Assassin's Maze

by Everly Frost

  I pull her into a long hug, drawing Archer into it too. When we finally separate, laughing and wiping our eyes, we find Vlad waiting at the edge of the clearing.

  He wears a grin. “Glass Arrow, you’re not such a machine after all.”

  With a cautious smile to Tansy—because I haven’t got a vibe from her yet about whether she and Vlad have smoothed over their conflict—I cross the distance to Vlad and hug him.

  He hugs me back, dragging me off my feet. “It’s good to see you looking so alive, Hunter. You’ve got color in your cheeks again.”

  I don’t know what I looked like before I went into the maze, but I know I feel much stronger.

  “You too, Vlad,” I say, arching my eyebrows at him. “You weren’t in good shape when we left.”

  He considers Tansy for a moment. She gives nothing away—a blank slate—as she stands with Archer and Cain.

  “Tansy didn’t stop until I was healed.” He clears his throat, focusing on me and diverting the conversation. “You must want to get home.”

  “Yes. Please. More than anything.”

  “The SUV is big enough for all of us.” He stoops to pick up the basket, pulling the flowers out and handing them to Tansy, before he heads back along the forest path carrying the basket and the fold-up chair. “Let’s go, then. There’s food in the vehicle.”

  I pull Tansy aside before we follow, eyeing the flowers Vlad gave her. “You and Vlad?”

  She takes a deep breath. “We’re friends. He gives me flowers every day as an apology for what he said. It still hurts, but he can’t change what was done to him any more than I can change what happened to me. I have to accept it and move forward.” She draws another deep breath into her chest, exhaling slowly. “I am determined to focus on everything that is positive in my life. That’s what William would have wanted for me. It’s what I want for myself.”

  I ask, gently, “Even if it breaks your heart?”

  She whispers, “I’ll be okay. I promise.” She plasters a smile on her face. “Let’s go home. Everyone on Saber Lane will be happy to see you.”

  She squeezes my arm and goes on ahead, moving past Slade, who pauses at the edge of the clearing for me. We are all hungry and tired. I would give anything to sink into his arms in a quiet place, eat a meal together, and process everything that happened in the maze, but I can’t take another step toward the future without complete honesty.

  I hold tight to his big hand as we walk, taking deep breaths, hoping I can say what I need to say. “Slade… there’s something I need to tell you… but I don’t know how…”

  He waits for me to continue, carefully picking a path through the trees, staying close to me.

  Cain and Archer walk ahead of us, with Tansy and Vlad in front of them.

  Slade doesn’t ask me questions. He knows that if he does I’ll have to answer. Instead, he says, “You can tell me anything. No matter what it is, I’ll listen.”

  I blurt, “It’s possible that I’m pregnant.”

  His expression softens in the dappled light. A smile grows across his face, a gentle one, but he remains serious. “Do you believe you are?”

  I shake my head. “Amalia said I was, but she lied all the time.”

  “She did,” Slade says. “Except when she spoke with you. She said she had trouble lying to you, remember?”

  My jaw drops a little. “You believe her?”

  He pulls me to a stop, sinks a tooth into his bottom lip, and drags in a breath. Speaking slowly, he says, “I already knew.”

  “What?” My shriek stops my friends further ahead on the path. “How can you possibly know when I don’t?”

  Slade gives me an apologetic smile. “The same way I know that Vlad has an implant where he must have lost a tooth during a boxing match. The same way I know that Archer’s feathers are about to make an appearance because she’s worried she needs to fly to you right now. Our daughter is already developing wings and a strong spine to support them.”

  He gives me a very slow shrug, followed by a smile that makes my heart flutter. “It’s amazing, Hunter. It’s more than I ever could have hoped for—”

  I stop him with a kiss—a terrified, joyful, excited, petrified, stunned kiss. I have no words. I can’t speak.

  Mom told me to let go of the past and walk my own path. Now I get to do that, not only with Slade by my side, but with a daughter I never thought I’d be privileged to have. Judging by the look Slade gives me when we pull apart, we might end up with more than one.

  A thrill runs through me and I can’t wipe the smile off my face, true happiness brimming inside me. The future isn’t certain. There will be other battles, but right now I have more than I ever dreamed possible, more than I ever thought I would have.

  As I leave the maze behind, I take my first steps into a new future.

  Epilogue

  10 Months Later

  The meeting hall inside the Dominion’s Cathedral hushes as soon as we enter, all eyes turned in our direction. Despite the onset of winter and the unstoppable rain elsewhere in Portland, the air inside the Dominion is warm and comfortable. It’s a far cry from the harsh environment in the Legion, although Slade has made a lot of changes to the Legion’s Realm in the last six months, including insulating the cold buildings and adding women’s showers. This year’s intake of Novices includes four women who have made it to their final missions.

  Slade draws nearer to me, assessing our surroundings while I check the baby carrier wrapped around my torso. Ebony is still fast asleep inside it, one little fist resting against her face, supported against my chest. The sight of her draws a smile to my lips even though I’m supposed to maintain my tough assassin act right now.

  Luckily, Slade has enough tough for both of us. Ever since Ebony was born two months ago, he has become a protective daddy bear, treating every situation as a threat until proven otherwise.

  Even a situation as safe as this one.

  Vlad strides toward us with a rare grin on his face. “Welcome to the first official meeting of the Ambassadors.”

  Behind him, Cain and Archer both wear welcoming smiles as they rise from their seats at the large round table in the center of the room, their hands unashamedly clasped.

  In the background, Lutz Logan stands beside a young woman I don’t recognize, but the family resemblance with Cain is striking. She has the same nearly-black hair and green eyes. She takes Lutz’s hand as she rises from her seat, her trusting gaze turning from him to us.

  There are about ten other people in the room, including Rowan Robertson who volunteered to be the Legion Ambassador to the Dominion.

  The Guardian is also present. She wasn’t particularly happy when we presented her with our decision to allow Faction members to cross borders and live in other Factions. She was also thrown to discover that I already gave Archer an assassin’s ring, but the Guardian’s discomfort seemed more about protocol being broken than any actual objection on her part. As the upholder of the Code, I understand her reluctance to bend the rules.

  Ridley strides in behind us. He takes his granddad duties seriously. He finds a place at the side of the room for the bags that are filled with baby accoutrements—like the million diapers that I brought with us.

  Slade relaxes beside me, giving me a smile that never fails to make my heart kick inside my chest. Threat to my personal safety: zero. Threat to my heart: a thousand.

  I give him a sultry smile in return that makes him miss a step.

  Well, if Cain and Archer can hold hands in this formal setting, I can make eyes at my husband.

  With a grin that tells me we’ll do something about it later, Slade moves ahead to greet Vlad with the traditional bow before he moves on to Cain and Archer.

  After a quick bow to me, Vlad leans in to see Ebony. This is the first time he has seen her, although Cain and Archer both visited several times. Archer was present for Ebony’s birth and I was glad to have her there.

  “She has her father’s f
eatures,” Vlad says. “But whose eyes does she have?”

  He can’t see them because she’s sleeping. I answer him with a haughty grin. “Mine of course. Also, sadly, my temperament. She is fierce like her mama.”

  There are no signs of Ebony’s wings yet. She will continue to develop them internally until her back is strong enough to support them. In the meantime, Slade created a tiny Realm inside the bookshop for her birth feather, making it accessible only by Ebony. That way her birth feather can’t be misused and she can make her own choices about what she does with it when she’s older. I hope one day she finds someone she wants to give it to, to extend their human life.

  Vlad’s next question is casual, but the tension in his posture tells me that the answer means more than he lets on. “How is Tansy?”

  It’s a good thing I don’t have to tell him the truth. Tansy barely rests. When she isn’t helping me in the bookshop or using her magic to help clients, she is studying every spellbook she can get her hands on. She says she is searching for a way to heal her power, but I suspect she is really searching for a way to remove the spell that Mother Serena cast over Vlad. Despite the passage of time and the distance between them, she hasn’t forgotten him.

  One look at him tells me he hasn’t forgotten her either.

  I say, “She’s well. She’s determined to mend her power, but it’s not easy.”

  He gives me a nod, his expression closed off. “I’m sure she will succeed.”

  We take our seats and the meeting begins with the Guardian congratulating us on the new peace between Factions. Skirmishes still break out along the borders—I don’t think that will ever change—but the enmity between the Masters is long gone. All I can hope is that it continues into the next generation.

  When the meeting is over, I make my way to Archer who gives me a hug, her arms wrapping gently around Ebony too. I expected the other assassins to keep their distance, but they crowd around me and I have to hide a smile. There’s something about Ebony that turns even the most brutal assassin into gooey mush.

  When Archer and I are alone again, I ask, “How is your father?”

  She has gone back to see him three times. Because of the time difference, each time she was gone for a week.

  She smiles. “He is as cryptic as always, but I’m slowly finding out more about my mother. She was a lot more expressive of her emotions than I am.”

  Archer’s gaze travels to Cain. As if they’re connected, he pauses his conversation with Slade to give her a smile that would make any woman’s heart melt. Archer doesn’t have to speak for everyone in this room to know that she and Cain would die to protect each other. Sometimes, words aren’t necessary.

  I change the subject with a grin: “How are your archery skills coming along?”

  She laughs. “Not a hope in hell.”

  I give her a snide smile. “I thought you said you didn’t have any weaknesses…”

  She huffs. “Archery doesn’t count. Crossbows are more efficient.”

  “Well, if you want some tips, Dad can give you lessons. He’s still trying to teach me. Not that I’m improving.”

  The Guardian appears at my elbow. “Hunter, may I have a word?”

  “Of course,” I say, just as Ebony wakes up with a cry.

  A voice behind me says, “I can settle her, if you like?”

  I stand, shocked, to find Lutz Logan holding out his arms for my daughter.

  “Um… what?” I frown at him, studying his clean cut appearance. Up close, I can see the difference in his appearance since he left to live with the Horde. No more unruly mop of hair and crumpled clothing, although a single day’s growth shadows his jaw, maintaining his ferocious appearance. “Do you know how to hold a baby?”

  He gives me an affronted look, a hint of his old glower settling over his features. “Yes, I do, sweetheart. I have two younger sisters and a little brother. I raised them myself after Dad bailed and Mom overdosed right after my brother was born.”

  It’s more than he ever told me about his background. I definitely never pictured Lutz Logan caring for children. Before I can censor myself, I ask, “Then… why did you become an assassin?”

  His glower deepens. “I didn’t exactly get into college. I had to support my family somehow.”

  He clearly doesn’t like the way my expression softens because he clears his throat. “I’m still a jerk, Hunter. Just one who knows how to settle a crying baby.”

  Handing my daughter over to the man who once propositioned me is not something I ever pictured myself doing. When I glance Slade’s way, he is studying Lutz. Undoubtedly, he heard the entire conversation. Slade inclines his head in a way that says it’s my decision.

  Well, if Daddy Bear thinks it’s okay…

  Closer to me, Archer presses her lips together, doing her best to hide her smile.

  I undo the baby carrier and hand Ebony over to Lutz who pops her into the crook of his big arm and quickly pats her back to sleep. Ebony snuffles against his chest, her little fists relaxing, content again as he makes his way toward Slade, staying well within his sights.

  Content with the knowledge that Slade won’t let anything happen to Ebony—and neither will Archer—I follow the Guardian from the room. It’s difficult to leave my daughter behind, my gaze constantly traveling back to the meeting hall as we make our way to a quiet nook at the end of the corridor.

  The Guardian doesn’t mince words. “My time as Guardian is almost up. I have another month to choose a successor and I would like it to be you.”

  Cain told me that the Guardian would choose me and I’m already prepared to reject her offer. I immediately shake my head. “I’m not the right person for the job.”

  “Why not?”

  “It’s too much responsibility,” I say. “Deciding who lives or dies is not a weight I want on my shoulders.” I don’t tell her that an eagle named “Justice” drove that truth home to me.

  “Which is exactly why you should do it,” she says.

  I frown at her. “I’m a rule-breaker, not a rule-keeper.”

  The Guardian gives me a quiet smile. “Actually, I beg to differ. You could have killed Gareth and avenged your mother at any time, but you chose to show restraint. You could have stepped in and protected Briar, but you trusted the system. I think you are less rogue than you think you are, Hunter.”

  She takes my hands in a surprising gesture, her palms warm. “If you become the Guardian, your path will change. No more midnight missions. No more putting your life on the line. You can give your daughter a normal life. She won’t have to worry that her mother won’t come home one night.”

  If I were completely human, the Guardian’s arguments would be compelling. The sphere of people who know about me and Slade is very small: Cain, Archer, Tansy, and Vlad. Ridley was the last I told. He took it in his stride, aside from needing several strong drinks afterward. Then a long walk. Then some more drinks. Eventually, he gave me a hug and said it didn’t change anything.

  Even so, I’m not invincible. I never expected my own mother to die, and I never want to leave Ebony that way.

  As Guardian, I would control the assassin’s rings that were created from my people. I can decide what happens to them. I can never reverse what was done to the Valkyrie, but I can make sure that only the worthy wear the rings—only those who seek to help the helpless. Hell, I might even make some rules myself.

  This is not the path I saw for myself, it’s not the way I expected to spend my life but I never expected to be married and have a daughter either.

  I twist the wedding band around my finger, knowing that this decision will change the course of my life. It’s going to be hard. The decisions won’t be easy, but neither is life. Neither is love.

  Before I turn away to return to Slade and Ebony, the two most important people in my life, I say, “I’ll do it.”

  Coming Soon - The Monster Ball Year 2

  Who will go to the ball?

  Nobody knows wh
ere the Monster Ball will be held much less how to get a ticket. It arrives by the light of the moon on a silvery slip of parchment. One minute there's nothing. The next you're holding a ticket to The Monster Ball. You're lucky because some would kill for a chance to attend...

  The Monster Ball Anthology Year 2 is coming soon!

  Coming Soon - Bright Wicked

  Bright Wicked

  A new fantasy romance trilogy from Everly Frost

  I am the Queen's champion. I am the gatekeeper between truth and lies. Sworn to protect the throne, I will never falter and above all... I will not love.

  In the Bright Kingdom, there is only one rule: do not consort with the Fell, because the Fell are wicked creatures whose darkness corrupts even the brightest heart.

  When Raven Dawn, the Queen’s champion, discovers a Fell creature at the edge of the Kingdom, her first instinct is to kill him. But there is something about him that makes her pause—and it's not the fact that his combat skills rival her own.

  It's what happens when he touches her.

  That's when she learns another word to describe the Fell: human.

  Bright Wicked is a fantasy romance in which the world of magic and humans collide, coming soon from Everly Frost.

  Also by Everly Frost

  Coming soon - Bright Wicked

  A New Fantasy Romance

  Bright Wicked

  Radiant Fierce

  Infernal Dark

  The Storm Princess Saga (Fantasy Romance) (complete)

  (coauthored with Jaymin Eve)

  Book One: The Princess Must Die

  Book Two: The Princess Must Strike

  Book Three: The Princess Must Reign

  The Mortality Series (complete)

  Book One: Beyond the Ever Reach

  Book Two: Beneath the Guarding Stars

  Book Three: By the Icy Wild