Chapter Seventeen
The music seeped into Sabrina’s mind. She blinked and looked around, suddenly confused as to where she was. Other people were around her, dancing, and she stood unmoving as they quickly avoided running into her. Her mind felt muddled, as if waking from a too-deep afternoon nap. She rubbed her eyes and something hard scraped just below her eyebrow. She frowned. Slowly, a large ring on her first finger came into view. She stared at it, trying to figure out what it meant. Something in her head and heart told her it meant something, but for the life of her, she couldn’t figure it out.
“Sabrina? Are you all right?” A man walked up to her, concern in his eyes. She stepped back without thinking and bumped into a woman behind her.
She stared at the woman for a long moment, not having a clue as to who she was, then turned back to the man. “I...” She blinked again. “I don’t know.”
The man, an older gentleman with graying red hair and kind, brown eyes, studied her for a long moment. “Why don’t you go sit down along the wall and rest for a moment?”
Sabrina nodded and obeyed without thinking. She could feel the other people in the room watching her as she moved slowly, feeling as if she were walking through water. When she finally reached the side wall, she sat down, her muscles exhausted from the short walk.
The music began again and the people in the room resumed dancing. Once again, the music seeped into her mind and awakened it even more. Slowly, the notes began to register and she recognized it as Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. She rubbed her eyes again and was reminded of the ring on her finger when it scratched her face. She studied the complicated designs tracing across the tops and sides. Around the large stone, the words “West Point” were engraved. Slowly, a memory started to unfold in her mind.
“This is my class ring from the military academy,” Chase said, holding his left hand out, showing her the gold ring on his ring finger. In the center, set in the middle of a black stone, was a large diamond that glinted in the lights from the yacht.
“It’s beautiful,” she said, reaching gingerly for his hand. He held it out farther and she turned it slightly so she could see the engravings set into the sides.
“We get our rings at the beginning of our last year at the academy. Ring Weekend.” Chase smiled. “It’s a big deal. There’s even a formal dinner and dance.”
Sabrina smiled up at him, imagining how handsome he must have looked.
He pulled his hand back and rubbed his thumb on the side of the ring. “The plebes, the freshmen, have this poem they recite to gain permission to touch our rings.” He chuckled. “It’s pretty silly, but all in good fun.” He shrugged. “I did it. You kind of hold the Firsties in awe your first year at the academy.”
She giggled at the slight embarrassment in his face. “What’s the poem?”
Chase chewed his lip, then sighed. With great drama, he recited the poem. “‘Oh my gosh, sir! What a beautiful ring! What a crass mass of brass and glass! What a bold mold of rolled gold! What a cool jewel you got from your school! See how it sparkles and shines? It must have cost you a fortune! May I touch it? May I touch it, please, sir?’”
Sabrina laughed at the exaggerated expression of hope on his face. Chase joined in. When the laughter died away, he looked down at his hand, rubbing his thumb across the top of the diamond. “It’s a huge point of pride to get to Ring Weekend.” He grabbed hold of the ring and started twisting it off his finger.
She frowned, confused, as she watched him tussle with the metal band. Once it was off, he stared at it another moment, then held it out to her. Sabrina’s breath caught in her throat as she stared at the ring. Was he offering it to her? Why?
“I want you to hold on to it for me,” he said softly, taking her hand and turning it palm up. He placed the ring gently into her upturned hand and closed her fingers around it. “It’s my promise that I will return for you.”
Tears ran down Sabrina’s cheek as the memory faded. He never got a chance to keep his promise. For a long time, she’d held out hope that Chase would come find her. That somehow, against all odds, she would look up one day and see him in the doorway. He would run to her, pick her up, and carry her away from that horrible place.
It was a deeply buried hope that had gotten lost in the recesses of her mind. When was the last time she thought of him?
What day was it?
Sabrina looked up and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror across the room. Well, she thought it was her. When she moved, the reflection moved. But did she recognize the face? She looked older. What had happened?
Fear suddenly seized her and she felt her heart pounding. She hugged her legs to her chest and pressed her forehead to her knees. What had happened? Why was she here? How could she be somewhere and not know how she got there? When did she start dancing again? What was going on? Why couldn’t she remember waking up this morning? Or what happened the previous day? Why was everything in her mind confused and fuzzy?
A hand on her shoulder made her jump. She looked up to see the man from earlier. “Are you ill? You look very pale.”
Her mouth opened, feeling like she should say something, but she didn’t know how to answer. She certainly didn’t feel well.
“Do you want me to get Ramon?” he asked.
“Who’s Ramon?”
The man frowned. “Isn’t that your driver’s name?”
“Driver?” I have a driver? She pressed her hands to her eyes, seeing stars when the pressure became too much. Why does nothing make sense? “I don’t understand what’s happening,” she whispered, her eyes filling with tears as she looked up at the man. “Who are you? Where am I?”
The man’s frown deepened and concern creased his forehead. “Sabrina, I-” He looked up suddenly and froze.
Sabrina looked to the doorway. A giant of a man wearing a black tunic and matching, loose-fitting pants stood there. His blond hair was pulled back into a low tail, and his eyes glowed golden with anger.
The man advanced toward her, making everyone freeze and stare. He yanked the older man away by the collar and glared down at him. “What the hell did you do to her, Larry?” he growled.
“Khyan!” The man put his hands up in surrender. “N-nothing. She just...stopped and looked confused in the middle of practice. I don’t know what’s going on.”
The giant stared into the other man’s eyes for a long time, then released him and looked down at Sabrina, eyes impassive. “What happened?” he said, his voice gentler.
Sabrina clasped her hands in her lap, discreetly trying to hide the ring. Something told her not to let anyone see it, especially this man. “I don’t know,” she whispered helplessly.
The man held out his hand and helped her to her feet. “Let’s get you home and see what’s going on.”
She nodded and walked ahead of him to the doorway.
“Will she return? She’s dancing the lead next week.” The older man looked apprehensive as he asked the question.
The giant turned around and nodded. “I will ensure it.”
The older man glanced at Sabrina, then nodded. “Thank you.”
“Damian wouldn’t have her miss it unless it was of the utmost importance.”