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“No wonder you had a nightmare.” I touched the boy’s cheek, feeling its soft childish smoothness. “You should never have seen such a terrible thing, Beks.” I thought of the opening ceremony and the way he had shielded us alongside Javer. “You’ve seen far too many awful things for a child. Javer should protect you better.”
“Javer says there’s no point in shielding a shielder. It’s my job to protect others, not to be coddled,” Beks declared, standing up a little straighter and puffing out his chest. “Besides, he says it’s pointless to try to contain me because I’m as slippery as an eel.”
That last part was certainly true. Perhaps Javer was coming to terms with the boy’s impetuous nature and learning to accept it. I hoped so.
“You have a very important role to play here, that is true. But you’re still just a child, Beks. Every child deserves a little coddling. And more than a little protection.”
“Javer protects me,” Beks said stubbornly.
I smiled slightly, amused by this abrupt show of loyalty. “I’m glad to hear that. He should. He’s been entrusted with something incredibly precious.”
“What?”
“You, of course.” I pulled Beks towards me, embracing him before he could protest. He stayed stiff for a moment, then I felt his body relax against me. Small arms reached around my waist.
“I don’t think you should do it, Morgan.” The little boy’s voice was muffled against my shoulder. “It’s too dangerous. I really don’t want you to.”
“The trial?” I asked gently. “Oh, Beks. I have to. It’s the only way to protect the prince.”
He nodded wretchedly. “I don’t think the queen is a very good mother.”
“I don’t think so either,” I agreed. I held him by the shoulders. “I think that if you ever become a parent, you are certain to do a much better job of it.”
He perked up. “Maybe you and the prince could hide somewhere. Like in the tunnels. I could bring you food. It wouldn’t be so bad.”
I tried not to smile. There was a time not so long ago when I would have considered it. “That’s a very kind offer. And I’m sure you would take excellent care of us. But I also don’t think Prince Kairos would want to hide. Do you?”
Beks shook his head reluctantly. “Will he ever wake up?”
“I know he will.” The resounding certainty in my voice surprised even myself. “I just don’t know when. But I think it will happen soon. His body must be healing itself. He just needs... more time.”
Time that I could buy for him. No matter what it took.
I looked around us, wondering if it was anywhere near morning. I sniffed. I could smell food cooking.
The familiar smell of bacon.
“I think Hawl is here. Are you hungry?”
Beks took a tentative sniff of his own. His eyes widened. “For bacon? Always.”
I led him into the dining room, then stopped.
Odessa was already in the room. She was laying out objects on the large table, inspecting each one carefully as she put it out.
As we entered, she looked up. “There you are. I was just about to wake you. The trial begins in an hour.”
Suddenly the desire for bacon dissipated. I couldn’t imagine eating anything at all.
Beks was not so affected. He ran past me to the kitchen, obviously intent on snatching some of Hawl’s cooking.
I looked at the objects Odessa was arranging.
“Armor. For you.” She ran a hand over her long braids. The dark strands hung around her shoulders loosely today. “The best we could come up with on such short notice.”
The armor on the table was the most beautiful set I had ever seen. Made from supple, ebony leather, it consisted of a cuirass, greaves, boots, and thigh-guards. Leggings and an under-tunic in a brilliant ruby shade were set out alongside them.
All of the leather pieces had been crafted to match my gauntlets, which were there as well. Dyed-red roses were intricately etched onto the surface of the cuirass. Gold and silver flames danced along the edges of the greaves and thigh-guards. Rose-shaped cutouts had been carved into the greaves, allowing glimpses of the fiery red fabric underneath.
