Half of Ruby

Chapter 14

The soft twittering of a bird fluttered through the shutters the next morning, announcing the sun's arrival from behind the pale pink haze of clouds. A gentle wind stirred through the garden, sending flower petals whirling into the air. 

And then, with an unearthly shriek, the morning tranquility shattered. 

Ember clasped a hand over her mouth, eyes wide, as she stared at her purse. 

Nobody moved from beside her—Flame stirred and groaned, her mass of fiery hair tangling over her face as she turned over on her pillow. Ash muttered and rolled away from her. 

Oh my god. 

Ember scooted into the shadow of the shutters, into one of the pale beams of sunlight streaming through the wooden interstices. The light sparkled as it struck the contents inside the purse. 

Money. More money than Ember had ever held before in her life. 

 Fifty pounds, gleaming like gems. Fifty more shillings, sparkling like silver. And then—she could only guess—a hundred little one-pence pieces, tinkling like little bells as they clashed against one another. 

Gently, almost fearfully, Ember sorted out the pieces in her palm, but the number of coins soon overflowed its capacity and plunked onto her rough cotton mattress.  

"Ember?" groaned Flame. 

Ember caught herself before she yelped again, seizing the coins with one sweaty hand. If she responded to her Omega, she would undoubtedly wake up and see the money.

Her Coven would no doubt be suspicious of the money she had. Where to hide it? Or should she give it to the Coven? 

And who had put all the money there in the first place? 

Obviously whoever had found the purse. 

But why had he or she given her so much money? 

Hurriedly, Ember leapt out of bed, vanishing down the stairs into the living room. Her mind raced as she tip-toed into the kitchen and produced a silken kerchief from inside a cabinet. 

The sun blazed up over the horizon, trumpeting forth in rays of marigold and coral. Light glittered through the kitchen window, bathing Ember's coins in baby-pink light as she hurriedly poured more than half of the purse's contents into cloth and wound a tight knot around the top. 

She took a deep breath. The purse seemed to weigh as much as it had before all the extra money. Ember opened it again, surveying its contents. 

That seems to be about right—

A flicker of white caught her eye. 

There, in the silky folds of her purse, laid a folded-up sheet of paper. 

Frowning, Ember pulled the note out. Her eyes widened as she realized that this wasn't the cheap scrap paper she, other witches, and peasants used. 

This was heavy, creamy paper, a rare commodity only the wealthy could afford. 

Heart pounding, sweat beading her forehead, Ember unfolded the note. Was the money a deal? An irreversible payment made in advance? 

I believe this is ample payment for what you gave me last time and what I hope you will give me next time. I'll see you soon. 

Unsigned. Without a name. 

And yet, it had found its way into Ember's purse, and, she suspected, not by accident....