Hunting Souls: The Ring of Shadows

Souls-4

**Caleb's POV**

"Thank you again for saving her today," Raegan said while we got ready to turn in for the night.

"No problem Raegan," I replied and saw Lanna sleeping soundly beside Mason.

Raegan saw me looking and said, "they're not dating. Lanna thinks of Mason as a brother. Sorry," she blushed and left to go find Jose.

My mind was reeling. I could have her and I knew she wanted me. It was only a matter of time... But, what about the crew? The ship?

I stood up and walked to The Nightlock whispering, "Jewel!"

She popped her head up and slid down a rope fluidly before responding, "yes?"

"I've got a dilemma."

"You didn't find the treasure?" she asked examining her knife.

"Well that is a problem, but not the one I'm focusing on. The girl I saved... She seems like a key asset to finding that treasure."

"How?" Jewel inquired, her gold eyes burning into mine.

"I don't know exactly but I have a feeling she is."

Jewel gazed at me a moment longer before tearing it away and towards the still water. "Don't be a fool and fall in love Souls." She climbed back up the rope and dropped onto the deck before disappearing.

I grumbled and headed back towards Alanna, thinking of a way to get her to come with me.

Mason was awake when I returned but he said nothing.

I picked at the fire and watched Alanna shivering from the cold. Come to think of it, it was not cold outside at all.

"She's getting worse," Mason said stroking her cheek.

It took everything inside me to not slap his hand away from her. I was going to have to work on this need to protect her.

"Is there anything else you can do for her?"

Mason shook his head, "We'll have to wait until morning."

Morning. The sky was still dark, that could be hours from now.

"Um, Caleb. Can you watch her. I'm going to see if I have anything in the boat that might help."

I got up eagerly and sat right beside her while Mason left.

She didn't stop shivering, so I laid my jacket on top of her leaving me completely shirtless. It seemed to help her a little which relieved me. I stroked her cheek and touched her lips. They were as soft as rose petals. What it would be like to kiss them... It must be unimaginable. Granted I had but CPR is way different than kissing.

Alanna stirred and moved closer to me while she slept on. I wonder if she knew it was me or not. Or would it even matter?

I held one of her hands in mine and saw how we were both the same skin tone. I don't know why I was looking at that, but it took my mind off of her being ill. Something rough touched my hand that was encased in her fingers. I opened them and gasped.

There it was, the treasure. The ring had been here the entire time! Where did she find it? Part of me, wanted to wake her up and ask and the other part of me wanted to take it from her. But I needed her to show me where she had found it. This was the Ring of Shadows. On the outside it was a single amethyst gem around a golden band.

On the inside, power beyond one's imagination was withheld. You could do anything from bringing back the dead to destroying different races of species. Pirates and other creatures had been searching for this ring for ages. Honestly it seemed like a myth to me, until I realized that living in the world that I did, myths were the truth and reality was a myth. I smiled to myself seeing now that I had a reason for Alanna being an asset to this mission. Somehow she found it, and it had to have been a coincidence. She was not an ordinary girl or human for that matter. I couldn't wait to tell Jewel!