The Guardian Mist

by Susan Stoker

  My husband scoffed at your letter, thinking you were just after our money, or maybe even wanted to meet up with me to get to the Royal Family, but when we read about the description of the ring your mother implored you to find, he relented and agreed that I should write you back.

  I do have the ring. I haven’t ever told anyone about it, but Isobel gave it to me when I was eighteen and said it was in the box that I was found in when I was a baby. I can only assume that part of the story your mother told you was true, but for one detail.

  It is no longer dark, it’s a brilliant crimson color, and I believe it’s found its true home here in England. It’s a long story involving swords and ancient legends, and I truly hope you’ll hear it someday, but the truth is stranger than fiction.

  I’m rambling now, but I still, at that point, wasn’t going to email you back, or at the very most was going to tell you that you had the wrong person.

  But you said you’ve always had dreams.

  There is an inscription on the ring that, translated from Latin, says: With Dreams Only of You. Did you know that? Odd dreams are what led me to England and to my husband. I don’t know what kind of dreams you’re having, or if you’re really having them at all, that could be a lie, but if you are, and they are anything like mine were, I imagine you aren’t sleeping well.

  The bottom line is that my husband investigated you and your family. Thoroughly. Enough for him to know you live in a not-so-nice part of Columbus and that you should probably move to a safer place. Enough to know that your mother and sister are living in a nice house on the other side of the city. Enough to know that I think I’d like you a lot more than your twin. Enough to know how desperately your mother and sister are searching for Tina’s one true love.

  The party being planned for your twenty-fifth birthday is Tina’s last chance; we both know that. I’m going to do you a favor, because I had a dream about you and that party last night. I’ve never really understood my dreams, but this one, with dragons, fog and a cityscape, I couldn’t even begin to understand.

  Please know, I’m not doing this out of the goodness of my heart. If it was up to me, I’d never let the ring out of my sight. Ever.

  But I will send it via courier. On one condition.

  That you wear it. Not your sister. You.

  You can let your mother and sister know you have it, but it stays on your finger. As soon as the party is over and your sister finds, or doesn’t find, her true love, the ring comes back to England. If I understand the legend, it won’t matter after that point. The stone in the ring will either be gray or crimson and location won’t make a difference. Yes?

  I’m doing this for you, Varinia. I’ve never had a sister and I think I just might like you. Maybe after your birthday and whatever’s happened has happened, you might take a trip to England.

  I look forward to hearing your reply.

  Please let me know if you have any questions,

  Sincerely, MacKenzie Reign

  Rin had read the email so many times she’d almost memorized it, but couldn’t resist glancing at it again. Not only had she finally found her half-sister, but she’d found the ring too.

  Cassia couldn’t be trusted. Rin knew that, knew her mom was unstable when it came to the family curse and the damn ring. She’d want to keep the ring, or at the very least have Tina wear it, but MacKenzie had demanded that Rin wear it, and she knew she’d do whatever her half-sister wanted, just to have a shot at seeing the infamous poesy ring she’d heard about her entire life.

  Rin and Tina were having a joint birthday party. Rin knew her mom was only holding it as a hail-Mary hope that Tina would find her true love. And Rin was only invited because it would look bad if one of the twins was left out of the celebration. She should’ve been weirded out that MacKenzie knew about the party, but it wasn’t any stranger than family curses. Besides, she couldn’t get the line, “I’ve never had a sister and I think I just might like you” out of her head. She’d love to get to know MacKenzie better and maybe even have the kind of relationship with her that she’d never had with Tina.

  In a dream just last night, Rin had walked up to a stranger on the street, and the other woman had said those exact words to her, smiled and walked away.

  Right after she’d left, Rin had found herself suddenly in a dark room. It was pitch black and silent as death. She had panicked, started walking with her hands out in front of her, taking baby steps so she wouldn’t run into anything. Then, all of a sudden, she found herself engulfed in the scent of fall.

  It was the only way to describe the smell she’d been dreaming about her entire life. It smelled like fireplace smoke, cold air, leaves…and peppermint.

  It was the oddest thing, but almost every nightmare she’d had in her twenty-four years had abruptly ended with a fog rolling in and that smell. It was as if, instead of a guardian angel, she had this guardian…mist. She didn’t know how else to describe it. But whenever that scent came to her, whatever was worrying, frightening, or freaking her out just stopped, and she felt safe once more.

  Rin had no idea what the dreams meant, but she didn’t have time to figure it out at the moment. She had way too much to do, including emailing her half-sister back to reassure her she wasn’t going to lose the ring. She also had to decide what she was going to wear for her birthday party…and think about when she could fit in a trip to England to meet her long-lost sister.

  Weirdness, family curses, a lying mother, and the chance that she might die an old maid notwithstanding, today was a good day. She had found her sister. That meant the world to Rin.

  3

  “Give me the ring,” Cassia demanded, holding out her hand impatiently.

  Rin shook her head and put her hand in her pocket, protecting the amazing piece of jewelry. “No. I told you that as part of the agreement—that I signed and had to get notarized—I’m the only one who can wear it and I agreed that it would be sent back to England by next week.”

  “That’s utterly ridiculous! It’s my ring, I gave it to her in the first place, and that woman has no right to dictate who will wear it and where it will be stored,” her mom said petulantly.

  Rin gazed at her sadly. She’d held a glimmer of hope that when her mom realized she’d found MacKenzie, she’d be overjoyed that her child was alive and well. Rin had prayed that her half-sister might have been somehow…misinformed about what happened to her when she’d been an infant. But when Cassia had told Rin some convoluted story about how her first baby had ended up in a box outside of a fire station, which was obviously a ridiculous attempt at a lie, the fantasy died fairly quickly.

  Her mom really had thrown away her daughter as if she were trash and had tried to get rid of the ring as well. Now it was back and Tina had to find her true love in less than a month.

  “No, Mother. The ring is safe on my finger. Nothing is going to happen to it. When Tina finds her true love, it’ll change colors no matter whose finger it’s on. Now, talk to me about this party. What still needs to be done?”

  Cassia huffed and Rin knew her mom was still pissed, but, thankfully, she let it go for now.

  The ring was warm against Rin’s finger, but even though it had a slight red glow when it had arrived (a residual glow from MacKenzie’s love?), it was now back to the gray color Cassia said it had been when she’d seen it last.

  “Fine. I don’t understand why you’re being difficult about it, but if Tina doesn’t find her true love tomorrow night, I’m holding you responsible. And don’t think you’ll be able to avoid suffering right along with all of us. You’re a part of this family. If the curse isn’t broken, you’ll be affected just as much as we are.”

  Rin ignored the threat, having heard it before and honestly not caring anymore. It usually seemed to be her fault Tina couldn’t find the man meant to be hers, for one reason or another. “The party, Mom?”

  “Nothing. I don’t need you to do anything. I’ve taken care of it all. Invitations went out on social
media, I’ve personally talked to every influential man I can think of in the city with a son. Hell, I even went to the community college and put fliers up. Tomorrow night should be hopping with single, eligible men. Tina will find the man meant to be hers. I just know it.”

  Rin stopped the eye roll that threatened to escape just in time. How in the world her mom could even know Tina’s true love would be living in Columbus, let alone show up at the party, was beyond her, but she knew better than to ask. Cassia had always been like this. Hard and tough, but ultimately still holding out hope that somehow Tina’s one true love would materialize out of thin air.

  “What time do you want me there?”

  “You?”

  “Yeah, Mom, me. For my birthday party?”

  “Hmmm, yeah, well, it’s mostly for Tina. You know, all the single guys and all. You can come and say hello, but since it’s her party, you should probably just plan on being there for a short time. It wouldn’t be good if you managed to catch the attention of a man who should be with Tina. I’ll take some pictures of the two of you so people don’t talk, but then you make yourself scarce.”

  “Mom,” Rin complained in exasperation. “We’re twins. I know Tina’s your favorite, but it’s ridiculous to not expect me to attend the entire night. You know people will be suspicious if I don’t.” Her mother’s barbs didn’t hurt anymore; she was too used to them.

  “Fine. We’ll mingle and chat at six then sit down to dinner at seven. Lights go down and the music starts at eight-thirty.”

  “Do you need anything beforehand? Help setting up?’

  “No.”

  It was always like this. Rin was a part of the family, but only peripherally. “I’ll be there around five, just in case.”

  “Varinia?”

  “Yeah, Mom?”

  “Thank you for finding the ring. I just want you to be happy, you know that, right? Tina is the key to making us all happy. That’s all I’m trying to do here. That’s all I’ve wanted for you both.”

  It was these small glimpses of love that her mom let slip through that made Rin not give up on the woman once and for all. “I know, Mom. I know.” And Rin did know. She’d heard it enough over the years to understand that everything Cassia had done her entire life had been done to chase the elusive fairytale that was finding one’s true love. Even favoring one twin over the other.

  “See you tomorrow, Mom.”

  Cassia nodded absently, already back to thinking about the party the next day, and Rin headed out the door of her mom’s house and to her car. She hadn’t seen Tina; she was most likely at the spa being pampered before her big night.

  Rin had worked eight hours that day and had another full day tomorrow. She was going in early to make sure she could finish the project she was working on before her party. Typically, Friday’s were slow, so that would make getting the work done easier.

  She was proud of how far she’d come since graduating high school. She’d earned her undergraduate degree in computer science and had lucked into a job at the same firm she’d interned with. She now worked in the IT department, improving the company’s software and trying to come up with new and better reports for the employees. It wasn’t glamorous, but Rin herself was anything but glamorous. The job fit her perfectly.

  Whatever the outcome of the ring, whether by some miracle Tina met her true love tomorrow, or in the next couple of weeks before the actual date of their twenty-fifth birthday, Rin would soon be taking the first step toward the rest of her life…and she couldn’t wait.

  4

  Rin sat at the back of the room and watched as Tina and her mom made the rounds to the different tables during dinner. Tina looked beautiful. Her auburn hair had been styled professionally and hung around her face in fat auburn curls that looked perfect. Her makeup was elegant and the dress she was wearing would put the famous Hollywood actresses on Oscar night to shame. It was an emerald green that complemented her hair perfectly and hugged her slender curves, somehow leaving nothing and everything to the imagination at the same time.

  Of course, Rin had the same color hair, but it was cut short and, as usual, wouldn’t behave, no matter what Rin did to it. When she wanted it to lie flat, it bounced up in curls; when she wanted it to be curly, it refused to cooperate. But she preferred her short hair. It stayed out of her face and eyes when she worked, and it was super easy to deal with when she worked out.

  Rin could’ve borrowed something to wear from her sister, they were exactly the same size after all, but she wasn’t sure Tina would loan her anything. Secondly, Rin was happy in her dress slacks and cashmere sweater. She’d gotten the latter for a steal last year and it was one of her favorite things to wear. It was a light yellow color and was as soft against her skin as it looked. She might not be as classically beautiful as her sister, but Rin was pleased with how she looked. And besides that, she was herself. A cocktail dress just wasn’t something she was comfortable in.

  The ballroom was beautiful; Cassia had outdone herself for the party. The woman might not win Mother of the Year, but she had an eye for decorating. There were small twinkling lights hanging from the ceiling and the green and gray color scheme really worked well in the large room. The tablecloths were gray, and the flowers on each table were white, gray and liberally stuffed with green. All-in-all, it was a lovely party, and Tina was in her element.

  Rin truly was happy for her sister. She looked like she was enjoying herself, even with the curse hanging over her head, and that was the most important thing. She’d never wish Tina ill. Ever.

  Cassia gestured to Rin, and she stood and headed over to her mother.

  “Varinia, can you please go to the lobby and see if you can’t find the night manager? I’d like the wait staff to clear the tables a bit faster. Oh, and maybe see if they can get another bartender? The line is a tad bit too long.”

  Rin sighed and nodded. She’d been doing odd jobs for her mom all night. She assumed it was a ploy to get her out of the room, but in the end, she didn’t really mind. Standing around watching Tina flirt wasn’t exactly her idea of a good time.

  She went through the maze of hallways to get back to the lobby and stood in line behind a man who was obviously checking in at the front counter.

  Not paying much attention at first, thinking about something she needed to do at work the next week, Rin was startled when she realized the scent in the air was very familiar.

  She tilted her head and breathed in again, deeper this time.

  The man in front of her finished checking in and moved slightly to the side, throwing a leather bag over his shoulder. “Evening,” he said in a polite tone, nodding and smiling at her as he turned in profile.

  His movements wafted his delicious scent toward Rin once more, engulfing her senses, and shockingly, all she could think about was burying her face in the stranger’s neck and breathing him in.

  Smoke.

  Cold air.

  Leaves.

  And when he’d said hello, she’d gotten a whiff of peppermint.

  Freaking peppermint.

  Rin’s mind whirled. What in the world was going on? Who was this man and how could he smell exactly like the calming scent she’d dreamed about her entire life? She had the firm thought that if he put his arms around her, she could burrow in and he’d keep her safe from anything that might want to hurt her. It was insane, but she suddenly longed to feel that safety, just once before she died.

  He was taller than her five-six by at least a couple of inches. He had dark, curly hair, a five-o’clock shadow on his square jaw, and beautiful hazel eyes. He was wearing a pair of jeans that had seen better days. Somehow Rin knew he hadn’t bought the jeans with the holes strategically placed on his thigh and knee, as many people did these days. He looked too…masculine to care much about fashion. His shirt was a long-sleeve plaid Henley, which strained over the muscles in his arms.

  She continued to openly study the man and tried to place him. He seemed familiar to her
, but she couldn’t remember Tina or her mom ever talking about a man who looked like him, so he probably wasn’t there for the party. He looked as though he was in his mid-thirties, definitely too old to have gone to school with Tina. Paired with his relaxed clothes was a set of work boots, probably steel-toed. His fingers were long and one hand was still clutching the leather bag over his shoulder. The other was resting at his hip, his fingers tucked into the front pocket of his jeans…

  And he was grinning at her, obviously amused rather than offended by her long stare.

  “Hello?”

  His single word made her snap back to herself. Jesus, he must think she was an idiot, standing there drinking him in as if she’d been stranded on a desert island. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to stare at you.”

  He kept smiling, but moved all the way aside so she could step up to the front desk. Aware that he wasn’t walking away and was, in fact, standing close enough for Rin to get the occasional whiff of his delicious scent, but not close enough for him to be blatantly eavesdropping, she forced herself to meet the eyes of the bored-looking receptionist.

  Focusing back on the task at hand, she relayed her mom’s wishes regarding the party. The woman nodded and said she’d contact the night manager, who would get with the catering manager and take care of it.

  Rin nodded and thanked the woman and turned—to see the man still standing nearby.

  “Do we know each other?” the man asked when she faced him again.

  “I don’t think so. Do you know Tina Velt? Are you here for her party? We’re twins, so maybe that’s how you recognize me. Although we’re pretty different.”

  “A party?” he asked.

  “Yeah. It’s a birthday thing.”

  “So, it’s Tina’s and your birthday party then,” he said with a grin. The man held out his hand. “Neat. I’m Roman.”