Torkel's Chosen by Michelle Howard Page A

bins
overflowed with yellow, green and blue round objects. Some of it she
recognized. “Okay.”
    They headed that
way when a child’s wail pierced the air. The men tensed, heads up. A woman
screamed and the crowd surged behind them. Jaron hesitated. The men had a code
of ingrained honor that Faye admired. Their roles weren’t just jobs to them.
    “See what’s going.
I’ll be fine and stay at the food vendor.”
    Jaron’s lips
firmed and his blue eyes hardened. “Do not leave, Faye.”
    “Scout’s honor.”
    Kyele snorted but
the four men took off in the direction of the gathering circle of people.
    Faye smiled at the
shop steward, an older man with graying blond hair, as he helped another woman
wrap her purchases. She picked up a tan, weaved basket and cruised through the
aisles for fruits she thought she recognized.  
    “It’s good to see
you settling in Faith Reid. I trust Enotia is treating you well,” a voice
whispered by her ear.
    Faye turned. “I’m
sorry?”
    A blond man smiled
and handed her the green fruit she’d wanted. Faye hesitated then placed it in
her basket. She scanned the crowd for any of the guys.
    “Don’t worry. We
have a few minutes before your body guards return. Apparently someone knifed an
innocent child right here in the middle of the marketplace.”
    Faye flinched. The
comment wasn’t said with glee or malice. In fact, it was the lack of emotion in
the statement that worried her. “I should join them. We’re not supposed to get
separated.”
    Torkel made it
clear she needed to be on guard in case Axan attempted to snatch her again. But
this tall stranger with his light blue eyes wasn’t Axan.
    “One moment.” He
touched her shoulder lightly.
    Faye paused and
licked her lips. Fear skittered down her spine but she couldn’t place why.
    “I think you’d
have five minutes to spare for the person that helped you find true love don’t
you, Faith? Or should I call you Faye?”
    Her hands gripped
the handle of the basket tighter and bumped the counter. “I go by Faye.”
    “Right.” He caught
a rolling yellow oblong fruit dislodged by her move. He peeled back the outer
skin and bit the green center. His eyes closed in feigned pleasure. When he
opened them, the blue centers were dead. “Don’t mess with me, Faye.”
    Her heart skipped
a beat. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
    He grabbed her arm
above the elbow. “I think you remember the twenty thousand I paid you to select
Torkel as your Chosen.”
    Her lips parted.
    “Now you
remember.”
    Faye pulled on her
arm. “You should let me go. Torkel’s men will return shortly.”
    “Then let’s make
this quick. When is your Chosen due back?”
    “Tonight.”
    He released her
arm and smiled. “Thank you. That wasn’t so hard, was it?”
    She shook her head
as adrenaline spiked through her nerves.
    “I’ll be in touch,
Faye. I think we’ll get along fine.”
    “What do you want
from me?” She demanded.
    “Nothing too
drastic.” He handed her a small, silver curved object. “This is a
mini-communicator.”
    He passed the coin-sized
communicator over to her. The one in the home she shared with Torkel was the
size of her laptop.
    “I’m going to call
you every now and then Faye to check on you. Check on your Chosen. If you don’t
want him to know you accepted money to be with him you’ll answer every time I
call.” He stared down at her and ran a finger down her cheek, over her jaw then
pinched her chin. “Earthlings are so soft. Breakable.”
    Faye jerked her
face away.
    He placed two
fingers at his temple and saluted her. “Look, here come your guards now. You’re
all safe again. Bye, Faye.”
    He exited down the
rows of fruit and vegetables and was gone by the time Jaron touched her arm. “A
child was injured by a stranger and rushed to a medic center. The market’s
getting crowded. I suggest we leave.”
    Faye swallowed
thickly. “Good idea.”
    The men took up
the same strategic