A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust by Sally Garcia

Jacob had gotten pretty banged up-cuts and bruises everywhere, honestly kind of scary to look at. Thankfully, nothing was too serious, just some scrapes and surface wounds.

She patched Jacob up as best she could, then told Ryan to get him home and let

him rest.

After that, she stood up and strode right over to the mayor of Ivory Town.

"Isaiah, there are rules to living in a community. There's also basic decency," she said, her voice clear and steady. "You guys just going around hurting people for no reason. Isn't that going a bit too far?"

"Our town makes money. That's our business. We never said we wouldn't help you. If you can't keep up, that's on you. Don't blame us."

Isaiah's face tightened, his jaw set in an ugly scowl. He glanced at Calliope and Silas. He could tell neither of them were people to mess with. Ivory Town was outmatched here, and he knew it.

"Oxcreek's my home," Calliope continued calmly. "If Ivory Town wants to stir up trouble, you'd better think carefully about the consequences. You start something with us, I'll pay it back tenfold."

She turned back to the crowd. "Jacob was hit by Kyle, right?" she asked, her tone almost casual.

A bunch of people started shouting at once.

us too! Maybe we're not too badly

"Alright, where did you get hit, and who did

eyes went wide with outrage. "You can't be serious! That's going too

then, Silas's crew

people do something to you? What do you need

who started this," Calliope said, pointing at

"Yes, ma'am."

got to work, corralling the troublemakers while the folks from Ivory Town shouted and swore,

the people from Oxcreek, "If they hit you, you hit them back. However many punches you took, give them right

Town were left battered and gasping, looking like they'd been

was over, Calliope looked around. "Anyone else got a problem?" she

suddenly a lot less brave. He was shaking with anger. “Neil, where did you

focused on your own community

him with

about how to

got, not