Page 52 of Jeweler to the Blessed (Champions of Chaos #1)

More than the fate of the Kingdom will hang in the balance between them.

— FROM CHAMPIONS OF KAVIOS

M y mind was already elsewhere as we entered the throne room.

The double doors were open wide—inviting—so different from my meeting days ago.

Candelabras on gold metal stands lined the room, and a chandelier of the same hung above us.

Many of the alcoves already had the drapes pulled.

At first glance across the room, I couldn’t begin to guess how many magicless citizens danced with the Blessed.

Flashes of orange on the dancefloor indicated at least a few couples. A flash of green envy being collected for persuasion also caught my eye. The throne was empty. Prince Elias wore a mask, but his pristine hair and dark blue dress uniform were easy to find in the center of the dancefloor.

Holding tight to Hart’s arm and still unclear about what part I played here, I pushed my shoulders back and glided into the room.

We circled the perimeter, and I could not keep my attention from the alcoves.

Soft noises of pleasure emanated from most that we passed.

The curtains were too thick to see color, but it was all too easy to assume lust and joy were collected.

I wanted so desperately to ask what I was doing here. A jeweler wasn’t needed at the ball. Was this the reward the prince kept referring to? All things considered, maybe it wasn’t so bad. I could think of worse things they could offer under the guise of a prize.

My stomach fluttered uncomfortably. Something about Prince Elias was unsettling. He was too smooth, too sure of himself. He didn’t seem to have his father’s unassailable ability to calm, though he could wield the magic when prepared, as he’d proved on the Oldwood Trail.

His charm made him dangerous. The king had given up on people deciding to do what he wanted.

Instead, he went straight for his magic and required their compliance.

Unfortunately, it seemed Elias understood that the illusion of decision is more important than the actual decision-making.

He took a little extra time if it meant those he influenced felt it was their idea to do what he wanted.

It did seem to make a difference. Citizens flocked to him at the mines, and they’d cheered him at the Cornucopia.

The same citizens shuddered in fear of his father so much that the king stopped attending events except those exclusively for the Blessed.

We drew past where the Selected would be seated at the bottom of the dais. Five chairs sat empty. The Selected must be occupied throughout the room .

“A dance?” Hart asked.

I turned to face him. “You dance?”

“Depends on your answer.”

He didn’t need to ask twice. My gloved hand slipped into his open palm.

Warmth flared, even with the layer of silk between us.

He pulled me to him, slipping us seamlessly into the couples moving about the room.

His brow arched as my eyes widened. I was unfamiliar with the movements, but he knew every step.

With our bodies pressed close, I focused on the flame building between us, a heat, it seemed, only his touch could stoke.

Our proximity returned my thoughts to our night in the alcove at Forest’s Edge.

My hands pressed against his chest, his thumb stroking my hip, so many possibilities left unexplored.

The rest of the dancers disappeared around us.

That night at Forest’s Edge had been the first time I put my trust in Hart, not my uncles.

He hadn’t disappointed me. As I studied him now, I knew Hart would watch each perceived threat in the room.

I took advantage of his protection and dared to dream of different circumstances for us.

What if I wasn’t Jeweler to the Blessed?

And he wasn’t my Blessed guard, protecting me from a rebel group that wanted me dead?

Maybe I could forget I was Chaos’s Champion, chosen to free the city from the Glanmore’s abuse of power. What would it be like if we’d found each other in a happier place? This moment, in the safety of his arms, was one of the few places I could consider such things.

I shivered. In that imaginary world, our connection would surely spark an uncontrollable flame.

In our reality, I wasn’t sure we had that luxury.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked.

There were so many ways I could have answered. I could tell him I was thinking about the captive. Or that I wasn’t sure what I’d decide to do if my parents verified everything he’d claimed about me.

But he knew all that.

How he tracked each reaction of my body led me to believe he would know if I lied. I knew, too, that would disappoint him.

I glanced down at my chest. “How much exposed skin the prince’s dress selection features.”

He appeared to fight hard not to follow the direction of my gaze.

“And if we’ll see each other after this is over,” I added.

His lips parted, and he held my gaze as he seemed to consider his response.

He’d been clear after I met with the king that he’d get me out.

Anywhere I wanted to go, he’d take me. But he didn’t say he was staying.

If I was Chaos’s Champion, I wasn’t sure running was still an option.

We’d need to know whatever my parents did before deciding, but something about our circumstances made me think our time together was ending.

I hadn’t intended to ask but was very invested in his answer.

“There is no over for us, Chaos. I told you I’m here for you. I follow you.”

His green eyes held mine, though his expression was indecipherable. Before I could respond, the dance steps changed, and he spun me away and reeled me back in. Every couple in the ballroom did the same.

It was so easy to forget he was Blessed. He’d probably been to many such balls in his lifetime. His hold was a little tighter when I returned to his side. Desire flared hot like the flame in that different world I imagined.

“Why?” The question slipped from my lips.

I cursed my need to understand .

His gaze was half-wild, half-hooded, that of a man at odds with his own thoughts. He opened his mouth to speak as a cough sounded behind him.

“Mind if I cut in?” The voice was smooth, firm, and unused to being denied.

Prince Elias stood behind Hart, and he’d asked me to dance.

Hart’s fingers flexed along my side like he was deciding whether to let go. His brow furrowed, and I squeezed his hand gently before sliding from his grasp. My smile securely in place, I dipped into another awkward curtsey.

“It would be my pleasure.”

The scowl on Hart’s face would have been a treat if Elias were anyone but the prince. He gave me a slight bow before stalking from the dancefloor, not bothering to acknowledge the royal he’d walked away from. My gaze followed him as he left the ballroom.

Prince Elias stepped into his place confidently, secure in his position. “Who was that?”

I saw no harm in the truth. “My guard.”

At my words, something flashed in Elias’s gaze. He paused in thought, as if he wasn’t sure my answer was the one he was searching for. “I knew his voice sounded familiar.” He shook his head. “He does like to stay close, doesn’t he?”

I let the comment pass. Surely, the prince wasn’t interested in discussing his jeweler’s guard.

The music swelled as the new dance started, and we were off.

Elias held me formally, a good few inches of distance between us.

I tried to keep myself loose in his arms instead of stiffening at the contact.

His gaze lingered a moment too long. “You look stunning. ”

I attempted a dip of my chin as we moved between the other couples. “Thank you for the dress.”

Elias wasn’t as graceful as Hart, but I found it didn’t matter. The other couples on the dancefloor parted, giving way to the prince. Did he even notice?

He waved away my comment. “I wish I could give you more. You’ve been such an asset to us—Jeweler to the Blessed.”

I didn’t like his enthusiasm, but I thanked him for his compliments.

He held my gaze. “Your work is impeccable. Your talents are unmatched. I’m not sure you realize the prize you are.”

“You’re too kind.”

Had Alaric done things differently with the Glanmores? Had I made a mistake by fulfilling their requests? I wished I could ask Alaric any of these questions because I certainly didn’t care for the prince’s attachment to my talents.

Elias didn’t realize the effect his words had on me. “I’m not kind enough. I know you must have questions, especially about your uncle ...”

He let the sentence trail off, and I stiffened. He couldn’t possibly know what I’d been thinking. Lost in thought, I hadn’t tracked the flow of our dance. Our movements had taken us toward the same set of doors through which the woman had entered during my last audience with King Rodric.

As if taking advantage of my surprise at his mention of Alaric, we exited the dancefloor. The awaiting guards opened the door, and the prince slid his hand into my own, pulling me behind him.

I didn’t see Hart anywhere in the room. He must have gone outside to the courtyard. The idea of leaving with Elias had me uneasy. “Where are we?—”

“I need to show you something, Emberline. Don’t be upset. I want to be honest with you. ”

My stomach dropped. I had yet to understand why, but wherever he led me, I knew I’d rather not go. His long strides took us down a hallway and through another set of doors.

The room was very much like the prince’s study. Shelves of books lined the walls, and a portrait of Themis holding a golden scale hung behind a large wooden desk.

I knew whose study we were in. My gaze snapped to the corner where King Rodric sat in one of the plush chairs. All breath left my lungs as I realized who was beside him.

On his knees, bloody, bruised, and bound—was Alaric.

I was across the floor and kneeling beside him before the prince could catch me.

“Uncle.”