Chapter 269

“When we found you, Nora you were starving… if they’re expensive instruments,” I asked playing along, and she didn’t think about Elders or the power they held just memories of her mom teaching her to play, memories, good ones my the tenor in her mind, “You could have sold them, you’d be able to feed your children…” I was baffled. Albert doesn’t just want the violins, he wants the piece of music that Nora has memorized… all three violins need to be played at once, playing that identical piece of music on each one but he was mislead, the piece of music is in the safe Greta gave you. The violins have the key, and that’s the key to unlocking them Chelsea, that’s how your mom trapped the power. Then she gave the violins to Nora’s great great great grandmother… third wolf answered me. “I can’t sell them for different reasons, but Albert doesn’t just want them, he wants me, but when he is finished with me, he isn’t going to keep me alive… he’s a cold hearted killer. He asked that woman on the tape for them, but killed her anyways; he killed my mother because he figured he’d have me. But he lost me for sometime, if I were to sell them… I’d just be giving him a signal to track me down, I couldn’t do that.” She gazed at the room her children slept in, “I could have before, but then… do you have any idea how hard it is to just move around and around with one child? Two…? I did what I thought would keep us all safe, I started going by Lyla Rykos because of their father… I thought… I – it was the first time I had let anyone close to me, and – and it was so easy. I thought he cared about me, we were together and then he just disappeared, I spoke to Andrew – his cousin and he told me that – that Walter and his family had been in – in an accident,” she cried, tears rolling down her face. There wasn’t a single false thought in her mind, but her scent was what bothered me, I couldn’t understand it or why Ava had the same tinge to her smell as well. “I know you’re hurting, but I have a few more questions, are you up to them?” I asked. She nodded, wiping at her tears, with her sleeve, “do you still have the violins? I’d like to buy them from you… all three.” I watched her thoughts, before she went on the run, she went out to a field or what appeared to be a park maybe, with the violins, put them in setting concrete, and buried them.  I kept my face blank, but I was impressed. She shook her head ruefully, “I couldn’t sell them, and I wanted insurance, having them with me and the kids didn’t seem like the smart choice.” “But you remember where you left them?” I was hoping she would think of the location more, but all she thought about was her children, and an unexplainable guilt – his family died because of me, she thought sadly. “They’ve done nothing but cause me pain,” she whispered sadly, “I couldn’t sell them, if you want them, I used to live at Ferdinand Street, in Camden Town NW1, on the roof there is a garden. Under the third potted area, I submerged them in drying concrete on that roof, all three of them.” I nodded, deciding I’d already set up an account for her when we returned; she needed something to take care of herself and her children. “One more thing, were you bitten?” she looked at me confusion in her eyes. “Your children are like me, but you smell different, were you turned I believe…” I stopped when she thought of a love bite from Walter, they were together, and in the throes of passion he claimed her. “The twins father, he-” she pointed moved her shirt aside showing me the bite mark hidden, her face red-hot. “Did you love him?” I asked, she nodded sadly, “The number of people I’ve truly ever loved can all be counted on one hand. I love them differently you know, but my mom, the twins, Walter and Lyla…” I nodded; while I wanted to get to know Walter Rykos at dinner it was just cruel to let Nora continue to suffer this way. “I’d like to go somewhere with you right now while the twins are napping, I can get someone to sit with them in case they wake up,” I offered kindly but the horror on her face, showed me just how petrified a life Nora had led, “It’s not to hurt you, I swear. Walter isn’t dead Nora,” I said softly, her brows scrunched together confused. She shook her head, “No – he – yes – he – Andrew said that he died, if he was alive – Walter wouldn’t have abandoned me,” rasped, her hands rubbing the side of her face, the tears flowing once again, “I’m not sure but I don’t think the Albert was after you just for the violins,” Walter isn’t – he’s alive… “He’s here… right on this island here?” she pointed down. “Yes.” “So – so his mom and dad, older brother and younger sister, they aren’t dead?” she whispered sadly, it wasn’t because of me. I shook my head, “They are all alive, Nora.” “I want to see him,” she said a small voice, not until I see him; won’t believe – I need to see – to make sure – can’t leave the babies though... I would have been offended that she didn’t take my word for it, but in this circumstance, I could understand, I could relate to needing to see for myself with my own two eyes if someone I loved and thought was gone, was actually alive. “If you don’t feel comfortable leaving the babies, I can go get him and let him know you’d like to see him…” I proposed, when the thought of leaving her kids left her in a panic. “It’s him? Really him?” Her bottom lip shook, I nodded sadly, “I’ll go get Walter, I just need to speak to Gabriel first, and then I’ll go okay?” she nodded distracted, I’m not even sure that she noticed when I left her place. . . Taking the recorder I went straight to Gabriels’ office, teleporting in, finding him at his computer, talking to someone. “Hey Chelsea,” Logan said when I sat on Gabriel, “well I found the violins, or their last location,” I said proud, you didn’t so much as find them Chelsea, as question a poor girl that wouldn’t let you pay her for them, Aria joked. “Logan, can you go and get them?” I asked knowing neither Gabriel nor I could risk being seen. “Yeah, just need the address,” he replied and I proceeded to give him the address, kissing Gabriel soundly, happily and grateful – that I hadn’t experienced the pain that Nora ever had over losing Walter – before leaving to go see Walter Rykos. . .