The Bell of Freedom (King and human romance)✔

Chapter Forty-One

"You don't have to follow me," I say.

"I do."

"Fine, just don't talk." I walk through the doors to the kitchen with a yawn and Blake distances himself across the room.

I managed to walk through most of the palace unnoticed but the moment Blake caught sight of me alone then I wasn't alone anymore. It's too early for any of the slaves to be awake yet and I take advantage of that as I begin making breakfast. Christian doesn't make my meals anymore since I've been allowed to do it myself and I kind of miss it. The food I make will never compare to his. I make myself a coffee first and I rub my eyes as I sit at the counter.

The door to the outside opens and two male creatures walk through. Blake crosses the room immediately, positioning himself at the centre of the room as he stares at them.

"Why aren't you at your posts?" he says.

"Our humans will be waking up any moment," a creature says. "We always return at dawn."

"Did you not understand the order yesterday? The humans are not to be fed from today."

"All day?" the other creature demands. "We thought that only applied to the outing."

"No, it applies from now until tomorrow. There is a twenty-four-hour ban on feeding."

I didn't know about this and I'm just as confused as they are. Cain must want to give the humans a full day off, an entire day without fear or panic. I yawn again as I lower my head towards the coffee mug.

"Very well. There was a misunderstanding."

"Make sure the others have not misunderstood anything either," Blake says.

The creatures nod before moving back to the door.

"And another thing," Blake calls. The creatures turn around. "When you're in the presence of her then you bow your heads."

The creatures stare at me and I look back at them tiredly. I don't particularly care what they do, they could scowl and flip me off and I wouldn't take it personally.

One creature laughs. "You're serious?"

"Yes," Blake says. "You do not walk right by her as though she isn't there, you acknowledge her like you acknowledge the King."

The creatures bow their heads at me before exiting through the door. That looked painful for them, it makes me smile.

"I apologize," Blake says. "They will learn to respect you."

"Honestly, I didn't notice."

Blake backs away across the room. "I will not speak again."

"It's fine, you can talk," I say, taking another sip of my coffee. "I'm more awake now."

"Oh. What should I say?"

I laugh. "How long have you worked for Cain?"

"Worked for him? I don't understand."

"Been his head guard?" I say.

"Oh. I was promoted to head guard thirteen planets ago."

I widen my eyes. "A long time then."

"Yes."

"He must trust you a lot. I didn't think he'd let you near me after I got hurt but then he made you my bodyguard. How do you feel about it?"

"About being your bodyguard?"

I nod. Blake follows Cain's orders so effortlessly that it's sometimes easy to forget that he is his own person too. That he has his own thoughts and opinions. He followed me everywhere yesterday without complaint or any hint of distress. I wonder just how much control he has over his own existence.