Darkly Devoted (Book 1, 2, 3)

DB Chapter 17 - The Emerald

Chapter 17

ALLISON KNEW THAT Blake was an early riser. She caught him at the crack of dawn before anyone else in the household was up. She walked around the penthouse until she found a halfway open door. It was a room where all the curtains were drawn. There was an expansive cedar table and a transparent screen above it.

"I knew you were rich," Allison teased as she opened the door and strolled inside. "I didn't know you could move all of Chastel into your girlfriend's bedroom."

Blake glanced up and closed the screen he was looking at. Allison hoped she wasn't interrupting anything, but he put her worries to rest when he smiled at her.

Now that he was well-rested, Blake certainly seemed less irritable than he had been last night. Even so, he was still dressed in all black. Allison supposed he did that because it hid the blood stains better.

"She finally allowed me to buy her something?" he asked, as though her words were news to him.

"Did you see the inside of her closet? It would put most fashion magazine editors to shame."

"She lent you that?" Blake eyed her plain black dress. Allison had stolen it from his staff's uniform closet. He looked perplexed as to why Vivienne gave her a maid's dress.

"No, I wouldn't dare touch anything that belongs to her. It's far too fine for the likes of me. My question is, how are you going to impress her once she becomes your wife? That is hard to top."

"Speaking of that," Blake motioned for Allison to come closer. He opened a secret compartment elegantly concealed within the natural lines of his artfully carved desk. He withdrew a small black box that seemed relatively unadorned compared to the location of its hiding spot.

He unceremoniously opened it for her. It was an emerald ring set in gold. Allison didn't need to handle it to know it was no ordinary ring. She had seen enough of historical artifacts in Sulia to know this ring had a story behind it.

"Do you think she would prefer something else?" Blake asked, staring down at the ring in deep thought. "Something blue perhaps, like her eyes?"

"Is that just another trinket for Vivienne to toss into her closet full of diamonds?" Allison teased. "Or is it something more?"

"My mother called it the Saraswati Emerald, once lost under Lake Tahel. I found it one day while playing in the gardens. The Liangs have something similar, a sapphire that is embedded in a mirror."

"In that rock is the secret behind Tercel?" Allison asked.

"No, my gift is independent of this ring. Tahel answers only to me, not to the wearer of this ring. Tahel Lake is fickle. It wouldn't appear to just anyone. Without Tahel, there would be no Lumins, only Black Waters or Nectar, as they call it. Even so, with this ring, Vivienne could keep Tercel going for a while even after I am gone. For perpetuity if Tahel wills it."

"And you're just going to hand that to her? The keys to the kingdom? To a girl you've only known for two months? Just like that?"

"Well, I was hoping that in return she would give me her hand in marriage. I thought, perhaps, this would serve as an engagement ring," Blake noted snarkily.

"Tahel answers to you. Jaduerial's curse affects you. This emerald came to you," Allison noted. "Have you ever asked yourself why?"

"Does Maglania know?"

"No," Allison murmured. "If she did, perhaps she would have broken the curse herself. There's one common thread that connects the three of you who suffer from the curse: Gabriel's son, Maglania, and you. Have you ever wondered what that might be?"

The door opened, and Blake immediately slammed the box closed and dropped it back into its compartment. They both looked up, expecting Vivienne at the door. It wasn't Vivienne. Sallen was peering inside nervously.

"Hi, is this the way to the living room?" she asked.

Allison pointed back the way she came. "No, back down the long hallway."

Sallen swallowed hard and nodded so hard, Allison thought her head might fall off. Clearly, she felt she was interrupting something and wanted an excuse to run back the way she came.

"Sorry, Prince Mars, Allison."

"Prince Mars?" Blake asked after Sallen disappeared.

"You are Mars," Allison rolled her eyes. "Julian is Mercury. Sadin is Neptune. Daste is Hades. They are nicknames the girls in Pearl Tower give to all of Maglania's Sentinels."

"What's your nickname?"

"Aphrodite?" Allison laughed and tossed back her messy curls. "I don't have one. They're not looking to bind themselves to me."

"Mars," Blake muttered and carefully made sure the compartment in his desk was locked once more. "I've done everything in my power to prevent the battle of the Six Families. Why did they name me after the God of War?"

"It's just a nickname," Allison rolled her eyes. "Though you would have lived up to that name if you really did murder all the other Princes."

"There may be time yet for that," Blake joked.

"About the downfall of the Sarastris," Allison continued as she gestured to his monitor. "I want to come work for you. I have no future with Sulia Palace now. I didn't even graduate from high school. You're the only connection I have, and I've been a loyal friend to you these past two years.

"I could arrange to have a high school diploma created for you."

"No, you silly goose. You're going to give me a job at Tercel. Give me a position slightly higher than Julian's. Perhaps, I could answer directly to you. Something with flexible hours and involves traveling to luxurious places."

"Am I?" Blake asked, raising an eyebrow at her demands.

"You are. How many friends do you have, Mr. Thorne?" Allison asked. "Other than Julian and me. Don't say that chauffer of yours. I could tell you things about him that will make you question everything. Not to mention, I could easily take Vivienne out to brunch where Eden and her friends are."

"Enough. Would the Vice President of International Sales do?" Blake asked. "You can't start until that thread is out of your neck, but I'll have my staff start the process now."

"Good," Allison clapped her hands together and strolled about the office. She hadn't expected him to give in that easily. This was too easy. "I also want a floor inside this building. Perhaps the seventh floor? Something not too high. This floor is much too high. I've always been afraid of heights."

"Wait."

"Wait?" Allison laughed. "Most of this building is vacant, and considering what I know about you, you want to keep me out of the reach of your enemies."

"If you want a job at Tercel, I can grant you that. But if you want to live here, in this building, you need to ask Vivienne for permission."

Allison wanted to retort that Vivienne wasn't the new Lady Thorne yet, but she held her tongue. Blake was sitting there with the engagement ring in his drawer, waiting for the right time to ask. In what universe would Vivienne say no? Not in any that Allison could imagine. Vivienne might as well be his wife.

Blake was right. Allison needed to work on her relationship with Vivienne if she wanted a place in his personal life. Allison sighed and headed for the door.

Allison had better get to work. Or else that stupid nobody, what was her name? Sally? That girl was going to get a floor here before Allison was.

"I'll spend some time with Vivienne today. Girl time. You're not invited."

"Allison," Blake stated sternly. "Nothing I told you leaves this room."

"Of course," Allison rolled her eyes. "I'm insulted you feel as though you need to remind me of that. And trust me, you're going to want me in this building. Who else will help Vivienne plan the wedding? Julian? You know how gaudy his tastes are."