On Sapphire Wings and Jade Scales

Chapter 21: Tea, Sandwiches, and a Plan

Silence. Ten seconds of heavy, overwhelming silence.

Eila took slow, silent sips of her pink fruit drink. Her eyes glazed over at the dialing sound, taking a big gulp. Tomas felt the cold droplets from his juice glass drip down his hand, but he didn't budge.

And then, the group heard a voice. It was so familiar; Tomas couldn't help but jump in his seat, nearly toppling over his drink. Eila pulled her body onto the table, stopped by the man in green raising his arm in front of her.

From the other side of Joanne's phone, a woman asked in a hushed, breaking voice, "Hello? Who's there?"

"Mom!" Eila shouted, slamming her hands on the table, and standing up.

Joanne asked, "It's Joanne, dear. Your hiking guide while stayin' at Mount Reilu. I met up with your kids, they're just worried sick about you two! Can you tell me where you're at?"

Mrs. Diderot paused for a moment, saying, "Joanne...Wait, my kids? They're with you?" She gave an exasperated sigh, "Where are you then? How are they?"

Joanne raised her eyebrow, exchanging confused glances with the group. "Ma'am, we're in a bakery in Aegean City, near the boardwalk. Think you can describe your place?"

Mrs. Diderot sounded straight up stunned, "What do you mean you're in a bakery? They told us they hid our kids in some dark basement, and that we needed to get some jewel or else-"

The man in green gestured at Joanne, receiving the phone from her. He attempted to explain in a calm manner, "Mrs. Diderot, I believe there is some manipulation at hand. Your children have been safe and sound in my care for the past two days. In fact, we have been searching for you as of late."

"You mean... Oh those sick sons of- "

The man raised the phone away from the twins, sparing them from their mother's colorful choice of words.

"Can I talk to them? My kids?" Asked Mrs. Diderot in a pleading tone, her voice simmering down after her outburst.

Calling the two to his side of the table, the man passed the phone to them. Unfortunately, both were keen on holding the phone, so they held a brief back-and-forth of pulling it away from each other's hands.

"Hey, I gave Jo the number, so I gotta go first!" Hissed Tomas.

"Ugh, fine. But let me hear her too, meanie."

Mrs. Diderot chuckled, getting their attention instantly. "I swear, I'm gonna need extra vacation days 'cause of you two. Why, this is the second time you scared us half to death!"

"You scared us this time, mom. That means we're even!" Said Eila with a smug grin.

"Yeah, no. You two are staying at home once we get you, okay?" She sighed, her voice cracking, "The thought of you two locked up in some dark, scary place in a big city... I-I don't think we've slept since leaving Zephyr Town, we just couldn't. I think your dad's forgotten all about his 'beauty' sleep."

Even through the phone, her laugh sounded forced. Her voice betrayed an intense, yet restrained stress, held back by her relief from listening to her children.

"So, where are you and dad at?" Asked Tomas, his hand tightening around the phone. Eila slid as close to the phone as possible, sweeping hair off the ear closest to it. Joanne and the man in green leaned toward Tomas as well.

Mrs. Diderot remained quiet for a long while, until she took a deep breath and said, "We're in a, how do I say this, a concrete building. It's very run down, and our room's got this terrible, moldy smell to it. It's hard to see out the window as well, as the glass is so misty. Probably from how cold it is in here, so much that I've been sleeping with double jackets! I do see a lot of blue, so it has to be close to the sea."