Page 28 of Jeweler to the Blessed
She was sitting up in bed. “Ember, I’m so glad you’re here. Father and I want to go to the festival as a family.”
I leaned against the doorframe, wondering how to respond.
“You want to go to the Selection Festival?” I repeated. “Are you sure you’re feeling well enough?”
Of course, I had to go, but I didn’t think Mother was up for it. She’d been in bad shape only minutes ago.
“It will be good for us. With the wheeled chair Alaric made me, I’ll be fine.” She folded her hands in her lap, looking down at them. “He’s gone, isn’t he?” Her voice returned to the dreamier tone I was familiar with. It was hard to converse when she was like this. Part of her mind was elsewhere, and the thoughts between this conversation and wherever else she resided never seemed to connect.
“He’s missing,” I said.
Her fingers turned white as their grip oneach other strengthened.
“Do you know where he is?” I asked. “Where I should look for him?”
Father wasn’t sharing what he knew with me, but that didn’t mean Mother would take the same stance.
She shook her head. “If anyone can help, it’s you.”
With Mother’s encouragement, we readied the custom chair and walked toward Cross Street. People were everywhere. Groups like ours walked to the festivities, showing more emotion than I was comfortable with. They laughed loudly, and some whispered excitedly of the attack I’d witnessed on the walk home. There were also many theories discussed about who the Selected would be.
Maybe it was my experience with the crowd this afternoon, but the energy of those around us seemed to teeter between frenetic and excited—like the balance between order and chaos in Uncle’s books.
The citizens of Kavios felt too much—joy over the idea of the Selection and some anger at their place in this city. And that wasn’t to mention lust, which was all too easy to get lost in with places like Forest’s Edge. Emotions were high. The city was a powder keg. It might only need a match to explode.
A Blessed bumped into a man in front of us. It was the same act I witnessed daily. Mother must have seen, too, because she reached for my hand as Father pushed her chair. She was unbothered by my automatic flinch in reaction, holding tight to the hand she took. I squeezed back, unsure if she was trying to tell me something or keep me from being bumped into in the crowd.
The march to Cross Street was like that to my own funeral. Each step we took increased the beat of my racing heart. WithFather, I claimed I’d be fine at the castle. The prince said I’d be protected. Nonetheless, this role meant I was in as much danger from the Feared as from the Blessed.
The sun was about to set as we neared the corner of Cross and Centre. Pushing away the weight of the day, I knew exactly where to look. With the castle as a backdrop, Matthew held Jasmine’s hand as he took a knee, holding out the ring I’d carefully crafted as he asked her to share her life with him.
It was risky to propose in such an open space, but for whatever reason, the tradition dictated that this corner on the evening of the Selection Festival was lucky. Those who could afford the risk took it.
No matter how much Jasmine claimed to expect the proposal, the look on her face radiated joy. I hated myself a little as I wished she could hide her feelings quickly—before a Blessed chose to interrupt.
Mother’s gaze followed mine to Jasmine and Matthew. She gave my hand another squeeze. “Friends of yours?”
I nodded as we turned right onto Cross Street.
“Emberline,” Serena called, jostling through the crowd. I let Mother’s hand fall, allowing Father to push her chair as Serena fell into step beside me.
Her smile was huge. “You kept your secrets well. Jasmine wasn’t sure until the very last minute. Not even as Matthew walked us over to the intersection.”
“I’m glad it was a surprise.”
“My work here is done.” Her slightly slurred words led me to believe she’d started celebrating early. “I’m off to Forest’s Edge. You should come! Oh, wait, maybe not.”
I tilted my head in question. I hadn’t exactly wanted to go, but it was unlike Serena to revoke an invitation so quickly.
Answering my unasked question, she continued. “I wasthere this afternoon. The employees were talking about you behind the bar.”
The flow of people in the festival area was even trickier to manage than the regular sections of the city. I waved Mother and Father ahead, slowing to talk to Serena as we navigated the packed street.
“What did they say?” I asked. Soren’s anger still bothered me. While Ava genuinely seemed ready to help, having an enemy like Soren at Forest’s Edge would be a problem since I needed to collect Mother’s herbs regularly.
“I only tell you to be careful. They seemed upset with you. Or maybe it was with your uncle? I couldn’t tell.” Words slipped from her mouth with little care for their impact. “It doesn’t matter. Anger was the prevailing emotion. I wouldn’t return there too quickly if I were you.”
“Thanks, Serena.”
