Page 27 of Valentine's Day Treasure

Heather’s expression took on a rigid cast, and she raised the diadem to her head immediately, dropping it down over her hair. It settled into place with the flame centered slightly above her eyebrows. Purple flame licked across Heather’s irises, startling Graeme, but then it was gone.

Is it a crown?she asked, and her mental voice sounded different—colder somehow.

A diadem,he said, watching her closely.Worn like a crown, but meant for adragen.

Heather took the diadem off her head and examined the flame.

Is it magic?she asked.

Aye.

She put it carefully back in the bag, then looked at Graeme, eyes wide.Is it for me?

Graeme nodded.It used to belong to my mother. She traveled to a distant fire world, killed the fire priestess who ruled there, and stole the everlasting flame the priestess kept. She had the diadem made from Rhen’s gold, and she fixed the everlasting flame to it with powerful magic, calling it a tribute to Rhen. As such, I ken it belongs to Rhen more than it belongs to me, and your dream from last night says it is a gift to ye.

Heather gripped the bag tighter, still looking at him, but he had no more answers.

Graeme motioned for her to keep looking in the chest, saying,I see a second compartment.

***

Heather turned back to the small chest, her heart beating faster than normal, as it had been since she’d seen the diadem. The thing called to her even now, wanting her to wear it. When she’d put it on, power had coursed through her, from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet. She’d felt pinned in place by the intensity of it, and it had scared her. It had taken all the strength in her to take it off, but once she had, she’d been able to breathe more easily, and when she put it back in the bag, the call of it had been weakened, leaving her relieved. She didn’t know if she wanted the diadem but she also didn’t think it was a good idea to refuse a gift from a goddess.

She put it aside, patting her belly with one hand—the baby felt like she was doing jumping-jacks in there—then, with trembling fingers, Heather lifted a cloth divider in the chest and revealed the lower compartment. It contained a red velvet bag, which Heather picked up. Below it was a wooden jewelry box. She opened the top and there were 12 lined compartments, and each compartment except the second held an arced gold circlet, smaller than the diadem, slightly bigger than a bracelet. Each circlet was etched with a repeating design. She looked closer, discovering that each design was a different plant. The first had a fern frond, the third, a flower, and the fourth, two cherries with connected stems. Confusion stirred inside Heather as she thought she almost knew what this meant. The next band designs were a lily pad and flower, a willow tree, an exotic-looking flower, a cattail, another tree, a bouquet of upright leaves and flowers, one more tree, and then another bouquet of hanging leaves and flowers.

Heather looked up at Graeme and didn’t know what to make of his expression. He’d leaned in close, studying the etchings on the bands. He stuck his finger in the empty second compartment, then pointed at the bag in her hand.

She opened it and found one more beautiful, arced circlet of gold, this one etched with countless tiny bell-shaped flowers, clustered at the end of leaf-covered stems.

So pretty,Heather said.

That one’s yers,Graeme said.

Heather turned it over in her hands then slid it up her hand like a bracelet but it went up to her elbow.

For me? Do you really think so?

Graeme slid the gold piece off her arm. He traced the engravings with his thumb, saying.This is Scottish heather, d’ ye see?

She nodded, enchanted with the beauty of it. Graeme unclasped it and it opened on a hinge.It’s an anklet. This curve sits on top of yer heel, and this one on top of yer foot.

Heather looked at her mate, sensing that he wasn’t telling her everything.

What aren’t you saying?she asked.

His expression tightened. He pulled another gold band out of its compartment and held it up.Anklets like these were battle attire for femaledragen.

Heather looked over the row of compartments again, and it clicked for her. She pulled the anklet out of the first compartment, speaking out loud in a rush.

“A fern. Ella’s real name is Fern.”

Graeme also switched to speaking out loud. “Aye, and that flower is a dahlia flower, and those cherries are for Cerise.”

Heather pulled the rest of the anklets out of the compartments, looking each one over.

“Battle attire?”

He nodded, his face contemplative, speaking softly. He tapped on the golden band above her left arm, making a slight, metallic plinking sound. “The anklet is meant to be worn on the leg opposite of the arm the binding ring is on, to provide counterbalance in case yer mate falls in battle.”

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