All Chapters of The Ties The Bond Us: Chapter 51 - Chapter 55

"Canon!" I called, eyes widening as Conan quickly tore him from the sling, cradling him in his arms like he was shielding him from a bomb blast. Elder Raff looked frozen in place, his expression flickering between guilt and panic. "Oh no! Why'd you have to touch me at all?" Conan snapped, rocking Canon in his arms as he wailed loud enough to echo through the damn hall. The sound stabbed through me like knives. I could tell how shaken Conan was—his hands trembled even as he tried to soothe the baby, his voice tight, almost breathless. I stepped closer, jaw clenched, holding back the urge to throw Raff down the stairs. "Who would've known there was a baby there?!" Elder Raff hissed, hands raised. "Sorry, alright?!" "Conan, go to the car," I said quietly, handing him the keys. "It's parked in the usual spot." He nodded, too distracted to even argue with me. He held Canon close and turned fast, practically running down the hallway. The moment they were out of sight, I turned back to

Conan slammed the evidence on the table like it was a goddamn declaration of war. "P​ut this proof in your pipe and smoke it, dumbass," he snapped, voice smug, breathless, and shaking slightly from either triumph or sheer exhaustion. The papers scattered across my desk like falling snow, but my eyes didn't go to the handwriting right away. I couldn't look away from him. He looked really awful. His long black hair, normally tied back so neatly, hung in limp, greasy strands clinging to his forehead. His clothes were wrinkled and stained from wear, too baggy in some places like he'd missed too many meals. The hollows under his eyes had deepened into bruised shadows, and his skin had taken on that pale, drawn look that came from too many sleepless nights. And still—he stood tall. Like always. How does he always do this? I picked up the papers. Rebecca's handwriting stared back at me, left-handed, too precise where it shouldn't have been. I didn't need Charlie to confirm it, but he