Page 85 of Memories Like Fangs
Everett opened the first box he had pointed to, the biggest of the two. Inside was a massive oval that was the perfect balance of pink and gold on a simple gold band. It sat within a curved double wedding band with moonstone opals framing the engagement ring, making it look like a stunning tropical sunsetwith colorful clouds of flames. It was the most beautiful ring I had ever seen.
“People love to say that dragons horde wealth, but in actuality, female dragons pass down wealth to their offspring, not just to maintain their power, but for survival. Memories and their family grimoire are just wealths of knowledge, and rings like this are just wealths of love to a dragon. The Padparadscha Sapphire in Doe’s ring is as old as her family and is imbued with the love and power of ancestors of old. According to Doe, a dragon can feel it as soon as they put it on, the warmth of acceptance and unconditional love from those who came before. It’s tradition for the dragon’s mother to give this ring to their offspring’s mate, for the band of both parents’ rings to be melted together, and the rings born anew for a new generation. Life begets new life. Dragons have long taken ‘something old, something new, something borrowed’very seriously and literally, I guess,” Everett chuckled humorlessly.
Then, he revealed the simpler, hammered golden band in the second, smaller box. He stared down at the rings in their boxes with eyes filled with so much emotion and old pain that couldn’t be spoken but remained tender as the first day it happened. He shook his head. “This wasneversupposed to be my job. I’m not supposed to be the one doing this. Doe should be here taking this ring off while in tears about how much her baby Byrdie has grown. Forrest should be emphasizing how you are going to take such good care of her. Even Max should be here threatening to burn you alive if you so much as make her break a nail.” He chuckled again, but this one sounded more like someone choking on a sob. “I would have argued that this was a bad idea before. You are a huntress, and your family… With everything your family has done, I would have said no and begged them not to approve. I know now that they would have told me not toargue with fate, that you are her mate for a reason, and that I will understand it one day.”
Everett lifted his golden-brown eyes to meet my hazel ones. They were stern and unwavering. “I will never forget how you were just before we found Byrd. When you thought she was going to die, you fucking lost it. I saw that look in your eyes. That was a bomb before it detonated. You were going to kill anything that got between you and her, and if you couldn’t have her, you would bring everything to ruin for taking her from you. If you wanted her dead, you wouldn’t have had that fire in your eyes. You wouldn’t have given her your blood. She needs you as much as you need her. You’re fated mates and a good match at that.”
He paused for a moment before continuing. “Byrd’s parents believed in love and that the magic of fated mates was as ancient as our existence, and it should be respected. I know they would have believed in y’all, too. I say all of that to say, consider this their blessing and mine. Give Byrd the ring that she deserves and straight from her dreams, okay?”
Everett closed the boxes with a soft snap before he passed them to me. I had to blink back tears and close my mouth from it dropping agape. I was speechless, unsure how to begin to not just express my gratitude but my appreciation for… all of this: his blessing, the blessing of Byrd’s parents, the beautiful fucking rings. It was so much more than I expected to receive. Yet, it also had me buzzing with so much excitement.
“Th-thank you for this. I know you know how much it’s going to mean to Byrd, but you have no idea what it means to me,” I said as I gripped each box tightly in my hands. I wanted to text my cousins that we had plans for the day, but there was one last thing I needed to do before I could start cementing my plans.
Everett’s voice pulled me from the turning wheels in my head. “Don’t you ever repeat this to anyone, but I’m flattered youasked me. It’s nice of you. Especially after everything between us.”
I smirked. “Aw, careful there, I might think you like me, Mr. Gil.”
“Gil?” Everett’s eyebrows furrowed. “Do I want to know?”
“It’s short for ‘Guncle-in-Law.’ You can blame Cody for coming up with it, but it does have a nice ring to it?—”
Everett almost choked on his coffee. “Absolutely the fuck not.”
“Would you prefer GILF like he originally proposed?”
“I’m going tokillthat kid,” he growled before pointing at me. “Don’t make me take my blessing back.”
I laughed.
Not too long afterward, Teddy emerged from Everett’s room, fully dressed with his long hair dark and damp still from his shower, and Simone and Maisie arrived. Everyone looked just as refreshed as I felt, buzzing with energy and excitement for the day ahead. The difference of having Byrd back was so palpable and obvious in the shift in the atmosphere around us. We all traded greetings and pleasantries as Everett made everyone a cup of coffee as he knew they liked it, including making me a second cup. When our chat reached a comfortable lull, I decided that now was as good as ever to enact the second part of my plan.
I took a long sip of my coffee before I cleared my throat. “Simone and Maisie? I need to ask you two something.”
Maisie raised an eyebrow toward her bangs while Simone tilted her head, her stretched green curls cascading down her shoulders.
“Before I ask this, I need younotto scream. Byrd needs as much rest as she can get, so I will end you if you wake her up. I like you both, so I would hate to have to add ‘Friends Murdered by Mate’ to the list of trauma Byrd has to endure for multiple reasons.”
Maisie snorted. “Oh, honey, IknowI’m not the one you are talking about.”
“Hey!” Simone cried out. “I can stay calm!”
“Sweetheart, I say this with all the love in the world, but your default volume is outside voice with the energy of a Pomeranian who got into her owner’s Adderall stash,” Maisie said as she patted her best friend’s arm.
While Simone pouted at the truth of Maisie’s words, Everett chuckled. “If this is about what I think it is, I think Quinn is right to prepare you.”
Teddy gave a sharp gasp. “Did you just say Quinn wasright? Now,Ineed to know what this is about, too.”
I couldn’t hold back my smile as my thumb stroked the velvet of the boxes still in my hands. The words came from my mouth with breathless excitement. “I want to ask you both for your blessing so I can propose to Byrd.”
Simone took a breath, and Maisie slammed her hand over her mouth. Maisie’s eyes and hands glowed with her purple magic, just as Simone did, in fact, let loose a scream that was muffled and lowered to a tiny squeal by Maisie’s enchantment. It was hard not to laugh, and Everett clearly felt the same way. Even when Maisie removed her hand, Simone was still hopping on the balls of her feet.
“Ohmigods, ohmigods, ohmigods, ohmigods! Byrd is going to fuckingloseit! I’m so excited for her!”
“You haven’t given your permission yet,” Everett chuckled.
Maisie was beaming, the exhilaration beyond contagious. “You know you don’t have to ask us, Quinn. You already know we will say yes. Y’all are so meant to be together that italmostmakes me question my commitment to being noncommittal.”
“Well, you two are Byrd’s sisters and her family. You know her better than anyone and have been there for her through everything. It would be rudenotto ask you.”
