The Ruby in the Storm

Chapter 43: Arise Like Fire

Chapter 43: Arise Like Fire

Drip... Drip... Drip...

When Lucy was a little girl, she knew where the bad men went. Her father would send them far away to a place where they could not harm anyone anymore. She had never set foot in the jails, let alone ever think that she would be calling them home one day. Life was funny that way – it made you believe that good and evil had a place in this world when, in reality, good people often found themselves in bad places and bad people were among the saints.

"Lucy?"

Ross's voice sounded so near it was as if he was in her cell with her. Lucy felt as though she could touch him through the wall that separated them.

"My love, please..."

"You had every opportunity to take Mr. Ashe's council, Ross." Lucy murmured. "You could be free."

Ross chuckled. "Funny, freedom is all I've ever wanted. But then a strikingly beautiful young siren sang her songs and wrecked my ship on her shore."

"Now is not the time for jokes."

"I'm not joking," he assured her. "My love, I had no intention of taking Jacob Ashe's council. I understand his meaning – he thinks its righteous to save the men with the influence to potentially shape society in their favor one day. He thinks jailing the victim of a man's lust is somehow keeping society safe. Perhaps he also thought that this was an open and shut case and that we were like-minded men, that I would agree with him."

"Agree with him and live." Lucy reminded him. "If you had not met me, you would not be here. I am to blame—."

"No." Ross snarled. "You are not to blame, Lucy. You are never to blame. James Boatwright could have taken your rejection like a man and left you alone. He could have understood that you had no intention of marrying him instead of manhandling you to force your affections. My only regret is that my actions landed you in a cell beside me, and I will fight to my last breath to see you free."

"See us both free." She pressed. "Please, Ross, promise me. We live together, we die together."

Silence followed her statement, but she hoped that he agreed. She had never thought she would be the woman that would tie her life to a man. She had not even wanted marriage, and not she was betrothed to one man and falsely betrothed to another. Her heart belonged to this captain, this voyager, a man of the world, and a man that stole her heart the moment their eyes met.

"Put your ring on," Ross whispered.

Lucy turned to face the wall, placing a hand on it and pretending she was caressing his handsome face again. "Are you sure I should? What if—."

"Please, Lucy," his voice sounded almost broken, as though her doing this one thing for him would heal a very deep wound, "if we survive this, we are going to be man and wife. But if I am to hang..."

"Ross—"

"If I am to hang, I need to see that ring on your finger, to know that you and I were meant to be bound, and that I will see you in another life again and we can start once more."

Drip... Drip... Drip...

Lucy nodded, mostly to herself, and slipped the engagement ring Ross had given her on her finger. It glittered in the dim lamplight, and of all the jewels she owned it was the only one that looked like it belonged. She would never take it off, as she would never love another.

"I want to return to Belmoran," she said, still staring at the ring. "After all this is over, I want to go back, with you. I want to spend our days on the shore and our nights in our cabin."