Page 82 of Jeweler to the Blessed
I glared at him. “Who says that?”
He shrugged. His teasing distracted me, but the Oldwood’s magic was still very much present. I hoped this settlement wasn’t too much farther.
25
He might not right his wrongs if she leaves, but maybe he’ll avoid new ones.
— FROM CHAMPIONS OF KAVIOS
Hart took the lead when we turned east at the Oldwood Trail fork. The path was there, but it was overgrown and wild, making it appear rarely used.
I blamed King Rodric. While traders still brought goods in and took ours out, few, if any, other visitors came to our city. Kavios was nestled near the mountains. It wasn’t an easy trip from the continent’s other kingdoms, but it must be even less appealing with the influence of Rodric’s magic. Did the other kingdoms know of his influence?
It always came back to adamas. What was Hart’s question? What did we know of its origins? Not much, but we knew the Oldwood Mine was the only source. The other kingdoms mayhave champions, but what was one or two magic wielders versus hundreds of Blessed?
“Where are we going?” I asked as Hart led us from the path.
“Don’t get scared now, Chaos. We’re just getting to the good part.”
I could do without his taunt, although the low tug in my belly at his voice said otherwise. Fear of where Hart would lead hadn’t crossed my mind. Maybe fear of the Oldwood, but I was managing its pull. Last night, I’d told Hart the secret that defined my life. After I had trusted him with that, there wasn’t much more to give.
“The settlement is only a few more miles this way.”
He was lucky I was a fast walker. Trekking from Woodside to Lower Hill regularly was no small feat. I’d learned to do so quickly to avoid notice. In his uniform, Hart looked like he exercised every hour of the day. Realistically, I knew it was from magic. Stolen joy honed the Blessed’s bodies into the standard of beauty. Yet, a niggling reminder in the back of my mind told me I’d still never seen Hart take. Even Serena said he ignored all willing partners, not just her. I wasn’t sure why that made me smile.
A raven cawed overhead. It landed on a low branch and screeched again. It was directed at Hart if I didn’t know better.
“We’re coming,” Hart said.
“Are you talking to that bird?”
“Would you believe me if I said yes?”
I would, but I questioned my sanity.
“We’re almost there.” He picked up the pace, and the bird flapped its wings, taking flight. We had veered slightly north in the off-path trek, and now boulders, twice my height, came into view. These must be fallen pieces of the Pinnacle Range. Our journey had taken us into the foothills.
Hart led me through a maze of massive stones. I hoped noone had been around when they’d fallen. Finally, we turned again, revealing a settlement of tents I hadn’t seen until staring at them straight on.
A woman stood before us. “About time you showed up.”
Her dark brown hair was almost black and braided down her back. She stood with her hands on her hips, and a sword was strapped to her back. The raven in question landed on her shoulder. This woman had the beauty of a Blessed. Her white skin was flawless from my vantage point, even as her clothing told another story. The trousers and tunic she wore looked like they’d seen better days. A tear in her cloak snagged my attention—probably from the bird’s talons. She was a contrast in every way, and nothing showed it more clearly than when a man walked up beside her and handed her an adamas pendant.
“You might need this,” he whispered.
Hart leveled a glare at him. “We’re invited guests, Reid.”
The man—Reid—was dressed similarly to the woman. He shrugged at Hart. “Can never be too careful.”
His arm draped protectively around the woman’s shoulders as he slid the pendant over her head. The bird flapped at the disturbance, and the woman laughed, meeting my gaze.
“Overprotective men, am I right?”
I laughed as she brushed off both Reid and the bird.
She gestured toward the tents. “I’m Alysa. Welcome to The Storm.”
“The Storm?” I asked.
