Page 34 of Jeweler to the Blessed
My guard opened his mouth to … what? Introduce himself? It didn’t matter right now. We had to get off the street. “He’s a friend of Alaric’s.”
Father glared at me this time, unimpressed with the information.
“His hands are on the handles.” I nodded toward them. “Keep them where we can see them, and we won’t have a problem.”
It was an empty threat. Neither Father nor I could stop my guard if he wanted to take from Mother. But my guard kept pushing, only pausing to ask me for directions.
We eventually made it to our apartment building in Woodside. Father and I lifted Mother to the foot of the stairs. She shook nearly as much as Father did. With his hand on the rail, Father looked as if he’d try to hobble up the stairs with her. I didn’t know if they could make it.
“I have to put the chair away. I’ll be right back.”
My guard followed me to the storage space around the corner.
“How did you get out of there so quickly?” he asked.
“I thought you were impressed with my ability to follow directions?” I said, deflecting. “Guess that didn’t last long.”
I was banking on the night’s chaos to explain my quick escape. He still had a haunted look that made me think he bought it.
He closed his eyes, and his nostrils flared. It was a familiar move—one I used to calm myself regularly. I almost sympathized, but I knew we were still in dangerous territory no matter how much he’d helped me today.
I may have acknowledged his friendship with Alaric to appease Father, but I still didn’t know how much my guard knew. It was likely he was the guard Prince Elias and Vaddon had chosen. He’d shown up when I needed him. I had to assume he had a reason.
A small part of me didn’t want to ask.
It would have been nice to think someone was looking out for me in this city, but that was not my reality. And Alaric taught me never to shy away from questions.
“Did you know who I was before the other guards arrived?” I asked before I could think better of it.
I was unsure if I imagined it or if a wince crossed his face. It was gone as quickly as it had come. “Yes.”
The reaction made sense, given that Prince Elias had my guard follow me before the agreed-upon time.
“I was unsure you knew who I was,” he said.
Really, I still didn’t, but I was too tired to clarify. When I turned from parking the chair in the storage space, my guard was closer than he should be. The prince said I’d be protected from taking. Did my guard know that?
I should step back—should put more distance between us. He hadn’t moved his hands from the handles on Mother’s chair the entire walk back, but both hands were free now.
For some reason, I wasn’t as worried as I should be.
“Are you …” I didn’t know what to ask. Was he my guard? “Are you mine?”
Immediately, I was thankful for the dim lighting of Woodside. My cheeks flamed as I heard the words come out of my mouth.
I cleared my throat, stammering to correct my point. “I mean?—”
“It looks that way.”
I could barely hold his gaze. There was … a revulsion there. It was gone before I could question it.
“I was assigned as your personal guard,” he said.
“The prince saw fit to have me followed? Even though we agreed I could have until after the Selection?”
My guard folded his arms across his chest. “Not to split hairs, but you should be thankful he did.”
I couldn’t help my glare. He might be correct, but I didn’t have to like it. I felt myself growing in confidence with each sentence we exchanged. The arm’s length he kept between us helped.
