Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 86162 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86162 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
“Certainly, my Lady,” the shop keeper said eagerly. “Let me get you one of our shining, singing amethysts.”
He bustled around for a moment and then came back.
“Here you are,” he said, bringing the gem. “This is a fifteen choprack gem which can retain and repeat quite a long phrase set in a white-gold band. Would you like to hold it?”
“Yes, please!” Abbey said.
The jeweler placed the ring in her hand and she held it up close to her face, almost touching her nose. Even with her limited vision she could see how special it was—it was a brilliant purple which glittered and glimmered as she moved the ring this way and that. Abbey could feel its many facets when she ran her fingertips over it.
“Oh, it’s beautiful!” she exclaimed.
“Oh, it’s beautiful!” the ring echoed back to her. It spoke in her own voice but higher and more musical, Abbey thought. Without thinking about it, she slipped it on her finger. To her surprise, it fit perfectly.
“Do you like it?” Solon asked her.
“Well yes—it’s beautiful. But I’m sure it’s also expensive,” Abbey remarked, looking in the direction of the shop owner.
“It is one of our pricier items,” the owner agreed regretfully. “Fifty thousand klopecks, I’m afraid.”
“Fifty thousand? Oh my—you’d better take it back.” Abbey slipped the ring off her finger hurriedly and handed it to him. “Thank you so much for showing it to me, though.”
“But of course! Anything for a Royal,” the shop keeper declared.
Abbey and Solon looked at a few other items and then left and continued shopping. Abbey didn’t think any more about the ring. It was clearly out of their price range so there was no sense dreaming of it.
Then, on their last night on Tengula Five as she was packing to go, Solon came to her and asked if they could talk.
“Of course we can talk,” Abbey told him, frowning. “Why? Is something wrong?”
“No, lelka—something is right,” he rumbled. Then, to Abbey’s surprise, he sank to his knees before her. She knew this because the big golden blur in her field of vision suddenly got much shorter.
“Oh—what are you doing down there?” she asked, frowning.
“Making this official,” Solon said. Taking her hand in his, he pressed something into it—a small, square box, she realized after a moment.
“What’s this?” Abbey asked, frowning.
“Open it and find out,” Solon suggested.
“Okay.” She found the seam of the box and, after a moment of fumbling, was able to open it up.
At once, a glimmer of bright, pure purple met her eyes.
“Oh!” Abbey exclaimed. “What in the world?”
“It’s the ring we saw in the singing gem shop,” he explained. “Bring it close to your ear.”
Abbey did as he said and heard a voice murmuring to her. After a moment, she was to understand what it was saying.
“I will love you forever, lelka. You are my heart,” the ring said in what was unmistakably Solon’s voice. It was higher and more musical, but it still had his rumbling tone.
“Well? Do you like it?” Solon asked after a moment, sounding anxious and Abbey realized she’d just been standing there, listening to his message over and over.
“Do I like it? I love it!” she exclaimed. “But, Solon—it’s so expensive.”
“That’s all right—I had some credits put by for a special purchase,” he assured her. “And it costs nothing to live in the Monstrum Mother Ship, you know. So I can afford a little extravagance.”
“Well, if you say so. It’s so perfect, but I don’t know—”
“All you have to know is that I love you,” he said firmly. “Will you wear that ring and be my wife, Abbey?”
“Oh, Solon…” She wasn’t sure what to say. “I thought we were just going to Bond. But…you want to get married too?”
“I want to tie you to me in every way I can,” he murmured. “I want to Bond with you and Join with you and marry you and anything else you can think of. I want forever with you. What do you say?”
Abbey was crying at this point, but they were tears of joy. She knew the big Monstrum would understand because he could feel her emotions when they touched.
“Yes,” she whispered brokenly. “Yes, Solon—yes!”
“You’ve made me so happy, lelka.”
Taking her hands in his, he slipped the ring on her finger. Then he rose and gathered her into his arms. “We’ll plan the wedding as soon as we get back to the Monstrum Mother Ship.”
“Yes—right after my high school reunion,” Abbey agreed. “I can’t believe I have you and a gorgeous ring to show off to all my friends! I feel like the luckiest girl in the world—no, in the universe.”
“I’m the lucky one,” Solon rumbled, hugging her tight. “I feel so blessed that the Goddess put us together.”
Abbey felt blessed too. Though she was sad to be leaving Tengula Five, she was excited to attend her reunion. She wanted to show off her hot Monstrum fiancé and her gorgeous new speaking engagement ring. And then after that, she got to plan her wedding! It seemed like her life was absolutely perfect right now.