Page 60 of Cursed
“A lot of these rings have inset gems,” Seth pointed out. “Do you like those? Cost aside, I think I prefer the simpler bands.”
“I don’t want to feel like I have to take my ring off or think about it when there’s…action,” Evan replied, mindful of beingoverheard. “Or go looking for a loose diamond after a job is finished.”
That made Seth snort at the mental image of picking through blood and monster guts for a missing gem. “I totally agree.”
They thanked the man but left without asking to try on any of the rings. “I just didn’t get the right vibes,” Evan said. “And none of the rings seemed special. Let’s keep looking.”
The Military Museum checked off Evan’s interest in Savannah’s Civil War connections beyond forts and old houses. They wandered through the displays, remarking on the events that had taken place nearby and marveling that the city had been spared from devastation like Atlanta experienced.
“It was a seaport and a supply hub,” Seth noted. “Strategic value. They saw more benefit to keeping the city as a resource than burning it as a message.”
A third jewelry store proved just as uninspiring as the second. Evan glanced at his watch as they left the shop.
“Let’s go to the Wiccan jeweler, and if we don’t see something we like, we can either go back to the first store or keep looking,” he said.
Seth suspected that while those things were true, Evan would be disappointed if they didn’t find rings now that they had discussed the idea. He hoped they could find what they wanted and crossed his fingers that the next shop would be the charm.
7
EVAN
“This lookslike our kind of place,” Evan said when they reached Stars and Moon Jewelry. The shop sat tucked between a restaurant and a clothing store on one of the Historic District’s side streets. Black painted wood framed the large windows. Both the sign and door bore the Triple Moon sign that signaled “witch friendly” to those in the know.
“Can I help you?” A woman with long blond hair tied in a high ponytail greeted them when they entered. “I’m Amber.”
“Nash sent us,” Seth told her.
Immediately, Amber’s smile broadened. “Tell him we said thank you. We love referrals. What are you looking for today?”
“Engagement wedding rings,” Evan spoke up.
“Congratulations,” she said. “Now I am curious. Why did Nash recommend our shop in particular?”
Evan felt certain that saying, “We kill dark witches” wouldn’t go over well.
“We hunt things that go bump in the night,” Seth said. “That’s how we met Nash.”
Amber’s eyes widened, and she gave them a longer once-over. “I see. Well. If Nash vouches for you, you’re okay in mybook. I’ll be honest, we get people in here who have seen too many movies, and they have no idea about the Craft or tradition; it’s all cosplay to them. That’s not the clientele we’re here to serve.”
Seth pulled his amulet from beneath his shirt, as did Evan. “We’re the real deal,” Evan said.
“So you are,” Amber replied, looking a bit surprised. “All right then. What did you have in mind? I’ll show you what we have.”
Despite Amber’s initial hesitance, Evan felt safe and protected in the store. A positive energy filled the shop; unlike the neutral feel from most of the other shops they had visited. He remembered the nice lady in the first shop and felt a little sad about not going back, but the magical vibe here made the decision easy.
“We’re not looking for bling,” Seth said and made sure to make eye contact with Evan to verify as he spoke. “We’d prefer silver for protective purposes. Runes that actually mean something and aren’t just decorative would be nice for additional warding.”
“Okay.” Amber had a faraway look in her eyes suggesting she was mentally going through the shop’s inventory. “I think we have a couple of things that might work for you.”
They followed her to a case along the back wall. As they passed through the store, Evan looked around, trying to figure out what else the store had to offer. He saw a lot of familiar charms and amulets made from various metals, stone, and wood as well as ritual items like ornate daggers.
The shop definitely had a protective and healing vibe. Evan hoped that if they found rings here that they would carry some of that energy.
“These cases are the non-commissioned pieces,” Amber said. “Some of our clients request specifically inscribed pieces,”Amber said. “Those are in the safe. Any client-submitted engraving orders have to be vetted by one of our house witches to make sure that they won’t pose a danger to others. Do no harm and all.”
“Probably a wise idea,” Seth replied.
“The inscriptions on these rings are mostly English or Latin, with some Spanish and a few other languages thrown in,” Amber told them as she brought them to the case. “I can translate anything you need.”
