“Here it is,” she said as they walked up to a familiar quaint stone shop decorated with ivy garlands and lights. Jaya had seen the picture on their website; it looked like something a hobbit might live in, but in a good way. A sign outside said ST. ROSETTA’S FINE JEWELERS.

Grey held the door open for her.

The shop was much larger inside than the exterior suggested. Their footsteps echoed on the marble tile floor, and Jaya breathed in the dry scent of the heater mixed in with some subtle herby fragrance.

“This is beautiful,” she said, looking around at all the stately glass cases, in which jewels as big as her fist glittered in colors of the rainbow. She walked over to a display case on the right, in which an intricate gold hair clip that looked like it was made from lace rather than metal sat on a pale blue velvet pillow.

Grey read a little sign by the case. “It says most of these pieces are custom-made. You can’t find work like this anywhere else.” He studied the hair clip with her. “Wow, he’s really talented.”

“I thank you for that compliment.”

Jaya turned to see a short, white-skinned man with a perfectly trimmed goatee and small, neat hands smiling at her and Grey. He wore one large signet ring on his pinkie and a gold rope necklace around his neck. “Princess Jaya, I assume? I am Silas, the resident master jeweler and proprietor of this establishment.”

“Yes. We spoke on the phone earlier this week.” Jaya smiled and held out her hand. “Just Jaya, please. And this is Grey Emerson.”

Silas enveloped Jaya’s hand in both of his. His suit rustled just a little as he moved, a thick, lush sound that told her it was bespoke. “I think honorifics add a bit of elegance to a conversation, don’t you?” he asked her, his eyes twinkling.

“They do.” It was hard to disagree with Silas. He was the perfect mixture of soft-spoken and confident. “In that case, this is Lord Northcliffe.”

Grey shifted, as uncomfortable with his formal title as if it were a scratchy, ill-fitting shirt.

Silas beamed. “Excellent.” Letting go of Jaya’s hand, he asked, “So. What can I help you with today? You said on the phone you’re having some issues with a necklace?”

“Yes.” Jaya reached into her coat and gently extracted the rose pendant from the velvet bag. Beside her, Grey stiffened as if she were handling a viper. “My father got this for me in Dubai recently, but as you can see, the rubies have been falling out.”

“Hmm.” Silas took it from her and walked over to a little mahogany workbench in the corner. Clicking his jeweler’s glasses into place, he maneuvered a bright work light into position. Tutting quietly to himself as he examined the pendant, he said, “Oh, dear. This is very unusual indeed.”