Sheena eventually interrupted the quiet respite by asking, “When you accepted the king’s marriage proposal, which I heard about from Morgan, did you do it simply to keep the mortals from feeling threatened by his army encircling the village, or because you really wanted to be his wife?”
“First,” Jade said, “since you and I are friends, you can call him Darien in my presence. I really don’t need the constant reminder he’s the king. Believe me, that fact is never far from my mind, and when he’s mad at me, he makes a point of reiterating his authority.”
“Fine.”
“Second,” she added as they wandered through the west woods, Jade’s gaze scanning the area, “I wanted to say yes to him the night he asked me. I was completely taken aback when he gave me the necklace, but that ring meant even more to me.” She didn’t bother mentioning the inscription.
“Is that what you were doing in the forest by your house this evening? Trying to find the necklace?”
“Yes. I still can’t believe I lost such a valuable piece of jewelry. A family heirloom, no less. I’m sick about it.”
“Darien would never hold it against you, Jade. Despite the fact the pendant is priceless, he wouldn’t fault you. In fact, he was more concerned about you being hurt by the fire wraith than the fact the necklace had fallen off during the attack.”
“That’s very kind of him. Doesn’t make me feel any better though.” They wove their way south. “I’m going to search on hands and knees until I find that damn thing.”
“I’ll help you,” Sheena said. “I can look at night while you’re out on patrol. I have excellent vision and the moonlight will catch the diamonds, which the star is reported to be covered in.”
“You’ve never seen it?”
“No.” She looked fascinated by the prospect. “I’ve heard it’s stunning. But that’s really all I know about it. There are some hush-hush rumors from centuries ago, yet no one has ever confirmed anything. Except that it’s striking, of course.”
“That it is.”
The icy ground-covering crunched under their feet. Jade asked, “How long have you been a vampire?”
“Not long at all. Sixty-nine years. I was born in 1982.” Though she appeared no older than twenty-eight or nine.
“Born? Or is that when you became a vampire?”
“I’m a purebred. Most vampires born at the turn of the twentieth century are.”
Jade had no idea. She said, “Your parents were both vampires then?”
“Yes. We come from a long line of them. The coven I belong to is mostly composed of my relatives. But when the king—Darien,” she corrected for Jade’s benefit, “built the castle and needed an assistant, I didn’t mind leaving my family because so many demons from his alliance intended to settle close by and within the castle walls. I’ve told you before, I prefer company.”
“Interestingly, I’ve been enjoying it more than isolation recently. I suppose it was easier to not get too close to anyone after my parents died.”
She stopped abruptly. They’d reached a road cut through the forest. Jade glanced over her shoulder, back toward the direction from which they’d come. She’d veered off course while talking and they’d ended up at the one place she’d avoided for fifteen years.
“What’s wrong?” Sheena asked, alarmed. “I don’t hear or see anything. What is it, Jade?”
Her insides tightened and her breathing picked up a few notches. “This is where my parents were killed. I subconsciously brought us here.”
She turned to the woods they’d just exited, bewildered.
Sheena asked, “This isn’t your normal route?”
“Not at all. I haven’t been here since…” Her voice trailed off.
She walked back to the edge of the trees. Her stomach coile
d. With a shake of her head, she said, “I hid right over there.” She pointed to a thick patch of tall pines. Nausea suddenly welled inside her, but she fought it. “My parents took this road to a neighboring village one night. I was supposed to stay behind, with Michael’s family.”
Sheena instantly appeared by her side. “Of course, you didn’t do as you were told.”
“Of course not. I followed them. I was just about to pop out onto the road, knowing I was far enough away from Ryleigh that they wouldn’t send me back, when two wolves came out of the forest on the opposite side of the road. I crouched down, shrouded by foliage.”
Unable to stop the flow of memories, Jade suddenly felt transported to that gut-wrenching day when she’d witnessed her parents’ brutal murders.