Half of Ruby

Chapter 28

The stunned silence within the house did not last long. 

"Thomas! Thomas!" roared Samuel, startling everybody. "Thomas, find Abigail and—"

"—no!" said Thomas, glaring at his father. "Where would I find her? She could still be armed—"

"—I'm leaving!" Lord Tivas said. "Yvonne—"

"—I want to know what happened!" shrieked Yvonne. "What is it about her?" She jabbed a finger at Ember. 

"Yvonne, you're leaving! Right now! It's not safe here—"

Yvonne spluttered in indignation as her father's meaty fingers seized her arm in a vise. "But, Father, Abigail—"

Ember yelped as another hand closed around her own wrist. "Come on," hissed Ronan. "Let's get out of here." 

He dragged her up the stairs, as she spluttered behind him, tripping over the steps, glaring at him as she stumbled onto the second floor.  

"What was that for?" 

"You have to get away from here." Ronan pointed at the third floor, hazel eyes darting to the foyer. "Come on, let's go to your room. We need to talk." 

"No," said Ember, fury rising inside her. "Abigail just tried to kill me. I need to find—"

Ronan stared at her as though she'd just sprouted three eyes. "Ember, are you insane? Abigail is dangerous. She will try to kill you again if you—"

Ember shook her head vigorously, pointing at the door. "I need to find her." 

She held up the dagger and he edged away. Ember frowned as she examined the blade, which fit half the length of her forearm. The hilt, carved from ebony, seemed plain at first sight. She turned it over, and froze. 

There, right where the wood met the metal, laid a series of small golden symbols. 

Ember frowned, then brushed the edge of her finger against the blade. A sharp, burning sensation jolted through her hand, and she hissed, recoiling from the metal. 

"Ronan, this is silver steel. The kind of steel meant to burn Fae. And...there are strange words written here. Not in English." 

Ronan frowned. "Your point is?" 

She looked up at him. "Somehow, Abigail found a blade to kill Fae. Anyone can make this kind of metal, but these words...they are not English." 

Ronan's hands closed around the blade, and Ember blinked in surprise as she saw them tremble. 

"You can't go after her." 

She sighed. "I need answers."

"Yes, she'll answer all your questions with blows and blades. You can't go." 

Ember glared at him. "Ronan, I'm a witch. If I have to, I'll use my magic against her. She's barely my height; it's not as though she's Lord Tivas." 

Ronan's eyes widened. "Ember, that's it. If Lord Tivas wants Yvonne to marry me, he'll have to get rid of you." 

Ember stared at Ronan as she remembered the letter he had shown her. Tivas knew about Ronan's plans. He arrived early and assigned his daughter as Ronan's tutor. 

"Ronan, Lord Tivas somehow knew of your plan. I think Abigail could've told him about them." 

"What?" exclaimed Ronan. "But how would he have known? And how did he get here so quickly? A voyage from England to America takes months!"