by Sarra Cannon
If the members of the Legion were surprised to see her with him, they didn’t show it. Nor was Azurha in awe of his carriage, much to his disappointment. Only those of Deizian blood could control the special vehicles that hovered over the ground instead of relying on wheels and animals to move. Using the bronze ore as a conduit, it took only a small stream of magic from the driver outside to power it. Instead, she calmly stepped into the confines of the carriage’s chamber and waited for him.
“Have you ridden in a Deizian vessel before?” he asked once the door closed behind him, enclosing them in their own private room.
She nodded. “Pontus brought me here in one.”
“Oh.” He stared down at his hands and then out the window.
“Of course, his was smaller and nowhere near as grand as yours.” She looped her arm through his and cuddled closer. “I am curious why you asked me to join you tonight.”
The light notes of her jasmine perfume calmed him, and he settled back against the padded seat. “Do you want the whole truth?”
“I expect nothing less from you.”
Titus grinned in spite of himself. Most women would probably pitch a fit if he was as frank with them as he was with Azurha, but she seemed angrier when he held something back from her. “You’re my shield tonight.”
“From what?”
The playfulness in her voice eased the remaining tension form his body. “Ambitious parents.”
“You think by bringing your Alpirion concubine with you to this party, you’ll be making a statement that you don’t want any of the fine Deizian women there?”
He studied her hand, analyzing her slender fingers before moving up to the golden cuffs around her wrist. “I’ve already told you that I don’t want any other woman but you.”
An exasperated sigh filled the carriage, and she wiggled her arm free.
Titus rolled his eyes. What did he say wrong this time?
“Do you always travel with this many bodyguards?”
Her question jerked him from his pouting. How much should he share with her about the price on his head? “No, but I decided to have a couple more guards for the next few weeks.”
“I doubt ambitious parents will attack you. Your political rivals, on the other hand, are not as kind.”
“What do you know about them?”
“Enough. Remember, I had to endure Pontus’s company for the two days it took to travel from Anicium to here.”
Jealousy made his fingers curl up into fists. He loathed the idea that she’d been in another man’s company. By the gods, she was turning him into a green-eyed monster. He took another deep breath. “And what did you learn from him?”
“That he’s in line for your throne should something happen to you before you produce an heir. He made sure I knew that.”
Even his own family was plotting against him. Was there anyone he could trust? His paranoia slowly waned as he started naming names. His mother. Marcus. Varro. All people he would trust with his life. He gaze flickered to Azurha’s profile, and Varro’s warnings echoed in his mind. Could he trust her, too? “Have you ever heard of the Rabbit?”
She jumped as if he’d branded her with a white hot iron. “Yes.” Her voice shook when she answered, and all the color drained out of her face.
He took her hand in his own to comfort her, noting how cold it felt. “It seems someone’s hired him to assassinate me.”
“Hired him?” She turned to him, her large teal eyes wide with fear. “How do you know?”
“Marcus informed me of it. Of course, it’s all rumors. What makes it frustrating is that no one knows who the Rabbit is. The only people who’ve seen his face are either dead or the ones who’ve hired him, and neither one is going to give a description of him. He won’t be able to sneak into the palace easily, but outside the walls…” He stared out the windows, looking for a shadow slinking away in the darkness. “That’s the reason I have extra guards tonight.”
She slowly nodded and laced her fingers with his. “Thank you for sharing this with me.”
“I didn’t tell you about the Rabbit to scare you.”
“I know.” Her lips brushed against the spot right behind his ear, sending a tingle down his spine directly to his cock. “You’re very brave to ignore the danger. I hear the Rabbit’s never failed before.”
“There’s a first time for everything.”
Her tongue flicked his ear lobe, and he braced himself. Did she have any idea what she was doing to him? Her hand massaged its way up his thigh. She purred and nibbled on his ear. Yes, she knew exactly what she was doing. “You shouldn’t worry about the Rabbit, Titus. I’ll protect you.”
“I’m more worried about messing up your hair and feeling your wrath.”
“Why would you worry about that?” She worked his tunic up around his waist and cupped his balls.
A groan formed in the back of his throat. How did he go from talking about an assassin to wanting to fuck her so bad, he was already starting to come in her hand? “Because if you don’t stop teasing me, I’m going to take you right here in the carriage.”
“Maybe that’s the whole idea.” Azurha guided his mouth to hers and traced the seam with her tongue.
The last timbers of his self-control snapped, and he was on top her before she could react. A gasp burst from her lips as he buried himself in her tight sex. By the gods, she felt wonderful. Every care seemed to fade away while he relished each stroke.
“More, Titus, I need more of you.”
Her encouragement increased the ache in his groin. His balls tightened. He bit his lip to keep from coming until she did, but it seemed like a futile effort. He closed his eyes and held his breath until her walls clenched around his cock, and her pitched cry of satisfaction released the orgasm he so desperately tried to restrain.
By the time the last wave of come shot out of him, a blanket of fatigue had settled on him. He lay in her arms while she ran her fingers through his hair. Any thought of the Rabbit faded into the back of his mind.
“See? You didn’t mess up my hair.”
Titus lifted his head and saw she was right. Somehow, despite the nature of their impromptu coupling, he’d managed to keep his hands off of it. “Is that an invitation to try again?”
She laughed and cupped his face between her hands. “Are you eager to be caught inside me when we arrive?”
It took every ounce of energy to withdraw from her. “When we get home tonight, I plan on continuing this.”
“I look forward to it.”
— —
Azurha straightened her dress as the carriage came to a stop. The Deizian vessels never ceased to amaze her, how they effortlessly glided across the ground fueled only by the touch of a Deizian driver’s hand on the control plate outside. They had used their technology to conquer the Elymanians and then the Alpirions, but so far, no one had figured out how to make them work without a Deizian at the helm. Until someone did, the Deizians would continue to control the empire.
The door opened, and Titus extended his hand. “Ready to face the despots?”
“Assuming we’re not part of them?” She hadn’t intended to seduce him on the way to the party, but she needed something to change the conversation. She almost blurted that she was the Rabbit and that he had nothing to fear from her. Not good, especially if she wanted to keep her head.
He brought her hand to his mouth and sucked on her fingertips, making her sex clench in waves. She bit back a moan. Maybe she shouldn’t have tempted him. She’d awakened a beast that she’d crave the rest of the night.
He gave her a wicked grin. “Just so you know, I can play this game, too.”
A challenge? She mirrored his grin. “We’ll see who wins.”
The villa glowed golden from the torchlight when they stepped out of the carriage, highlighted by the indigo glow of the distant supernova that lit up the sky. Ornately carved marble columns framed the front like a line of sentries daring her to enter into the
world of wealth that lay beyond them. Unease coiled in her stomach like a viper ready to strike. Every nerve in her body whispered that she was an imposter, that she didn’t belong here, especially not with Titus. She prayed she wouldn’t embarrass him.
Out of the corner of her eye, she watched the members of the Legion fan out around the grounds and enter the home ahead of them. Two took their place by the front door. “Are they coming in with us?”
“Yes, although they do give me a little bit of privacy. As long as they patrol the premises, I’m as safe inside the villa as I am at the palace.”
Azurha almost snorted at his ignorance. If he only knew about the dangerous woman standing beside him. She knew how easy it was to kill a man in the time it took to accidentally bump into him.
Even with the guards stationed around them, she’d have to ensure his safety whenever anyone came near.
“Emperor Sergius, I’m so glad you accepted my invitation.” Their host, Rutilius Arculeo, approached them with a stiff smile on his face that only wavered into an outright snarl of contempt when he noticed her. “Who is your guest?”
“My consort, Azurha.”
Her breath caught. Consort? When did she get elevated to that? If he didn’t piss off the nobles by bringing his concubine to a Deizian gathering, he definitely would by elevating a former slave to a title just below Empress.
Rutilius’s reaction was just as she envisioned. He snatched his hand back like he might catch something from being too near her. “If you wanted that kind of entertainment,I would have happily supplied it.”
It would be all too easy to snap his neck. In any other situation, she would have made him pay for his insult. Instead, she bit her tongue and focused on appearing demure while she let his words roll off her like water on glass.
“Be careful what you say, Rutilius.” Titus moved between her and their host. “Insulting her means you insult me.”
Part of her wanted to tell him that he didn’t need to come to her defense, but her heart melted at the sight of the muscle rippling along his jaw and the rigid way his body shielded her.
Rutilius bowed. “Forgive me, Your Imperial Majesty. You are both welcome to my home.” He turned and led them into the central courtyard where a majority of the guests had gathered to escape the intense heat indoors. The stars twinkled overheard, so calm compared to the riotous music playing nearby. “I have prepared a special seat for you.”
Titus glanced at the small sofa draped with purple silk and gave a curt nod. “I appreciate your hospitality.”
“You honor me by your presence.” After another bow, he disappeared into the crowd.
Azurha sat on the smooth clay tiles at the foot of the sofa and studied the faces around her. Did another assassin lurk among them?
“You’re welcome to join me.” Titus patted the place next to him, but she shook her head.
“I don’t wish to cause any more of a disturbance than I already have.”
A sea of disapproving blue eyes glared at her. By now, word would have travelled among the Deizian guests that she had usurped the position coveted by them for their daughters. She turned to Titus and raised a brow.
“Let them pout,” he said. “All I have to do is remember what happened in the carriage, and I’m happy.”
Heat seared her cheeks. Of course everyone there assumed he was fucking her, but the reality of facing them was an entirely different matter. She wondered how many of them would offer their daughters to the harem in the morning.
His warm hand grasped her shoulder. “If I’ve learned anything in the last few days, it’s not to let them control my life.” He began massaging the knots in her upper back with his thumb. “I don’t fear them, and neither should you.”
“I don’t fear for myself. I fear what they might do to you.”
He tilted her chin toward him. “Don’t.”
Azurha leaned back against the sofa and remained silent as a steady stream of guests, both Deizian and Elymanian, approached Titus and shared their congratulations on his forthcoming coronation. Very few took notice of her, and those that did sneered at her like she was a rat in their kitchen. Not that she cared. By mostly ignoring her, they provided her ample opportunity to study them while sipping on a glass of wine.
By the end of the hour, she already had three potential suspects. Like Pontus, they all had ties to the royal family and, therefore,a claim to the throne. And two of them had hired her in the past, although they had never seen her face when the deal was made. Like most of their Deizian counterparts, they preferred to manage things through notes and secrecy. She had gladly played along to protect her anonymity. Now, it doubly worked to her advantage.
She got Titus’s attention and nodded toward one of them. “What do you think of Ulpius Stolo?”
“Second cousin, once removed, and yes, I know he would love to be emperor. But I don’t think he has the balls to hire the Rabbit.”
She almost choked on her wine. Ulpius had hired her two years ago to get rid of an Elymanian radical in his province who was stirring up crowds to overthrow the Deizian regime. She’d cut a hole in his roof and dripped poison into his mouth down a string while he slept. Then she’d tied her trademark rabbit’s foot to the end of the string and dangled it over his head like a pendulum. “Don’t be so naïve, Titus.”
He narrowed his eyes and leaned forward. “Do you know something I don’t?”
“Just to regard anyone with something to gain from your death with suspicion.”
“If that were the case, I’d have to keep an eye on anyone with royal blood.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her up onto the sofa. “I didn’t ask you to come so you could help me profile suspects. Enjoy the party.”
She looked around the decadent party and saw something entirely different than Titus probably did. Where he saw a lavish feast laid out for the guests, she saw hours of labor from the kitchen slaves. The shiny golden sconces bore the marks of a dozen slaves polishing them before the party. Slaves even played the lively music that encouraged the guests to consume more wine and dance away their drunkenness.
Someone shoved a plate under their noses. “The master of the house had this dish specially commissioned for you, Your Imperial Majesty.”
Azurha followed the brown arm up to its owner, and her breath froze. Rai. If her rival assassin was bearing the plate, the contents were most likely poisoned.
His lips curled up in a sly grin when he recognized her. He probably couldn’t wait to brag in their circles that he’d killed the emperor where the Rabbit had failed. That is, if she let him get that far.
Titus reached for one of the items on the plate, and her reflexes took over. She swung her arm and knocked the contents to the floor. “Oh, no!”
Rai swooped down to pick up the scattered food and glared at her.
She gave him a smirk before turning to Titus. “I’m so sorry. All the wine has made me a bit clumsy.”
His brows furrowed. If she didn’t risk incriminating herself, she would have told him exactly what Rai was. “It’s quite all right, Azurha. I’m sure the cooks can prepare another dish.”
She watched Rai weave his way through the crowd to the kitchens. If she let him get away, she wouldn’t learn who’d hired him. “I think I need a bit of fresh air to sober me.” When Titus started to rise, she pushed her hands against his chest. “No need for you to come with me. There are still many more people that wish to speak to you, I’m sure.”
By the time she made it to the back of the room, she’d lost sight of Rai, but she refused to give up that quickly. She stepped out onto the grounds and searched the area between the kitchen and slave quarters. Every hair stood up on the back of her neck, and she sharpened her senses. Rai hadn’t left the grounds. He was waiting for her.
A faint grunt broke the silence a split second before she saw the flash of metal coming toward her. Her shoulder stung as she rolled to the side. A thin red line appeared across its surface, and blood trickled d
own her arm. A knife sank into the plastered wall behind her with a thud. Ahead,a figure darted between the buildings.
Azurha grabbed the knife and charged after him. Now it was personal. “Playing hide and seek, Rai?” she whispered into the darkness.
“Going soft in your old age, Azurha?”
She turned in the direction of the voice and crept closer, hugging the building to stay concealed by the shadows. At this time of night, hearing became the sharpest sense, not vision. “Who sent you?”
“You know we can’t share that.”
Her muscles tensed. She was right on top of him. She took a deep breath and charged around the corner.
Rai raised another knife, but she kicked it from his hands. He scrambled away, reaching back for another weapon when another of her kicks sent him sprawling to the ground.
Azurha pulled him up by his hair and pressed her knife against his neck. “Are you going to tell me?”
“I adhere to the code, unlike some people.”
Fury reddened her vision, and she sliced through his throat. “Wrong answer.”
Rai collapsed in a heap. His blood pooled around him like fresh lava from a volcano. Even in death, he continued to leer at her, mocking her weakness.
Her heart hammered in her ears, making it nearly impossible to hear if anyone had witnessed her actions. She plunged the knife into Rai’s chest and grabbed his tunic, taking care not to get any blood on her clothes. Leaving the body out in the open would cause an uproar once someone discovered it. She dragged it to the edge of the cliff and shoved him into the ravine below. No one would find him until morning.
The cut on her shoulder had stopped bleeding by the time she reached the main building of the villa. She licked her hand and scrubbed away the streaks of dried blood before adjusting her dress to cover the wound. When she stepped into the light, she hoped she looked like nothing had happened, even though her pulse still raced. She fixed a smile on her face to mask her anxiety and returned to Titus.