Pieces of Jade

  Chapter 2

  I felt better after a large breakfast and a Pearl-ordered nap. Strong enough to get out of bed. Judging by the light coming through the windows, it was early in the day, perhaps around eleven. Still time to try to make one last dream a reality. I pushed back the thick blanket and got to my feet, grabbing the chair beside the bed, wincing at the tenderness in my palms. More yellow dots flared in front of my eyes as darkness crept into the corner of my vision. I held still, taking slow, measured breaths until I felt steady again.

  I stumbled through the door and straight into the barricade of my two favorite guards, Stratton and Jackson.

  “What are you doing up?” Stratton asked, untangling my hair from his bushy beard.

  I straightened my skirt. “I need to get out of my room.”

  “Pearl said you need to rest.” Jackson waved toward my room. “You aren’t strong enough to be on your feet.”

  “If I wait until I’m well, I’ll never leave my bed.”

  They exchanged a glance that said they agreed with me, even if they didn’t like it.

  Taking that for their consent, I walked around them. It only took a moment for them to follow behind me. I waved to the various servants as I passed, focusing on their faces to make them out clearly through my slight dizziness.

  Garlands of roses in the kingdom’s colors were being hung throughout the castle in preparation for tomorrow’s wedding. When we walked past the elaborate gold-plated doors where the Guardians studied their spells, I paused, then pushed the doors open.

  Something inside me stirred as I stood on the threshold. The room smelled of spices and herbs, of magic. I stepped inside, leaving my guards at the doors, stabilizing myself on the long, wooden table in the middle of the room.

  I pushed off the table and wandered around, my fingers trailing across the bookshelves that lined the walls. The small metal bowl used for spells rang out as I flicked it when I passed.

  The door closed behind me and I spun around, nearly tripping over my skirts to see a frowning Pearl watching me. She sat down on the wooden bench. “I knew you’d be here. If only everyone practiced as hard as you do.”

  “If only I had magic.” The bottles of oils and incantation ingredients rattled as my hand smoothed over them.

  I stopped short and retreated the way I’d come to avoid the glass case on the far side of the room where the sacred Tome of Incantations was displayed. I purposefully avoided that enormous book. Unable to cast even the most basic spells, I was forbidden to touch it. If I moved too close, the temptation to sneak it out of its protective glass and read it would prove too great to resist. I didn’t want to break that law. Again. The first two times I hadn’t even known it was a law.

  I finally picked up a worn copy of beginner spells, the ones they taught to the youngest Guardians, and reviewed the words while Pearl placed the candle in its usual spot. With perfect enunciation I spoke the spell aloud and waited for the flame to appear. The wick didn’t even glow. I repeated the phrases over and over, my words growing gravelly in my parched throat. By the time I looked up again, the shadows in the room had changed, and Pearl had buried herself in a book. Sweat beaded my upper lip and a headache burrowed in my skull, but the candle remained dark. I couldn’t do it. I slumped back and dropped my chin to my chest. Something inside of me, the part that believed in miracles, withered like a leaf on a vine.

  I closed the book and knew I’d never open it again.

  The only magic inside me was found in my blood. The only thing I could do was produce a female heir whose own descendant—generations from now—would be the next Emmía. Unlike Dawn, who’d wielded magic as powerful as the strongest Guardian, I was like the other Emmía’s—Sophia, Vanessa, Sara, Leah, and even Elizabeth—who were magically inept.

  “Taking a break?” Pearl asked with a yawn, startling me back to the moment.

  “No. I’ve given up.” I could taste the bitterness of stale, unrealized dreams on my tongue.

  Pearl came over and put the candle away. “Don’t despair, Jade. Some Guardians have manifested later, haven’t they?”

  It felt foolish to cling to hope anymore. The oldest recorded were fifteen. “I’m seventeen, an old maid in the world of magic.” Like a young girl passed over at a dance, magic snubbed me, not deeming me worthy of its attention. This neglect aged me in a way time couldn’t, crushing the last of my youthful yearnings for a hopeful future. If only I could be as optimistic as James.

  “You were able to do that one spell with your blood a few weeks ago,” Pearl said.

  “I’m only good for my blood.” The rigid scars on my palms seemed to mock me.

  “Don’t talk that way. We love you.” Pearl gave me a quick hug. “Mama will lift your spirits when she and father get back.”

  My mother had been called away to a remote village on the edge of the kingdom. An epidemic had broken out, and her healer magic had been needed to treat the fevers running wild there. Pearl usually assisted her, but because my father and brothers were away training with the military, my sister had volunteered to stay with me.

  After a single knock on the door, James walked in. The sight of him and his ever-ready smile lightened my heart.

  “I thought I might find you here,” he said with a knowing glint in his eye.

  “I needed to try one more time.”

  “Any luck?”

  I shook my head and he patted my hand. “You’ll get it eventually.”

  I didn’t bother to protest.

  “I know you have many things to do before the wedding.” His voice cracked on the last word. “But . . . well, I was wondering if you’d like to come sailing with me.”

  “Sailing? On the water? In a boat?” I asked in a rush. I’d never been on a ship before. It’d been considered too dangerous.

  James broke out into a full smile. “Yes, boats and water are usually involved in sailing.”

  “I would love . . . wait. Is it safe?”

  He puffed out his chest. “I can protect you. I’ve trained with the Hounds, you know. Dorian said I was a skilled tracker. I know almost all their secrets.”

  I smiled at his wink.

  “I know I’d be safe with you. But what would your father and brother say if they knew you were risking the kingdom’s precious commodity?”

  James’s smile collapsed. “I don’t plan on telling them.”

  “Well . . .” I let myself imagine being with him for a second before my obligation to the kingdom pulled me back to reality. “I can’t leave. It isn’t allowed.”

  He put his hand on my cheek and I tilted my face into it. Pearl cleared her throat and looked away from our intimate moment.

  “It’s our last chance to be alone,” James said softly. “Before . . . please leave with me. Give me this one last thing?”

  I glanced at my sister.

  She opened her mouth then shrugged. “You don’t need my permission.” Her eyes narrowed. “But be careful. You are the king’s—I mean, kingdom’s precious commodity.” She rolled her eyes at the last word.

  I kissed the top of her head. “Thank you.”

  James’s smile seemed brighter than the sun as he helped me to my feet.

  “Our first adventure, Jade,” James said. “Just like in the stories I read to you.”

  James’s grin was infectious and I noticed even Pearl was smiling.

  And for the first time in years, I felt myself give into James’s optimism. Today I wasn’t bound by destiny—for the first time ever, the day would be whatever I wanted it to be. An adventure with the man I loved.

  Tomorrow I’d become resigned to my fate.

  Chapter 3

  The docks smelled of fish and ocean spray, and I paused for a moment to breathe in the cool, spring afternoon. The briny air coating my tongue tasted like freedom. The walk from the castle to the docks took longer than normal, my strength diminished since the blood-letting. Despite being on an adventure with James—the kind we’d
always dreamed of—all I wanted was a chair and a moment to rest.

  My eyes wandered around the bustling crowd, watching the various mongers call out their prices, competing with the other stalls. James lifted me over a pile of fish nets strewn across the dock.

  Talk of the wedding carried to my ears and I let the hood of my cloak slide low to conceal my identity. Not that most people would recognize my face. I’d been kept separate from the general population for most of my life, but everyone knew that my violet eyes could only belong to the Emmía.

  “The Emmía’s right lucky to be marrying ‘is ‘ighness,” a weathered old woman said, severing the head of a fish from its body. “He’s right ‘ansome, ‘ee is.”

  “I once caught a glimpse o’ the Emmía,” the man next to her said, wiping his knife on the leg of his trousers. “I’d say ee’s the lucky un. I wouldn’t cut out me eyes at seeing that perty face first thing in the morning,”

  James grinned at my flushing cheeks.

  “It seems our male citizens are the smarter of the two sexes.” James grabbed my hand and pulled me down the dock to the boarding plank of his personal ship, the Iris.

  At talk of the wedding, my impulsive decision to sail away wavered like a burning candle in a stiff breeze. But the wink James gave me urged me onto the Iris. For this one day, I’d pretend to forget. One day to myself, to indulge in this adventure. I deserved—no, I needed—one day to say goodbye to James . . . forever.

  James escorted me below deck to a private room sparsely decorated with a table, chair, and bed, all nailed to the floor. As much as I wanted to watch as we left port, we didn’t want spies telling August or the king about our trip.

  Someone knocked, and James opened the door to take a steaming cup from a crewmember to hand to me. “Here—your favorite.”

  I took the cup and sat on the bed, sipping at the mint tea until my body felt warm and relaxed.

  James sat next to me on the bed, sudden guilt washing over his features. “Oh Jade. You look exhausted. I knew they took too much blood. I shouldn’t have let you walk here—what was I thinking?” James caressed my face, the gesture tender, and my breath caught. We’d never been alone like this before. “Maybe we should go back . . .”

  “No,” I said. His hand was still on my face and I refused to let go of this moment. “I’m okay. Just tired.”

  “I can send for Pearl—”

  “No. Please. I want this. I’ll just rest for a moment and it will be okay.”

  “Are you sure?”

  I nodded and he pulled his hand away. I instantly regretted my movement, missing his touch.

  James nodded, more to himself. “I’ll wake you when we’re out at sea. You won’t want to miss it.” His eyes lightened with enthusiasm. “A real proper adventure; you’ll see.”

  I rested my head on the pillow. The velvet blanket felt smooth on my skin and I rubbed my face against it. I didn’t want to miss anything about my first time at sea, but my eyelids were already too heavy. Walking here had taken a lot out of me. I should have taken the carriage like James had suggested, but I wanted to relish the feeling of traveling without guards. The walk—well, I’d been asking too much of my body . . .

  But I only had this one day.

  I was on the verge of a dream when James kissed my forehead before leaving me alone.

  The entire room lurched. I tumbled off the bunk and landed on the wooden floor, jarring my shoulder as the air around me rippled with a silver burst of light and the bed and walls shook. With a wince I sat up, heart pounding, bracing myself, waiting for another wave to rock the ship, but none came. How strange. The sea had looked calm back at the dock, and there had been no storm clouds above us. Where had the flash of lightning come from?

  I got to my feet, peeked out the round window, and saw nothing but the blue sea for miles. I jumped at a sudden flapping behind me. A bird swept in from the hallway, its wings beating a frantic rhythm around the room, my heart matching its wild pace. It lunged at the window, smacking against the window’s glass. As it circled the room again, I opened the window and the bird swept out, rising into the sky. I squinted after it until it flew out of my range of sight.

  My skin prickled with the strangeness of it all. Where had it come from? I headed topside for a better look.

  I stepped onto the deck, half expecting the strange light and ship’s shaking to be the topic of conversation, but no one seemed to have noticed. Every man labored at their tasks, tightening riggings, coiling rope, or scrubbing the deck.

  I shielded my eyes from the sun and glanced around, looking for James. The moment I saw his face, my curiosity over the lightning faded away. It was probably only a remnant of a lingering dream.

  James stood at the stern of the ship, staring out at the water. His chiseled features stole my breath as I remembered his earlier caress. With his broad shoulders and perfect posture he looked every inch the prince he was. Even the wind dancing through his wheat-colored hair added to his regal aura. The breeze carried his familiar scent, cloves and leather. Without thought, my body moved in his direction.

  When he turned toward me, his smile warmed my heart, and a matching smile stretched across my face. James was perfection—inside and out.

  Straight above us the sun beat down and calm seas stretched away into the horizon. The salty ocean smell filled my nose as the sea spray beat against the sides of the ship. I inhaled deeply and smiled as the feeling of freedom pushed my worries away.

  What a perfect day this was going to be.

  As I passed, the crew bowed their heads and murmured, “Emmía.” I hated the reverence in their voices when they pronounced my official title. To them, I was beyond a mere human. They saw me as the sacred vessel of the precious liquid that kept the Kingdom of Orea from starvation, not a seventeen-year-old girl. I understood their awe, but I felt undeserving. I hadn’t earned their respect—I’d been born into it. They forgot that I was mortal, a being of flesh and bone who just happened to carry the earth-nourishing blood in my veins. Really, outside of my family, only James understood I was still a person.

  “Emmía.”

  “Call me Jade, please,” I said trying to catch the eye of the young man who had spoken my title.

  “Emmía,” he repeated. His eyes never rose to mine, his head still bowed.

  I forced a smile at him as I passed.

  James took a few steps to meet me. “Jade, I didn’t expect you up so soon.”

  He took my arm and led me towards the side of the deck. As we passed, the sailors swabbing the deck ducked their heads and scrubbed harder. An officer who was shouting orders to a crewman high in the rigging stopped and threw his shoulders back, straightening his posture. James paused and tilted his head toward the man’s shoes, where a scuff mark streaked the toe. The officer paled and lifted his shoe, rubbing it on the back on his trousers before dropping it again. James nodded at the now gleaming shoe before moving on, and I tried to hide my smile at his need for cleanliness and order, even here on a ship.

  The crew stayed a respectful distance away as we settled on the railing at the stern. James glanced over his shoulder and his brow furrowed.

  “Is something wrong?” I asked.

  He started to say something and then stopped. When he spoke again I knew he’d changed what he meant to say. “No, I’m just thinking about your wedding tomorrow.” He took a deep breath. “If you get married, you’ll be his.”

  A sour taste spread in my mouth. “I’ll never be his. I love you.”

  The bold words were out before I could think, and my hand immediately clutched my medallion. Tomorrow that same sentence would be a betrayal of vows and my necklace would surely have fallen off, but today it seemed I still had the freedom to express the yearnings of my heart.

  “I love you too.” The right side of James’s mouth lifted and he took possession of my hand. Our gazes locked, pink tinged his cheeks, and my stomach tingled like a thousand soap bubbles popped inside it. Thos
e words had never actually been spoken between us before, though they’d been implied in every action, every stolen moment.

  His smile fell suddenly. “I love you, too,” he repeated. This time, the words sounded more like a sigh as he stared off into the sea. “My father planned for me to marry soon—some girl I’ve never met. He never cared that my heart belonged to you.”

  “I wish . . . so many things.” I brushed my hand against his shoulder. “I wish you were born first. You’d be a wonderful king. The people would love your warmth, your mercy.”

  He shook his head. “I’ve never had the desire to rule. August will be a fine king.”

  I bit my lip to keep from responding. In some ways, I knew his brother better than he did.

  James laughed suddenly, shaking his head. “Doesn’t matter now, does it? We’re here. On an adventure.”

  “Our perfect day,” I said.

  James leaned in close, his mouth grazing my ear, his breath warming the side of my cheek. “I know it’s wrong for me to love you, but I can’t help myself.”

  I turned my head to see his brilliant smile, our lips only inches apart. So close I could almost taste him. I leaned toward him.

  And then his warmth was gone. He jerked back and released my hand. Rejection slapped me across the face and I swiveled forward, studying the ocean.

  I knew why he didn’t kiss me. Though our words were safe enough today, our actions—a single kiss—might condemn us, making our medallions fall off. And if we returned to port without our medallions, we’d both be scheduled for execution. Even our titles couldn’t save us from the consequences of breaking one of the Edicts.

  I focused on the ocean, the way the turquoise waters lapped around the boat, the cries of the birds in the sky, and the feel of the wind on my face. We were the only vessel for miles, alone in the stretch of sea.

  I pushed back a windblown tendril of hair from my face. “Earlier, did you see a flash of silver and feel the ship rock?” I asked, trying to change the subject.