Ultimate Nyssa Glass by H. Burke (ebook reader browser txt) 📗

family of San Azula,” Renard said. He swallowed, dropped his eyes, and sighed. “My family … and I failed them.” He sank onto the bench.

Nyssa recoiled. “Your family? You’re some sort of royalty?” Renard was not her idea of Prince Charming, not in the slightest.

“Renard is the eldest son of the Duke of San Azula.” Amara tossed her hair.

“Of course he is.” Nyssa rolled her eyes. “Really, why should I believe any of this? Of course you’d claim to have the right to the gem.”

“I have nothing to lose now. My mission has failed. Blythe has the gem, and there is no way to reclaim it, or my honor.”

“Mission? I’m confused.” Nyssa sat upon the other bench, facing Renard.

Amara settled beside her man and draped herself around his neck.

Nyssa cleared her throat. “What or who are you, Renard? A lovesick Romeo escaping with his Juliet? Or the son of a duke? Or a spy on a mission?”

“Maybe a bit of all three … but unfortunately I have failed and lost all I hoped to gain.”

“You still have me, my love,” Amara whispered.

He smiled and patted her hand.

Nyssa glanced around. “What about Ellis?”

“He said he’d disembark in San Azula with the other passengers. We’ll pilot the raft to the far side of the island, hide it, then trek back to meet him at my family’s home.” Renard grimaced. “Father is going to have a big ‘I told you so’ gloat. He thought my going after the Dragon’s Heart was the ultimate in idiocy. If not for me meeting Amara, I’d say he was right.”

“Start at the beginning,” Nyssa said. Now that she was sure Ellis was safe, she didn’t mind waiting through the full story, even if it took a while and induced many more eye-rolls.

“It starts generations ago, when Amara’s great-grandfather tried to buy the Dragon’s Heart from my great-grandmother. When he was turned down, he left San Azula in a huff, only for the gem to disappear from the royal vault less than a year later. Everyone knew Cedric Blythe was behind it, but we could never prove he was in possession of the gem. Almost thirty years later, his family grew bold enough to allow their eldest daughter to wear it at her wedding. Our suspicions confirmed, we first made an attempt to reclaim it.”

“Cheeky of them,” Nyssa said. “Parading it in front of the world that way.”

“The Blythe family swore they’d purchased the gem through a legitimate dealer. The court case stretched on for decades, and just when it looked as if our family might win and finally have our treasured heirloom returned to us, the Blythes reported a break-in. The only thing of value missing? The Dragon’s Heart, of course.”

“Convenient.” Nyssa nodded.

“Indeed. We all knew they had it, but with the family respected citizenc of New Taured, we could never get the warrants for officials to search their holdings. By the time I came of age, my family had given up on the idea of ever recovering the jewel. I became obsessed with it. Against my father’s wishes, I traveled to New Taured, changed my name, and infiltrated the Blythe household as a member of the staff. Two years, slaving as a footman, to regain what is mine.” He shook his head. “But at least in that time, I met Amara.”

“I knew you were a prince the moment I laid eyes on you.” She beamed.

“Yeah, his nobility is clear. I’m guessing Amara got you to the gem?” Nyssa prodded.

“I knew where it was kept, but I had no idea it didn’t belong to my family,” Amara said. “Of course I agreed to help him get it back.”

“Yes, but unfortunately that’s when things went awry. I had no way to get myself and Amara back to San Azula. All my plans were for a single man, traveling alone, and my funds had been eaten up. Amara had an idea to pay for things with her jewelry, but that only got us so far. Then when the forger who refused to sell us the passports mentioned that another young couple would claim them, we saw it as a sign from God.”

“I don’t know that I’ve ever received a sign from God, but I’m pretty sure if I did, it wouldn’t be ordering me to break one of His Ten Commandments. I hear He’s rather serious about those.” Nyssa chewed on her bottom lip. She was sorry Renard wouldn’t be able to bring the Dragon’s Heart home. At least everyone is safe. “You could’ve told us this from the get-go. I could’ve used the tip about Blythe.”

“We thought we had that under control,” Amara said. “You see, my uncle has this signaling device he uses to communicate with his henchman, Barabbas, but I know the frequency. We’ve been listening in since we realized he was onThe Juliet. Mostly using the radio here, on this little boat.”

She pointed towards a glowing console in the back of the air-raft, with a small videophone and radio speakers. “That’s how we knew when he captured you. It let us get away in time. Ellis said he’d contact us throughThe Mercutio’s radio, and that’s how we set up your rescue. Speaking of which, we should probably check in on him again, before we’re out of range, let him know you’re safe. He’s probably worried about you. He’s such a dear.”

Nyssa blushed. “Yes, Ellis is wonderful.” At least that’s one thing Amara and I see eye to eye on.

Nyssa stepped to the videophone and flipped it on. After a moment of static, a wavering, black-and-white image of Ellis flickered into view.

He grinned. “Got my message, I see?” Feedback caused a slight echo in his voice, but his buoyant tone warmed her heart.

“Yes. Using the ship’s lights was clever.”

“You were the one who pointed out the electronics in our room were tied to the entire system. Knowing that, it was easy to figure out.” He leaned closer to the screen. “I’d almost forgotten what a great