Erik awoke to a cold, unfamiliar silence. He had grown so used to feel of Helene's warm body beside him, to the gentle sound of her breathing.
Sitting up, he rubbed his face absentmindedly, only barely conscious of the ridged, twisted flesh as he tried to shake off the clinging fog of sleep.
He had dreamed that Christine came to him, dressed in a silver-white bridal gown and veil.
She said nothing, but stood just beyond the open portcullis with her arms held out to him.
He could not see her face beneath the shimmering veil. Nor did he want to. He wanted to lift that shimmering lace and see Helene smiling up at him…not Christine, not now.
He turned away and let the portcullis close between them.
"Goodbye, Christine," he'd said.
He dressed quickly, wondering where Helene was. Had she gone out on her own?
He needed to feel her close to him, to tell her…
He saw the necklace lay on his desk…the wedding ring was gone…
She had left him…without a word, without warning…she had left him.
She had held him in her arms on the snow-dusted roof and promised that she would never leave.
And, now, she was gone.
He picked up the necklace. The stones had been a fiery rainbow between the cloud-white pearls when he'd fastened it around her slender neck. Now it lay in his hand, cold and lifeless and worthless.
He dropped it onto the desk and reached into the inner pocket of his coat. The other parcel was still there.
He unwrapped it, setting the heavy gold ring beside the necklace.
He had nothing to offer her…no name, no real home…but he had meant to give her that ring…a wedding gift, even if there could be no vows, no marriage license.
She had been the first person to love him without reservations or conditions, to show him what happiness and peace could feel like.
And because of that, her sudden betrayal hurt more than any other suffering he had known in his life.
She had left nothing else behind except that necklace. If it were not for the lingering scent of her carnation perfume, it seemed as if she had never existed.
The large green garnet flashed as he slipped the ring on his little finger.
He would give her that ring. Willing or not, she would wear it.