Stolen Heart - By Bennett, Sawyer Page 0,60
want to be here to support you. You’ve done so much for me, I want to return the favor.”
“You can do something for me actually. Two things.”
“Name them and I will do all in my power to give it to you.”
“First, I want you to help Claire Moldevaine. I know she stole from you but she was young and frightened. She meant no harm and I get the sense she’s a good woman.”
Ava’s eyebrows raised high. “Let me get this straight. You want me to help the very woman who stole from me?”
“Pretty much.”
“And tell me, dear brother-in-law, why do I want to do this?”
“I don’t know. It just feels like it’s the right thing to do.”
“Because Annika wanted to help her?”
“Maybe.”
Ava smiled. “Well, it just so happens I am a forgiving person. I’ll see what I can do to help her.”
“Thank you.”
“My pleasure. Now what’s the second thing you want.”
Kieran stood up from the table and walked to the teapot. He poured himself a cup and sat back down. “Did Carrick tell you I want to challenge Renard Foss’ stepson, Mason?”
“He mentioned it but I figured you would tell me more when you returned.”
“Like I told Carrick, I can’t tell you why, but I want to issue a challenge to Mason. To the death. It would mean a lot if you would stand beside me with Kestevayne’s backing, but I also understand if you can’t. Seeing as how I cannot tell you the details of why I’m issuing the challenge.”
Ava regarded Kieran shrewdly. She looked every bit the Queen that she was. “I’ve known you a very long time, Kieran and if you tell me that you have information that would lead you to issue a death challenge, then I trust you. I will stand by your side and you will have Kestevayne’s full support.”
Kieran raised his eyebrows. “I didn’t think…I mean I had hoped.” He inclined his head to her in a nod of appreciation. “Thank you, Ava.”
“So, in what order would you like these favors bestowed?”
“I’d like to get Claire settled and taken care of. Then Mason. Then I can get my life moving forward again and put all of this behind me.”
“And what about Annika?”
Kieran felt a pang in his chest. He rubbed it with the heel of his hand. “What of her?”
“Will you be moving forward with or without her?”
“How can you ask that, Ava? She lied to me. She stole from you. Aren’t you in the slightest bit pissed off?”
Ava thought about it for a second. “No, actually I’m not. You said yourself that she did it for love, right? To help a friend in dire need. It doesn’t excuse theft, but I am easy to forgive. This you know about me.”
Kieran sighed. Ava would easily forgive Annika. It was her nature to always look for the best in people. He didn’t know if he could do that though. But right now, he didn’t want to think about.
CHAPTER 25
Balvraine – 2 months later
Kieran knocked on the door and heard, “Come in.”
Opening the door, he stepped in and saw Claire sitting at her desk. “Kieran! You’re right on time.”
Claire walked around her desk and gave Kieran a warm hug. Things sure had changed. Two months ago, he stood in this same spot with a knife held to her throat. The thought made him chuckle.
“What’s so funny?”
“I was just thinking that two months ago I was threatening to slit your throat, and now here we are, all hugs and kisses.”
Claire laughed. “Well, you have the hug part right but forget about the kisses.”
Kieran watched as Claire walked back to her desk and sat down. Her eyes were alive and bright with excitement. She radiated confidence.
“Well, I brought it. Are you anxious to see it?”
Claire’s eyes lit up. She nodded her head with a big grin on her face and he thought she looked like a kid at Christmas.
Reaching into his pack, he pulled out Claire’s Scepter. He reached across her desk and handed it to her. It wasn’t the ugly iron bar she had once stolen from Ava, but instead a crystal dove, its shimmery wings spread in flight.
“Oh,” Claire whispered reverently. “It’s so beautiful. I didn’t expect…”
“Ava wanted you to have something that represented peace. She wanted to be here herself, but Emma is sick and there was no way she was leaving her.”
Claire reached out and accepted the dove. She stroked her thumbs over the wings. “I still don’t understand why you and Ava