Chapter 63: Stolen LightNadeira hadn't moved from the corner where she was standing. Ricardo remained still too, as if any step toward her might break her apart. The silence stretched like a knife until Ricardo finally cleared his throat.
"There's something you should know," he said.
Nadeira turned slightly, hardening her jaw. "Another confession?"
He gave a short nod. "Yes. About the pearls."
Her breath caught, and her eyes sharpened instantly. "What about them?"
Ricardo's jaw flexed as though the words hurt him. "I found pieces. Not all, but fragments. I kept them hidden in my study. I thought… I thought if I gathered enough, I could at least weaken the mark that chains you."
Her heartbeat quickened. "Fragments? Where are they now?"
Ricardo's silence said enough. His eyes fell to the floor, his fists clenched together.
Nadeira's voice rose, impatient. "Where are they, Father?"
