My Ashes Were Inside the Beads

At the exhibition, Lucian must have realized Pearl wasn’t the real artist.

And now he had fallen for the impostor anyway.

“You tasteless idiot,” I muttered.

He had the nerve to criticize my choice of men.

How was he any better?

Julian said Lucian had loved someone for years. I had thought that meant he was devoted.

Apparently, Pearl was enough to make him forget her.

Bitterly, I wondered if the woman he couldn’t have was even more shallow and vulgar than Pearl. Just another empty head with a good body.

Forget it.

He had saved my life once.

If he really protected the Whitmores, I would count that as repaying the debt.

The lights dimmed. The evening’s formal proceedings began.

The gala was, in fact, a charity auction.

The first lot was brought out beneath a cloth.

The host paused for effect.

“Our first item is very special. It was donated by a mysterious monk, who said it was intended for the person destined to receive it. There’s no starting price. Guests may bid freely. Our first lot: the Beauty’s Bone bracelet.”

The moment the red cloth came away, my spirit was pulled violently toward it.

In the glass display case lay the blood-red prayer beads made from my twenty-four ribs.

Twenty-four beads, gleaming scarlet beneath the lights.

Images of my bones being removed flashed through my mind.

Tears poured down my face.

“One hundred and forty thousand dollars.”

Julian made the first bid.

“My mother has practiced Buddhism for years. Her birthday is at the end of the month, and I’d like to give her these prayer beads.” He sounded deeply sincere. “I hope you’ll indulge a son who wants to honor his mother.”

No.

My ashes couldn’t end up with the Whitmores again.

But Julian had a wonderful reputation. The gentle, gracious gentleman.

People were happy to do him a favor.

Nobody raised the bid.

Just as I was giving in to despair, a familiar voice spoke.

“One point four million.”

Lucian.

Hatred flashed in Julian’s eyes, then disappeared.

“Mr. Blackwood,” he said helplessly. “Must you compete with me over this too?”

Lucian glanced at him as though he had said something ridiculous.

“Is your name engraved on them?”

Julian’s expression changed at the rebuke, but he quickly recovered.

“One million, five hundred and forty thousand.”

He was determined to have them.

Lucian leaned back in his chair, one arm resting on the table. His long fingers idly turned a glass.

“Two point eight million.”

That much money for an unremarkable strand of prayer beads with no established provenance?

To everyone else, it must have looked insane.

I quietly breathed in relief.

I would far rather Lucian took my ashes than let Julian get his hands on them.

After considering it, Julian stopped bidding.

Another small increase would achieve nothing. Lucian would simply add another enormous sum.

There was no limit to his budget.

The host brought down the gavel.

“Congratulations, Mr. Blackwood. The Beauty’s Bone bracelet is yours.”

Miles went up and collected it himself.

I followed the beads back to Lucian.

He reached out and lifted them.

For one instant, I almost felt the warmth of his fingertips.

He didn’t know he was touching my bones.

“They’re even prettier up close.”

Pearl’s sweet voice interrupted.

When he didn’t respond, she grew bold enough to reach for the bracelet.

“Keep your filthy hands off me!” I shouted.