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The cabin door opened and Cris lifted his head as he leaned against his heavy wooden desk. His face remained calm and serious as he watched the troll enter and close the door. Her gray eyes went straight to his blue-green eyes and her tusks pulled back a cruel smirk. “What joo want, Cristianno?” she asked softly, walking toward him for two steps. Cris simply stared while his fingers curled around the edge of the desk.
They had been out at sea for three days and while the trip was fairly simple, and calm, Niela’s concern about him being poisoned continued to lurk Cris’ mind. He wasn’t naïve. He already suspected what she had wondered about, but he continued to play dumb in order keep her calm. In the back of his mind, he worried that one of his own had betrayed him, but after what Ziggly told him, it wasn’t betrayal. It was just playing dirty, and Cris did not like that one bit.
“That day I came onboard, before we left, were you here? Did I see you?”
Tia glanced toward the bed were Ziggly was seated. His eartips were slightly bent and he glared up at Tia. “Evah loyal Ziggly,” she said softly and turned to Cris. “‘Ee already be tellin’ joo evertin’, no? Why joo question me?”
“Because I want to hear it from you, Tia.”
“Cristianno, I do wat I do for joor own good.”
The elf laughed and shook his head, lifting his eyes toward the troll. “My own good? You slaughtered a child for my own good?”
“One chile? No, Cristianno…six.”
Ziggly covered his face with a slap as Cris’ jaw dropped. He closed his mouth, gritting his teeth and narrowed his eyes. “Six children.”
“Cristianno, joo always be waitin’ until joo be on the brink of death until joo look for a soul and den joo get sum begga or criminal ta help joo. Dis way, no one be missin’ dose kids and joo get at least six months of health. I be doin’ it for joo.
“Are you fucking kidding me, Tia? I said no more innocents!”
“Joo rather die?”
Cris pushed himself off the desk and walked toward her. “I rather do this with assholes who deserve to die, not children nor innocent beings.”
“I rather joo take the longa lastin’ souls.” Tia smiled wider and chuckled softly. “Now, if dat be all, I be leavin’ now.” She took a step back and as she was about to turn, she stopped when she heard his voice.
“Get off my ship, Tia.”
“What?”
“We will pick you up after this trip is over, but for now, get off my ship.”
“Fo’ killing the chiles?”
“And for poisoning me.”
The troll cackled. “Poison joo? If I be wanting joo dead, Cristianno, I would no use poison.”
“Oh, I know you didn’t want me dead, Tia. Nevertheless, you know I trust you with my life and you took advantage of that. Get off.”
“We be in the middle of the sea, Cristianno!”
“You can walk on water. Get off.”
“I no be takin’ dis abuse!” Tia turned toward the door and noticed Ziggly leaning against it with his daggers drawn. She stopped and laughed loudly, but her laughter was cut short by the click of a gun. She turned around slowly, glaring at Cris. Who held his weapon pointed at her, “Joo be killin’ me? Joo canno do that, Cristianno. Joo need me.”
“Perhaps, but I can hurt you. Now, Ziggly will escort you as you jump off my ship.
“Joo bein’ ridiculous!”
“This is my bloody ship, Tia! Get the fuck off!”
“You heard him, bitch. Get off,” Ziggly snarled.
“If I be leavin’ dis ship, I be takin’ my tings wit me.” Her gray eyes shifted toward his neck and smiled, walking toward Cris.
“What… what does that mean? Speak, bitch!” the goblin yelled.
“Ziggly, back away,” Cris immediately said, as Tia approached him. He knew exactly what she meant and while he didn’t lower his weapon, he tried to walk back toward the desk he was initially leaning on.
“Tell me, Cristianno, how long can joo live without dis?” Her three-finger hand reached out for the tooth around Cris’ neck, gently touching it. “Well?”
“Tia, get away from me and get off my ship.” Cris could feel his heartbeat about to jump out of his chest and a rush of memories returned to him of the day that Tia had done the same thing she was proposing on doing.
“Joo no undastan, Cristianno. Joor men will need me and der be no heala. You could need me and I no be around. Den what joo do, hmm?”
“What the fuck do you want, Tia?” Cris finally asked.
“I be stayin’ ‘ere and joo be tankin’ me for da souls joo received.”
“Never.”
“Den I take dis away and get off joor ship.”
Ziggly twirled his daggers in his small green hands and sneered, “If you hurt him…”
“Cristianno, I be telling joor pet to move away now.”
“Zig, move away and don’t attack her.”
“But Cris!”
“Just do it!” The goblin muttered under his breath and moved to the said, leaving the path to the door free. Tia looked back and smiled.
“Gud.” She turned to Cris and smiled. “Now, joo still want me off your ship?”
“Yes. We’ll get you after this trip is over.”
The troll shook her head and shrugged. “Very well. I be gone den.” Tia took a step back and tilted her head as she looked at Cris’ face, which was filled with anxiety and fear. “But as I say, I be takin’ my tings wit me.” In a single tug, she pulled the large shark tooth from his neck and walked out of the cabin.
Ziggly ran after her and shouted, “Stop that witch! Get her!” But as the men shuffled to grab her, Tia turned into a ghost wolf and jumped over the edge of the ship. A small green hand slammed against the ship and Ziggly ran back to the cabin, where he found Cris on the floor, his hands and chest covered with blood.
“She…left?”
“Aye. You okay?”
“I don’t know how long I have, Zig.” Cris laughed faintly and took a deep breath. “Tell the crew to set course for Booty Bay.”
“But we have to find that bitch! What the fuck is in Booty Bay?”
Cris lifted his sea-green eyes and looked at his friend. “Tia,” he whispered. Ziggly furrowed his brows. “She’s going …back home.” The goblin nodded and ran out of the cabin, giving the orders he was told.
He chuckled on the ground, looking at his bloodstained hand. There were many times that he had wanted to stand up to Tia, but he was always the one to pay. Lifting his left ring finger to his lips, he pressed the dark stone ring to his mouth and decided that this could not be kept from his wife. If he were to die tomorrow, he wanted her to know he loved her.
It was Tia. She ran off with the tooth.
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