He grumbled under his breath and led me back to the main corridor, passing the familiar guard at the end. We moved through the area, the shadows darker than when we’d first arrived. Somehow the whole day had gone by.
We stopped at the dining room, where Fisher opened the door and gestured me in. I was surprised to find the others already seated. Grave and Amalee sat on one side, while Leanna,Maris and Allura sat on the other. Ryder stood and smiled. Their plates were filled with half-eaten food, and Maris was mid-bite.
“Come, sit.” Ryder pulled out the empty chair next to him.
My stomach jumped at the sight of him. He was even better looking than the last time I saw him. Keeping my gaze on his pools of blue, I moved to his side. Something was different—welcoming. Maybe it was the time we’d spent on the cliffs together, or maybe it was seeing him in a different light, but something had changed between us.
23
AUDRYN
The afternoon heat smacked me in the face. The peak of summer was always miserable, even with the coastal breeze. Most days were mild, but others were relentless. Beads of sweat dripped down my body as I walked around the stables with Fisher close behind.
Ryder was busy and only found mealtime to spend with us. His attention had shifted from Allura and Maris to solely on me; I almost felt bad for the women. Leanna too had taken more of an interest, and our interactions had become friendlier than I’d ever thought possible.
The dust clogged my nose as I shuffled over the path and continued east. I hadn’t visited the area, but when I heard the banging in the distance, my interest piqued. A large wooden structure appeared, one side yawning and accessible with large barn doors flung open. My stomach fluttered at the sight of what I knew had to be a workshop. I could identify it by sound only, even though it had been more than a year since I’d stepped foot in one.
Billowing smoke spewed out of the chimney from the forge within. I picked up the pace, and Fisher did the same; he hadarduously held his position. Though his presence was annoying, he’d kept my secret and never told Ryder he’d found me in the king’s study. And the more time we’d spent together, the less I disliked him, despite his position.
The clanking of tools vibrated against my ears, filling them with the sweet sound of crafting something special. Growing fruits and vegetables was one thing, but creating a beautiful piece of jewelry from scratch was entirely different. While produce was consumed to nurture the body, jewels were worn to nurture the soul. My hand moved to my mother’s necklace as I made my way to the open door.
An older man stood at the bench with a polishing rag in hand and the fire blazing in the forge at his back. He inspected the ring he was holding, setting down the rag and picking up a magnifier to scrutinize it further.
“Hello,” I said, stepping into the open space. Calipers, files, and soldering equipment lay neatly displayed with a variety of other tools on the surrounding benches.
“Good afternoon.” The man smiled up at me and set the magnifier down. “I don’t get many visitors out here these days.”
Fisher stepped to my side, and the man’s head tilted at the guard.
“Can’t seem to lose him.” I chuckled and held out a hand. “I’m Audryn, one of the women the prince is courting.”
“I would shake but,” the man said, wiping his hand on a cloth. “The name is Orlan. I’m the master jeweler for the Suttons.” He looked around. “My partner is usually here, but it seems she’s stepped away.”
My eyes widened at the ring in his hand. “What do you have in progress?” I stepped toward him.
The large aquamarine gem was beautiful. Cut in an oval, it was secured in a prong setting, and had to weigh at least four hundred milligrams on its own. The gold band gleamed, inlaid with small chips of aquamarine. It was impeccable work andsomething that would have taken me at least a decade of training to accomplish.
Orlan quickly set the ring into a wooden box. “Just something for Ryder.”
Fisher cleared his throat so loud it startled me.
“Prince Sutton.” The man scowled at the sandy-haired guard.
“What other projects are you working on?” I glanced around the area, fascinated by the treasure I’d stumbled upon. Other than the land, there was no place I’d rather be. I supposed it was how my father felt about libraries.
“I don’t think we should be in here, Miss Audryn,” Fisher murmured.
“Do less thinking and more shadowing, Fisher. I’m not restricted from visitinganyarea on the grounds.” I glared and adjusted my attention back to Orlan.
“This here is a pendant for Queen Sutton.” He picked up a round aquamarine gem, beveled within surrounding diamonds. The pendant looked as if it were a flower and sparkled as the man moved it in the light.
“They sure enjoy aquamarine,” I ribbed. “You’d think they’d be more creative having so many resources at their disposal.”
He shrugged. “Well, itisRivale’s royal hue, but yes, it gets quite repetitious. But I try to vary the setting and cut as often as possible. Occasionally, I’m given leeway to add accent gems as well.”
My fingers ran over the glass pendant hanging from my neck, recalling the endless hours I’d spent creating the piece. There were so many mistakes along the way that I thought I’d never get it right. Yet when I sent off the finished necklace, the effort and time spent crafting the item felt worth it.
“May I look at your necklace?” Orlan asked.
