Hidden Gem - Beasts of Beauty Series - Book 4

Chapter 17

"Malachite?" Amethyst calls out, knocking on the door to Zakreus's room. I hurry to the door, swinging it open to reveal my sister standing there with furrowed eyebrows. "This better be important, Dam and I were...busy."

"Gross," I mutter, pulling her inside. "I assure you, this is more important than your coitus."

She stalks over to the couch, taking a seat as she impatiently waits for me to tell her why I called her here. "Well, go on with it, then."

Here goes nothing, I suppose.

"We're not the first fairies to be mated to wolves; Great-grandma Sapphire was," I tell her bluntly, knowing this is the best way to get the information out. "Ruby's father didn't go crazy because she died, he went crazy because she was having a secret affair with a Gamma wolf and left when she got pregnant."

Amethyst stares at me blankly for a moment as she digests the information I just threw at her. I can see the gears in her head turning as she comes up with question after question.

"And how did you discover this?" she asks.

I tell her about going to the library and meeting Colton. I relay all of the information I have about Nolan and Sapphire and then tell her everything about Rose. I see the moment her brain connects the dots and she realizes we are loosely related to the Gamma family.

"So Lars is our cousin?" she clarifies. I nod my head. "I just met him earlier... he seems nice."

"There's one other thing," I tell her. "And I don't have proof of it, it's just my own theory. But I believe Grandpa Nox may have killed them."

I watch Amethyst carefully as she thinks that over, noticing as her eyes glaze over with a look of horror.

"It wasn't Nox," she whispers, her voice sounding void of any emotion. "It was Ruby."

"What?" There's no way. Our grandfather would have been eleven years old when Sapphire and Nolan disappeared. He couldn't have killed them... right?

Amethyst nods and says, "I don't know how, I don't know why. I just know...it was Ruby. Ruby did it."

I let out a long breath, noticing that I genuinely don't feel as shocked by this as I thought I did. I mean, it does kind of make sense.

"What does this mean for us?" my sister asks.

"Honestly, I don't know," I answer. "Zakreus and Damascus are going to tell everyone else tomorrow, but I don't think it really changes things. We can't alter the past. It just gives us more insight as to what happened - and also explains why Ruby hates wolves so much."

Before she can reply, someone knocks on the door causing us both to feel uneasy. We share a curious look, questioning each other as to who the visitor could be.

"I hope it isn't Jasmine again," Amethyst mutters. I chuckle, but move to open the door once the stranger knocks a second time.

"Malachite?" a man's voice asks through the door. "I have a delivery from Tasia."

Relief floods me as I open the door to see a tall man. I can't get a good look at his face, though, because he is carrying a variety of boxes that are stacked well over his head.

"Oh gods," I mumble, opening the door wider and ushering the man inside. "You can set them down right here and I'll take care of them from there."

Amethyst stares at the boxes in shock and asks, "Is that supposed to be your wardrobe?"

I shrug and tell her, "I think it's just the first bit."

The man nods his head and confirms, "Yes, this is what she managed to complete today. She was very adamant that I let you know these pieces are simple designs that she already had lying around and are not reflective of her best work." I have to hold in an amused laugh at the idea of Tasia worrying about what I think of her clothes. "She just wanted you to have some items sooner rather than later, but she will also be creating new designs for you - much better than these."