolation either. She loved them both, and she would protect them whatever the cost. And at the moment protecting her brother by heart meant lying to him. Isaak, Ivy and Ella were her family. She would do anything to keep them safe.

“I miss Ivy”, she said, hiding her face in his soft sweater.

“I know.” Isaak pattered her hair, putting his fingers in the black silky strands. “I do too.”

“I will go for her.”

“You will do no good in the shape you are now”, Isaak said and he took the chain between his finger, looking from Elias to her. “Care to enlighten me?”

“She has taken something that is mine. And I want it back. I do believe it is in your possession.” Elias took out the golden necklace from his pocket and sat down on the wooden bench beside them. Sasha smoothly went from Isaak’s knee to sitting at the bench with Elias. She really didn’t fancy the enlightening thing.

“That necklace belongs to Sasha”, Isaak said. He bent forward, trying to snap it from Elias fingers, but Elias was faster.

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“Your signature jewels, the golden chain with the white eagle. I guess you at least got a good deal”, Elias said and looked at Sasha.

Sasha bit her lower lip. She didn’t want anyone to overhear that she had taken an orb from Elias. Taking an orb by force was strictly forbidden and something not many could do. But her blood burned in her veils, the curse stronger than in centuries. She smiled at Isaak, hoping he would play along.

“I said you already traded it, the buyer signed and all…”

Isaak sighed. He shook his head.

“I´m sorry Elias, didn’t know you were involved.”

Sasha let out her breath. He got her back, always had.

“I could tear her apart, one small part at a time, until you get it back”, Elias hissed under his breath, the threat delivered with a cold voice, his fingers playing with each link in the chain one by one. “I know you can get it.”

The soup came in just then, the interruption not helping the atmosphere at the table. Sasha was furious.

“I could kill you now, but it will be messy, cutting you loose from that damn chain”, she said and looked at Isaak. “Do you have a saw?”

Isaak studied them both and his eyebrow furrowed. His eyes caught the patch on her throat. Faster than anyone of them had the time to react he had put his fork through Elias hand. It had dug quite a bit down in the flesh.

“You maniac. That fucking hurt!”

Isaak moved the fork a bit, resulting in a pained growl from Elias. His yellow eyes were now almost pure emerald green, and the moisture in them showed Isaak had no mercy. Elias other hand was on the sword handle, one movement away from returning the favour.

“Why have you kept him alive kitten?” Isaak asked, and his tone was deadly cold. “Are you growing soft?”

“You do your business and I do mine.” Sasha met Isaak’s stare with her own. They had an understanding and he would not jeopardise that.

Isaak pulled the fork out of Elias hand and into the pea soup. He stuck it in a piece of bacon and started to chew on it.

“The soup is getting cold”, Sasha said and ignored the blood at Elias hand. “I prefer my meals hot.”

“You will fix this”, Elias said and looked down at his hand, “or I redo the favour, witch.”

Sasha took a napkin and threw it at Elias.

“I´m not the healer type. You are on your own.”

“Limb by limb sweetheart”, Elias said, and he stared Isaak down. “How much of her could I take before you give me what is mine?”

“She´s a grown up woman Elias, you heard her”, Isaak said and shook his shoulders.

“The queen have a new favorite puppy”, Elias said and he looked from Isaak to Sasha, a twisted smile on his lips. “I bet her limbs are much softer.”

Both Isaak and Sasha went stiff. He had opened Pandora’s Box, and Sasha wished he hadn’t.

Isaak just smiled, and put the fork just inches from Elias other hand.