Page 17 of Jeweler to the Blessed
The prince took a step forward as if to reach for my hand. Though they were gloved, my flinch was automatic. The prince smiled as he must have realized he found another lever. “No Blessed will touch you, if you’re my jeweler.”
No wonder the city loved him. He had power and knew how to use it to get what he wanted.
Distracted by the veiled threat to Father and the boons he’d just granted, Prince Elias pulled a gem out of his pocket and tossed it to me.
This must have been what he pulled from his desk drawer. Every instinct told me Elias knew the answer to what type of gem this was. It must be a raw scrap Alaric had already sorted. I caught the stone without hesitation, the warmth in my palm, even through my glove, brought an automatic smile to my face.
“Quartz or adamas?” Elias asked.
It was such a familiar game but with wholly different stakes.
I could lie. I could answer incorrectly and say it was quartz, but the prince had to know what this gem was if he pulled it from his desk. Alaric had to have identified it for him at some point.
The prince was staring at me like I was a pool of water, andhe’d been stranded in the desert for weeks. I didn’t think he’d believe me if I lied. He looked at me like he knew my secret.
But he couldn’t.
Before responding, I allowed my mind to run through everything he’d told me. I made a show of pulling off my glove, rolling the gem between my fingers, and pretending to evaluate it as I did when playing a simpler version of the game with my uncle.
Alaric was missing—presumed dead by the prince. The Blessed needed someone to source their adamas.
Answering incorrectly was a risk. My gut told me the prince would know the lie.
Answering correctly was also the only way I would have information on the royal family’s efforts to find Uncle. I didn’t need more reasons, but Alaric’s salary paid for Mother’s medicine. Now that I knew the herb was contraband, I couldn’t imagine how much he paid for it.
All of this meant my own plans were shot. I couldn’t leave Kavios without truly knowing Alaric’s fate. Not even the prince’s stark words could convince me to give up on him so easily. Plus, I only felt confident leaving Mother because I knew Alaric would care for her. I’d need more time to establish other means for her tonic.
I took a deep breath and eyed the gem. Its gentle warmth was my only comfort as I made a decision that could cost me everything.
In the end, my choice was no choice at all. The word slipped from my lips. “Adamas.”
6
Unfortunately, I like him, but it’s not my secret to tell.
— ALARIC SARE’S LETTERS TO ISABELLE ARKOVA
With one answer, I became Jeweler to the Blessed.
The prince may have already given Alaric up as lost, but I wouldn’t. I would take the granted boon—full access to the details of their search. My position would be temporary. Alaric would return. He would explain and make the scattered puzzle pieces fit together as he did with the city’s histories and literature.
I could still leave eventually. Just not now.
Now, I’d need to be more careful than ever. The prince promised no one would take from me. Ibelieved he had that power, but it probably came down to who was enforcing the requirement when he wasn’t there.
“She’ll need a guard,” Prince Elias said.
Vaddon nodded. “I’ll take care of it this afternoon.”
“Now.”
Alaric’s visitor yesterday also indicated that the threat the prince alluded to regarding my new position was real. I wasn’t ready to consider that something had happened to Alaric, though. He knew how to defend himself. I had hope he was alive.
Hope was a dangerous thing, however. It may not have been an emotion the Blessed fed on, but they leveraged it to maintain the status quo.
There was no better example than tonight’s Selection. A little thread of hope dangled over our heads—that we could become one of the Blessed. Even if it was a one-in-a-million chance.
The prince won his discussion. Vaddon crossed the room to open the door where one of the helmeted guards stood at attention. “Send for Carver. Tell him to bring his best men.”
