Page 15 of Jeweler to the Blessed
His hand scratched his clean-shaven chin in thought. “Who is this, Vaddon?”
Vaddon glowered at me as if he expected me to speak. I didn’t—the prince had asked him a question, not me. Instead, I used this opportunity to study the room. Two large chairs sat in the corner, a table between them filled with bottles of dark brown liquid. The walls were almost barren, which seemed disappointing. I don’t know what I expected. Maybe more books? More things should be needed to run a city-state like Kavios.
A single tapestry depicting Themis, Goddess of Order, hung behind him. Elias circled the desk, the fall of his light brown hair interrupting my appraisal of the room’s decor. Now that I’d seen him, his face was too perfectly symmetrical to look away. Green eyes stared back at me, less striking than the deep forest green ones that had, only yesterday, held mine captive in the mirror’s reflection.
“Alaric’s niece,” Vaddon finally answered when he realized I wouldn’t.
The prince looked like he’d say something, but Vaddon continued. “She was in his workshop when I arrived.”
Elias turned to me. His hand stroked his chin again as he appraised me. “What’s your name?”
“Emberline,” I said.
“Emberline.” My name on his lips sounded lush and full of promise. “Why were you in Alaric’s workshop?”
“We meet for training some mornings.”
“She also works in her father’s shop. The one in Woodside.” Vaddon’s voice was so slick, it seemed the words might be used to hold his hairstyle in place. It made the hair on my neck stand on end, but I kept my features neutral. I was in the castle—the heart of the Blessed. Currently, I was under Vaddon’s protection, but that could change at any moment. One wrong move, one touch, and someone could learn my secret—that I was immune to their magic.
This was everything I’d been trying to prevent with my plan to leave.
Vaddon’s lead had brought me past numerous guards unchecked. If the prince found me helpful, he’d probably use me as a replacement jeweler. It would put me at risk of being exposed for my ability to detect adamas, but maybe he’d aid in a search for Alaric. I might not escape the castle without a Blessed attempting to take from me if he didn’t.
It was unclear which option to hope for.
Neither were ideal. Both gave the royal family information about me that Alaric had done everything to prevent them from learning. I’d be furious with Alaric for putting me in this position if I wasn’t also terrified for his safety.
The prince peered at me like I was one of Uncle’s experiments to be closely observed. “I see. And how long have you been studying under Alaric?”
The phrase sent a chill up my spine. The prince couldn’t know about Alaric’s forbidden tomes. I’d checked this morning, and they were undisturbed in the storage room.
“How long have you been training?” Vaddon asked. He seemed impatient for me to respond as he wandered the edge of the room.
I couldn’t understand whyhewas agitated. He was the one who dragged me here, but I clung to the rephrasing he offered.I shrugged, repeating the answer I’d given Vaddon. “A few years.”
The green of Vaddon’s adamas was glowing before he next opened his mouth. Unsatisfied with my answer, he would force one from me through persuasion. But before he could speak, Prince Elias held up his hand, silencing him.
“You must be as confused as we are.” The prince’s voice was soothing, like a groomsman coaxing a spooked horse. “We think Alaric is missing, and we’re looking for any information about his whereabouts. Do you know where he is?”
This must be why the city loved him. He had more power than Vaddon, but he didn’t wield it as such. He used honeyed words to pull answers from my lips.
I shook my head, still not having the ones he sought. “He wasn’t at the workshop when I arrived.”
“When did you last see him?”
I hesitated, but I’d already admitted to being there regularly. “Yesterday morning.”
Prince Elias nodded as he shared a look with Vaddon. The prince pushed himself off the edge he’d leaned against and walked back around the desk. He spoke as he opened and closed a drawer just out of view.
“With the Selection starting this evening, we’ll need to plan in case he doesn’t turn up.” He said it so casually. I’d assumed as much on the walk up the steps, but his words ruffled me. They effectively wrote off Alaric and moved on with running the city.
Was this what it was to rule under Order? It was almost cruel in its efficiency.
“Maybe he’s in his room,” I said.
“He’s not,” Vaddon replied, as if my idea were something he’d stepped in on the street.
“Vaddon checked there before going to Alaric’s workshop,” Elias said more gently.
