An amused smile took over Jayran's entire face. " So you do care about me."
Ragnar didn't answer but he also didn't bother denying it either. He hated Jayran's antics but it didn't mean he was just going to stand back and watch something bad happen to him. And unlike Hairan, Jayran had never truly done anything to hurt him before.
Ragnar rose from his chair too and closed the distance with measured steps, stopping beside Jayran in front of the heart. Without a word, he crouched and began arranging the scattered logs, shifting them into place until they formed a compact structure around the ring.
He struck a match and touched it to the kindling. A flicker of flame caught, then surged, licking hungrily over the ring. The emerald glowed fiercely for a moment before the heat consumed it entirely. Then it let out a low hiss as the molten light faded into embers.
