Page 176 of Savage Throne
He reached into his pocket. The motion was deliberate, slow enough to draw attention without being overt.
Seconds later, he withdrew a small object, holding it between his fingers.
What does he have?
He brushed his thumb over the surface of whatever the small object was, and then he leaned all the way forward, extended his hand across the table in my direction, and then dropped the small object intomybowl of dumplings.
What the fuck is wrong with him?
The object landed with a softclink.
I looked down and stiffened.
Oh.
My wife’s ring.
The table went silent.
Surely, almost everyone recognized that ring.
Even Monique’s ladies-in-waiting would have been familiar with it. In the museum dedicated to my wife, there was a whole section aboutthisring, with pictures and a fake copy on display.
Yet now this priceless ring of great importance sat on top of dumplings.
Blasphemy!
My composure cracked, the mask of control slipping just enough for the rage to seep through.
He took it off her finger!
My fingers twitched at my sides as I forced myself not to react. Every muscle in my body screamed to lunge across the table and choke Lei.
How dare he!
The orchestra played on, oblivious to the chaos rising.
Around the table, the others had fallen silent.
Very pleased with himself, Lei causally leaned back and placed his arm around Monique. “Thank you, Father, for offering my Mountain Mistress such a. . .polite gesture. However, her finger is a bit too crowded to wear that right now, so you can have it back.”
Too crowded?
My gaze snapped to Monique’s hand as it rested on the table and she turned her hand ever so slightly toward me— an unmistakable declaration of her allegiance—and the diamond caught the light, casting fractured rainbows across the table.
I caught sight of the new ring adorning her finger.
My breath hitched.
The rest spotted it too.
However, Monique’s ladies-in-waiting exchanged knowing glances, which made me think that Lei had told them about this ring beforehand and possibly asked them for help.
Suzi gasped “Oh my! Lei, why didn’t you tell us you were going to ask her. I would have wanted to help. But oh my! Finally, a wedding in the East.”
Min, seated to my left, let out a soft sob. Tears streamed down her cheeks. “It’s so beautiful. It’s about time. This is what the East needed.”
Even Song gave a small nod of approval. “Good job, Lei.”
