Stolen Heart

chapter 23




Kieran immediately returned to Kestevayne. Walking to Carrick and Ava’s apartments, he was still in disbelief over Annika’s treachery. He wanted to wring her neck. No, he wanted to kiss her neck. F*ck. I’m going crazy.

Knocking briefly on their door, Kieran didn’t even wait to hear the invite but walked right in. Just great. He saw Carrick and Ava lying on their couch, making out like a couple of teenage kids. He closed his eyes and cleared his throat.

“Kieran,” Ava said in surprise. “You’re back.”

Kieran opened his eyes to see Ava trying to set up on the couch, but Carrick wasn’t letting her out of his grasp. He still hand his mouth hovering over hers and he heard him say, “Tell him to go away. We don’t want visitors right now.”

“Oh, stop it Carrick and let me up.” Ava gave a great heave and pushed him off of her. Standing from the couch, she looked at Kieran expectantly.

“Here it is.” Kieran handed The Scepter over to Ava. Relief flashed across her face and then she gave him a huge grin.

“You are the most super-duper brother-in-law a girl could have!” She reached out and gave him a hard hug. Looking behind him, she asked, “Where’s Annika? I want to give her a hug too.”

Kieran must have had a look on his face as if someone had died, because Ava cried out in alarm. “Is Annika okay?”

Kieran held up his hands in reassurance. “She’s fine. At least physically fine, the last I saw. I left her in Balvraine.”

Carrick stood up from the sofa. “You left her in Balvraine?”

Kieran ignored him. “I need a drink.”

He walked over to their liquor cabinet and opened it up. Bypassing the honey wine, he pulled out a bottle of Jack Daniels Ava had brought back with her when she and Carrick went on vacation in Wyoming. He didn’t even bother with a glass. He walked over to the sofa and flung himself on it. Opening the bottle, he took a long drink.

“Kieran, you are seriously starting to worry me. Please tell us what is going on,” Ava pleaded.

Carrick didn’t say anything but walked over to the liquor cabinet and grabbed a glass. He walked to the sofa and handed it to Kieran. Kieran took the glass, looked at it briefly, and set it on the table. He took another swig from the bottle and just glared at Carrick, daring him to say something.

Looking at Ava, and waving the bottle he held with flourish, he said, “It appears dear Annika, the woman I thought I loved, was the one that stole The Scepter.”

Kieran looked at Ava and Carrick. He had expected cries of outrage. They looked at him skeptically.

“It’s true. And I swear I’m not drunk…yet.”

Carrick sighed and sat down on the couch. He pulled the bottle from Kieran’s hand, poured a glass and handed the bottle back. He took a swallow from the glass.

“You better tell us everything.” Ava walked over and sat down on Carrick’s lap. She took the glass from him and also took a swallow. Carrick wrapped his hands around Ava’s waist and she settled back against him. Kieran looked at them both and for the first time he felt envy. I almost had that.

“I’ll make the story short,then I’m stealing the rest of his bottle of Jack and going to my apartment to get stinking drunk. It seems that Annika was the one that stole The Scepter in the first place. She stole it for her best friend, Claire, who is apparently in way over her head trying to rule Balvraine. Their intent with The Scepter was innocent enough. It was only to protect Claire and Balvraine from insurrection. Once I got Annika involved to help me retrieve it, they concocted a plan to put a replica in its place. That amulet you gave me worked like a charm, Ava. I detected it was fake right away.” Kieran took another swig from the bottle and continued. “After I threatened to slit Claire’s throat, both women crumbled and confessed everything. It was actually quite easy. In fact, I’m considering going into a new career field. Interrogation. It seems I have a natural ability to get people to spill their darkest secrets to me.”

Kieran gave a bitter laugh and took another drink.

Ava reached over and put her hand on Kieran’s knee. “I’m sorry, Kieran. I know you cared for Annika very much.”

Kieran just snorted.

Carrick stood up and placed Ava aside. He held his hand out to Kieran. “Come on, buddy. I’ll walk you back to your apartment.”

“I’m not drunk…yet.”

“I know. I just thought I’d give you some brotherly company and have a few more drinks with you. Help you wallow in your own pity and all that.”

“Awesome. Can Carrick come out and play with me, Ava?”

“Of course he can. Just don’t drink and drive. Well, don’t drink and ride a horse.” Ava leaned up and kissed Carrick.

As they walked through the palace halls, Kieran and Carrick passed the bottle back and forth. “Thanks for drinking with me tonight, bro.”

Carrick reached for the bottle. “I’d say anytime but I wouldn’t mean it. I’m already regretting the hangover I know I’m going to have tomorrow.”

Kieran laughed and slapped Carrick on the back. “That’s the spirit.”

“So really, how do you feel?”

Kieran was silent for a bit. Reaching for the bottle, he looked at Carrick. “I feel like my heart has been f*cking ripped out of my chest.”

Carrick winced. “How mad are you at her? Enough to let her go completely?”

“I don’t know, man. I need to think about it. She stole from our family. She lied to me. How can I trust her?”

“I can’t answer that for you. Only you can judge that. Is she sorry for what she did?”

“Yeah, she is. Remorse was oozing out of her pores. And I get it. She was helping her friend…in the only way she knew how. Which, you’ll find interesting… Annika apparently is a world class thief. She uses her glamour to still jewels and stars knows what else. Just f*cking perfect. I fell for a criminal.”

They reached Kieran’s apartment and went in. Kieran grabbed two glasses from the cabinet so they wouldn’t have to pass the bottle back and forth. Carrick poured shots into each glass and raised it to Kieran. They both downed the shots.

“So, you still love her?”

“Yes and it sucks. But I’m hoping my new love, Jack Daniels, will help me get over her.”

Carrick laughed. “Well, let’s drink up and find out.”