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“See that ya keep that promise to yerself. Ya need the practice,” Ma said, closing the door in my face.

ChapterNineteen

Rasmus noticed my rings the moment he stepped into the kitchen. “Did you remarry while visiting your mother last night? If so, he has terrible taste in wedding bands.”

My first thought was Rasmus woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Letting his snarkiness slide, I held out my left hand where my grandmother’s ring rested. Seven years ago, I’d removed my wedding band the first night at the cottage and cried myself to sleep afterward.

I had kept the simple gold band Jack gave me only because ya didn’t throw genuine gold away. Plus, it had Jack’s energy on it. In a pinch, I could use my old wedding band to put a curse on him... or ask Ma to do it. She was more precise.

I had no idea what Grandmother O’Malley’s ring did other than look pretty. I knew for sure that Ma was going to miss wearing it. Any woman would miss a gorgeous ring with beautiful stones. I’d have to buy Ma a replacement one day.

I looked up from my musing and smiled at Rasmus. “This ring belonged to my paternal grandmother. Ma gave it to me last night when I visited her.”

Rasmus stared at me for a long time without blinking. “Did she give you the man’s ring too?” he asked, nodding to my other hand.

I glanced at the incognito artifact. Instead of showing the elaborate symbols of the Seal of Solomon, the top of the ring had turned solid gray while I slept. As its wearer, I still felt its latent power, but it looked like a common man’s ring now. Why was it hiding its identity from Rasmus?

I couldn’t guess its motivations, but it was my nature to honor such things in all magickal creatures and artifacts. I’d gone against enough of them during my training with The Dagda to learn the penalties of defying their wishes. Magickal sentience was not to be taken lightly.

My curiosity about the seal was roused further by its stealth, but I enjoyed playing it safe when I could. Smiling, I told Rasmus what truth I felt I could safely share with him. “Da got this ring shortly after I was born. He wore it until the day he passed. Ma was feeling sentimental last night and loaned it to me. It makes me feel close to him, but it’s not mine to keep forever.”

Nodding, Rasmus finally lowered his tense body into a chair at the table. “Sometimes I wonder what my life was like before I forgot everything. Did I like my parents? Why haven’t they come to see me? I see children and their parents together, but not a single warm feeling rises inside me. It’s like my childhood never happened at all. Wouldn’t the feelings still be there if I’d ever experienced them?”

My gaze softened at his story. I got a cup and poured him coffee. “I can’t imagine what it’s like to not remember ever climbing a tree or riding a bike. That would be traumatizing for me.”

“It’s maddening,” he said.

Conn came into the kitchen and halted. “I see Bridget finally gave you Murieann’s ring.”

“Ma gave me two rings last night,” I told him, and held up both hands.

Conn scooted out a chair and sat. “Did that granite ring belong to your father?”

The penultimate demon had no reaction to it at all when he should have been cussing me. Okay. Now, I was really curious. I ran a finger across the top of the gray stone in the ring. The carved symbols of the seal were definitely not there any longer.

I stared at the ring for a long time. When Conn concluded his observation had upset me, I let him think it.

“I’m sorry you still miss him so much, Aran. I promise you that the feeling of loss lessens in time.”

I smiled at Conn. He should have been screaming bloody murder over me wearing King Solomon’s Seal. Instead, he was yawning and trying to wake up.

Smiling, I poured my oblivious, non-frightened demon king a cup of coffee. The ring’s incognito act totally ruined my plans to use it to threaten Lilith’s demon caste.

What choice did I have, though, except to keep its secrets until it was ready to reveal itself? I still wasn’t sorry I borrowed it. A magickal artifact this sentient was too dangerous for Ma to be carrying around her neck.

Maybe Ma was right. Maybe now that I had it, a true guardian would show up for it. Surely by now the original caretaker knew Da has passed on.

I made omelets while I thought about both men’s reactions to the rings. After setting food in front of them, I carried my own plate to the table.

We’d fallen into an odd camaraderie since breaking that one compulsion on Rasmus. All talking ceased as we ate. When the meal was finished, Conn rose and took our plates to the sink. I’d never seen him be so domestic before. Ma must have insisted he clean up after himself during the last seven years. Grinning, I wondered how often Conn had stayed in dog form just to avoid doing so.

I stared at the table to hide my smile as I sipped my coffee. “I have some spells to do before we search for Lilith. I’ll do them this afternoon.”

Rasmus frowned. “Spells? What kind of spells?”

I moved my gaze to his. “Spells are serious business to witches. Andmyspells aremybusiness. Ya don’t get to ask a witch that.”

He ran a hand through his hair. “Sorry. I didn’t sleep well last night.”