King Cave (Forever Evermore, #2)(113)
King Venclaire stared down at him until he eventually looked up. And now I saw why Ezra had kept his gaze down, hidden beneath his lashes. His eyes were slightly glowing and his furious expression was only barely masked. King Venclaire didn’t seem surprised by it, and he held Ezra’s gaze with unfeigned tolerance.
“There’s no time for fanfare or parties. We need this done immediately and have the four of you back here as soon as possible so we can begin our duties as Elders.” King Venclaire pulled the red and black ring off his finger. “Do you have your Prodigy ring with you?”
Ezra grunted and leaned on one hip as he dug into his pocket, holding Bonnie carefully with his other hand. “You told me to always keep it with me.” He pulled a smaller version of the King’s ring out of his pocket. “I listened.”
“Good.” King Venclaire nodded. “Place it on your finger.”
Ezra slipped it onto his index finger.
“Ezra Zeller,” King Venclaire took Ezra’s hand, making Bonnie hiss, “I, the current King Vampire, hand over my right to the Vampire people and dub thee the new King Vampire.” He slipped the King’s ring onto Ezra’s middle finger, and I blinked as it molded perfectly, and then fused, with the Prodigy ring, leaving only a little space between his fingers. As Ezra stared at his hand, holding Bonnie back with the other, King Venclaire smiled. “When the spell reaches the new Prodigy, the rings will separate again, and you will pass the Prodigy ring to the child or child’s guardian.” He rested his hand on Ezra’s shoulder, grinning at him. “You, I know, will do amazing things.”
Ezra cleared his throat, glancing at his dad, who had a small smile playing on his lips. Green eyes quickly darted to King Venclaire. “I pray I do as well as those before me.”
King Venclaire patted his shoulder, hastily taking his hand away when Bonnie almost got free of Ezra’s grasp. “You will.”
King Fergus stood and did the same spiel for Jack, only their rings were multicolored with red, yellow, blue, green, and white. Together, they placed the King’s ring and Prodigy ring in the same location. Index finger and the middle finger.
My eyebrows furrowed as King Nelson did the equivalent with Pearl with identical fingers, but golden rings. That was going to be an issue for me, and I would feel foolish for asking if I had to do the same. This was probably another deed I should already know. Nervously, I watched King Kincaid stride toward me. He seemed to be over his alpha’s temper, walking fluidly, the Mage having done his healing magic on him.
As he neared, I removed the Prodigy ring from the chain around my throat where I had kept it as only a reminder of Dominic, and not because it was the Prodigy’s ring. I stared at it, remembering it on Dominic’s finger in that parking lot so long ago when I had watched him tap his thumb on my rear-view mirror as he confronted me. The gradually decreasing memories weren’t any more welcomed than they had been previously, but as I glanced around at everyone else’s fingers, I blinked and realized maybe that was the answer to my question.
King Kincaid stopped next to my chair, and ignoring the fact that it was an embarrassing question, I quickly asked, “Can I put the ring on whatever finger I want?” I paused, staring up into his startled dark eyes. “I need to be able to shoot my gun properly if I’m going out there beyond protection, and Dominic wore it on his thumb.”
King Kincaid’s eyes instantly softened, glistening a little, but he gazed down at me with pride. “Yes. Any finger you like. They just need to be next to each other.”
I sighed in relief and stared down at the ring I had never slipped on before. It was still Dominic’s size, and I was betting that once I put it on it would form to my finger. The last bit of him gone to me. My Core ached at the thought, so much so, I rubbed the center of my chest…but it wasn’t as horrible as I thought it might be. My eyebrows puckered as I tried to work that one out in my mind.
It didn’t take long.
Because it was simple.
Well, if simple meant…being in love with the, now, King Vampire.
My breathing hitched as full comprehension dawned at just how far I had fallen for him.
Sure, I loved him as a best friend…but now…I was in love with the man. I was in love with the private smile he graced only me with. I was in love with his demanding attitude. I was in love with the way he sometimes drooled while he slept. I was in love with the way he cared for Jack and Pearl. I was in love with every single one of his goddamn imperfections just as much as I was in love with everything perfect about him.
I was in love.
Just as I felt a debilitating dose of fear, which seemed to radiate in pounding pulses throughout my body, at the thought of him not wanting me as badly as I wanted him…I paused my thoughts…and a brief bloom of hope, which had made an appearance yesterday, broke throughout my body, causing me to physically shiver with instant warmth, almost like adrenaline pumping through my system.
The ache in my chest decreased, so much so, my hand dropped to my lap. I bit my lip to quiet my panting breaths, inhaling deeply through my nose and exhaling shakily through my lips. God, I hoped he felt some of these emotions for me. If he didn’t, and he said no to a relationship…Christ, he would break my newly, fragilely mended heart. This was different without magic bringing two individuals together.
It was…my choice. Utterly and completely my choice. I had walked down this road without being led, at any time being able to turn away. Instead of magic throwing me at Ezra, my heart had followed him.