Free Web NovelChapter 172: Chapter 172
As he spoke, Jayran reached into his pocket and pulled out something small. He twisted it from side to side and when Ragnar finally got a good look at what it was, his body froze.
Jayran gently fiddled with the ring in his hand, exuding an air of nonchalance as he did so. Like he couldn’t be bothered by his actions.
From a distance, the ring looked like any other random piece of jewelry. It had a sizable emerald gem at its center that looked like it could fetch a pretty penny but that was the extent of its supposed value. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com
It had a plain band that had no engravings or anything at all that made it distinct. But Ragnar had seen this particular ring so many times that it would have been impossible for him not to recognize it now. ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com
It pulsed a faint glow and Ragnar was unable to tear his gaze away from the ring. It was the same glow that had haunted and tormented him for years of his life.
The queen never went anywhere without her ring and when it wasn’t on her finger, it was always somewhere close to her at all times. But that was no longer the case.
Jayran had somehow gotten his hands on it and had managed to slip it out of the palace with him.
Multiple questions ran through Ragnar’s mind at once, too fast to comprehend. How did Jayran take the queen’s ring and why did he bring it here?
Jayran stole it, there was no doubt about it. The queen would never have given it to him. And with how she acted, he knew that she would rather be buried with it on her finger than offer it to anyone.
Not even her sons were allowed to touch it.
"Why do you have that with you?" Ragnar asked, and he noticed that a wary note had crept into his voice. It wasn’t because he feared the queen or anything.
Since the king learned of his existence, Ragnar had constantly been on the receiving end of Nheera’s wrath and he had gotten so used to it that there was very little she could do now that would faze him anymore.
Bastards did not get titles in Lamora, nor were they allowed to inherit property. They were supposed to fade into the background as they were seen as the result of their parents’ mistake. They were not expected to achieve much in their lives and it displeased her, the fact that Ragnar had exceeded the expectations placed upon him since birth.
He intimidated her with his successes.
Her disdain for him was just another constant in his life and it didn’t have the same impact on him anymore like it did when he was much younger. He was desensitized to it. But Jayran was not and he was playing with fire by doing what he did.
Was he aware that what he held in his hand wasn’t just any random piece of jewelry? Did he know about the powers it possessed?
A ring, forged with a drop of powerful demon’s blood, that gave its wielder the ability to bend the minds of others. Being half demon made Ragnar mostly immune to its influence. He had never felt the full effect of its power, only a dull, watered down version of it.
A power like that should never exist, Ragnar thought. Not after he had seen the effect it had on people.
" It looked nice, I couldn’t help myself. I had to take it." Jayran said flippantly, and he looked like he was reliving a memory.
Still holding the ring, he pushed his chair back and rose to his feet. " And like I said before, someone has to push her down to our level. Because when it comes to having immense power, it doesn’t just corrupt, it also makes the wielder forget the time before they had that power at their beck and call."
But of course, he knew, Ragnar thought quietly. Jayran wouldn’t have bothered stealing it if he wasn’t aware of the true value it held.
Ragnar watched his brother step away from the table and move farther across the library, only stopping when he reached the unlit hearth.
"Most of them forget how to function when the power is no longer there for them to abuse." Jayran added. He glanced down at the ring once more and a second later, he tossed it into the hearth. " I hope you plan to light it up later this evening."
A crease formed between Ragnar’s brows as all the pieces gradually fell into place. Jayran was destroying the ring and he was doing it to help him.
"Her majesty won’t be pleased when she finds out what you did." Ragnar said, deadpan.
Jayran didn’t look away from the hearth. "I know."
Ragnar’s tone was grave the next time he spoke. "She will punish you for this."
They were both aware of what Nheera did to people she considered as traitors.
What betrayal was bigger than a son going against his own mother?
" I know." Jayran said and the words sounded heavier somehow. He slowly turned back to face Ragnar. "The last time we spoke, you said I had to give you a reason to trust me. Well then, is this reason enough for you?"
The air around them felt charged as they stared at each other with that much space separating them.
Ragnar didn’t say anything for a long moment but when he finally did, it wasn’t any of the things Jayran expected him to say.
"I’m not heartless enough to send you back to the capital immediately after your grueling journey to Amris. You can stay here, but only for one night. Tomorrow, you must return to the capital and act as if nothing happened. It won’t take the queen long to notice that the ring is missing, and you can’t afford to give her any reason to suspect you."
An amused smile took over Jayran’s entire face in an instant. " So you do care about me."
