Page 254 of Ruins
The same ring that haunted me for years. The one that sat on my mother’s hand; lifeless, in a box. The one that buried itself into my nightmares, a reminder of how we lost her. The one worn by two women in my family who lost their lives to the darkness of our world, but now, it’s on the hand of the woman I would sacrifice my life to protect. That ring no longer carries death. It’s not a curse. It’s something else entirely.
A harbinger of redemption.
And my sister is trying to sully all my hopes.
I stand in the doorway as Elena leaves, my jaw clenched, my breath controlled, but barely.
The moment the door shuts, my eyes lock onto Vasilisa. She’s sitting alone on the chaise longue, looking so much smaller than usual. Her expressive eyes, the ones that always shine so brilliantly, are now filled with something else. Doubt? Fear?
I can’t tell. The emotions swirl so quickly across her face, I can’t keep up.
“Vasilisa,” I start, but she lifts a hand, stopping me.
“This ring,” she says, pointing to her left hand. “Was it?”
I know exactly what she’s asking. And I won’t lie to her.
“It was.”
“Oh, Santo…” she exhales, her body deflating. She shakes her head, her expression solemn. “That’s incredibly morbid.”
I grimace, holding my hands up in surrender. “I know. I know it is. But hear me out.”
I stride over, settling next to her, taking her hand in mine.
“This ring belonged to two incredibly strong women who loved fiercely and sacrificed everything for their family. They were victims, yes. But they were so much more than that.”
She looks up at me, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. She’s listening.
I press forward, my voice low, earnest. “It’snota curse, Vasilisa. I thought it was—I let it haunt me for years. I didn’t even look at it again until I found out about our arrangement.”
Her brows furrow, pain creeping into her voice. “But why?” she interrupts, her voice breaking. “Why give it to me?”
Her eyes search mine, like she’s looking for an answer buried in the depths of my gaze.
I don’t hesitate. “Because I lost the only woman in this world who had hope for my life to be more than what it is. I lost her while she wore this ring.”
Her breath hitches. Silent tears slip down her cheeks, but she says nothing. She just waits.
My hand tightens softly around hers. “And it wasn’t until I sawyouthat hope returned.
She blinks, her lips parting. “You… you see me as your hope?” Her voice stammers, breath catching at the end.
I nod slowly, bringing her hand to my lips, brushing a kiss over her knuckles.
“You, Vasilisa,” I affirm, my voice steady, “aremy hope. You’re the one who chases away every inch of my darkness and leaves nothing but your light. And I want to bathe in it.”
Her eyes widen, her body trembling under our shared warmth.
I brush my thumb over her ring, locking my gaze with hers. “This ring… it’s meant to be a symbol of my redemption. Because you willneverface what the women before you have. I will never allow you to be in danger.”
She stares at me for a long moment, tears glistening in her eyes. And for a second, I think she’ll nod. Accept it. Let my words be enough. But instead, her lips part, and her voice soft, but edged with steel, cuts through the silence.
“Santo… I trust that you’ll protect me. That you’ll keep me safe. But do you haveanytrust in me?”
Her question strikes like a blow I didn’t see coming.
My brows furrow, confusion and guilt twisting in my chest. “What are you talking about?”
