I smiled up at him, my gaze connecting with his uncertain eyes. “I think you look great. Dashing in that dangerous smooth talker kind of way.”
He tucked a few errant curls behind my ears that had come loose from my messy bun, like I was his doll. “I want you to keep my hat, but I also want you to wear my ring.”
I swallowed hard, confused at the strange request. “Why do you want me to wear a ring? Rings are kind of a serious thing where I’m from.”
“They are here, as well. My ring will place a protection on you. Should you need me, you can hold it to your heart, and I’ll answer your call. I haven’t made myself accessible to the Daughters of Avalon in years, but I think I’ll make an exception for you, oh Queen of Dancing. The Daughters only wanted my company to ask for more favors, and more. They wanted to use me for my magic. Something tells me you’ll be different.” His eyes narrowed in threat. “Don’t let me be wrong about that.”
I mulled over the gift that sounded nice, but had a tinge of a warning to it. “Okay. Thanks. But I mean, you’ve already done me favors. You got us out of the storm, and you healed my injuries. I don’t want you to look back on this time together and think I was making you do those things. I don’t want you to resent me the way you do my aunts and my moms.”
“I don’t mind helping you; I mind being used. I can spot the difference well enough. Will you wear my ring?”
My eyebrows pulled together. “You realize I didn’t ask you to protect me, though, right? You’re only doing this because you want to be nice?”
“I’m sure you’re the only person who’s ever accused me of being nice, but yes.” He nodded, holding my hand between us, as if he was asking me to be his Valentine. “Will you wear it?”
My eyes softened when I took in the note of insecurity that snuck through his cool demeanor. “Hey, sure. Of course I will. Thank you. That’s really cool of you to go to such great lengths to make sure I’m alright. You know, you can always just come with us. Pal around on the journey.”
Kerdik smiled at me as if I’d just told him he was beautiful (which, let’s face it, he totally was). “Thank you. See? I knew you were a good choice to give this ring to. You’re already a far better person than the Daughters of Avalon ever were to me.”
I didn’t know what to make of this; I couldn’t picture Lane being mean or entitled to anyone. “I’ve never owned a ring before,” I admitted.
Kerdik quirked his eyebrow at me. “But you’re a princess. Surely you can’t be telling the truth.”
I tilted my head to the side. “How about you and I don’t lie to each other. No, I’ve never had a ring before. Lane and I weren’t exactly living the princess life up in Common.” I motioned to my jeans and my whole non-royalty demeanor. “I don’t know if you could tell. I seem to have left my crown in my other pair of beaten up old jeans.”
“I know a princess when I see one, disguised as you are.” Kerdik raised my hand to his mouth, keeping his eyes fixed on mine when his lips parted to reveal a ring between his teeth. His eyebrows jumped upward twice to reveal the playful nature in him that had lain dormant for far too long.
“Oh! Whoa. That’s freaky. How’d you do that?”
Kerdik chuckled, still staring unblinkingly at me when he inserted the ring finger of my right hand into his mouth, threading it through the white gold and sliding my digit across his slippery tongue. I tried to suppress the guilty shivers the intimate act gave me.
When he pulled my finger back out, he kissed my knuckle, smirking through my blush as I wiped my damp hand on my jeans. “Dude, ring or not, you can’t suck on my fingers. Friends don’t do that.”
Kerdik took my scolding with grace, bowing his head slightly to me. “Of course, Fleur. Just make sure to keep my ring on your finger. Promise me you’ll never take it off.”
I blinked at him, confused at the sudden seriousness. “Not even to wash my hands?”
“Never. This is a grand gift, and the only responsibility you have in accepting it is that you can’t let it leave your finger.”
I frowned, but then shrugged. “I guess I can promise that.”
“Very good. Press it to your heart and call my name three times when you need me. Then I’ll come to you.”
I looked down to examine the beauty that took my breath away. It wasn’t just a white gold band, which would’ve been the nicest piece of jewelry I’d ever owned, but the strands of gold twisted to look like vines twining around my finger. It bore a large square-shaped aquamarine gemstone, with three smaller diamonds clustered into triangles on either side. I let my gasp fly free, amazed at how grown-up my hand looked with his ring on my finger. Suddenly my nails seemed short and uncared for, and the small imperfections on my skin stood out anew. I began to understand why Jill was always getting manicures; she had a lot of nice rings. “Kerdik, I can’t wear this.”
His expression darkened like a passing storm. “Why not?”
“Because it’s too nice. People are going to think I stole it or something. I’ve never seen anything so incredible. It sparkles. I mean, I’m casting a shadow on it, and it still shines like it’s got its own personal sun behind the stones. It almost looks like it’s glowing. How did you do that?”
Kerdik chuckled that this was my reasoning for trying to return the ring. “I’m pleased you like it. Wear it always.”
“My right hook is going to be lethal with this thing.” I bit down on my lower lip, trying to fish around for the right thing to say about this very adult gift. “It’s the most beautiful thing I never knew I could touch. You really made this for me?”
“My prize should have a grand treasure befitting her inner sunshine. I should like to make certain you’re taken care of. This will help ease my mind when we’re apart.”
I couldn’t take my eyes off it. “What about you? What if you want to get ahold of me? You guys don’t exactly have cell phones here.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, I can get ahold of you now, but what if you want to go bowling or something? What if you’re in trouble, and you need help? How do you call me? I don’t know how to pull a magic ring out of my mouth.”
For some reason, this seemed to bring out real emotion in Kerdik. His eyebrows tented as he drank in my features with new appreciation. When he spoke, his voice came out choked. “I chose well, giving you my ring. You wish to be near me only to play? Not to ask for favor upon favor? You wish to help me if I’m in danger?”
I tore my gaze from the shimmering beauty on my finger to quirk my eyebrow at him. “Why the crap would I ask you for a favor? I only just met you. Makes me a little sad that you think that’s all friendship is for.” I shook my head and tsked him. “Bowling. That’s what I need you for. Talking about stupid stuff and seeing who can eat the most tacos in one go. Spoiler alert: I can eat like, a million tacos.”
Kerdik looked down at my upturned face as if I hadn’t been sleeping in the dirt for too many nights in a row. He looked at me as if I was lovely, and in that moment, I actually felt it. When he extended his arms to me, I didn’t hesitate to grant him the hard hug he desired. I wrapped my arms tight around his toned body and squeezed to be sure he knew I appreciated him – with or without the present. He didn’t let go, but used his chin to move my head to his chest, pressing my temple to his collarbone. “Your heart is a thing of true beauty. I admit, I thought all loveliness gone from Avalon.”
I rubbed his back while we held each other. “Dude, if you get this choked up about bowling, wait until I teach you soccer.”
“I look forward to our many adventures, my darling. Now go off on your mission. I have things to attend to.”
“You’re not coming with us?”
He pulled back and shook his head. “I’m afraid not.” Then he tapped his finger under my chin until my head was angled up toward him. His eyes grew serious in warning. “Do not take that ring off, Fleur. Not for any reason whatsoever. Promise me.”
I frowned, and
then examined the beautiful treasure with curiosity. “If it means that much to you, of course I won’t take it off. That’s fine, K.”
He snapped his fingers, and I heard Aunt Avril cry out in relief. I’m guessing that was her hand coming loose from the rock wall. “Come, Avril. Take your niece on a walk for some fresh air before it’s time for you all to go. Perhaps her goodness will rub off on you.”
Aunt Avril’s movements were stiff, and I could tell she was furious with Kerdik, but said nothing. She jerked my elbow to turn me around and marched me away from the cave as fast as she could until we were out of earshot. “Listen to me, Rosalie. Master Kerdik is not to be trusted. It’s his gifts that turned Avalon to ruin. It’s his games that are dangerous to get caught up in. That you’re on his map now can only mean terrible things for you. Give me the ring. His ring doesn’t belong on your finger.” She hissed at the stunning piece of jewelry as if it was a monstrosity.
I stiffened and jerked my arm from her grip. I could only allow her to pull me around for so long. I stopped in my tracks and lifted my chin. “I know I’m not real royalty, like you all are, but this is my ring. It’s the only real ring I’ve ever had, so don’t try to ruin this for me. You’ve got three rings on. Why would you try and take mine from me?”
“Because you’re wearing a curse as if it’s something to brag about,” she hissed, her composed face turning toward menace. Her even tone dropped to reveal something darker, filled to the brim with a territorial demand she didn’t seem a stranger to. “Any gift from Master Kerdik is a curse. Give it to me, and we’ll drop it in the field for the birds to find.”
I was about to open my mouth to let loose the full range of my don’t-boss-me attitude, but a loud cry cracked across the field, setting the hairs on the back of my neck on edge. I didn’t wait out the fight with Avril, but bolted back toward the cave where Bastien was flat on his back, shouting and tugging on his chest like something was about to birth from it.
“No! Bastien, what’s wrong? Madigan, help him!” I cried as I sprinted. Kerdik was standing over Bastien, murmuring something I couldn’t understand, his palms outstretched over Bastien’s writhing body.
I dodged Roland and lunged for the man in agony, but Madigan caught me around the middle with one arm. “Quiet, Princess. Ye don’t want to interrupt, or the warlock might have to start all over again.”
“Bastien’s in pain!” I shouted, thrashing against Madigan’s too-agile muscles. “Let me go!”
“He’s rebuilding parts of Bastien to make him better at protecting ye. Shut your gob and let the warlock fix all tha’s broken.”
Bastien rolled over and clawed at the ground, taking fistfuls of earth into his calloused hands as his eyes bulged. He bellowed out agony I knew I could never unhear. I eventually stopped fighting Madigan and clung to his bicep instead, willing it to hold me in place until the madness stopped.
Bastien’s howls seemed to stretch on forever, tearing at my insides. When they finally died down after what felt like a million agonized minutes, and his body slumped in the dirt, Madigan released me, coming along beside me as I ran to Bastien. With tears in my eyes, I shoved Kerdik angrily and fell to my knees by Bastien’s side. “What did you do to him?” I screeched as I fumbled with the canteen of water Cheval nudged toward me. I unscrewed the top and dumped a little over Bastien’s face to wash the dirt and sweat from it.
Kerdik took my anger in stride, though it was clear from Madigan’s arm that made to block me from Kerdik, that everyone thought I was going to be shot onsite for offending the great warlock. Kerdik straightened, his tone clipped. “I healed things that were long broken in his body. If he’s to escort you through Avalon, I won’t have your guard be subpar. I did him a kindness. He’s good as new now.”
“It sure as a crack in the head didn’t sound like a kindness! He was in pain!”
“Yes, well, I told him that he would be punished for allowing my prize to be injured. I didn’t mute the agony that comes with reparations of this magnitude. Some of his bones that healed incorrectly long ago had to be re-fused into their proper alignment. That should serve as a reminder for him not to take his post lightly in the future.”
“Dude, you and I are going to have words about this. Is he okay? Did you permanently damage him?” My trembling hand flitted over his heaving chest as I nudged my knees to his hip. “Bastien, how can I help?”
Bastien reached out and gripped my hand with barely any strength, his palm slick. “Go take the horses into the field and wait for me there.”
“What? No! Let me help you.”
Bastien shook his head, his eyes pained. “I don’t want you to see me like this. Mad can help me.” When I opened my mouth to protest, he bellowed, “Please, Rosie!”
Kerdik helped me up, snapping his fingers at the horses, and leading me dumbfounded into the field. “How could you hurt him like that? I’ve never heard a man yell so terribly. You were out of line, K. It’s like you waited for me to be away from him so you could break his body.”
“Rebreak, actually. And of course I did.” Kerdik dismissed the nearby Aunt Avril and Roland with a wave of his hand. They scattered from the gesture, as if an axe swung from his palm to chop off their heads. Roland’s muddy gag disintegrated, but he said nothing, lest the gag come back in a more permanent fashion. Kerdik grabbed my shoulders and leveled his gaze at me. “I rebuilt him so he’d be better suited for his post. I’ll not gamble your safety on a Guardien who’s not up for the task. That you chose an Untouchable was wise, but broken as he was, you needed me to fix him for you.”
“You shouldn’t have hurt someone on the off-chance it might help me. I don’t want to get ahead like that. That’s not who I am.”
He squeezed my shoulders, willing my eyes to stop shooting him daggers. “I waited for you to be further away because I knew you’d be too unselfish to think of the long game, and I was right. This is a necessary bump if you want to survive the Daughters of Avalon. Some of them were ruthless and manipulative. Morgan’s army shows no mercy.”
“You hurt Bastien! You hurt him on purpose.”
Kerdik stiffened. “I’ll not explain my motives to you again. When you’ve calmed, you’ll see that I was thinking of your wellbeing, even though you seem unconcerned with your own survival. You wanted me to be your friend? This is what that looks like.”
I didn’t know what to make of the whole situation. “You shouldn’t have made him suffer, K. That’s sick, and you know it. It’s not Bastien’s fault I broke a nail.”
“Stop telling me you broke a nail! Your lovely face was bruised and scraped, and you could barely walk! What I did will ensure that doesn’t happen again.”
I don’t know why I let Kerdik pull me into his embrace, or why I stayed there as long as I did. I felt so turned around, confused by everyone and everything in a world I couldn’t make heads or tails of. “You need to apologize to Bastien,” I ruled, my words muffled in Kerdik’s white button-down. My hand moved to rest over his charcoal vest, alighting on his leonine chest without hesitation.
“I’m certain I didn’t hear you correctly. Warlocks do not apologize.”
“Friends do. I don’t care what kind of magical unicorn you are. You hurt Bastien on purpose. I can make my peace with the rebuilding thing because I see you were trying to help, but you purposefully made it painful when it didn’t have to be? Apologize to him.”
Kerdik stiffened. “You cannot be serious.”
“You hurt the man I…” I shook my head when the right words escaped me. “I can’t have my guy and one of my few friends here picking fights with each other. Be my friend and make nice with my guy. That’s how this works.” When Judah and Jill started up, I made sure to get on her good side. Hung out with her so many times to make sure she was cool with me being around Judah, that I’m sure she was probably pretty sick of me by the end.
Kerdik exhaled. “I keep forgetting how little you know about our world. Precious as your ideal
s are, warlocks don’t apologize. Bastien needed that lesson, and he’ll carry it with him for a good long time. Should he forget to take his post seriously, I’ll be back to remind him of the high premium I place on your life.”
“That sounded nothing like, ‘My bad, Ro. I’ll totally set things straight with your guy. I took it too far, and I’m super way sorry.’”
He tucked a lock of hair behind my ear and stroked his fingertips down the slope of my unmarked cheek. “I am sorry I upset you.”
My nose scrunched. “Is this your first apology? That was weak.”
“As a matter of fact, it was my first apology in at least three decades, and it’s the most either of you will get from me.”
“Weak, K.”
Kerdik pressed his lips to my forehead, warming me as he rubbed my back. “I’ll visit again soon when I have the time. Now tell me how grateful you are that I saved you from the storm.”
“I am grateful for that, but it doesn’t give you an excuse to be mean to Bastien.”
He picked up my hand and kissed the ring he’d placed on my finger. “Tell me you won’t take off my ring, and that you’ll call when you need me.”
“Of course, but I…”
Kerdik tugged on the brim of the Newsies cap that he’d secured on my head. “Tell me it was nice to meet me.”
I sighed, guessing that I wasn’t going to get what I wanted out of this exchange. “It was nice to meet you, Kerdik.”
“I’ll come see you again when I’ve got more time. Until then, travel safely, Fleur.”
With a sweet brush of his nose across mine and a heady inhale to take in my scent, Kerdik vanished.
34
Aunt Gollum
The ride toward the woods where we’d left Draper, Lane and the rest of our party at was long and slow. Bastien was in too much pain for his horse to gallop, so we cantered the whole way. Just being touched caused him to hiss, so he requested Madigan take me on his horse.
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