Cage of Deceit (Reign of Secrets Book 1)

by Jennifer Anne Davis

  “You seem well versed with managing an army and military strategies.” More so than what a squire should. She wondered what position his father held at court.

  “I grew up with the prince,” he explained. “We’ve taken the same classes, learned how to fight under the same instructors.” She couldn’t be sure with the heat of the fire, but Jarvik’s ears appeared exceptionally red.

  “You seem to excel.”

  “What do you mean?” he asked.

  “Simply that you’re able to take charge and see things through.”

  “What are you implying?”

  “I haven’t seen the same … commitment from the prince. I wonder how effective he is as a ruler.” Perhaps the only reason the prince had a reputation for being a competent and fair leader was because Jarvik was at his side helping him.

  “I think you’ll be surprised once you get to know him,” the squire said, turning back to face the fire. “Sometimes appearances can be deceiving. He isn’t the court fop you think he is.”

  “I hope not,” she replied. “Because I need a strong man by my side, not some pretty face.”

  Walking briskly along the street next to Jarvik, Allyssa huddled in her cloak, trying to stay warm against the frigid air. Even though it wasn’t raining, the wind whipped between the buildings, making her eyes water and her nose run.

  The squire hadn’t spoken since they left the castle. His shoulders were stiffer than normal, and his eyes darted to every person they passed.

  Allyssa shivered. If all went well, she would meet with the assassin, tell him her information, and he’d release Grevik. She had wanted to go and see his mother, to let her know she was trying to save her son. However, Jarvik wouldn’t let her. After he verified Grevik was indeed missing, he’d sent one of his men to speak with Grevik’s mother about his disappearance.

  “Are you sure you want to do this?” Jarvik asked. “I can send my men in to apprehend the assassin. We can interrogate him until he reveals where your friend is.”

  “The last time we met the assassin, I seem to recall him rendering your men unconscious in less than a minute.”

  “We’re better prepared this time,” he said.

  “I want to continue with our original plan,” she replied. The squire nodded, like he had expected her to say that. “Can I ask you something?”

  “You can ask me anything,” he said.

  “Why are you helping me?” Their relationship had progressed from pure hatred, to a level of tolerance, and now to respect. However, Allyssa didn’t know if Jarvik thought of her as a friend, ally, or colleague. She wasn’t certain what she considered him—none of those felt quite right.

  “I’m here because if I was in your situation, and my friend had been kidnapped, I’d want all the help I could get to save him.”

  His answer surprised her, and she couldn’t help but admire his loyalty. As annoying as Jarvik could be sometimes, she was glad he was there with her. It was nice having someone to collaborate with, especially someone as sharp as Jarvik. Blimey. Did she actually think he was intelligent?

  “In case I haven’t told you,” she said, “thank you for your help.”

  He stopped and turned to face her. “I must have heard you wrong. Did you just thank me?”

  The wind thrashed against her cloak, tangling it around her legs. “Yes,” she said. “I did.”

  He laughed, surprising her. The  simple act transformed his face, making  him look  younger and … blasted, he was alluring. She stiffened, suddenly unsure how to act around him.

  His smile faded and he placed his arms on her shoulders, gazing into her face. “We should stop walking together, just as a precaution,” he said, his voice gruff.

  Nodding, she whispered, “Are your men in position?”

  “Yes.” She peered down at his fingers, waiting for him to release her. “Be careful,” he said. “Remember what we talked about—what questions to ask and how to act.”

  “I will.” She bit her lip, needing to clear her head. An assassin who held her friend captive awaited her. All of her energy and focus needed to be on Grevik.

  Jarvik hesitated and then let go of her shoulders.

  Not knowing what else to say, Allyssa walked away and rounded the corner, the inn in sight. She slouched, trying to act like a commoner, and entered the inn. She’d played this part often enough that she shouldn’t have been nervous. However, after working with Jarvik this afternoon and having him point out every little thing she did wrong, she was suddenly hyper aware of every movement she made. Allyssa suspected the assassin would be scrutinizing every detail, and under no circumstance could she reveal her true identity.

  Once inside the tavern, she headed upstairs and knocked on the wooden door to room 205. It creaked open enough for her to slip inside the dark room. Her heart beat frantically, knowing the assassin was near and Grevik’s life depended upon her.

  The door clicked shut, and silence greeted her. Hands deftly slid over her body, removing her weapons. The assassin tugged a blanket off the oil lamp, illuminating the small room. They stood facing one another, both hidden under black cloaks.

  The assassin folded his arms. “Well?” he demanded.

  “I have information,” she replied.

  “And?”

  Remembering what Jarvik told her, she said, “I won’t tell you unless I know my friend is safe.” Making demands was dangerous. With a flick of his wrist, he could kill her. Holding her breath, she waited for his response.

  “If your information is of value, I’ll take you to your friend. If it isn’t, you can watch me slice his throat.”

  Jarvik had warned her this might happen. Taking a few deep breaths, she attempted to remain calm and not answer right away. She didn’t want the assassin to know she’d do anything to save Grevik.

  After counting to twenty like Jarvik had suggested, she said, “I overheard the empress talking to the princess. They are going to the local shelter to feed the poor.”

  “When?”

  “In four days.”

  “Is the emperor going with them?”

  “They didn’t say if he was going.”

  The assassin nodded. “I deem your information worthy. I will allow you to see your friend.”

  Her shoulders relaxed. Now all that had to happen was for Jarvik and his men to follow the assassin as he took her to Grevik. Then they’d storm in, killing the assassin while she rescued her friend.

  “Obviously, he isn’t here. I’ll need to take you to where I’m keeping him.” He moved to the corner of the room. “You don’t have a problem being blindfolded, do you?”

  Allyssa had expected him to take her somewhere else, but she hadn’t anticipated being blindfolded. When they left the building, patrons would notice such a thing. Which meant they weren’t leaving out the front door.

  “Of course I do,” she said, trying to control her temper. “You’re an assassin here to kill the royal family and you’ve kidnapped my friend.” She needed to watch her language—make sure she didn’t speak too formally. “I’ll go with you, but there’s no need to cover my eyes.”

  He laughed, the sound harsh and menacing. “I haven’t managed to stay alive so long by being stupid. If you want to see your friend, you’ll go blindfolded. It’s up to you.”

  Blimey. Her heart pounded in her chest. What should she do? She needed to know that Grevik was alive and well. Jarvik had told her he had men watching all the exits, so even if she went out the side, one of the Fren soldiers would notice and follow. Just because she wouldn’t be able to see didn’t mean Jarvik wouldn’t.

  “Very well,” she said. “After I visit my friend, you’ll release me?”

  He nodded. “I’ll bring you back to this inn.”

  If Marek were here, he’d be screaming at her not to go anywhere with an assassin. He’d say that this was a terrible idea and she shouldn’t risk her life. Jarvik, on the other hand, had sparred with her and taught her how t
o pick a lock in order to prepare her for this. He understood that her friendship with Grevik wasn’t something she could easily dismiss. Grevik was in this mess because of her, and she planned to make sure he was freed and returned safely to his mother. Allyssa remembered how devastated Grevik’s mum had been when his father was murdered. She knew his mother would never be able to handle the death of her only child.

  The assassin ripped off a strip of fabric from the blanket on the cot. He came up behind Allyssa, and she removed her hood. The assassin slid the fabric around her eyes and secured it at the back of her head.

  “Let’s go,” he said as he wrapped his arm around her waist, making her jump.

  The door was to her left. However, he led her in the opposite direction. There weren’t any other exits in the room, nor were there any windows. She lifted her hands to remove the blindfold, and he pinned her arms down.

  “Leave it alone,” he ordered.

  “Where are we going?” she demanded.

  “If I wanted you to know, you wouldn’t be blindfolded.”

  The sound of wood creaking echoed through the room. Was the assassin removing some floorboards? He shoved her down into something.

  “You’ll need to crawl,” he said. “And keep your head down.”

  Reaching out, she felt wood right above her. The sound of clanking mugs and people talking was directly below her. She had to be in between the ceiling of the first level and the floor of the second level. This must be how the assassin was entering and exiting the inn without Jarvik’s men knowing.

  Pulling herself along in the cramped space, Allyssa felt a splinter dig into her palm.

  “Stop,” the assassin said. It sounded as if a wooden door creaked open, and then cool air brushed past her skin. “Turn around and lower your feet until you hit a ladder. Then climb down.”

  Allyssa did as he said, sliding outside the opened door on the side of the building, praying she didn’t fall. She lowered her legs, fumbling for the first rung of the ladder. Her foot connected with it, and she started climbing down to the street.

  When she reached solid ground, the assassin pulled her hood lower over her face, probably making sure no one on the street would see her blindfold. Linking his arm with hers, they started walking. It took some getting used to—being led along the streets, unable to see. She tried memorizing each turn, but he took so many that she couldn’t keep track. At times, it seemed as if they walked around the same block multiple times to ensure she didn’t have her bearings. To keep from losing her temper and screaming, she kept picturing Grevik’s face. It was enough to keep her going.

  After a good twenty minutes, they climbed a flight of stairs. A door clicked open, and the assassin led her a couple of paces forward. The door shut behind them, and her blindfold was quickly removed. In the middle of the small, dimly lit, empty room, Grevik sat tied to a chair.

  Running over, she dropped to her knees before him. “Are you all right?”

  He slowly lifted his head, looking at her. She gasped. Grevik’s face was covered with bruises, his right eye was swollen shut, and his breathing was labored, indicating he had a damaged lung.

  “What did you do to him?” she demanded, swinging around to face the assassin.

  “I asked him a few questions,” he said.

  Rage and hatred consumed her—she wanted to kill the assassin for hurting her friend. However, she couldn’t attack him until Jarvik and his men arrived—if they came at all. They were probably still back at the inn, having no idea she’d left with the assassin. Still, she decided to give them a few minutes before she tried to render the assassin unconscious long enough to free Grevik.

  “I’m so sorry,” she said to her friend.

  “This isn’t your fault.”

  Knowing he’d been interrogated, she wondered if the assassin knew her true identity. Perhaps this had been an elaborate plot to isolate her. She shivered and mouthed, “Does he know?”

  Grevik muttered, “No.”

  If Jarvik and his men had followed her, they would be in here by now. Help wasn’t coming.

  “Don’t worry about me,” Grevik said. “Take care of yourself.”

  She opened her mouth to argue, but Grevik silenced her with his stare. “Leave,” he said. “Before this sadistic madman hurts you.”

  Tears formed in her eyes. She couldn’t leave him there—she had to try to fight the assassin. Putting her hands on either side of Grevik’s dear face, she whispered, “I’ll find a way to rescue you. I promise.” Allyssa stood and kissed the top of his head.

  “This reminds me of that time we caught those snake dealers,” Grevik said, his head hanging.

  They never caught any snake dealers. It had to be some sort of clue. “Yes, it does,” she said, forcing a laugh.

  “Time to go,” the assassin said. Holding the blindfold, he moved closer to her to put it on.

  When he was directly behind her, she spun around and kneed him in the groin. At the same time, she swung her hand toward his head. The assassin caught her wrist midair, squeezing it tight.

  “That was a very foolish thing to do,” he chided her, not even winded from her hit.

  Allyssa went to kick him again. He blocked her leg and backhanded her across the face hard enough to hurt, but not to leave a mark. The assassin whipped out a dagger and pointed it at Grevik.

  “Please no,” she said, shaking her head.

  “Touch me again, and I’ll kill him.”

  Grevik was struggling against his binds, trying to wiggle free, his eyes wide with horror.

  “Stand still.” The assassin once again came up behind her. He quickly tied the blindfold around her head, and then he grabbed her arm. He led her back down the stairs, and they began the trek through the city.

  Now that she’d seen Grevik and the condition he was in, she knew the assassin would never let him go—especially if Grevik had seen the man’s face while being tortured. Most likely, the assassin would kill her as well to ensure no one could tie him to the crime he planned to commit.

  “Meet me tomorrow. Same time, same place,” he said, close to her ear. “I want to know if the emperor will be going to the shelter with his wife and daughter.”

  Tomorrow was the ball. Getting out of the castle unnoticed would be infinitely more difficult. “I’m working,” she said. “I’m not sure I’ll be able to leave.”

  The assassin stilled. “Will you be attending the royal ball tomorrow evening?”

  “How do you know about that?”

  “It’s not hard to figure out when deliveries are being made and people all over town are talking about it.” He started walking again, keeping her at his side.

  It would be the perfect time for him to gain entrance into the castle when all the guests arrived. She hated being blindfolded and not having any idea what was going on around her. They walked in silence for several moments.

  “If the royal family is still alive in two days, you are to meet me at the inn with information about the emperor.” He untied her blindfold.

  Allyssa ripped the material off her face and found herself standing all alone in the alleyway next to the inn, the assassin nowhere in sight.

  She glanced up at the building, looking for the ladder that led to the door she must have exited from, but she didn’t see anything. She shivered and went to the street in front of the inn, hoping Jarvik and his men saw her. Since the assassin could be watching, she kept walking, heading back to the castle alone, instead of waiting for the squire to show himself.

  A couple of blocks away from the soldiers’ entrance, Jarvik finally caught up to her. He wrapped her in a hug, holding tightly. “I thought we lost you,” he stammered.

  “I’m fine.” His body was hard and solid against hers.

  “What happened?” he demanded as he held her at arm’s length, looking her over for any signs of injury. His eyes lingered on her swollen lip.

  Her eyes darted to the rooftops of the nearby buildings. “Let�
�s go inside first.” She feared the assassin could be hidden anywhere watching them. “I have a lot to tell you.” When they neared the soldiers’ entrance, the Fren soldiers joined them and they were granted entrance.

  Once inside the castle, Jarvik dismissed his men, trying to minimize attention. He continued on with Allyssa. Heading along the dark, empty corridor, the squire abruptly stopped next to one of the windows, the moonlight shining on his worried face.

  “What happened?” he demanded.

  She quickly told him as many of the details as she could remember. When she got to the part about her trying to take on the skilled assassin by herself, his eyes darkened and he put his hands on his hips, shaking his head.

  When she finished, she said, “You may yell at me now.”

  He stood there staring at her a moment before asking, “You can’t retrace your steps?”

  “No.” Wasn’t he going to tell her how stupid it had been to go with the assassin? To fight him when there was little hope of winning? To put her life in danger like that?

  Jarvik ran his hands through his hair, letting out a sigh. “The ball will be tricky. With so many people attending, the assassin could easily slip in to try and kill the royal family.”

  Reaching up, she touched her lip. It was split, and there was some dried blood on it. Once Mayra applied some coloring to Allyssa’s lips, no one would be able to tell she’d been hit.

  “I can’t believe the assassin struck you,” Jarvik said, “and that I wasn’t there to help you.”

  “I’m fine.” She shrugged. It really was no big deal. She’d been in plenty of brawls to know this was minor.

  He took a step closer to her, his chest almost touching hers. She started to lean away from him but he put his hand on her back, holding her in place.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  He lowered his face closer to hers. “I’m looking at your cut. I want to make sure the assassin didn’t have his gloved hand laced with poison.”

  She hadn’t even considered the possibility.

  “It’s not red or oozing,” he declared. “You’re fine.”