Chapter Fifty-Six - The Gift

What could he give his Princess and future wife? Xander already knew, but now he was having doubts. Not about her. The second thoughts centred around Genevieve and how she would react. It wasn’t the kind of thing you bestowed saying it was only temporary, either. Heirlooms were precious.

Knowing his younger sister she would approve, being something of a romantic. That was probably why she was missing still. He had often suspected de Mornay of having a hand in it. Now he was almost certain.

The trail hadn’t gone as cold as people might think. He had charged two of his mercenaries with tracking him and was awaiting a message, still hopeful after only a few days. Explaining to Eithne he was going to have to leave in a hurry without her might not be the easiest negotiation he’d ever had to make, though an amethyst ring could help to soften the blow.

Retrieving it was no problem since he’d hidden it under a loose flagstone in his new quarters.

Then he sat down with a flagon of wine and pre