by Chandra Ryan
He cursed under his breath. “I’ve no doubt. But you don’t have to do it alone.”
Regardless of what happened between them this on this journey, they would soon reach their destination. She had to be honest with herself. There were no guarantees their lives would not take them on separate paths again. “You have a life outside of me. And when we return to King’s Keep, you’ll be returning to it. I need to be able to do this alone.”
Guilt surrounded him, drowning out any other emotions she might have been able to pick up. “Maybe. But for now, I’m here.”
“I can’t just be thinking of today, Kavin, Not with this. I need to plan for…” She would have kept arguing, but she felt something out in the night. Something that didn’t feel right. “Where is everyone?”
“Asleep. Why?”
“Something’s out of place.” She closed her eyes and concentrated on the feeling, only stopping when she heard the hum of thoughts pressing back. “Someone’s out there. Nearby.”
“Who?”
“I’m not sure. Give me a second.” It was no use. The person was so unfamiliar that even their thoughts were foreign to her. “I don’t think they speak our language.” Her hand moved to her hip, looking for the hilt to her dagger, but it wasn’t there. “Where are my daggers?”
He placed the familiar steel into her hand. “Stay here,” he whispered just before disappearing into the night.
She found it amusing that he automatically assumed she would follow the order. “He should know me better than that.” Following him out into the cool night, she was delighted at being able to move without any pain. Kavin’s gift was a very handy one indeed. She didn’t fault the king for promoting him to Right.
She carefully kept to the dark shadows and continuously scanned her surroundings for errant thoughts. And it wasn’t long before she’d located the stranger. Not being able to understand the person made it easier for her to find them. Their uniqueness made them stand out in the sea of sameness around her.
Making her way to Kavin, she touched him gently on the arm and ducked just in time to avoid being struck. “What the hell are you thinking?” he roared directly into her mind. “You, of all people, should know better than to sneak up on me like that.”
Ignoring his outburst, she grabbed his arm and pointed in the direction of a small group of trees just on the outskirts of their clearing. She didn’t check to see if he was following her as she made her way to the grove. Instead of worrying about him, she focused on trying to stay in the deep shadows of the night.
She continued searching for the person’s thoughts as she made her way through the trees, but found them jumbled with another’s. She strained to separate them, but they were too close in proximity. She couldn’t. Cursing her inexperience, she turned to Kavin and held two fingers up.
“There are two?”
She nodded her answer.
“Why are they following us?”
She wished she knew but, with their thoughts being indiscernible, she would be guessing at best. She shrugged and continued creeping slowly through the trees until the two sets of thoughts separated and headed in different directions. She looked back at Kavin as she pointed to him then to her right.
“And you?”
In answer, she pointed to her left.
“Like hell.”
She pointed more emphatically and brought her dagger into the moonlight, its steel glinting under the silver light.
“Of course, that makes it better. I’m sure the king will be convinced your death was completely unexpected and that I was in no way negligent in my duties when I show him that bit of steel.”
She wanted to scream but instead settled for a cold look as she started off in the direction she had intended. If he wanted to follow her, so be it. She had other things to deal with right now.
She opened her mind to the stranger’s completely as she focused on their consciousness. It was something she’d never tried before and it was incredibly unsettling. Even still, when she was as deep into the person’s mind as she thought she could go, she pushed harder. She needed to find something that would betray his exact location. She pushed until her head began to hurt. Pushed until she started to see the surroundings from the other person’s perspective layered over her own.
The experience was startling enough to cause her focus to slip and she momentarily lost the tenuous connection. But after taking a steadying breath, she reached out again. At first she couldn’t feel anything other than his presence. But as she forced herself to focus on the unfamiliar life force, she slowly sank into his consciousness again.
It was eerie seeing from another’s eyes, but once she grew accustomed to it a new world was opened to her. The assailant’s eyesight and hearing were sharp, much sharper than hers. Through his eyes she could see make out her tent. Its silhouette was illuminated against the dark night by the lazy flames of their campfire.
Turning to Kavin, she gestured that they should encircle the person. That way they could attack from both sides. Kavin gave a stiff nod. “I can see her aura now.”
Her? The tidbit of information was a surprise. She hadn’t considered the possibility of a female, not that it made a difference. Female or male, she and Kavin had to find out why she was spying on the camp.
Walking as quietly as possible over the dry leaves and twigs that littered the ground, she kept a constant eye on both the target and on Kavin. She knew he wasn’t going to wait for her if he got to the person first. And unfortunately, as close as Sara was, Kavin was closer.
She hastened her step to catch up with Kavin, but stopped dead when she heard the twig snap loudly under her foot. Cursing her impatience, Sara felt the woman’s attention shift away from the camp and toward her, but she didn’t move. The woman stood stoically, content to wait for her assailant to identify their location or attack.
Sara couldn’t move now; the other woman would hear her. But Kavin still crept steadily though the trees. There was only one option open to her. Waiting silently for a few more minutes, she gave Kavin enough time to reach the woman and then broke a branch from a nearby tree to distract the intruder from her impending capture.
Closing her eyes and concentrating on the other woman once more, Sara was confident their assailant had no idea there was a second threat just behind her. Sara’s shared vision went black just as an explosion of pain hit at the base of the woman’s head. Stumbling in pain, it took Sara a moment to pull herself out of the other woman’s mind. But, as soon as she was free, she raced to Kavin to help secure the intruder.
“Any trace of the other one?”
Scanning the nearby woods, Sara shook her head. “No.”
“Damn.” He made quick work of tying the spy’s hands and feet together, and then rolled her over so she was lying on her back. As soon as he saw her face, whispers of anger and disgust began swirling around him and brushing against her mind.
“She’s Alishki.” His words were stilted.
“Alishki?” In all her travels, Sara had never heard the word. Then again, she had never seen a woman like this either. The woman was dressed in black leather breeches, a matching tight-fitting vest, and a corded headdress that raced across her forehead in a thick black stripe. Her long white hair was pulled back into a braid and secured by beaded ties.
“Hired assassin.” He pulled the headband off the woman and shook his head again. “You can tell by the tattoo,” he said, pointing to her forehead. “They worship Orlara. They believe the power of her third eye gives them insight and sharpens their senses.”
As Sara started at the inked representation of the eye, she felt her stomach turn. “Assassin? I guess that answers why she was here.”
“Let’s hope the one that got away was just a scout,” Kavin said.
“Let’s hope.” Sara gestured to the unconscious woman with a nod of her head. “She was studying my tent.”
“I figured as much.” Picking up the unconscious would-be assassin, Kavin s
tarted back to camp. “When we wake everyone and tell them what’s happened, I want you to pay special attention to Shemeek’s thoughts.”
“Why?”
“The Alishki are best known for fighting with the Rhuevians during the Great War.”
That didn’t set well. Shemeek was her friend. She was Jar’s love. “But we aren’t fighting Rhuevia anymore. And if they’re assassins for hire, they’ll be looking for new buyers.”
“Maybe, but whoever enlisted her would’ve had to have connections.”
“I see.” Sara watched the petite woman bounce lightly on Kavin’s shoulder as he carried her back to the encampment. Soon they would know who wanted to keep her from King’s Keep. And hopefully whether Kavin had been correct in why.
Chapter Ten
The camp was still quiet when they returned with their captive. Kavin sat the assassin down by the dying embers of the fire and then moved silently from tent to tent, waking the others.
“What the…” Kemah stumbled half dressed out of his tent. He appeared to have been fast asleep.
Shemeek and Jar, however, looked as if they’d been awake. But that didn’t mean Shemeek was expecting something to happen. They could’ve been awake for other reasons—like talking.
Sara clung to the desperate hope as Kavin put some kindling on the embers. The fire caught quickly and gave them enough light to make out their late night visitor.
It was time. She didn’t want to, but Sara dutifully focused on Shemeek as Kavin looked squarely at the team members. As much as she liked Shemeek, this was not only an act against the crown, but also a matter of life and death for Sara.
“I’m having a really hard time figuring out how we managed to get an assassin following us,” Kavin started. “I’m hoping one of you can shed some light on it.”
Jar studied the unconscious assassin for a moment before speaking. “I’d wager on the Livingstons. Sara told me about the poison in the wine. And they’re the only ones I know who could afford an Alishki.”
Shemeek hadn’t spoken but her silence didn’t hide anything. Sara was already deep in her mind. Fortunately, the only emotions she found were anger and disbelief. There was nothing that even hinted at betrayal or guilt.
“Aren’t Alishki allied with the Rhuevians?” Kemah threw a meaningful look in Shemeek’s direction.
It was greeted with a low growl from Jar. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Just thinking of how we’re traveling with a Rhuevian to deliver someone to the king when a Rhuevian assassin shows up.”
“That is not fair!” Shemeek tried to stand, but Jar gently laid his arm around her shoulders, holding her firmly in place. “I’m no longer Rhuevian, and the Alishki are assassins for hire. As Jar pointed out, they work for gold, not loyalty.”
Kemah didn’t seem convinced. “Maybe in theory, but I’ve never seen it proven. As far as I’ve heard, they’re pretty much your king’s private toys.”
“Watch yourself, Kemah.” This time it was Jar jumping up. Only Shemeek didn’t make an attempt at stopping him. “Shemeek has proven her loyalty to the crown and to this team more times than I can count. I’ve tried to give you leeway because you’re new, but no more. You question her loyalties again, and I’ll have Captain Bellick demote your ass back to private.”
Kemah’s hand swept over the two silver spades on his collar, but he didn’t say anything.
It looked like it was going to be up to Sara to end this. Shemeek wasn’t guilty and being deep in the woman’s mind while she was in so much emotional pain and turmoil wasn’t something Sara enjoyed. “Anyone who saw us leaving the Keep Livingston could have guessed where we would camp,” she said. “For all we know, she could have been part of the attack at Keep Drake and has been following us ever since—just waiting.”
“Waiting for what?” Jar asked
“The perfect setup.” Kavin nodded his agreement.
“Do you know who her target was?” Jar asked, eyeing the still unconscious woman.
“Sara.” At Kavin’s announcement, everybody turned to stare at her.
But Jar shook his head after a moment. “The other obvious target is you.” He was looking straight at Kavin now.
“No. The horse, the wine, and now this? The target is Sara. She’s going to need a guard at her tent.” He stopped and looked at each of them as if expecting an argument. “The Alishki is going to need guarding too. I would be happy to—”
“No, Right’s a protected position. No guarding allowed—enemy combatants or their targets.” Jar threw Sara a meaningful glance. “We’ll draw straws.”
“All right. Whoever wins the honor, though, I expect to be notified as soon as she stirs. I want this nonsense over before we leave in the morning.”
Jar nodded solemnly. “Understood.”
“Then I’m going to go get some sleep.”
Sara watched his back as he stalked into the night toward his tent. She had to talk to him about what had happened with the assassin. And that discussion would require privacy. “Kavin.”
“What?”
“I need to talk to you.”
“You know where I’ll be.”
She started to follow him, but Shemeek’s hand on her arm stopped her. “I do not think it is a good idea for you and Kavin to be…” She let the sentence die out, but Sara got the just of it.
“I just need to tell him something. Nothing else, I promise. I’ll be back to my tent before you guys figure out who’s guarding me.”
She looked uncertain, but finally nodded. “Make it quick.”
“Make it quick?” Jar’s chuckle turned into a cough as Shemeek’s elbow caught him in the ribs.
Sara decided to just ignore him. “I will.”
She smiled shakily before turning and heading for Kavin’s tent. Walking up to the flap, she cleared her throat loudly.
“Come.” Stepping into the tent, she almost ran into him. “Sorry, guess it’s a bit dark in here. One minute.”
Sara smelled the bitter stench of a fireplant breaking just before the plant’s dim flame illuminated the small area. Quickly, before the flames went out, Kavin lit a lantern and put it between them.
“Dangerous plant to be traveling with.”
He shook his head. “Not if you know how to store it properly. Did you learn anything interesting from Shemeek?”
“No. She was shocked and angry, but everything she was feeling was understandable given the accusations being thrown at her.”
He sat down on his bedroll and she followed him. She didn’t plan on a long conversation, but she didn’t see any reason to stand through it.
“Thank the gods. Between you and me, I’m praying it is the Livingstons. That’s one family I would love to declare war on.” He pulled his tunic off over his head revealing his well-defined chest and arms. Staring at a scar that ran close to his heart, she had to fight the urge to reach out to him, to touch him. “So if not Shemeek, why the visit?”
She should probably be looking at anything other than him, but she didn’t want to. “While we were hunting the assassin, I was able to access her senses. See through her eyes, hear what she heard.”
“But couldn’t find out who paid for her?”
“No. Nothing like that. I think it was the language thing. If I got deeper, though, I might be able to get past the words and to the root goals and desires.”
“Makes sense.” He paused for a moment before continuing, “I think it would be a good idea for you to be there when I interrogate her.”
“Why?”
“To know if she’s leaving anything unsaid.”
“It was just a thought. I don’t actually know if there is any deeper.”
“It’s worth a shot. There’s not much to lose and whole lot to gain.” He nodded decisively as if he’d just talked himself into it. “You’ll be there.”
Tired and frustrated, she raised one shoulder in surrender. “I’ll be there.”
“Good.�
�� He ran a finger down the side of her cheek before backing away from her. “You should leave now.”
But she didn’t want to. She wanted to stay. “What if I didn’t?”
“Then Shemeek would drag you out,” he said with a smile.
“I could take her.”
He chuckled and shook his head. “I’m trying really hard to give you the time you need, but you’ve got to help me out.”
But she didn’t want time. Not now. “I’m not angry about Devin. Not anymore.” And it was the truth, for the first time in seven years.
“You should be.” He averted his gaze to the tent wall behind her.
“Life is too short to waste it in anger. Besides, I think I was mainly upset that I didn’t get to tell him that I’d rather wash dishes and peel potatoes than marry him.”
“I wasn’t speaking just of Keep Drake.”
“You weren’t?” A gentle push into his mind and she had her answer. He was thinking of the first time, when he left for the guard. Her back stiffened with the realization. “That mess wasn’t your fault.”
“It was,” he argued.
But she knew better. He had nothing to do with what had happened to her, but she had everything to do with what had happened to him. Her stomach churned with anxiety, but she took a deep breath and pushed the sensation down. As long as the talk didn’t get into his disownment, she would be fine. “No, I won’t let you take responsibility for your brother.”
“You don’t understand,” Kavin insisted. “I was supposed to be the one.”
Damn. The churning in her stomach turned to painful cramps. She didn’t want to talk about this. She didn’t want to see the pity in his eyes.
“Did you hear me, Sara? I was the one who was supposed to be betrothed to you.”
She closed her eyes, her hand resting on her stomach in hopes of calming it. After all these years of avoiding this conversation, it looked like she was going to have to have it now.
“I know, Kavin,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’ve known for years.”
“You do? How?”
She opened her eyes again, but cringed as her gaze caught his. He looked so sad. How could she make this right? “Alex overheard the argument.” His younger sister, Alexandra, had heard every angry word he and his parents had yelled at each other. Alex had been one of her closest friends, but not after that night. She had never been able to forgive Sara for her brother joining the guard. Sara had lost two of her best friends in one instant. “She told me everything.”