I feel a cold spot grow in my hands, flooding my heart with the softest touch of grief. “Were you a smoker?”
“Still am, honey. Doctors won’t give me peace about it! They want me to be torn every which way to give me any extra week, and that makes it hard for them. Blegh. It’s been too long since I’ve seen my grandson.”
I wonder when Vincenza had her last cigarette.
Fuck. I’m doing something weird here, aren’t I? I shouldn’t be thinking about this. I don’t need to know her life.
I grab her hand and put the knife up to her palm. “Don’t worry. It’s just a small prick and it’s over.”
And I would pay far more than just a small prick for a future with Vincenza.
I quickly cut her hand then mine, grabbing our wounds together and whispering, “ixak xilikex. Tirit lavdexi.”
Her skin rots while a blackened soul crawls out, beautiful. Every flaw of this woman’s material body is reflected with something utterly perfect in her soul. It’s heavy with time, but not experience. The woman I killed led a boring life, and held a small soul for it.
But I don’t care for any of that. The most beautiful soul in the world is waiting for me to impress her, so I wipe the blood from my eyes and work through the setting exhaustion.
“Dexit vete ve. Rel dilakdev vetev ve. Tirit lavdexi. Dexit lavdexi ve.”
My breath is cold; my heart is warm.
I have created a vacuous hole in my mind that needs the warmth of her touch to fill.
I stand at her door, steadying my breath as I knock.
Despite how long I’ve been gone, there’s only a couple steps between her and the door opening—like she’s been impatiently waiting.
“So, what did my apprentice want to see me for?” She drags a finger across her smiling lips. “It’s quite late.”
I beg, “a kiss, please.”
She pulls me close enough that I can almost see into her room before our lips meet.
I close my eyes, but I know it worked without them. It’s too easy to feel my connection with the Ring spilling into her. This patron–consort bond, it’s finally become mutual, and she doesn’t even know yet.
She concludes the kiss and places her mouth next to my ear, cheeks nuzzling together. “I was right that I was obsessive with you—I can’t believe I’m suggesting this, but I need to hold you in public. Let me take you somewhere. Restaurant, café, park, I don’t care.”
“I would like that.” That and so much more.
Her hands tenderly touch my sides before gripping my ass, drawing a sigh from my lips. “I don’t spoil you half as much as I should. Tell me, tonight, what do you want?”
I open my eyes. “I want you to be proud of me.”
“Of course I am.” She pulls her head back to speak, but her jaw just falls slightly open.
All the sounds of the world stop. The music in my heart and the Ring’s flows between us snuffed out like ill fitting memories, cast aside.
I don’t think it’s horror this time. I’m not sure if she knows enough to be horrified. Her eyes just stare blankingly.
Through still lips, monotone, she whispers, “Catarina, what am I looking at?”
I tie a thread around my voice and restrain it into something nearly enthusiastic. “I became a Ringborn, for you.”
She blinks.
“I told you this is what the Ring wanted. I knew the Ring had chosen me. And look! It has!”
“I don’t—Catarina. I don’t understand.” Still no expression.
