20. Jess

Chapter 20

Jess

T he first two hours of the Council meeting went as I had predicted.

The Ministers listened for the first hour but peppered Keelan with questions as the afternoon wore on. By the time he was allowed to sit, the mood at the table was more collaborative than interrogative.

“Your Majesty.” Mage Ernest rose as the conversation lulled. “The memorial for the late King and Prince will take place in three days, and your coronation five days later. We have planned each event in great detail but require your approval to proceed.”

My face fell at the mention of my father and Justin.

I had barely had a moment to grieve, unless one counts the time I’d spent with Keelan and Atikus running for our lives. The idea of laying them to rest weighed on my heart.

“Mage, you are new to me but have served me well thus far. My family has known the others on this Council for many years. I trust each of you to honor my father and brother as you know I would wish it. I will leave the details to you.” A moment of silence stretched before I spoke again. “We will discuss the coronation tomorrow. One day will not spoil any plans you have made, and I could use some fresh air. Ambassador, come with me.”

I rose and led Keelan back through the door to the royal chambers. When I reached the point where we normally went in opposite directions, I turned. “Come with me. I want to show you something.”

We followed a series of hallways, then paused before a plain, unmarked door that could have been a storage closet. I pushed the door open, and chill winter air rushed to greet us. A few paces farther, we were surrounded by the beauty of the famed Royal Gardens.

I smiled at the wonder on Keelan’s face. “This is one of my favorite places. I used to hide here when I did not want to do my lessons or whatever chore my mother insisted was important. There is nowhere in the world I feel more at home.”

I caught Keelan watching as I trailed my fingers across a prickly bush with pink flowers.

“Jess, it’s winter . How is this garden blooming?” The dumbfounded look on his face made me laugh.

“Do you not have gardeners with special Gifts back in Melucia?”

Recognition dawned in his eyes.

I stopped to watch him as he took in my garden. Without warning, he turned and bowled into me, nearly knocking me over. His quick, firm hands caught me from falling.

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t paying attention.”

I looked up.

Our bodies were only fingers apart.

A thrill of tension raced up my arms and into my chest.

I tried to speak, but only whispered, “It’s okay. I . . .”

Keelan realized he was still holding me and stepped back quickly, raising his hands in the air as if surrendering to an angry archer.

We stood frozen a moment, staring into each other’s eyes until—

“Jess! Are you out here? JESS !” a young boy’s voice called.

I huffed out an annoyed sigh, then shrugged at Keelan.

“Time for you to meet the royal chatterbox,” I said with a smirk.

Before we’d made it ten paces, Prince Kendall Vester wheeled around the corner and slammed into me, wrapping his wiry arms around my waist.

“Hey, little man. What is this all about?” I mussed his hair, then pulled him away by his shoulders.

“Kenna wants me to study the inside of frogs. She said we have to kill one and cut it open. I can’t kill a frog, Jess! You remember Felix? How could I cut up Felix? Or one of his cousins. Any frog could be his family. Jess, this is terrible!” The towheaded boy was so upset he didn’t notice Keelan looming a few paces away. When his eyes found the giant man, they widened, and his face lit like newborn flame.

“You’re the Melucian ! The famous Guardsman who’s solved a hundred crimes and stopped a thousand more! I heard you can read minds! Is that true? Read my mind now. What am I thinking? Can you tell me stories about your investigations? What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen? Are all criminals deranged? Are you ever scared? I bet you’re never scared. Have you ever killed anyone? Who’s the most famous person you’ve captured? Is it true you can’t be stabbed or shot with an arrow?”

Keelan opened his mouth, then closed it. His eyes darted to mine, then back to Kendall’s.

The boy prattled on about the supernatural powers he believed the famous Constable possessed, barely taking a breath between wild claims and even wilder questions. He was so enthralled with his new idol-made-flesh that his fear of the frog dissection vanished, and he completely forgot his sister, the Queen , standing behind him.

Keelan kneeled so he didn’t tower over Kendall. My brother didn’t flinch.

It was odd watching the pair of them together. Kendall was enamored. Stories of Keelan made the rounds the moment we set foot in the capital, but the childish exaggerations that flew out of my brother’s mouth were beyond anything I could have dreamed.

But what pulled at my chest even more than wild rumors of the invincible foreigner was how that strong man gave the small boy before him his complete attention. Once past the initial shock of Kendall’s verbal assault, Keelan engaged with him, asked him questions, egged him on. He smiled at each new revelation, more insane than the last. I began to think he would heft Kendall onto his shoulders and march him around the garden if the boy asked.

When Keelan’s pleading gaze found mine, my face was covered in tears of laughter. The hulking investigator paralyzed by the prepubescent Prince was almost more than I could take.

I couldn’t help but trace the lines of Keelan’s jaw with my eyes. They were more square—and likely more firm, than the stone corners of the Palace walls. The stubble he refused to shave, despite my urging, made the burly man appear even more rugged.

Standing in the garden, surrounded by unmatched beauty and peace, watching my baby brother and Keelan, something deep within me warmed in a way I had not felt since—

A wave of nausea and terror whooshed through me like the billowing wind of an oncoming storm.

I forced myself to examine nearby flowers.

Moments later, I decided it was time to save Keelan. “Kendall . . . Kendall! Take a breath.” The boy startled and turned to face me. “Go inside and find something you would like to show Keelan. Just one thing, okay? We will be there shortly.”

Kendall darted away without another word.

“Wow,” Keelan said, running a hand over his head. “He’s . . . a lot.”

I giggled.

Me. Queen of the Spires. Giggled.

I wanted to dive into the surrounding plants and never climb out.

“It is safe to say he likes you,” found its way out of my mouth.

“How could you tell? I don’t think he came up for air the whole time.”

“That is pretty much how family dinners go.”

I meant the comment to be lighthearted, but I was reminded of three empty chairs at the family dinner table. I turned away so Keelan wouldn’t see my sudden sadness.

The warmth of his hand spread across my shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” he said, his voice low. “Everyone expects you to move forward as if nothing happened, but so much of your world has changed. I don’t understand how you do it, how you hold it all together. You may be the strongest person I know.”

I turned and examined his eyes. There was such deep empathy and . . . something .

“I do not know, Keelan.” I reached down and cupped a fist-sized bloom. “Some days, I fear the seams will tear and I will fall apart. I just . . . take it one day at a time.”

A moment passed, then I turned, looked up at him, and placed a hand on his arm. “I do know one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“I feel better knowing you are here.”