The Queen's Blade IV - Sacred Knight of the Veil

by T C Southwell

  Chiana glanced at Kerra again, noting the girl's sudden pallor. "Those are the Queen's uncles."

  "They are murderous scum, like all Cotti. Kerrion would do it himself if he was able. Since he is not, you will be doing him a great favour."

  "And is your apprentice good enough to do this?"

  He shrugged. "He is not as good as I was, but I think so."

  "If he is caught, the Cotti judges will know who hired him and demand retribution."

  "Will they? Any Jashimari noble could have hired him, and he will not confess, even under torture. They may guess that it was you or Kerra, but they will have no proof."

  Chiana sighed. She might have guessed what Blade's demand would be. He craved the death of all Cotti royalty, save perhaps Kerrion. She glanced at Kerra, who looked subdued and pensive.

  "Very well. When this is over and the Queen safely returned to the palace, I shall hire your former apprentice and send him to kill the Cotti princes."

  "Excellent. Have the Queen readied for the journey. I want her hair cut and dyed brown, and she should be dressed in servant's clothes. A boy's clothes."

  Kerra's eyes widened in horror. "No! Surely such drastic measures are not necessary?"

  "I will decide what is necessary, and you have agreed to abide by my decisions. If you refuse, our agreement is off."

  Kerra turned to Chiana and wailed, "Not my hair!"

  Chiana cast a pitying glance at the girl, whose long flaxen mane was her pride and joy, brushed and teased into ringlets and adorned with jewelled combs and pins. She shook her head.

  "I am sorry, Kerra. It will grow back, and the dye will wash out, will it not, Blade?"

  He inclined his head. "Of course. Shoulder length will be short enough, then tie it back as a boy might."

  The Queen fingered a bright tress. "I cannot believe I am agreeing to this. You could be wrong about Endor, Lord Conash. He may be different from other Cotti men, just as my father is. He may fall in love with me and become my consort."

  "I would not stake my life on it if I was you. Endor is Ronan's younger brother, and he has a mighty grudge against the Jashimari because of his brother's death. Doubtless your attractions will turn most men's heads, but Endor already has a harem that numbers over fifty young girls chosen for their beauty, and he has sired dozens of children."

  Kerra's face fell as his words shattered the last of her romantic illusions, and she bit her lip, her eyes growing moist with tears of disappointment and hurt. "Do you think me beautiful, My Lord?"

  "I am not one to ask for compliments."

  Her face hardened. "You are a cold-hearted man, I think. And I demand that you call me your Queen at least once before we leave."

  "I will accord you the title when you deserve it, and not before."

  Kerra's mouth tightened into a grim line, and she bestowed a furious glare upon him before spinning in a swirl of satin skirts and bouncing ringlets. She marched to the door, yanked it open with unwonted force and slammed it behind her so hard that it rattled the frame.

  Chiana rose and went to the table to pour herself some wine, using the ploy to get close to her husband. He eyed her, and she cast him a sad smile.

  "You would be well advised not to aggravate her too much. The more you annoy her, the more difficult she will become."

  "I will not bow to her whims, nor bolster her ego. She must learn to be more diplomatic, or she will make a terrible queen."

  Chiana sipped her wine and changed the subject. "I am pleased to see that you have lost your limp, My Lord."

  He studied a tapestry on the far wall. "Shamsara's curse again. It even healed the scars in my lung."

  "Really? Then there is nothing preventing you from dancing. You could go to the Assassin's Guild and challenge the Master of the Dance."

  "I could, but I have no wish to, and I am retired."

  "Talon told me that they offered to let you keep your title."

  Blade glanced at her. "Did he? But what use is it to an elder? Its purpose is to determine the best assassin in the Guild, so he will get more work. The wealth it brings is his reward for the long time-glasses of strenuous practise it takes to become the Master. Since I am retired, it serves me no purpose other than to boost my ego. And I have no wish to continue the rigorous training required to keep such skills honed to a high standard."

  Her eyes skimmed over him, sliding away from his hard gaze. "You have not neglected your training, that is quite obvious."

  "I am required to teach my apprentices, which means I must show them the Dance. The current Master of the Dance is my former apprentice. I taught him well."

  "And did he ever surpass you?"

  He smiled, sipping his wine. "No."

  "You are still a proud man, and I would venture to say that you could still reclaim your title, no matter how much you deny it."

  "That, we shall never find out."

  "Since you are healed and no longer age, I am surprised you have not become an assassin again."

  He grimaced. "I grew tired of killing, I told you that. I am a wealthy man, and no longer require a trade. What is more, my former apprentices must share their earnings with me for two years, and they have all been most successful."

  "I can imagine."

  Blade frowned, looking thoughtful, and turned to her. "Are there any portraits of the Queen in the palace?"

  "Several from when she was younger, and the most recent was done only six moons ago."

  "Destroy them."

  She stared at him in confusion and horror, then nodded. "Of course. But we could hide them."

  "Burn them now."

  "I shall order it done."

  He walked towards the window, then swung to face her again. "And what of spies? Is the palace still rife with them?"

  "I hope not..."

  "Summon her here, we will have to make other plans."

  "You think -"

  "I think if a Cotti spy discovers Kerra's disguise, it will be useless. How had you planned to send her into hiding, if I had not agreed to help you?"

  Chiana gestured. "A select group of my most loyal veterans, including four sacred Knights of the Veil, were ready to take her away in a drugged state."

  He nodded. "Do it. Let all see her leave. Endor will be able to follow her trail as if it was painted on the road. I will intercept them in the forest and take her from them. Tell them nothing of this."

  "They are good men. They will strive to protect her if they do not know of the plan."

  "They must not know of the plan, or the Cotti torturers will have it out of them before the day is done." Blade sipped his wine. "I will try not to kill any of them, but the only ones who must know of this are we three."

  Chiana went to her desk and picked up a silver bell, which she rang to summon a maiden. When she had sent the maid to fetch the Queen, she returned to stand beside Blade.

  "What changed your mind? Last night you were adamantly against helping us."

  He smiled. "Ah, Chiana, even now you do not understand me. When I came here I was undecided, but curious. Last night you almost made me angry enough to leave without further discussion. You should know I do not like to be cajoled, coerced or brow-beaten into doing something.

  "After I left you, I thought of the possible rewards that might be on offer, and the princes' deaths were too good to pass up. I knew you were desperate enough to agree to it, so I came here today. Had you offered them to me last night, instead of lecturing me on my titles and responsibilities, the conversation would have had a more agreeable outcome."

  "I thought you were tired of killing."

  "Except for Cotti princes. When I retired, all the older ones were dead, and no one was willing to pay for the deaths of the younger ones. But now they are all grown up and causing trouble, as I knew they would. Besides, I will not be doing the killing."

  Chiana sipped her wine, noting that it was a sweet white from the north that Blade favoured, which explained the way he was swill
ing it down like fruit juice. "So you have not killed anyone for fifteen years?"

  He smiled, shaking his head. "No."

  "Why do I not believe you, My Lord?"

  "Perhaps you are getting to know me, wife."

  "Have you become a common murderer then?"

  Blade chuckled, refilling his cup. "No."

  Frustrated, Chiana gave up and turned to another pressing subject. "There is one weak link in your plan, My Lord. I know of it."

  "So?" His brows rose, then lowered. "Endor would not dare to torture the Regent."

  "I think he would, and I doubt that I can withstand it."

  "I would not expect you to." He swung away and went to the window to stare out of it, frowning. "There is no reason for him to suspect that you know anything. That is why those who guard her must not know. He should think that she was stolen by brigands, as her guards will report. If he does suspect that you know something, tell him everything. Do not allow him to torture you."

  "But -"

  "I will devise another disguise for the Queen. He will waste time trying to find a band of robbers, which will give me time to get her further away from here. He will not find her, even knowing what you know."

  His apparent concern brought a warm glow to her heart, and she smiled. "The thought of my torture upsets you?"

  "I dislike torture."

  "Yet you used to offer your clients a slow death for their victims."

  "And you thought I spent time-glasses slicing them up?" He shook his head, turning to face her once more. "I never spent more than a few minutes with my kills. How fast a person dies depends on where you stab them. I was rarely asked to kill slowly, in any case. I charged dearly for it, because it made my job more difficult and dangerous."

  "How did you do it? Surely the man would shout for help?"

  "None of my kills ever cried out, my lady." Blade eyed her as if considering some amusing plan, smiling. "I will demonstrate, if you wish." Putting his cup down on the tray, he approached her, and she stepped back. His smile widened. "I am not going to hurt you. You might even find this enjoyable, since you crave my touch so much."

  "That is not -"

  "Do you not trust me?" His soft, seductive voice caressed her, and her will evaporated as the spell of his charm took hold. No one could resist Blade when he used his charisma to full effect, and this, she was sure, was part of the demonstration. He took her goblet from her nerveless fingers and placed it on the tray next to his own, then reached up and cupped her face.

  "I recall that you once told me that you did not fear me, and challenged me to kill you if I wished. I could have done it then, had I wanted."

  Chiana shivered at his touch, torn between her longing for his caress and the inherent fear of such a dangerous man. His silvery eyes gleamed like drops of clear water, and she tried to read them, searching for some reassurance in their depths. His warm hands slid down to her neck, stopping just below her jawline. She sensed the slightest tightening of his fingers, so gentle it was a mere caress, then the room went dark and her legs buckled.

  Blade caught her as she collapsed, holding her around her waist. The darkness cleared, leaving her weak and dizzy. She clung to him for as long as she dared, enjoying the intimacy of his arms, something she had never before shared with him. When she could not feign weakness any longer, she straightened. He held her elbow, watching her, then released her. Chiana raised a hand to her brow.

  "What did you do?"

  He shrugged, looking a little smug. "I cut off the flow of blood to your brain, causing you to faint. That was the first time I have done it to a woman, and it was much easier than a man. The affect also lasted quite considerably longer than it should have." He smiled. "Had I continued the pressure a little longer, you would have passed out, then all I have to do is stab you a few times in the gut, and the job is done."

  "So your victim does not even feel any pain?"

  "Not until he wakes up, no. It takes a few days for him to die, and it is very painful. He rots from inside, and no healer can save him."

  Chiana rubbed the sides of her neck where his hands had been, and he misread her gesture.

  "Do not worry; you will not have any bruises."

  She lowered her hands. "You must have done this in your female disguise."

  "I did on occasion, but not always. As I said, I rarely performed such assassinations. Most clients will go to a poisoner if they want their victim to suffer. There are some poisons that cause more pain."

  "All assassins know this trick?"

  He nodded. "But some are better at it than others."

  "It is better than knocking a person unconscious, then?"

  "Yes. Hitting someone on the head is an imperfect science. Some people have thicker skulls than others, so one person may not succumb, and another may die."

  "Do you miss being an assassin? Apart from the killing, of course."

  He shrugged, picking up his goblet. "Certain things, yes. But training a youngster means I still practice my art."

  Chapter Six

  A thunderous knocking on the doors made Blade jump so violently that he spilt his wine. As he cursed and shook his hand, the doors crashed open and the guards admitted a gasping messenger, following him into the room as if unsure of his intentions. Evidently he had barged in before they could ascertain his reason for wishing urgent entry to the Regent's study. Chiana stepped forward with a frown.

  "What is it?"

  "Regent," the man panted. "Prince Endor is here!"

  "Here? In the city?"

  "In the palace!"

  She shook her head. "He cannot be, the reports said..."

  "A decoy. He came ahead with a few men."

  Blade put down his goblet and headed for the window as a tall, golden-haired man strode in, followed by four Cotti soldiers, two of whom held cocked crossbows. Chiana's guards rushed to her side, crossing their spears before her to halt the intruders' advance.

  Prince Endor pointed at the fleeing assassin. "Stop him!"

  Blade turned and yanked two daggers from his belt, flicking them. One crossbowman collapsed with a gurgle, dropping his bow to claw at the black hilt protruding from his throat. The other staggered back as a dagger hit him in the chest, discharging his weapon. The bolt hit Blade in the shoulder, spun him around and sent him crashing into the wall. He lay stunned, and the two remaining soldiers rushed at him, reaching him before he could move. One kicked Blade in the gut, making him curl up as he struggled to pull another dagger from his belt. The second man used his sword hilt as a club, striking Blade a glancing blow on the temple.

  The assassin slumped, looking dazed. As he shook his head to try to clear it, the soldiers twisted his arms behind his back and hauled him to his feet. One punched Blade in the face, and Chiana bit her lip to prevent herself from crying out as blood oozed from his nose. Endor smiled, shooting her a smug look that made her want to fly at him and scratch out his eyes. The soldier drew back his fist to punch Blade in the belly, and the assassin lashed out with a foot, sending the soldier sprawling.

  Four more Cotti soldiers came in and ran to aid their comrades. One received a kick in the groin and another doubled over as a well-aimed boot robbed him of his wind. Blade jerked his head back, hitting the man behind him in the face, and the Cotti released him, staggering back. The last two men rushed Blade before he could reach for another dagger and grabbed his arms, twisting them until the tendons cracked. Blade grimaced and raised his head to glare at the Cotti prince. Blood oozed from his nose and ran down his side from the wound in his shoulder.

  Endor smiled. "A good fight, assassin." He eyed the dead and injured that littered the floor. "You make my men look like fools, and they are all veterans." He walked closer, studying Blade's bloody face. "But if you are who I think you are, it is not surprising."

  He reached out to finger the assassin's cheek, ignoring the angry jerk of his head. "Yes, I am right. The Jashimari eunuch who killed my brothers. What good for
tune to find you here, strayed so foolishly into my reach. You should have stayed hidden, you gelded dog. Now I will have the pleasure of seeing you executed for your crimes."

  "No!" Chiana burst out, unable to stay silent any longer.

  "Be quiet, Jashimari slut, or you will join him. In fact, you may as well anyway. I will have no more use for you once I have your queen. Where is she?"

  Chiana stared at the Cotti prince, who raked her with a bold, contemptuous gaze. His resemblance to Kerrion was marked; he might have been a younger version of the King, but the sneer that curled his full lips into an ugly line marred his handsome features. Chiana drew herself up and glared at him.

  "You cannot execute a lord of my realm. You have no authority here."

  Endor laughed, exposing large teeth, his resemblance to Kerrion diminishing. "I shall do as I wish, woman. He is my prisoner now, and you can do nothing to save him. He is condemned in Cotti and Contara, but even if he was not, I would kill him anyway. And I know you are planning to try to hide the girl. I am no fool. You brazen Jashimari whores think you can defy even a Cotti prince. Any disobedience by you or the girl will result in the death of some of your people, is that understood?"

  Chiana paled. "You -"

  "Do not argue. You have no choice and you know it, unless you are a complete moron. Your ally is under my heel, and my army stands ready to invade if you defy me. Your only recourse is to obey me, understand?"

  The Regent nodded, hatred shining in her eyes. "But you cannot execute my husband. I will not allow it."

  "You cannot stop me. You will join him on the gallows, and your queen will watch you both die, or she will suffer. Send for her! And order your men out."

  Chiana raised a hand, and the guards withdrew, the messenger retreating with them.

  Endor turned back to the former assassin. "I see you were plotting something with this dirty, gelded assassin, too."

  Chiana glanced at Blade. "He is my husband. We were plotting nothing."

  "Be quiet. When I require answers from you, I shall ask for them. He is not here because he is your husband. He is of no use to you."

  Endor studied Blade, a frown drawing his thick brows together until they met over his short nose in a solid bar, offsetting his high forehead. He had the smooth, cold features of snake kindred, with a strong chin and high cheekbones. Dust filmed his short flaxen hair, and his clothes were travel stained and wrinkled. Quite clearly he had ridden hard to arrive here ahead of his retinue, and his analysis of Chiana's response to Kerrion's plight showed that he did not lack intelligence. Then again, none of the Cotti princes had been stupid.