“I’ll take it.”
“Excellent.”Henods back and counts out the coin.
Elowen still looks distressed asItake it and set it on the cloth between us.
“Now choose,”Isay firmly.“Doyou want a ring for your finger or rings for your ears or both?”
She looks at me uncertainly…then realizesI’mserious.
“Well…sinceIdon’t have pierced ears—they were forbidden at the temple because we were meant to stay pure all our lives—I’lltake a finger ring,” she says at last.
“Very good,Ma’dam,” the merchant says to her, all business.Hebustles about, laying out trays filled with finger rings from plain and simple to elaborate and costly.Thedragon tooth has brought me enough coin that she can have any one she wants.
ButElowenbypasses the gaudier rings and reaches almost at once for a slim silver band so plain it barely catches the light.
I snort and shake my head.
“No.”
She looks up at me, frowning.
“What do you mean no?”
“I mean not that one.”Ipoint to a thicker golden ring set with a cluster of diamonds.“Trythat one.”
Her eyes widen in horror.“Theron, that’senormous.”
“It’s good,”Iargue.“Noone will ever question the color of your eyes again with that rock on your finger.”
“It’s too gaudy,” she objects.
The merchant coughs discreetly into his hand and looks away as we continue our debate.
I scowl at her.
“It’s notgaudy.”
“It looks like something a duchess would wear to blind her enemies,” she says, half-laughing.“Incase you didn’t notice,I’mnota duchess.Besides, it would make me a target for thieves.”
I glower at the thought.
“They’ll stay the fuck away from you if they know what’s good for them!”
“Theron, you won’t always be there to protect me,” she reminds me gently.“Besides, we have so little time left together—Idon’t want to spoil it with more violence.”
Her words make my heart ache, butItry not to show it.
“Well,Iguess it would be a fucking pain ifIhad to go chasing every pickpocket from here to theKing’sCourtfor trying to steal your gaudy ring,”Isay.
“Oh, sonowyou admit it’s gaudy.”
She gives me a look halfway between exasperation and laughter, and for the first time since we left the demon’s mansionIalmost smile.
After another few minutes of argument—and a tray full of rejected rings—we find one we can both live with.It’sgold, but delicate.Slimenough for her hand.Setwith two stones nestled side by side—one sapphire-blue and the other emerald green.
Elowen stares at it for a long moment andIcan’t read her face.
“For the past and the present,”Isay quietly.
