The Ruby Ring

"How did you do that?" Paul looked utterly shocked. "You were just over there a moment ago. How did you suddenly...?"

"Just a little trick."

Paul was convinced at once. He remembered something more important. "All right, that doesn't matter. But what's going on with that woman?"

Hope's facial muscles twitched. "We'll talk about it later, Paul. I'll tell you later."

Hope struggled to keep Robert's thrashing head still. Paul had gotten back to his feet and was holding Robert's hands down.

"I admit she's beautiful," Paul continued. "But you can't do that kind of thing..."

What kind of thing? It's not like I kidnapped her...

"We'll talk about it later, Paul." Hope had to cut him off. "Don't let him move!"

Robert's scrawny body was no match for Paul. He was soon completely subdued, with both hands pinned down by Paul.

"What do we do now? What should we do with him... Damn it, you have to tell me what's going on with Old Whateley."

He'd heard what Robert had just said... Maybe that was a good thing. He could use Old Whateley to warn Paul. If Paul kept coming here so often, something was bound to happen sooner or later.

Hope hesitated. "You heard him, right? What this guy wants to do? He wants me to kill Wilbur."

"To be honest, I didn't really understand. If he wants to tell someone, the most that'll happen to me is the police will take me in. They won't do anything to me. The police don't like Old Whateley."

"No... I was lying before. The police won't come for you. Old Whateley might prefer to handle things himself... and Wilbur would be even more likely to do that..."

"Handle things how?"

"Kill you," Hope said bluntly.

"Uh..."

Paul fell silent for a moment. "But Old Whateley..."

He quickly understood. "Damn, I thought the townspeople called Old Whateley a wizard because they hated the conditions here."

Anyone who'd had enough education would think that. Hope thought.

"Now you know. I think... I think we can't let this guy go. After all, he tried to force someone to kill someone else... He's a complete bastard."

Hope looked at Paul. He narrowed his eyes to see more clearly. "Is that a knife at your waist?"

"Just a sickle blade without a handle. A good tool for cutting grass..."

Before Paul could finish, Hope shifted to holding Robert with one arm and swiftly reached for Paul's sickle blade with his free hand.

Paul had both hands occupied holding Robert down. He didn't have time to react before the sickle blade was in Hope's hand.

The freshly sharpened metal gleamed coldly as Hope pressed it against Robert's neck.

Hope hesitated for a moment, then raised his head and looked away. He tightened his wrist. A thin line of red slowly welled from Robert's neck, and despair filled his face...

"Stop!"

Paul finally reacted and grabbed Hope's wrist. The sickle blade stopped against Robert's skin.

"Don't do anything rash, Hope. He's not worth it..."

Paul didn't get to finish.

In stopping Hope, he'd let one of Robert's hands go free.

Hope saw that hand rise. A plain ruby ring adorned Robert's thumb. He rubbed the gemstone with his index finger, and a tiny object suddenly sprang out from the back of the ring.

It glinted blue as it darted toward Paul's skin.

Hope let go of the sickle blade and shoved Robert aside with all his strength.

"Thud!"

Robert collapsed helplessly in the corner of the room, knocking over the cup of water on the bedside table.

Hope was still a moment too late. The tip of the ring pierced Paul's arm, drawing a little blood.

"I... I feel kind of dizzy..." Paul said.

He swayed unsteadily, then soon lost his balance and fell.

It was poisoned...

Hope caught him, keeping himself calm and reassuring. "Don't talk. Take deep breaths. Don't panic."

He saw Robert struggling on the floor nearby. He gently lowered Paul, picked up the sickle blade, and crouched in front of Robert before he could get back up, pressing the blade to his neck once more.

"Keep that ring away from me," Hope said. "Or I'll slit your throat before you can make a move."

Robert nodded. He slowly raised his hands over his head to show he wasn't planning to do anything. "Relax, Hope. I wanted to give you a jab too, but Old Whateley would definitely kill me for it..."

The pressure of the blade against his neck increased, and he stopped talking.

"What's on it?" Hope asked.

"Obviously, poison."

Hope shifted the sickle blade on Robert's neck, drawing another line of blood. He placed his knee on Robert's chest and slowly pressed down.

"Ugh... ngh..."

Robert was forced to expel the air from his lungs, his face scrunching up.

"I don't want to hear you spouting nonsense."

Robert nodded miserably. Hope eased up on his knee, allowing him to breathe.

"Is there a way to cure the poison?"

"Yes. It's in my clothes. There's a pocket on the left side of my robe."

"Take it out."

"Me?"

"Who else?"

"You'll trust me to do it?"

"Sure. Use the hand without the ring."

Robert slowly reached his ringless hand toward his black robe. His well-kept fingers pulled it open a little...

"Hey, Hope... Damn it... move your knee a little... I... I can't breathe..."

"If I heard you right, you said the left side of the robe," Hope said.

"Your... your left..."

Hope nodded. "Then put your hand in the right side first. Put your head in there too."

"Damn it, Hope... Then there won't be any antidote. Ugh... damn it... ah..."

The sickle blade slipped away from Robert's neck and sliced a piece of flesh from his chin.

"Is there a way to cure the poison?" Hope asked again.

"No! What kind of lunatic prepares an antidote for his own poison? I've never heard of anyone surviving after being cut by this stuff!"

Hope licked his lips. "Be clear. What happens when someone's poisoned?"

"Obviously, they die."

Die?

Hope looked at the strong young man lying on the floor. Who would die? Paul?

"Paul?" Hope asked. "Can you hear me? Paul!"

There was no reply.

Feeling the sickle blade at his neck, Robert hurriedly said, "He's still alive! Relax, Hope... He won't die just yet. The wound's shallow. He won't die just yet. Look, his chest is still rising and falling. He's only passed out."

Hope couldn't make out the rise and fall of Paul's chest, but he could still see Paul's numbers.

"How do we save him?"

"I don't know. Maybe if you let me go... Hah..."

"Give me your other hand. The one with the ring. Hurry!"

As Robert's hand came closer, Hope grabbed it with his free hand and carefully removed the ruby ring.

"What are you going to do?" Robert asked.

Hope didn't answer. He brought the ring close to his eyes. The thing that had pierced Paul's skin was a hook on the ring.

Then he turned the ring around, pointing the hook at Robert's wrist.

"Wait, Hope. Don't do that." Robert shook his head.

"You'd better have a way to save Paul," Hope said. "Otherwise, I think this ring can claim two lives."

Robert didn't answer, but Hope saw him move his wrist closer instead, as if he weren't afraid of the poison on the ring...

No, he wasn't moving it toward the sleeve. He was... pointing the sleeve of his black robe at Hope.

"A little surprise," Robert said.