Ruby Treasure (The Tales of Happily Ever After Series Book 2)

by K. E. Drake

  Ruby brought her hands to rest in her lap and picked at her trembling fingers, keeping her eyes glued to them to avoid meeting Samuel’s gaze.

  The silence between them stretched out for several long moments until the prince’s voice broke it. “You have no idea how much self-control it’s taking me not to pull you into my arms and kiss you right now.”

  Ruby’s gaze finally snapped up to meet the prince’s, and a soft gasp escaped her throat.

  He wore the same type of traveling clothes he had worn when they first set off on their adventure, but his shirt and pants were rumpled and coated in a heavy layer of dirt. The sandy-blond locks of his hair were hopelessly disheveled, and the stubble on his jaw couldn’t hide the clear frown that turned the corners of his mouth down. Dark circles were prominent under his normally sparkling emerald eyes, which now gazed down at her with both fatigue and relief.

  The handsome, young prince looked years older.

  “Oh, Samuel...” Ruby breathed quietly. At the very sight of her beloved prince, she wanted to cry and throw herself into the familiar warmth of his comforting embrace, but the fear seizing her heart kept her frozen where she sat. She knotted her shaking hands together and drew in a few shallow, uneven breaths.

  Deep lines etched into Samuel’s brow, and he lifted his head from the back of the settee. “Ruby, what happened to you at the ball? Why did you run away from me?” It was just as the prince asked the question that he realized that after all he had learned about Contessa, and after all the mage had told him, he still didn’t know the real reason why his Ruby had left him. It was the question that had plagued his thoughts and kept him awake these last three nights.

  “I had to,” was all Ruby said, her voice so quiet that he almost didn’t hear her.

  “What do you mean you had to?” the prince asked gently, drawing her eyes reluctantly back up to him. He held her gaze and then lifted a hand to brush his fingers over Ruby’s cheek, but she suddenly shook her head and sprang to her feet.

  Samuel tried to grab her wrist, but he narrowly missed as she darted out from behind the settee. He leapt up and went after her when she rushed from the parlor. He ran into the entrance hall and out the now open front door into the warm and sunny early afternoon.

  “Ruby, please don’t run away from me again! You can talk to me,” he called behind her, leaping down the steps of the front porch and past where he had left his horse tied to a post.

  “Please, Samuel, you can’t be here! It isn’t safe!” Ruby pleaded, quickening her pace and placing her hands over her ears in an attempt to sort the fretful thoughts racing through her mind. What about the Duchess? Did she tell everyone Samuel’s secret? Did she keep her word not to when I left?

  Samuel swiftly closed the gap between him and Ruby and caught her by her waist. She yelped and tried to free herself from his grasp, but he swept her off her feet and held her firmly against his chest. He launched them upward and sent them floating high into the air.

  “Why can’t I be here? Why do you think it isn’t safe?” he calmly questioned, although Ruby didn’t hear him.

  She gasped and threw her arms around Samuel’s neck, clinging to him tightly. “You… You’re... H-how...how are you...”

  He lifted higher into the air and passed over the roof of the estate. He was still human, not in his dragon form. “There are a couple things about myself I haven’t gotten to share with you yet,” he admitted, his eyes searching the rolling fields of green spread out far below them.

  “But how?” Ruby squeaked. “How can you fly?”

  Samuel’s eyes returned to Ruby’s. “Magic users with the ability to shift into an animal are also able to use their magic outside of their beast form. For example, I, my mother, and all the dragon shifters before us can fly outside of our dragon forms.”

  Ruby nodded in response. Her gaze wandered over her arm at the uninhabited fields far below them and her head began to spin. She closed her eyes and laid her head against Samuel’s shoulder, clinging to him a little tighter.

  Her fingers trembled at the back of Samuel’s neck, and he looked down at the top of her head. “I’m sorry I never fully explained my magic to you. I tried to before,” he tenderly apologized. “And I’m sorry if I scared you by bringing you up here. It was the only way I could think of to talk to you.”

  “It’s okay,” she spoke softly against his neck. “I’m not afraid. I know you won’t let me fall.”

  Samuel’s heart ached, but he said nothing. In the distance, hills sloped up from the fields. It was a quiet, empty area, and he took them closer to a spot with lush grass, sprinkles of colorful wildflowers, and several tall, flourishing trees which stood forming nearly a complete circle.

  Samuel’s feet touched the ground in the center of the hollow formed by the trees. He felt Ruby’s hold on him loosen, and he reluctantly set her back on her feet, although he slipped his hands up and kept a gentle hold on her arms.

  She clutched onto the front of his shirt and kept her face turned down with her eyes shut. Here alone with him now, her heart beat at a painful pace. I shouldn’t be here with him. I shouldn’t have let him catch me, and yet...being here with him, it’s all I wanted, but not what I can’t have. I-

  “Ruby,” Samuel’s gentle voice disrupted her frantic thoughts.

  “Why did you bring me out here?” she almost pleaded, not bringing her face to his.

  “I had to talk to you, Ruby. No interruptions, no distractions.” Samuel slipped a hand to cup the side of Ruby’s neck. He tried gently to turn her face up to meet his, but she shook her head and kept her gaze down. He relented and let his hand fall back to her arm. “Ruby, you can tell me. Why do you think you had to leave me?”

  Her heart wrenched painfully in guilty memory of what she did to the prince when she left him.

  Ruby blinked to hold back the stinging tears burning her eyes. She retreated a step back and then another. His warmth vanished from around her and his hands fell away, but he let her go, giving her space as she then began to pace, a few slow steps from one side and then the other in front of him with her arms wrapped tightly around herself, still unable to meet his eyes.

  Samuel shifted but remained silent as Ruby breathed a shaky breath, her voice wavering as she finally explained, “It was a woman. Duchess Sinclaire.”

  Samuel’s eyes followed Ruby while she paced. “Yes, what about her?”

  I can’t run from him now. I need to tell him everything. “After you were called away, the duchess approached me. She told me she had once seen you change into your dragon form,” she confessed. “The duchess told me I was standing in the way of something she wanted, and that I had to leave without telling you anything, or she would tell everyone at the ball your family’s secret.”

  Ruby halted her pacing then and turned to face the prince, only a short distance between them. Tears burned in the back of her eyes, but somehow she held them back. “I left to protect you. I didn’t want to go, but I didn’t know what else to do. Because of that, I hurt you, and I’m so sorry.”

  “Oh, Ruby,” Samuel sighed. “Nothing that happened was your fault. Contessa was the one to blame. Not you.” He longed to reach out to her, but he remained where he stood. “I should have explained everything to you before. Ever since I turned eighteen, my mother and father always pressured me to get married. The invitations my mother had made for the ball were sent out to every eligible young woman in Avon, in hopes that I would meet the girl I wanted to marry then. Among the ladies invited was Duchess Sinclaire.”

  Samuel rubbed a hand over his stubbled jaw, but he pressed on. “Before Avon declined, I had only met Contessa as a potential marriage prospect a couple times, but even with such little acquaintance, she made it clear that all she only wanted the match for my money. Even after the kingdom declined, the duchess still attempted to influence my decision for the position.”

  Slowly, Samuel closed the distance between him and Ruby, stopping only inches in front
of her to gaze down at her with the pain and love in his heart now evident in the emerald depths. “I was going to propose to you after the ball, but because of Contessa, I lost the woman I really loved, and I didn’t even know why.”

  Ruby could only look at him. She opened and closed her mouth several times without a sound. When she found the voice to speak, it came out in a broken whisper. “Propose?” With the one, simple word, what was left of her resolve shattered. Those were the words she had been longing to hear from the prince. She couldn’t hold back the tears burning in her eyes and they spilled over as she began to cry.

  Samuel pulled her into his embrace and held her securely against him, grateful to be able to have her in his arms once again. Her shoulders began to shake, and he brought a hand up and soothingly rubbed his palm over them in slow, circular motions.

  She leaned into the warmth of him, clutching the fabric of his shirt. “I’m sorry, Samuel. I’m so sorry,” Ruby cried, burying her face further into his shoulder. “I thought I was doing the right thing by leaving, but I only ended up hurting you. I shouldn’t have run away. I should have stayed and told you what happened.”

  She sniffled and pulled back to look up at Samuel with red-rimmed eyes. “If the duchess found out that you came to find me, she could still tell the kingdom about your magic, if she hasn’t already. That’s why it isn’t safe for you to be here.”

  Samuel shook his head and smoothed her hair, brushing the short fringe of her bangs to the side. “It’s all right now, sweetheart. You don’t have to worry about her any longer. She can’t hurt anyone anymore.”

  Ruby pulled back slightly, startled both by what he said and the sweet term of endearment he used. “What do you mean? What happened after I left?”

  Samuel smiled warmly down at her. “Don’t worry, I’ll explain everything to you later.”

  Ruby hesitated, almost afraid to ask the question nagging at her. “Wait, the duchess? She didn’t tell your secret?”

  The prince shook his head with a growing smile. “No. It’s as safe as ever.”

  A soft laugh escaped Ruby’s lips. She laid her head against Samuel’s shoulder, allowing herself to breathe easily for the first time since the night of the ball. Her tense muscles relaxed and she leaned deeper into his arms. “Oh, I’m glad that’s over.”

  “I know, Ruby. I know.” Samuel pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Ruby,” he murmured and slipped a hand up to cup the side of her neck. The rough skin of his thumb brushed over the smooth skin of her cheek, and he tilted her face up just enough to gaze down at her. “I love you, and I know now I never want to spend another day without you,” he tenderly confessed.

  Ruby’s lungs began to ache and she had to remind herself to breathe again. Her heart took flight out of the depths of her despair and she gave a watery laugh, blinking her eyes in a desperate attempt to keep from crying again. “ I dearly love you.” She spoke the words she had been longing to say since she realized her feelings for him. “I’ve known I’ve loved you since we were in Kently. I was just too afraid to tell you then.”

  The life in the prince’s emerald depths returned before her very eyes. He loved her, this beautiful girl in his arms, and she loved him. For the first time since the ball, everything finally felt right.

  His gaze fell to her lips and lingered there a moment before returning to her eyes. He dipped his head closer to hers, and with no interruptions this time, his lips met hers in a warm kiss.

  Ruby’s eyes drifted shut as his familiar warmth spread over her until it enveloped her entire being. She sighed against his lips and leaned into Samuel, slipping her arms around his neck and returning the gesture with a shyness she didn’t feel in his confident kiss.

  His hand moved from her neck into her hair and found where her long tresses had been confined in a bun. His fingers got to work finding the pins holding her hair up and carefully tugging them out. The discarded pins fell abandoned into the grass, and he ran his fingers through the silken tresses as they cascaded to her waist.

  Samuel slowed before he broke the seal of their lips, but gave her one more warm, lingering kiss before he finally pulled back and straightened to his full height.

  “Oh, my,” Ruby sighed as her eyes fluttered open. Her knees were weak, and the only thing keeping her standing was Samuel’s arm wrapped around her, holding her securely against himself.

  Samuel’s breathing came in as shallow and shaky gasps as her own, and heat crept into Ruby’s cheeks.

  “Now would probably be the time that I get down on one knee and finally ask you to marry me,” he softly laughed, his breath brushing over her ear.

  She withdrew enough to look up into his face, and the smile he gave her reached his eyes, causing them to crinkle at the corners.

  “I didn’t have enough time to get you a ring,” he paused to take his arms from around Ruby and he got down on one knee in the grass, “but I did bring you something else.” He reached into the leather satchel at his side and pulled something out before he revealed a sparkling, glass shoe.

  “You saved my other slipper?” Ruby gasped.

  “I did. For you.” Samuel presented the slipper to her and indicated to her feet.

  She fidgeted with her now loose hair and lifted her foot out to him.

  Slipping off her brown shoe, he replaced it with the delicate, shimmering glass one and then gazed up at her, his emerald eyes shining with all the love he felt for the girl standing in front of him. “I was prepared to search everywhere between Avon and Omrie for you, but the mage told me there was magic in the slipper that would lead me to my heart’s true desire.” Samuel took her hand in his, clasping it gently. “Ruby, I love you. I don’t want to live one more day of my life without you. Will you marry me?”

  Tears pricked the back of Ruby’s eyes and she nodded. “Yes! Yes, I will! I love you, Samuel.”

  The prince’s face lit up with a grin and he got to his feet, pulling her into his arms and kissing her once again.

  When he broke the kiss, Ruby ducked her head as her cheeks flamed. She tucked her hair in place behind her ear and her fingertips subconsciously went to her throat, fiddling with the delicate, gold chain hanging there. She paused and glanced down at the necklace as a thought occurred to her. She hesitated and then shyly glanced back up to the prince. “Samuel... I have a ring.”

  One side of Samuel’s mouth quirked. “You do?”

  Ruby nodded eagerly and reached to unlatch the clasp of the chain at the back of her neck. “It was my mother’s wedding ring. My father gave it to her when he asked her to marry him,” she explained as she removed the necklace. She slipped the jewelry from the chain and held it in her open palm to reveal the delicate circlet of gold with a glimmering, dark-red ruby set in the band.

  Samuel looked at the costly looking ring. Something about it peaked his attention. His brow furrowed, and he lightly took the ring, examining the sparkling, crimson jewel as it hummed softly with faint traces of magic.

  “Ruby, you are amazing!” His voice was a mere breath on his lips.

  Though she smiled a little, Ruby tilted her head. “Why? What do you mean?”

  “This is the Night Ruby, the last of the Kings’ Jewels.” His eyes returned to hers, sparkling.

  Ruby shook her head. “No, it can’t be. My father found the Jewel on his last adventure and had it made into a ring when he planned to propose to my mother.”

  Samuel briefly enclosed the ring within his hand and felt the muted pulse of magic thrum in his palm. “No, this is it. I can tell by its magic. It’s faint, but it’s there.”

  Ruby’s lips turned down in a troubled frown. “My father found one of the Kings’ Jewels, and he never told me? And I’ve had it all along?” she squeaked.

  Samuel laughed warmly. “It would seem so.”

  After a moment of thought, Ruby’s delighted smile slipped from her lips. “Samuel... Take my ring. The jewel. We lost the rest of the treasure, but you can use it and
restore your kingdom.” She swallowed the lump that formed in her throat. I don’t know how I could bear to part with my mother’s wedding ring, but if it would help Samuel... I’ll try.

  Samuel suddenly sobered. “No, Ruby. This ring is yours.”

  “What about the money? I can’t help the kingdom, and it was my fault that the other Jewels were stolen by the bandits,” Ruby mourned.

  Samuel smiled down at his love. “Ruby, my sweet, sweet Ruby. I don’t care about them anymore. We’ll find another way to restore Avon. All I care about now is you. You are worth more to me than the value of every one of the Kings’ Jewels combined. You’re my treasure.” He took her left hand in his and slipped the delicate golden ring onto her third finger. “I would never ask you to part with this ring. It was your mother’s, and you’re going to wear it as your own when you marry me.”

  Tears returned to her eyes. One slid down her cheek, and the prince gently wiped it away.

  He moved closer and placed a hand on the side of her neck beneath her hair before he leaned down and kissed her. The stubble on his unshaven face tickled her cheeks, and she found herself smiling as he broke the seal of their kiss. “I love you, Ruby.”

  “And I love you,” Ruby whispered a moment before Samuel kissed her again. She returned it and laced her arms around his neck as he pulled her in close. Her heart soared and brimmed with all the joy and happiness they would share for the rest of their lives.

  This was to be their grand adventure.

  Epilogue

  Two weeks later, the wedding of Prince Samuel of Avon and Lady Ruby Trent took place.

  Only family, close friends, and nobility were invited to attend the simple but shimmering event held on the palace grounds of Avon. The golden sun had set past the darkened silhouettes of the mountains against the pink and orange sunset in the horizon and Samuel and Ruby were married under a cover of stars that glimmered amidst the moonlit sky.