Page 92 of Joy Guardian

Peter and Maria also sighed with relief, dismounting.

I got down from my horse, too, and took a place on Kurai’s side.

“So, about that reward…” Malis prodded, rubbing her hands.

The leader of the guards nodded. “Don’t worry. Prince Rha is a man of his word. You’ll get what you’re owed. His Highness holds his Joy Vessels in high regard. By bringing them back, you likely earned a huge royal favor too.”

A tall woman briskly walked out of the gate.

“Who brought the Joy Vessels?” she demanded, raking her gaze over our group.

“Greetings, General Oskura.” The guards bowed to her.

Her probing stare landed on me. “I don’t remember you being in Prince Rha’ssarai.”

“It’s because I wasn’t here before.”

“Where are you from?” the general asked.

“Does the prince only want his own Joy Vessels back?” Kurai intervened, without answering her question. “Should I have left all other humans back in the desert to die?”

“No. But you will all be questioned. The prince will want to know how you came into the possession of the Joy Vessels before paying the reward.”

The guards stepped around us, drawing their weapons.

“Shit,” Malis cursed, darting her eyes around as if searching for an escape. “I knew it wouldn’t end well.”

“Are we being arrested?” Kurai glared at the general. “Because that doesn’t send a good message to anyone considering turning in any Joy Vessels in the future.”

“Not arrested, just temporarily accommodated by the city at the expense of His Highness, as his guests,” the general replied smoothly.

As the guards led the humans and the fae inside the city, the general cast a quick glance at Malis and the male fae, then paused her probing stare on Kurai.

“You don’t look like you belong with this crowd,” she stopped him, taking in his collar, then the golden cuffs around his wrists.

The focus in her eyes sharpened. Raising her hand, she clicked her fingers, and the guards immediately surrounded Kurai, grabbing his arms.

“What are you doing?” I tried to elbow my way to him. “What the fuck is happening here?”

“Remove his cuffs,” the general ordered sharply.

The guards wrestled Kurai to the ground, then bent his arms to his back. A guard took a dagger from behind his belt and clicked the golden cuff open, first on his left hand, then on his right.

“Here it is, my general.” He held up Kurai’s right wrist.

A tattoo of a golden scorpion graced Kurai’s wrist, standing out starkly against his ink-black skin.

“A Watcher,” the general hissed with deep resentment. “To the dungeon with him.”

“Why? What does it mean?” I grabbed her arm, dumbfounded.

I’d never seen Kurai without his collar or his cuffs. I never knew he was hiding a tattoo behind them. But what harm could there be in a tattoo?

“What did he do?” I scrambled after the guards who were taking him away.

A woman, with her tendrils clipped at their bases in the manner of Joy Vessel Keepers, appeared at my side.

“You don’t have to worry about the Watchers any more, Sweet One. They will never harm you in Teneris. Prince Rha made sure of it. Come with me. In oursarai, you will be safe.”

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