Chapter 240: Ropes of Blood I
Soleia gasped in pain as she felt Ricard’s blood rake over her skin. It tugged hard, cleanly yanking her multi-crystal ring off her finger in one fell swoop.
She tried to reach for it instinctively, her hands grasping at thin air in an attempt to grab it back, but Ricard moved quickly. He waved a hand, and just like that, the coil of blood sent the ring soaring into his hands.
He held the ring between his two fingers, the crystals dazzling in the light of the lamps. Ricard let out a low whistle as he admired the delicate piece of jewelry.
"Beautiful," he said. "You have a pair of nifty hands, Princess Soleia. Perhaps Minister Goldstein would even be impressed by how you have managed to carve down each gem to fit this tiny ring while still making it usable."
Soleia panted heavily, her shoulders rising and falling as she stared at the ring in Ricard’s hands in despair. Her stolen magic was already quickly running out — she didn’t have much left in the tank to begin with — but she could’ve still squeezed a few more blasts here and there if she really needed.
But without the ring, she didn’t have the appropriate crystals to activate that stolen magic. The stones she had haphazardly grabbed and stuffed into her dress weren’t fitting ones either.
She clenched and unclenched her fists, trying to see if any of them would help, but alas, they did nothing. There was no glow, no tingle of magic― not even the slightest heat or chill.
"I’ve heard that you’re a rather brilliant inventor," Ricard said. He tucked the ring safely into his pocket, and Soleia gritted her teeth. "I just didn’t think the rumors were true. Who would’ve known that a woman could come up with such great inventions?"
He stretched out a hand, no longer afraid. After all, even if Soleia had selenite and could nullify his magic, she couldn’t use it against him. And Ricard, on the other hand, was confident he could easily beat such a frail maiden in hand-to-hand combat.