The Courtship of Julian St. Albans by Amy Crook Read Free Book Online Page A

choose from. The other two items were rings of power,
and beyond even Victor’s generous allowance.
    “Tell me about the enchantments on
these,” said Alex, pointing to the three things that piqued his interest.
    “The black pearls contain an enchantment
of hope for the wounded heart, to bring love to one who was once
loveless,” said the jeweller. “They would be considered quite
appropriate for a Courtship, especially for a man famously known to be
romantically unavailable.”
    “Am I so infamous, Fauna?” said Alex,
making it into a tease though a part of him did wonder just how this jeweller
knew so much of his plans.
    “He’ll take them,” said Fauna,
ignoring Alex entirely. “You’re right, it’s too perfect.”
    “I’ll take them, but not for me,”
said Alex, getting a look of annoyance from Fauna. “They’ll make a perfect
gift, as I have no heartbreak to heal. I am merely irritating.”
    She laughed delightedly.
“As he says, then, gift-wrapped and a secret.”
    “We are the souls of discretion,”
assured the jeweller, motioning for, not an assistant, but the shop’s manager
to take the set of pearls and gift-wrap them. “Are you still interested in
the watch fobs?”
    “Yes, yes, I’ll need
one regardless,” said Alex, amused.
    “Very good, sir,” said the jeweller.
He lifted the first fob in his gloved hands, the surface showing a fascinating
iridescence created by many layers of different metals. “This is a charm
for finding what is lost.”
    “I’m familiar with the process, it’s very
time-consuming,” said Alex. “May I?” At the jeweller’s nod, Alex
took the piece, hearing the soft hum of magic as he handled it. It was an
attractive idea, and a lovely piece aesthetically, formed into an elaborate
knot of the design-chased metal that managed somehow not to confuse but clarify
his thoughts. “Still, it seems a shame to buy something I could make, were
I to feel like spending the time.”
    The jeweller nodded, but rather than being
discouraged he looked smug as he lifted the final piece, a fire-scorched bit of
rough crystal with a green-tinged metal curled around it almost like tentacles.
“This piece enhances one’s magical senses, helping to attune the
mind,” said the jeweller, handing the piece to Alex before he could be
asked.
    Alex felt a tingle of real power in this one,
and stared into the smoky crystal. “What’s it made of?” he asked. He
felt as much as heard the songs of all the magic around him separate into
individual threads, and he knew that this piece, he had to have, even if he had
to pay for it himself.
    “Volcanic diamond and oceanic green
gold,” said the jeweller. “Is it to your liking?”
    Alex chuckled. “It is, as you knew it
would be. Can we afford it, Fauna?” he asked, making puppy eyes at her as
he had when he was a boy and wanted part of her dessert as well as his own.
    She laughed. “I’ll make Victor
agree,” she said, nodding to the jeweller. “It’s perfect for you,
useful and a bit creepy, but priceless all the same.”
    That made Alex laugh, and he even relented when
she wanted him to buy a pair of ridiculous cufflinks and a cravat pin lightly
spelled to make the gems glow with an eerie inner light. Though he still put
his foot down at the awful gold-and-diamond ones she’d chosen earlier.
    ~ ~ ~
    “Are you sure?” said Flora for the
fifth time, as Alex thumbed through the tailor’s fabrics.
    Alex chuckled. “I’m quite sure, now sit
down before your husband comes to kill me. He only let you go out because I
promised to make you take it easy.”
    Flora laughed, but she sat. “He’s just
overprotective because it took so long for this first one.”
    The tailor emerged, and exchanged pained looks
with Flora. “Your first suit is ready to be tried on,” he said,
gesturing Alex into the dressing room.
    Alex smirked, but much like the gifts, he
needed his clothing to make an impression. Julian was being rushed out