Page 68 of Ashes and Lilies
I dropped the ring in his hand and took the watch, and I was pleased. My blood thrummed excitedly as I held up the chain and let the face of the watch catch the firelight. Julian was foolish. This was much better.
The others were scowling at him, but it was Maria who finally commented. “Really?”
“This is just Fae Management one-oh-one.” Julian shrugged. “Do some reading. Maybe it’ll come in handy one day.”
Miles reached for the ring, and Julian gave it to him without a fight. I watched this transpire, but I no longer cared.
Whatever Julian did with his possessions was no business of mine.
Maria sighed and touched her forehead as Damen and Miles crowded around the ring in the background.
“That seems like a huge liability,” Maria pointed out.
“There’s pros and cons,” Julian replied, leaning back into his seat. “You get used to it.”
The lioness raised her eyebrow in Damen and Miles’s direction. “What about them?” she asked. “Wouldn’t they know, considering?”
“Ah,” Julian mused, looking at the onmyoji and witch. “They know. Damen is just determined to do it his way on principle. Miles finds it morally reprehensible. I have no such misgivings—I’ll do whatever needs to be done.”
“Hey, Bianca,” Miles called out, and I looked back at him. He held up the ring between two fingers. “Did anything strange happen when you found this?”
“Oh.” I touched the side of my chin and looked at the ceiling. What was the exact order of things? “I saw some memories or something, then learned that the ghost’s name was Rosalie, set herspirit free, and then Finn and I were attacked by the other ghost and almost died.”
Julian, who’d been listening to me with his chin resting on his fist, straightened. “Memories?”
“I don’t know.” I rolled my shoulders and returned to my newest acquisition. “I touched the ring and then saw some scenes from her past that told me about her.” When nobody replied, I glanced up, only to see everyone looking at each other.
“What?” My stomach twisted.
“Bianca,” Maria was the first to speak. “Was Finn already with you when this happened?”
I bit my lip and slowly looked between everyone. “Yeah? He seemed surprised and then asked me what her name was. Then Rosalie came, they talked a bit, and then we were almost murdered,” I reiterated.
“But would it be murder if the one doing the killing is already dead?” Miles asked.
“That…” I began, ready to argue, but then paused. “That’s a good question.”
Did spirits get free reign with this sort of thing?
“See what I mean?” Miles crossed his arms and nodded. “It’s a lawless wasteland out there.”
“People, focus,” Damen interrupted. When we looked at him, he addressed Miles. “What were you saying before?”
Miles’s eyes widened, and he sat up. “Yeah, I have something to say.” His demeanor slipped from casual friend to professional witch in an instant. “That ring is cursed,” he declared, pointing at Damen.
Julian, Maria, and I looked at him, waiting, but he only pursed his lips and glared at Damen’s hand.
Finally, it was Julian who spoke first. “And?” he prompted. “Do you have anything else to add to that, or…?”
“I have no idea,” Miles glowered, almost pouting. “The magic is at a level that I haven’t learned in my studies yet, so I will need to consult with the Officers and maybe even the Proxies. But, seeing as though we’re keeping Bianca’s role secret, I’m limited in who I can approach.”
“Jonathon is probably a safe bet,” Damen mused, and he began to bounce his knee. “He’s still your Paragon Er Bashou, even if he is retired. Plus, he knows Bianca.”
Jonathon—my adoptive father?
“Um…” I interrupted, holding my finger in the air. “Do you think they know we’re talking?”
“I’m not sure.” Damen frowned. “Finn might have told him since they had been communicating before.”
