“Iwillkeep her safe,” Colevowed.
“Good. Why didn’t you bring her back withyou?”
“She refused to come. She hasresponsibilities in the human realm, and she couldn’t leave them. Iplan to return to her as soon as I can.”
“Ah, so she is stubborn.”
“Very.”
His father laughed as he sipped his whiskey.“I was with a stubborn woman once. She drove me crazy, but Iwouldn’t have had it any other way. I was fortunate I got the timeI did with her and my firstborn son, but I’ve missed her every daysince I lost her.”
“So have I,” Cole admitted.
It was these times, when it was just them, orthem and his brothers, that Cole enjoyed the most. No one elsewould ever see this side of his father. It was reserved solely forhis family.
His father was a ruthless ruler who didn’ttolerate disobedience from his followers. He handed out punishmentswith no remorse and rarely smiled. But when he was alone with thosehe loved, he was an entirely different entity.
“I never thought I’d see the day when youwould find a woman,” his father murmured.
“Neither did I.”
His father finished off his drink beforepouring himself another. Then he dipped a hand into his shirt,pulled out the chain he wore around his neck, and unclasped it.Cole had seen the chain countless times over the years, but he’dnever seen his father remove it.
His dad slipped the two rings from the chainand hefted them in his hands. Sorrow radiated from him as heinspected them before rising and walking over to Cole. He tippedhis head back as his dad stopped in front of him.
“Hold out your hand,” his dad commanded.
Cole did as he said, and his father placedthe rings on his palm.
“These were mine and your mother’s,” hesaid.
“I know,” Cole murmured as he inspected thedelicate bands.
The light reflecting off the silver bandsemphasized the markings etched onto them. His mother’s ring was sodelicate he was afraid he’d crush it in his fingers, but made offae metal, it was far stronger than it looked.
He held them back out to his father, but hisdad clasped his hand and closed his fingers over them. “Keep them.Give your mate your mother’s ring.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Yes, you can.”
“They’re yours. It’s… it’s Mom’s.”
“And now they’re yours.”
“You’ve worn them—”
“For six hundred and sixty-five years.”
Had it been that long? He bowed his head ashe stared at the rings and remembered the woman whose love he stillfelt after all these centuries.
As he gazed at her band, he recalled seeingit on her hand as she ran her fingers through his hair or worked inone of her many gardens.
“I don’t need them to remember her,” hisfather said as he rested his hand on Cole’s shoulder. “She’llalways be in my heart, and I have only to look at you to rememberher.”
Cole’s head fell back, and he gazed up at hisfather. He hadn’t expected the sheen of tears in his dad’s eyes,but then his father blinked them away.
“Give your girl your mother’s ring. It’s whatshe would have wanted, and it would have made her so happy,” hisdad said.
