by Aron Lewes
“Well... believe it,” she replied, her voice strained by his constricting hand. “I'm not even sure what you're talking about, but... I have to admit, the roughness is turning me on.”
He released her neck when he heard her reply. “I'm sorry. I don't mean to hurt you. I'm just having a hard time understanding why Vala and I were caught. We're never caught. Larien must have been tipped off. It's the only thing that makes sense!”
“The prince has been paranoid for weeks, ever since his father died,” Kate said. “He makes his body doubles go everywhere. He has two tasters... and one of them died. He knew his uncle would try to kill him again, he just didn't know when.”
Wilhelm's eyes narrowed even more. “You seem to know a lot about a man who never talks to you.”
“Everyone knows this. The servants talk about it all the time.” Kate captured one of Wilhelm's rough hands and pulled it to her chest. “You're obviously stressed. Why don't we head upstairs and work out some of your tension?”
For a moment, Wilhelm considered her offer. He even brought his nose to her hair, inhaling deeply. Kate was a handsome woman, and her touch might have soothed his hurt feelings. However, despite being Kylin's reject, a part of him was still loyal to her. With falling shoulders, he backed away from Kate.
“I can't,” he said. “As much as I want to, I ca—”
“If you want to, you should,” Kate purred. She ran a hand down the length of his chest, stopping an inch above his belt. “Honestly, I think you need this. There's no better cure in all the world.”
Wilhelm spoke so softly, he could barely hear his own reply. “This... can't be cured.”
“Anything can be cured with sex!” Kate laughed.
“No. Not this.” Wilhelm shook his head. “You're no replacement for what I lost. You're a lovely woman, and I'm sorry I was a brute, but...”
Kate said, “Fine, I'm not going to beg!” and pushed him backward, through her open cottage door. “I'm not even going to be sore about it. You smell like a brewery! Off with you!”
With a solemn nod, Wilhelm granted her request.
Chapter Eight
“Kylin!” Wilhelm cried. She had every reason to be repelled by his behavior, but they needed to talk. He found her on the deck, and when she saw him racing toward her, he swore she picked up her pace. “Kylin, wait!”
Her voice was low, stricken with sadness. “What is it, Wilhelm?”
“I wanted to apologize.” Wilhelm started to reach for her hand, but before they touched, he remembered it would be intimate to her, and his arm fell away. “I was a bully last night. I would never want you to think you're not safe with me.”
“I don't feel that way,” Kylin said. “If anything, I feel safer with you than anyone else. You were rude, but... I've gotten used to it.”
Wilhelm groaned at her reply. “You should never get used to behavior like that. I'm so sorry.”
His apology made her crack a smile. “I wouldn't want you to think you're always that way. Most of the time, I really enjoy your company. You can be cruel, but you can also be kind.” Kylin grabbed and clasped his hand, initiating the contact he was reluctant to make. “I was thinking... when you leave today, I'd like to go with you.”
Wilhelm's gaze landed on their conjoined hands. He studied her tiny fingers, buried in his. Suddenly, his voice was as sad as hers.“Esha is going with me, you know. Maybe you should go... so you can get to know him.”
“Is that really what you want?” Kylin asked.
“No. But it's something I have to accept. Also, if you come with me, we'll have to do something about your brother. We can't just leave him on the ship.”
“I agree... but he will protest,” Kylin warned. “He'll probably insist on going with us.”
Wilhelm replied, “Then I'll insist on something else. I have a friend in the city. She has children who are close to Rai's age. I trust her, so... it might be a good place for him.”
Kylin immediately suspected that Wilhelm's friend was more than a friend. She had to ask, “Are they... your children?”
Wilhelm threw back his head and cackled. “Goodness, no! For you to arrive at that conclusion, you must think the worst of me! I'll admit, she was a former lover, but the children were already part of her life when I met her. Tarah's been a widow for several years.”
Kylin had no interest in hearing more about Wilhelm's love life, so she excused herself and searched for Rai. Her little brother was angry with her, but not for the reasons she expected.
“Why doesn't anyone want to rescue Vala?” Rai cried. “Kylin can summon a cyclone, I can rush the front gate with my magic, and Wilhelm can back me up with—”
“Out of the question!” Kylin shouted. “While we're gone, you'll stay with Wilhelm's friend.”
Rai whined, “But I don't want to! If we're not going to save Vala, I would rather go with you. My magic would be a lot more helpful than Kylin's. Please, please, Wilhelm... won't you let me go?”
Wilhelm quickly shut him down. “You're staying with Tarah. I've already made my decision. Sorry, Rai.”
Rai went silent when they didn't respect his demands. Later, he tried his charms on Esha, who only laughed at the little boy's big plans.
“You know I work for Larien, right?” Esha asked. “Larien's like a father to me... or an older brother, perhaps. I would always, always be on his side. I do admire your backbone, but nothing in the world could convince me to side against him.”
Rai was sulky for the rest of the morning, but Wilhelm had slept off most of his rage. He even tried to be polite to Esha. It didn't last long.
They were riding on horseback, toward Tarah's cottage, when he asked Kylin's Chosen, “You're a telepath, right? Does that mean you can read my mind?”
“Unfortunately, no. Before I can read someone's mind, I must have a strong connection with them. At present, there are only two people I can communicate with over a long distance. Larien is one of them.”
“And the other?” Wilhelm asked.
“None of your business,” Esha said. “By the way, I reported your inactivity to the prince. He expected you to be well on your way to his uncle's villa. Instead, you spent an entire night drinking and despairing. The prince was disappointed, but he's willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. However, if you squander another day, we might be forced to take action.”
“You're a pleasant fellow, aren't you?” Wilhelm chuckled. “Kylin... your new Chosen is such a good man. You must be so happy.”
Esha glanced at Kylin. He expected her to come to his defense, but he found her smirking instead.
“At present, I do not consider you an enemy,” Esha replied, with a haughty tone that made him entirely unlikeable to the man riding beside him. “But if you continue to tease me, I might have to take a different stance.”
“Forgive me for saying so, but in my eyes, you are an enemy,” Wilhelm said. “You're working for the man who's imprisoned my sister, so don't be surprised if you aren't my favorite person in the world.”
Before long, they arrived at Tarah's. Wilhelm's “friend” and former lover was close to Vala's age, and she had the face of a doll. Her strawberry blond hair had been twisted into a sloppy braid, and her bosom could make any man lose his concentration. Miraculously, Wilhelm held her gaze, and never once did his eyes drift lower than her chin. He told her what he needed: a temporary home for Kylin's younger brother.
“Of course!” Tarah said. “The boy can stay as long as he wants. I'll take care of him like he was one of my own boys. What's his name?”
When Tarah leaned over him, even Rai had a difficult time keeping his gaze from her decolletage. With his eyes on her cleavage, he replied, “Uh... my name's Rai.”
“It's good to meet you, Rai.” Tarah thrust out a hand, but when he didn't take it, she patted his head instead. His ears were tucked under a hood, safe from scrutiny. “You're a cute one. I'm sure you'll get along with my boys. Lyle and Jacob are around your
age. They're rascals, but they're always excited to meet new friends.”
Rai studied his sister in the corner of his eye. He kept hoping she would come to his rescue, but she never spoke up.
“I just made some cheesy macaroni, if you want some,” Tarah said. “Why don't you follow me to the kitchen? You can meet the lads.”
It seemed like Tarah had accepted her role as Rai's nanny, but the truth was more complex. As Rai headed toward the kitchen, Tarah grabbed Wilhelm's shirt and growled, “You owe me.”
“Perhaps I do,” Wilhelm whispered. “What sort of payment would you accept? Money? Sex?”
“More like... a favor,” Tarah replied, in a voice as soft as his. “But I wouldn't mind a bit of sex as well.”
Chapter Nine
PRINCE LARIEN'S PRISON was easily the nicest prison Vala had ever been in. It had a bed with fluffy pillows, even cozier than her own. Her first meal was juicy roast with fresh vegetables, and there was even a mug of ale to wash it down. There were no bars, and she didn't have to share her space with anyone else. Even the chamberpot was superior. It was a clean, porcelain bowl, fit for the prince himself.
After twenty-four hours of incarceration, Vala was acclimating to her cell. She even whispered to herself, “I could get used to this,” as she collapsed into her shockingly soft bed. It felt like paradise. She didn't have to see anyone, she didn't have to talk to anyone, and she didn't have to worry about getting more blood on her hands. Best of all, her newfound comfort came at no cost.
All of it ended when Larien visited the next morning. She had a strip of bacon dangling from her lips when he entered her cell.
“Good morning,” Larien greeted her. “I'm sorry, but I seem to have forgotten your name.”
“Vala.”
Her mouth was so stuffed, he could barely make out her reply. “Vala, you said?”
“Aye. Vala.”
“Well, Vala, I'm here to formally apologize,” Larien said. “You were not supposed to be a prisoner. You were supposed to be my guest! I don't think my soldiers understood my plans for you.”
“It ain't so bad being a prisoner,” Vala said. “This bed is amazing, and the food is great. When you release your prisoners, I wouldn't be surprised if they committed more crimes to get back to their cozy cells.”
The prince was momentarily silent as he digested her unexpected reply. Finally, he said, “You will be moved from the dungeon to a vacant room in the castle. Of course, you will be guarded at all times.”
“That's smart,” Vala said. “You probably shouldn't give me another chance to kill you.”
Larien was silent again, and his smile disappeared, but he continued a moment later. “While the maids prepare your room, would you be willing to join me in the garden for tea?”
“Can I say no?” Vala asked.
“No.”
“Right. I figured as much.” Vala winked at the prince as she strutted from her cell.
Larien led her from the dungeon to a floral wonderland, where her eyes were delighted by every flower, in every color. In the light of day, she could see Prince Larien's face more clearly. He was around the same age as her, if not a few years older. He was handsome, but not classically so. His jaw wasn't square, and his chin was too large, but there was something about his face that appealed to her. His hair was blonde, but not half as pale as her brother's. She wanted to hate the man she was supposed to kill, but his cordiality made it difficult.
“So, tell me about yourself,” the prince requested. “How long have you been an assassin?”
“You don't really want to know about that,” Vala grumbled.
“No. I do.” Larien's smile returned as he plucked a flower and held it out to her.
Though she sneered at his rose, Vala accepted it with a shrug. “Well... I've been an assassin for a long time. I don't even know how long it's been, if I'm being honest. I know you're going to judge me, but after you've lived a few years on the streets, you'll do anything to survive.”
“I'm not judging you,” Larien said. “I'm fascinated by you.”
“In what way?” Vala's lips flattened into a lopsided frown. “You're not trying to romance your assassin, are you?”
“If the lady assassin was amenable to the idea, then... perhaps.”
Vala grunted at Larien's reply. She looked at the flower in her hand, and with a shrug, she tossed it over her shoulder. She wasn't a romance and flowers kind of girl. “You're a strange one, Princey,” she said.
“I don't think so. I think you're an interesting diversion.”
“I'm a diversion that keeps glancing at your shoulder, wondering if I could put a knife in your back,” Vala confessed. “I can make a weapon out of almost anything, you know.”
Larien said, “Thanks for the warning, but I'm not afraid of you. In addition to being clever and charming, I'm also quite good with a sword. You won't take me down so easily.”
“Quite good isn't good enough to save you.”
Larien glanced over his shoulder, at the guards trailing behind him. He rolled his eyes at Vala's remarks, and the soldiers did too.
“Do you think, perhaps, you might be a bit overconfident?” Larien asked.
“Aye. Probably.”
Tea was already prepared when they reached the center of the garden. Larien pulled out Vala's chair, and she dropped into it with a smirk.
“You're a real gentleman, you are. I like it,” Vala said. “There ain't too many of those where I go.”
“I can imagine.”
Larien smoothed down his tailcoat before he sat. Glancing at his bottom, Vala said, “You're a real gentleman with a real nice bum.”
“Thank you. I appreciate the compliment.” Smoke swirled from Larien's teapot as he tipped it over his cup. “I doubt you would appreciate it if I said the same thing to you.”
“I wouldn't mind.”
Vala cracked her knuckles and reached for the teapot. Her popping bones made such a jarring noise, both of Larien's eyebrows raised.
“You're definitely a... a different kind of lady than what I'm used to.”
“Good.” Vala grabbed three sugar cubes with a bare hand and chucked them into her cup. Tongs took too much effort. “I wouldn't want to be a generic fancy lady who worries about frills and ribbons.”
“So... I shouldn't give you a dress?” Larien eyed her attire and sipped his tea. “It's rare to see a lady in breeches.”
“If you give me a dress, I'll burn it. I have nothing against pretty gowns on pretty ladies. They look nice and all, but they're not for me.” Vala finished stirring her tea and held up the spoon. “Ooo... you're real brave to give me something like this. It's not that hard to dig out a man's eye with a spoon.”
“That's something you've done before, I take it?”
Vala grinned at him over her cup. She answered cryptically, “Maybe.”
Larien barely had two sips of tea before the moment was interrupted by a company of guards. A lanky soldier, wrapped in chainmail, ran to the prince's table.
“Your Highness.” The guard sank to one knee as he spoke. “I'm afraid there's been an... incident. We're here to ensure your safety.”
Larien didn't look or sound alarmed. He sipped his tea again, leaned back, and asked, “Someone else hasn't come to kill me, have they?”
“N-No, sir. At least... we don't know, sir,” the guard stammered. “There was an intruder. We can only guess his intentions.”
“I'm sure it's another assassin. I expect my uncle to send at least a few more before the week is over,” Larien said. “Anyway, let's see this intruder. I'd like to shake his hand and thank him for keeping my guards on their toes.”
The kneeling guard whistled at a fellow soldier, who dragged a wriggling prisoner to the prince's table.
Vala gasped when she saw him.
The castle intruder was none other than Rai, Kylin's little brother.
Chapter Ten
LESS THAN AN HOUR INTO their journey,
Esha asked, “Would it be possible to make a slight detour, Mr. Stroud?”
Wilhelm's muscles tensed when the boy referred to him as Mister Stroud. It made him feel old, much older than the youths who traveled with him. “I suppose that depends on where your detour would take us. I wouldn't want to upset your idol, the prince.”
“I would like to stop at the village of Kiley,” Esha said. “I have friends in that village, and I haven't visited for over a month. Should it take us too far out of our way, I'll tell Larien it was my fault.”
Wilhelm reminded him, “I'm not here to be your escort. I'm here to save my sister.”
“I think we should take him,” Kylin added her voice to the debate. “This seems important to Esha. It—”
Wilhelm cut her off with a growl. “Of course you would take his side. I expected no less.” His hand drifted to his sheathed sword, and he squeezed the hilt until his knuckles were white with rage. “How far to the village, boy? How far out of the way will it take us?”
“Ten minutes, give or take.”
“I guess we can spare the time,” Wilhelm capsized. “But we need to be in and out of the village in a half-hour or less. If you hear me clear my throat, say goodbye to your friends, because that means we're leaving.”
They rode in silence, over grassy hills and trodden pathways. Every time they passed a traveler, Esha touched the brim of his newsboy hat in salutation. He used the hat to conceal his ears, while Kylin flattened hers under a dense curtain of hair. Wilhelm had instructed his companions to hide the parts of themselves that made them stand out. He didn't want to draw attention, and nothing attracted a human's stare more than a tall, twitching ear.
As they approached their destination, Esha said, “Kiley is a nice place. My sister lives in the woods, behind the old windmill.” He directed their attention to the massive, unmissable windmill on the village's highest hill. Its mighty blades made a constant groan as they turned.
“We're not making another detour, if that's what you're asking,” Wilhelm said. “If you want to visit your sister, it'll have to wait.”