Page 19 of Jeweler to the Blessed (Champions of Chaos #1)

“At least you listened this time,” a familiar gruff voice came from above me. It sent ice down my spine, but it was a balm to the hot wrath flooding me moments before.

My guard had found us.

I didn’t know this man—I didn’t know his name, didn’t know what he wanted, but I couldn’t deny the relief flooding through my body at the sound of that voice. Maybe it was just the adrenaline. I hoped that was it as my guard assessed Father’s ability to walk.

“I’m fine. Let me see my daughter.” Father waved him off and peered around my guard’s bulky frame.

My breathing had returned to normal as the guard stepped aside. Father helped me stand, seeming to accept that I was uninjured. He looked like he’d say something—ask questions, but then he turned and shot an angry glance over his shoulder at my guard.

Father’s glare went unacknowledged. My guard had already taken a position behind Mother’s chair. His hands gripped the handles tightly, the knuckles turning white. He was pushing it forward before I could protest.

My guard gestured with a nod to Father. “Don’t argue with me. Help him.”

Father still limped heavily from whatever had happened to his ankle. My guard’s stiff movement from earlier appeared to be gone.

It was indisputable that Father needed support, and whatever unknown strength had rushed me to get us away from the festival was gone.

I didn’t think I could push Mother and help Father if our lives depended on it.

As much as I didn’t want help from a Blessed—we weren’t in any position to turn him down.

This was becoming an unwelcome pattern.

“Fine,” I said.

Father turned to me in surprise. “You’re letting him push your mother?”

“We don’t have a lot of options,” I said.

Father glared at my guard. “Who is he?”

My guard opened his mouth to … what? Introduce himself? It didn’t matter right now. We had to get off the street. “He’s a friend of Alaric’s.”

Father glared at me this time, unimpressed with the information.

“His hands are on the handles.” I nodded toward them. “Keep them where we can see them, and we won’t have a problem.”

It was an empty threat. Neither Father nor I could stop my guard if he wanted to take from Mother. But my guard kept pushing, only pausing to ask me for directions.

We eventually made it to our apartment building in Woodside. Father and I lifted Mother to the foot of the stairs. She shook nearly as much as Father did. With his hand on the rail, Father looked as if he’d try to hobble up the stairs with her. I didn’t know if they could make it.

“I have to put the chair away. I’ll be right back.”

My guard followed me to the storage space around the corner.

“How did you get out of there so quickly?” he asked .

“I thought you were impressed with my ability to follow directions?” I said, deflecting. “Guess that didn’t last long.”

I was banking on the night’s chaos to explain my quick escape. He still had a haunted look that made me think he bought it.

He closed his eyes, and his nostrils flared. It was a familiar move—one I used to calm myself regularly. I almost sympathized, but I knew we were still in dangerous territory no matter how much he’d helped me today.

I may have acknowledged his friendship with Alaric to appease Father, but I still didn’t know how much my guard knew. It was likely he was the guard Prince Elias and Vaddon had chosen. He’d shown up when I needed him. I had to assume he had a reason.

A small part of me didn’t want to ask.

It would have been nice to think someone was looking out for me in this city, but that was not my reality. And Alaric taught me never to shy away from questions.

“Did you know who I was before the other guards arrived?” I asked before I could think better of it.

I was unsure if I imagined it or if a wince crossed his face. It was gone as quickly as it had come. “Yes.”

The reaction made sense, given that Prince Elias had my guard follow me before the agreed-upon time.

“I was unsure you knew who I was,” he said.

Really, I still didn’t, but I was too tired to clarify. When I turned from parking the chair in the storage space, my guard was closer than he should be. The prince said I’d be protected from taking. Did my guard know that?

I should step back—should put more distance between us. He hadn’t moved his hands from the handles on Mother’s chair the entire walk back, but both hands were free now.

For some reason, I wasn’t as worried as I should be .

“Are you …” I didn’t know what to ask. Was he my guard? “Are you mine?”

Immediately, I was thankful for the dim lighting of Woodside. My cheeks flamed as I heard the words come out of my mouth.

I cleared my throat, stammering to correct my point. “I mean?—”

“It looks that way.”

I could barely hold his gaze. There was … a revulsion there. It was gone before I could question it.

“I was assigned as your personal guard,” he said.

“The prince saw fit to have me followed? Even though we agreed I could have until after the Selection?”

My guard folded his arms across his chest. “Not to split hairs, but you should be thankful he did.”

I couldn’t help my glare. He might be correct, but I didn’t have to like it. I felt myself growing in confidence with each sentence we exchanged. The arm’s length he kept between us helped.

“What do we do now?” I asked. “The festival didn’t exactly go as planned. Do you have to take me to Glanmore Castle?”

I didn’t want to go but wondered what he’d say. He had little reason to lie about being assigned as my guard, but I still only had his word that was why he was here. I’d rather hear it from the prince or Vaddon.

He shook his head. “No. The streets are still a mess. You’re safer here tonight.” He pinched the bridge of his nose again. “We’ll go in the morning. I’m sure Elias will want to expedite the festivities. He won’t risk the Blessed looking weak in light of … everything.”

“In light of the Cursed King’s little tantrum?” I filled in the blanks for him.

His laugh was rich but sharp, like I’d caught him off guard. In another situation, I might seek to draw forth the sound as often as possible.

“Exactly.”

“I didn’t think he was real.” I wasn’t sure why I admitted it. Maybe because of the way he laughed at the statement.

“I’m sure you’re not the only one. King Rodric honors Themis a little too well, making everyone forget he’s not her champion.”

“Everyone will remember now.” As soon as the words were out of my mouth, a blue light in the distance caught my attention.

Fear raced down my spine. We were far from the castle, but I knew what this was.

In the darkness, the blue glow was visible even from here.

It was what I’d searched for on the castle balcony amid the Cursed King’s attack.

My guard arched an eyebrow as the glow strengthened.

I didn’t like the warmth spreading through my limbs at my guard’s proximity.

The rapport was too familiar. I didn’t know him.

He knew Alaric, but Alaric hadn’t seen fit to trust me with any information about him.

My emotions flowed too freely in front of him.

And he was still Blessed—no matter how much help he’d been.

Now, the way he glared between me and where my gaze locked on King Rodric’s balcony made me wonder if he was aware of how the king calmed this city. Most under the influence didn’t seem to realize they were.

The blue light identified the calming magic King Rodric wielded.

Though the opposite of the nightmare magic used tonight, its impacts could be just as harmful.

Those affected only paused momentarily before continuing their lives in a slight stupor.

It made those it touched forget their fears and worries, along with their hopes and dreams.

I couldn’t prove it, but I was convinced this magic held the citizens complacent in this city so stacked against them. It made the life they led here not seem so bad.

Not having felt the magic at the base of my neck, I knew it hadn’t reached us yet.

I realized too late that I shouldn’t stare so openly at the blue glow.

As a magicless human, I shouldn’t be able to see it.

I still had so many questions for my guard.

Questions about Alaric, the youngleaf, the Feared—but this night had been too long, and I didn’t want him to question me, and I had absolutely no desire to fake the calming magic’s impact.

If my guard wasn’t lying, I’d see him in the morning anyway.

“I have to go. My parents need me.”

He kept his arms folded into his chest, giving a final glare between me and the direction of the blue glow as I jogged back to the staircase to help them.