Protector of the Crown

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

I was lying awake, seeing the Protectors' faces as they died at the hands of their King every time I closed my eyes. I was happy when a familiar voice came across my intercom.

"Mia, you awake?" he said, his voice loud, clearly not caring if I was asleep or not.

"Yeah," I answered immediately.

"Thank the Lord. Your boy is wandering the palace again," he said, sighing.

I sat up and looked at the clock. It was just past midnight, like Joe said, "Ok, where is he now?"

"He just walked in the library, he'll be there for a few minutes. He always goes through the Queen's collection there," he said sadly.

My heart broke, knowing how he felt missing his only loving parent, "I'll be there in a moment."

"Thanks gorgeous warrior woman," he laughed and hung up. I smirked. Joe was known to be a flirt. He graduated as a Protector five years before me and was always very kind and helpful. I had missed him after he graduated.

I jumped out of bed. All I had on was a t-shirt and panties so I slid on a pair of my new jeans and sneakers. I briefly looked in the mirror and I almost looked like a normal girl. I was in an oversized black t-shirt, the front tucked into a pair of dark denim capris that clung to my body like second skin, and my back running shoes. My long hair was down and a little messy from bed. I saw my mother in the mirror and my father's eyes staring back at me.

I ran out of my room once I had snapped out of my daze and rushed to the library. As I entered I ran smack into Jackson.

"Shit," he gasped, grasping my arms and keeping us both up right. I was not known to be clumsy, not at all.

Once we were balanced I gasped, "I'm so sorry! That's so unlike me!"

Jackson laughed, still holding my arms in his large, strong arms, "I can't complain," he smiled, looking down at me, "I can't complain at all."

I couldn't hold back a smile and pulled back slightly, taking in his appearance. His golden hair was rustled from what I imagined was him twisting and turning in bed, trying to fall asleep before he gave up and went for a walk. His gray eyes looked tired, but still bright. He was wearing a gray t-shirt and black sweatpants, nothing but socks on his feet.

His hands were sending fire through my arms so i pulled them away quickly, "I'm sorry..." I didn't know if I was sorry to have him release me or for running into him, but it was all I could muster to say.

Jackson's smile fell and he stepped back, leaving me in the cold again, "What are you doing here, Mia?"

I straightened, "Oh! Joe told me about your night walking. I offered to keep you company so he could relax. He was worried you'd be kidnapped or something."

"Isn't that the Protector's who work in the media room's job?"

"Well, it's their job to watch the castle and royals while you're sleeping. Technically I guess it's my job, since you're awake," I smiled, "Plus, sleep hasn't been my strong suit lately."

Jackson tilted his head, his gray eye bearing into me, "Why haven't you been sleeping?"

I sighed, "Long story...so, what do you do on these nightly walks, Prince Jackson?"

Jackson eyed me wearily, "I really just wander, look at some of my mother's things," he said, "Can you give me a short version of your story?"

My heart sank a little. How I wished I had more of my family's things, "Um, I just don't like what I see when I close my eyes," I said.

"Was it my father? I know he spoke to you after the shooting. I imagine he didn't just show you gratitude."

I sighed, "That, among other things," I said, thinking of my parents. Being around the King reminded me of their deaths constantly.

Jackson's face softened, "I almost forgot you knew what it was like to lose your family."

"You do still have your father and brother, that's something, right?" I said, knowing how desperate I sounded, wishing I had anyone left.

"It's not the same. My mother was, well, always there. She protected me when my father was in a rage. He would come for me, saying I wasn't his kin and if he were smart he'd throw me off the palace walls. She took the brunt of his rage until I was old enough to stand up for us. Once I joined the army though, no one was there to keep her safe," he whispered.

I took his hand without thinking about it, trying to draw him out of wherever he had gotten lost, "Hey," I said, pulling his hand, "Hey, don't go dark. I know how easy it is to blame yourself, trust me, but don't go dark."

Jackson's eyes locked on mine and I thought I was going to burst into flames, "It's my fault..."

"No, it's not," I said, strongly. It was the King's, but as a Protector I couldn't say that.

Jackson grasped my hand tightly and lifted it to his mouth. My heart nearly stopped as I felt his lips against my skin.

"Jax," I whispered. My brain was telling me that I needed to step back, but every other part of me told me to move closer. Part of me wondered if what I was feeling was simply because I had never been in this sort of dynamic with anyone else? Other Protectors and I had flirted, but nothing came from it. No matter how much I rationalized it, I knew what I was feeling wasn't normal. People don't set someone else aflame just by a touch or by a look. Body's don't react like it's a magnet drawn only to one other person on a regular basis...

I took a step closer, against my better judgment, when Jackson slowly lowered my hand, but held on.

"Mia...how is it that fate brought you to me?" Jackson smiled.

"I..." I started but was cut off by the sound of a glass shattering. I pulled my hand from Jackson's and turned, blocking him with my body and reaching for my gun, which I had forgotten in my room.

I saw Lou, the head butler, lean and pick up the glass he had dropped; he was just cleaning the grand room. I took a breath and faced Jackson again, "So, where do you go next?" I asked softly.

Jackson and I walked the hallways until four in the morning. We talked the whole time, he told me about his army years and I told him about my training. We both had gone through a lot. Jackson lost many friends and saw a lot of pain during his times. Our kingdom was always at war with other kingdoms that had not joined our cause when King Michael saved us. We were occasionally at war with ourselves, bands of rebellions rising to fight against the oppression of King David. When I finally went to my room I felt full, like I had really learned about a person and shared part of myself with them. We were not too fond of sharing personal stuff at the academy. No one but Jonah really knew me.

For the first time in years, I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.