***
Looking at the image in the mirror, after taking yet another shower, Kevan shook her head, she was going to be the cleanest person in the house at the rate she kept taking showers. The ring lay on the counter Kevan’s hand hesitated before she picked it up, the light bounced off the facets of the stone. The simple design was stunning. He had fabulous taste in jewelry. Without thinking, Kevan slid it on her left hand. Grabbing the hoodie off the bed, she strolled out the door, into the waiting Niall.
Not that he wanted her to know that he was waiting, “I’m glad to see you two didn’t fall off the ends of the earth,” he teased.
“I don’t quite know how to tell you this Niall, but they discovered a while ago, the world is actually round,” she made a circle with her finger. “Sorry you missed that one.”
“Damn, that explains why I never seem to be able to find the edge, no matter how hard I try. Oh well, live and learn,” he said with a shrug.
“Hey, did you take my ring?” she posed, watching his reactions.
“Your ring?” he questioned, giving her a strange look.
“The dragon ring, the one that disappeared? When we were in England, remember?” She watched as it sunk in; the quick hitch in his voice told her all she needed to know. “You did, didn’t you?”
“What! Of course I didn’t!” he almost shouted at her, but it wasn’t convincing.
“You’re lying, Niall, why?”
“I think you’re imagining things,” he tried to avoid her questions; “We should get going.”
“Why?” she demanded, not letting go. “If you wanted it, why steal it? I would have given it to you.”
His shoulders sagged, resigning himself to telling her the truth. “I didn’t steal it,” he admitted. “I’d never steal from you, Kevan,” he assured her, watching as relief flooded her body. “I just didn’t tell you that I figured out who’d stolen it.”
“Who?” she demanded, her anger pulsing.
“Why does it matter anymore? What could you do after so long?”
“It was only two years ago, I have a right to know,” she hissed at him. “That piece, it was important to me.”
“I know it was, but you hated the school, and England,” he tried to reason.
“I didn’t hate England, I missed my family, but I learned a lot.”
“But you wouldn’t have stayed,” he argued again.
“That doesn’t give someone the right to steal from me. I worked on that piece for a long time, and I deserve to know who was so worried about my designs that they had to steal it.” She demanded answers from him, “Niall, I want to know, no let me correct that, I need to know.”
“Answer my question, what would you do after all this time?”
“Likely nothing, but it would make me feel better to know, okay?”
“You already know who it was,” Niall told her.
“I do?” Kevan questioned.
“Don’t act stupid; we both know that you aren’t.”
“It was Clarisse, wasn’t it?”
“Yes,” Niall confirmed.
“I knew it! I always suspected that bitch was behind its disappearance. She was just a little too smug when it came up missing; didn’t have my final piece. What I don’t understand, is why? She was good; she didn’t have to worry about competing with me. I didn’t want the apprenticeship with Angelica Designs anyhow.”
“But it would have been offered regardless, Kevan. Your designs have something that hers never did.”
“Oh please, she was just as talented.”
“Talented for following what others have already done, but she didn’t have the spark you do for originals. You don’t follow what everyone else is doing. You lead and they follow. You’re correct, you didn’t want or need that apprenticeship, but she didn’t want to come in second again, and the only way to win was to make sure that your final piece disappeared. You’d graduate, but not with honors; it was the only way she could beat you. You’d be fine no matter what.”
“Oh yeah, like I’m doing so well. I’m basically jobless, homeless and almost family less. I think I’m really showing everyone, aren’t I?” Kevan’s bitterness was sharp and hard.
“First off, you have a home and family, that’s never going to change, and as for a job, I could have 2 dozen orders within 24 hours for pieces similar to Caleb’s ring,” Niall offered. “Hey, give me some credit for getting it to the right person.”
“And how would you know that he was the right guy two years ago? What aren’t you telling me?” she wanted to know; “I mean, it couldn’t have been a coincidence that Caleb was the one who ended up with it, right?”
“It was a joke Kevan; you know what a joke is right? It’s supposed to make you laugh.”
“I’m not really in the laughing mood at the moment. Are you going to explain how two years before I even met him, Caleb ended up with my ring?”
“It really was an accident,” he explained, shaking his head. “You used to have a sense of humor.”
“I still do, when something’s funny,” she snapped at him. “Explain please.”
“I confronted Clarisse after you told me the ring had disappeared. I wanted to find it for you. She didn’t even care if you found it or not, she just wanted to ensure you missed the deadline. She admitted taking it to a pawnshop. Caleb was in for a visit, so I took him with me to get it. While I was distracted by a beautiful woman, Caleb spotted it. He didn’t know what I was looking for; I should have told him, but I didn’t. When he saw it, he had to have it. He’s always had a thing for dragons, and the pawnshop dealer saw big money. The transaction was already completed by the time I joined him. He paid almost £5000.00 for it. I had no idea how to tell him that it was the piece I was searching for.”
“I’m just glad that she didn’t destroy it. That was my biggest worry. She was vindictive enough to do that,” Kevan whispered, “but he paid way too much, it wasn’t worth that much.”
“It was to him,” Niall told her. “I bet it means even more, now that he knows you designed it. You told him, didn’t you?”
“Of course I told him,” Kevan admitted. “It was a shock to see it on his hand, and the fact it looks so much like his back piece, is weird.”
“Totally weird,” Niall agreed.
“I guess if he likes the ring, I’m betting that he’ll love the matching pendant that I did. I’ll have to get it out of the safe.” She stopped at the mention of the shop. Niall could see the pain that ricocheted through her body. He never ceased to be surprised by humans, and their emotions worn on their sleeves for all to see.
“She’s mad Kevan, she’ll get over it,” he tried to comfort her, but Kevan shook her head.
“I don’t know if Brennan will ever forgive me. Not when she finds out about me and Caleb,” Kevan sniffled.
“Do you want me to talk to her for you?” Niall offered.
“Gods no, that would probably make things worse, especially when she discovers that you’re a cairbare. I hate to think what she’ll say when she discovers that piece of information.” Kevan gave a quick snort of laughter, knocking the tears away.
“How much worse can it get?” he demanded.
“You have no clue, Brennan’s stubborn, and if she thinks I was involved with the cairbare without telling anyone, I hate to think what she’ll do.”
“But you didn’t know! Hell, I didn’t know.” Niall argued, “Brennan will have to grow up. You shouldn’t take the blame for something that you didn’t know.”
“Like that will matter, just trust me on this. Leave Brennan alone, promise me,” she looked at him. “Niall, I’m not kidding, I want your promise, stay away from Brennan.”
“I promise I’ll stay away from Brennan,” he assured her. He just didn’t promise how long he would stay away.