Ch. 8: Ring Shopping

LORCAN

I can’t remember the last time I found myself sitting before a stack of papers, pen in hand as I try to sketch out an attack plan. Usually, I handled things like court disputes or financial matters—not infiltrating a royal base.

I groan and slouch back. Deryth had told me about the royal office and brought me here at six in the morning, and at first I was awed by the large mahogany desk, plush green leather seat and wizened bookcases stuck to the walls.

But now that desk is hurting my elbows, and the dust from the old tomes is sticking to my throat. Oh, and it’s almost noon now.

As I sit there, staring at nothing, I find my mind drifting to Amberly—as it always tends to do these days. I can’t help but feel anger towards the Lion—that he would pressure her into entering such a dangerous situation so soon.

But, at the end of the day, she listened to me over him. She’d promised me she would not go to the Queendom by herself, that she would wait, and I’m doing everything in my power to fulfill my end of the promise.

And that means assembling a heist in a matter of days. Such a feat is never easy.

Still, I can’t help but feel a stab of guilt as I think about it all. I know she’s going to be stressed so long as that sword is in Narcassia’s possession, but really, what option do we have? She can’t go there alone and without a plan. No way. Her light is nowhere near ready to deal damage, and all it will take is an injection of Wraithlock to disarm her.

No, I cannot allow her to risk herself like that. Nobody is ever taking my lionheart from me ever again, and I’d be damned to let her waltz into the arms of the enemy.

At that moment, a curt knock comes at the door, and Fennic’s head peers in a moment later.

“Brother,” he says, stepping into the office and shutting the door behind him. I put down my pen and stand. “How has the planning been going?”

I sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose. “Not well,” I admit. “I’m struggling to figure out a good entry. You know I’ve never been good at planning this sort of stuff.”

A smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. “But I have.”

“You have,” I agree, staring at him. Out of the two of us, Fennic has always been the smarter one. Everyone always assumed it was me because I was the Fae lord, and Fennic was the mere second-in-command, but their assumptions were wrong.

Then again, with how well Fennic hides it, it would be unfair of me to expect them to pick up on it. I don’t know why he’s always insisted on hiding his true intelligence. In all honesty, I think it has to do with when we were growing up. My father always had this inclination that I was his best offspring, that I was the greatest at everything, and so when Fennic did anything better than me, his talents were dismissed or, in worse cases, shot it down.

I guess our father hated the idea that Fennic could ever be better than me—his Nightweaver prodigy—and I guess at some point, he realized trying to impress Father was fruitless, and that hiding his talents was much easier.

That part of our history never sits right with me. I resent our father for what he did to Fennic all those years ago—and Rhiannon, to a lesser degree—although we hardly speak of it. I guess all we are left with now are these little ghosts that serve as reminders of our past, and Fennic’s desire to hide his intelligence is one of them.

The only time he cannot hide it, however, is when it comes to battle strategy. That is when he really shines. And sure, I’m intelligent, and I’m capable of forming solid strategies when given the time, but there is something in Fennic’s head that really just…ticks. Something that allows him to make these crazy elaborate battle plans that seem absolutely insane on the surface but always somehow manage to work.

I chuckle softly because—as much as it may kill my pride to admit it—he’s right. And I am getting a damn headache at staring at these stupid pieces of paper.

So, I push away from the desk and allow him to sit before the mound of papers outlining all the attack plans I’ve conjured thus far. He sits down before it, and is about to press pen to paper when the door to the office bangs open again, causing both our heads to snap up.

Maggie comes bounding inside.

“Lorcan!” she squeals, and I only have a moment to brace myself before she crushes me into one of her bearhugs.

“Hey, Maggie,” I manage to wheeze out. She pulls back and hits me with that yellow-eyed stare.

“I’ve been looking all over for you!” She pokes me in the ribs. Hard. “Don’t think for a second that I have forgotten our little promise!”

I frown at her. “Uhhh… promise?”

Her face drops. “You seriously don’t remember? I told you I would go shopping with you for Amberly’s wedding ring, silly.”

“Oh…” Then the memory comes back to me, and I go ram-rod straight. “Oh! Yes, well, I fear I am a little busy at the moment—”

“With getting that artifact? I know, but—”

“Who the hell told you about that?” Fennic snarls, standing up from the desk. Maggie only glares at him.

“Amberly did, and I want to point out that I now have just as much right to know about this as you do, Sir.”

Fennic bites down on his tongue almost immediately, and I find it hard to suppress my smirk. He does not look happy by any means.

“Anyways.” Maggie returns her attention to me. “It seems Fennic is handling the affairs, so Lorcan, I want you to come out to Denver today.”

I loosen a long breath. In all truth, I really don’t want to leave the palace when such tensions are on the horizon. Then again, I was just telling Amberly how she shouldn’t neglect all aspects of her life in favor of one. Besides, I did promise to marry her as soon as I could, and one thing I am not is a hypocrite.

I am also very, very eager to put a ring on her finger.

Besides, Fennic is sitting in for me at the moment. I know he’s going to toss me out of the room the moment he gets started, so I won’t be able to do anything other than stand idly by and wait anyway.

So, I nod. “Okay, but we can’t be out long. I want to be back by midnight, at least.” I turn to Fennic. “Is that okay with you, brother?”

He irritatedly waves me off. “More than fine. I’ll have the heist plans well underway by the time you get back. Then we can get to rallying some Fae tomorrow.” He shoots daggers at Maggie. “Just get her out of here. I cannot concentrate with her incessant yapping.”

Maggie huffs in indignance before storming from the room. I give Fennic a final nod of thanks before following after her.

“Go to the garage and get in my car,” I say to Maggie as we enter into the hall. “There’s something I have to do first.”

With a knowing smile, she nods and departs towards the royal garage. I hang a right and walk towards the royal bedchambers.

As I hoped, Amberly is inside, sitting on the bed. She looks absolutely stunning with her pure white locks and warm amber eyes. For a moment, she steals my breath away.

“Everything alright?” she says, hopping off the bed and striding towards me. I give her a nod.

“Fine. I just wanted to let you know I’ll be going ring-shopping with Maggie today. Fennic’s overseeing the heist planning,” I quickly add as she opens her mouth.

“Oh,” she says, seeming to relax a fraction. “Okay. How long will you be out?”

“Until midnight,” I say, and I might be wrong, but I swear something lights in her eyes. Like a cat when it spies a mouse. It doesn’t sit right with me. “Amberly?”

“Hm?” she says, then crosses the distance. “Yes, that’s fine.” She wraps me into a hug, and I’m quick to return it. “Just drive safe, okay? I want to see you back here at midnight.”

“I will.” I kiss the top of her head. “I promise.”

She smiles, and as I pull away and walk to the door, I am hit with this strange, uneasy feeling in my stomach.

But I shake it away, because I trust Amberly. She is an honest woman, and she would never betray her promise to me.

***

The Fae Kingdom is much further from the Faelands border than the Equinox manor in the south, so it takes a good four hours just for us to cross into the human world and start towards Denver.

“Gods, I forgot how long car drives can be,” Maggie groans. “We’d better find the perfect ring for her, or I’m going to sue.”

“Sue who?”

“I don’t know.” She shrugs. “Somebody.”

A smile tugs at my lips.

“Maybe Fennic.”

“Fennic?” I say, semi-surprised. “Whatever did Fennic do?”

“What has he not done?” she snips, and I bark a laugh. Fennic and Maggie have always had this strange, strained relationship that I’ve never quite understood. From the moment Maggie was accepted into our court all those years ago, Fennic seemingly took a burning dislike to her, and it has been the status quo ever since.

Even so, I can tell that my brother has taken an interest in Maggie. I’m not sure what kind of interest it is—whether it’s vitriolic, lustful, or something more, I don’t know, but I see it—a recent development that was not present before.

And maybe it’s just me being idealistic, but a large part of me hopes it’s a crush. I’ve personally gotten to know how wonderful and amazing love can be, so I feel it’s only fair that Fennic gets to experience it as well—if, indeed, it is Maggie who he secretly wants.

Maybe all they need is a push in the right direction. Maybe I need to be the one to do it.

And maybe it makes me incredibly stupid to think that I can undo a centuries-long feud between them, but some giddy, insane part of me wants to try.

So, leaning back into my seat, I try to appear casual as I ask, “So, Maggie, how are you finding your new position at the palace?”

Her face lights up in my peripheral. “I’m loving it. Amberly’s ladies-in-waiting are so wonderful, and it’s great to finally be recognized for something. To…you know…have people respect you and all that.”

Her cheeks glow a pale pink. A small smile works its way onto my face. “So I take it that you enjoy leadership positions?”

She considers that for a moment. “I guess so, yes.”

“Ah. Then you’re like my brother.”

She tenses. I lean further back into my seat, one hand on the steering wheel.

“He quite likes leadership roles as well,” I continue. “In fact, I sometimes think he would’ve made a better lord than me.”

“Well, I’m afraid I have to disagree with that,” she grumbles, and I shoot her raised brows. As though I was totally not expecting an answer along that vein.

“Why’s that? From what I’ve seen, many people like Fennic. He’s got a knack for keeping people in line while maintaining their respect.”

She presses her lips together, looking very much as though she is battling the urge to say something. I snort.

“You know you can say anything you like with me, Maggie. I will not hold it against you. Even if it is at my little brother’s expense.”

She loosens a long breath. “So I can say anything about Fennic?”

“Anything.”

“Okay.” She pauses. “Fennic has to be the most stuck-up, infuriating person I have ever met. He is shallow, arrogant, rude, vile, and has never treated me with so much as a modicum of respect. The others may whine and simper at his feet, but I will not, and he cannot handle it. That is why he hates me.”

I grimace to myself. Yikes. This is worse than I thought.

“But he is a good person at heart,” I hedge, feeling the need to defend my brother’s honor.

“Is he?” she retorts, growing angrier by the second. “I have tried to be nice to him before, you know. In the past. I tried to extend the olive branch yet he always refused to accept it—what kind of ‘good’ person does that?” She shakes her head. “But I gave up on that long ago. He resents me, and so I resent him. Simple.”

“Fennic doesn’t resent you, Maggie.”

“What makes you say that?” she replies sharply. I chew on my lip.

“He just…doesn’t. Do you remember that motorcycle crash you had? He did everything in his power to make sure you were okay.” I pause. “He seemed really worried about you, you know. Why would someone worry over someone they hate?”

“Well, then I applaud him for doing the bare minimum,” she says evenly. “But that does not minimize the years of torment I’ve endured from him. He has been nothing but an asshole.”

“But you have to admit that he’s selfless,” I say evenly. “Remember when he offered himself up to the Witch Queen for Amberly? That took a lot of guts, you know. It’s not easy signing your entire life away like that. I would know.”

“Well… I suppose he is selfless, at the very least.”

I smile to myself. “And smart. He is very, very smart. Did you know that?”

“He is?” she murmurs. My smile widens.

“Yes. Gods, yes. He always bested me in Latin and arithmetic and all the philosophies. There’s a very real reason why I leave the battle-planning up to him, you know.”

“I never pinned him as the intelligent type.”

“He hides it well,” I say, happy to be upselling my brother like this. “Although he may not seem it on the surface level, he is actually very humble.”

“Humble,” she scoffs. “I think you are biased, Lorcan.”

“Or maybe I am just very observant.”

She gives me a disbelieving side-long look, and I have to suppress my grin. When the car falls silent, however, I find myself grasping at straws—to say something that’ll elevate my brother’s status in her eyes.

“I saw him staring at you the other day, you know.”

I mentally smack myself. Maggie blinks at me in shock.

“He what?”

I groan internally. Fuck, why the hell did I just say that? Even so, I know there is no turning back now, so reluctantly I say, “I caught him staring at you that morning in the campsite. Bottom line is I don’t think he hates you, Maggie.”

“Oh,” she says quietly, not quite understanding. Then, her eyes widen, and she goes rigid. “Oh! I understand what you’re doing now. You’re trying to warm me up to Fennic, aren’t you?”

My face burns with the humiliation of being caught. Maggie just laughs.

“It was a valiant attempt, Lorcan, but sadly I am not interested in your brother. Even if he does lust after me—which I highly doubt—I would not pursue him.”

“And why’s that?”

She raises her brows. “Aside from his blatant rudeness towards me?” She shrugs. “I do not find him attractive enough, plain and simple.”

I choke on my spit. That shocks me, because never in my three-hundred years of existence have I heard anyone claim that Fennic is not attractive enough for them. In fact, it’s always been the opposite. I’ve caught many of the Fae—women and men alike—attest to Fennic’s good looks and how they’d kill for even just a night with him in bed.

I’m sure the same has been said of me. After all, I’m not oblivious to the ‘Equinox good looks’ phrase circulating the Faelands. So, Fennic must have well and truly fucked-up to get Maggie to view him as unattractive, because everyone thinks Fennic is attractive.

2

Maggie stares at me for several moments. “You’re up to something, aren’t you?”

“Hey look,” I say, pointing to the emerging skyrises glinting in the afternoon sun. “We’re almost there.”

Maggie looks ahead and, just like that, all notions of Fennic are forgotten. Even so, I can’t help but feel a bite of disappointment, because for all their rivalry I do think Fennic and Maggie would make a great match.

I loosen a forlorn sigh. You can lead a horse to water, I suppose, but you cannot make it drink.

Or…horses…in this case.

Gods, Lorcan, shut up.

***

Maggie was right—I did need her expertise when it came to shopping rings. Admittedly, I stepped into the jeweler and instantly panicked, because I had no idea where to go from there. I was overwhelmed by all the jewels glinting back at me.

Thankfully, she pointed me towards a section containing diamond rings (to the shopkeeper’s delight), and it took me only two minutes to find the one I wanted. It was a white gold ring with an orange gemstone as the centerpiece, striking me as the exact same shade as Amberly’s eyes. Two paler stones sat on either side of it—not burning with the same orange intensity, but still beautiful.

I just knew I had to buy it for her.

The shopkeeper’s eyes almost bugged out of her head when I pointed to it. She told me those were fire diamonds—the most expensive kind at her store—and I told her I would buy it. Amberly deserves only the best of the best no matter the price.

Now, I sit in the driver’s seat as Maggie clutches the fancy ring box in her hands. We’re nearly back to the Fae Kingdom.

“We have to plan the wedding now,” Maggie stammers excitedly. “It absolutely must be the best day of Amberly’s life. I want her to smile every time she looks back on it. I’m going to make sure everything is absolutely perfect and that the plan is followed to a tee.”

This monologue sounds familiar, I think to myself as I recall Fennic’s pedantic monologues of the past. I shake my head. “You’re going to be the wedding planner?”

“Of course I am,” she says indignantly. “Trust that I am going to handle everything.”

I chuckle softly. “I trust you.”

For several moments, we sit in silence, watching as one of the palace spires crests over the hill.

“I’m glad she has you, you know.”

I smile, and she smiles, and we sit in utter silence until we reach the drawbridge to the palace. When that goes down, we trundle along and pull into the palace garage.

I’m not even out of the car when Deryth Greybell comes rushing up to me.

“Your Majesty!” he cries, looking paler than I’ve ever seen him. “Her Majesty is no longer in the palace!”

“What?” I wheeze, staggering towards him. He stumbles to a stop.

“I assumed she may have gone with you, but…”

Silence. Heart pounding, I tug on the bond in my chest, only for the response to feel distant. Far away. Somewhere up north.

My heart stops. Amberly is gone, and I know exactly where she’s gone to.