He took his first step. The trick was to stay focused, remain calm, and not panic. He took another step. The torches flared, making odd shadows on the walls. Another step, and then one more. When he reached the end of the hallway, he breathed a little easier.
While it looked like a dead end, Savenek knew otherwise. He remained standing on the last paver, counting. After twenty excruciatingly long seconds, the floor vibrated and then a grouping of four pavers lowered, revealing a narrow stairwell. He quickly descended, being careful not to slip on the slick steps.
This far underground, the air turned dank and chilly. When Savenek reached the bottom, the stones above him closed. Torches illuminated a long corridor directly ahead. At the third door on his right, he knocked three times, the sound bouncing off the walls.
“From birth to death,” a voice said from the other side.
“We are linked by blood,” Savenek answered.
“Come in.”
He opened the door and stepped inside a small, orderly office.
An older man with gray hair and a white beard sat at the desk, a quill in one hand. “Welcome,” the man said, waving Savenek forward.
“Good morning, Isek.” He removed his bag.
Isek had once been a great assassin responsible for killing hundreds of men during the previous emperor’s reign. After Empress Rema took over he retired, claiming he’d done enough killing. Since then, he’d been in charge of maintaining the Brotherhood’s records.
“State your purpose,” Isek said. As always, he was ridiculously formal, insisting all rules and customs be strictly adhered to.
“I’m going on a mission to Apethaga,” Savenek said. “While weapons negotiations are underway, I’m to spy on the royal family.”
Isek nodded and pointed at the chair across from him on the other side of the desk. “Sit,” he commanded. Savenek did as instructed. “Have you ever been on a mission without your mentor?”
“No.” He wanted to ask Isek where Nathenek was and what had happened to him. However, now was not the time.
“You must complete one mission, alone, before you can take your vows.” He shifted through the papers on his desk, finally pulling one out and setting it on top. “Since Nathenek is no longer going, your primary objective is to oversee the weapons deal and to keep our negotiator and interpreter safe. Your secondary objective is to discover the royal family’s intentions regarding the marriages of their children. Understood?”
“Yes.”
“Once negotiations are concluded, you are to leave the kingdom immediately.” He pushed a piece of paper across the desk.
Savenek took it. It was a map from Emperor’s City to Lanek, and then from Lanek to Apethaga.
“You will follow this path,” Isek stated. “Memorize it, because you will not take this or any other map with you.”
Savenek knew he couldn’t carry anything that would compromise his identity or the mission. He quickly took note of the major roads, inns, and rivers. It seemed a relatively simple journey.
“You will meet the negotiator and interpreter in Lanek at the Lilac Inn. They will be staying in room numbers four and five. You will stay in room number six. Once you find them, tell them the first half of the code at the bottom of the page you hold. If they correctly respond with the remaining number sequence, you can be sure of their identities. You will then lead them into Apethaga.”
“Understood.” Again, he wanted to ask about Nathenek. Instead, he said, “Only the three of us will be representing Emperion?” With only three people, he would be easily identified as the bodyguard for the other two—not the best situation for spying. If they traveled with a large party, he’d be able to blend in and pretend to be a servant.
“Apethaga refused a delegation larger than four. We no longer have sufficient resources to replace Nathenek. Though it is not ideal, you must proceed as the negotiator’s assistant. If your position is questioned, state that you are the sibling of the interpreter. That should appease them.”
Savenek took one last look at the map and the code, committing both to memory, and then passed the paper back to Isek.
Isek slid it beneath the stack of papers in front of him. “Any questions?”
“Not about my mission,” Savenek answered as he stood. “There is one other thing I’d like to know if you’re able to share the information.”
Isek nodded, seeming to understand. “Nathenek has been sent to Telmena. Every single member of the Brotherhood is now on a mission, including you.”
“Thank you for your time.”
Isek said, “From birth to death.”
“We are linked by blood.” He exited the room and began his first official mission alone.
When the sun started to set, Savenek began to search for a place to sleep for the night. Usually he and Nathenek took turns keeping watch so the other could sleep without worry. Now that he was by himself, he wouldn’t have that luxury.
He steered his horse to the left, leaving the narrow dirt path and heading northward. About a quarter of a mile away, he came to a large cluster of boulders. He dismounted, wanting to circle the rock formation on foot before getting too close. After he’d done one circuit and didn’t spot anything of concern, he went back for his horse, leading him over to the semi-shelter formed by two of the boulders that leaned against one another. Tossing his bag inside, he turned and faced his horse. Technically it wasn’t his horse. His horse was safe and sound in the stables just outside Emperor's City. This horse belonged to the Brotherhood and had been trained to travel long distances and withstand a variety of circumstances. Savenek wondered if this horse—who was named Onyx—sensed his nervous energy and excitement.
Onyx nickered. Savenek removed the saddle and rubbed the horse down. Once he finished, the horse meandered about twenty feet away, munching on grass. Savenek climbed in between the boulders, stretching his legs out before him. He estimated he’d traveled about forty miles today. At this rate, it would take him a week to reach the town of Lanek.
Opening his bag, he pulled out a loaf of bread. After eating, he drank the remaining water from his pouch. He’d need to fill it from the nearby stream before setting out tomorrow.
Normally, he would play a game of cards or practice combat techniques with Nathenek. Drumming his fingers on his thighs, he realized traveling alone wasn’t very exciting. Might as well get some sleep even though it was relatively early. Climbing out from between the boulders, he whistled and Onyx came trotting over. Savenek tied him up and bid him goodnight. Then he went back between the boulders and stretched out, trying to get comfortable on the hard ground.
As Savenek neared the stream, he heard a twig snap. He froze, knowing it couldn’t be Onyx, who was thirty feet behind him munching on grass. Soft breathing came from the other side of the stream, although he couldn’t see who or what made the noise. He slowly moved toward the water and knelt, filling his pouch while keeping an eye on his surroundings. It was probably an animal of some sort. He reached into his boot, pulling out a knife in case he needed to defend himself.
A moment later, leaves rustled as a deer approached, its ears twitching. It was approximately fifteen feet to Savenek’s right, nearing the stream from the other side. Savenek let out a sigh of relief as the animal lowered its head and began drinking.
When Savenek’s pouch was full, he lifted it out of the water and corked it. Putting the strap over his neck, he stood slowly, trying not to startle the animal. Slinking past the trees, Savenek moved silently over the damp dirt until he came to the open area where Onyx waited patiently for him. He put his knife away and mounted, hoping to get in another forty miles today.
Savenek startled awake. He’d fallen into a deeper sleep than he’d intended. He blinked and surveyed the area, wondering what had woken him. Tonight, he’d found a large tree with wide branches that shielded him from the light rain. It wasn’t as safe as the boulders from the night before, but at least the ground here was dry. Onyx was tied to
a tree about ten feet behind him, in case anyone approached from that direction.
Northwest, approximately fifteen feet away, a shadow shifted. Something or someone was there. The tree’s thick branches prevented the moonlight from reaching the ground, making it hard to see. Keeping his body still so the animal or person wouldn’t realize he was awake, he slid his right hand to the dagger strapped to his forearm. Then he slowly moved his left hand and unsheathed his second dagger. His knives were in his boots. Reaching down would require too much movement, so he left them there for now.
Savenek was far enough away from the path that a thief shouldn’t have been able to find him. Regardless, he reached his toes forward, feeling his bag still there. It seemed too much of a coincidence to run into another assassin so soon after he and Nathenek had dealt with the last one. Unless this was an assassin associated with that one. Of course, it could also just be an animal.
If this was an assassin, he had to question the man before killing him. He needed to know if the man was from Telmena; and if he was, Savenek had to discover why Telmena wanted him dead. Afraid of letting whatever it was get too close, he pushed his blanket aside and crouched on his feet.
He moved closer to the trunk of the tree, trying to conceal his body and wanting its protection in case a knife or claws came flying toward him. He slowed his breathing in order to be as quiet as possible. Scanning the area, he searched for moving shadows or anything out of place that would indicate there was more than one potential assailant. He didn’t see anything. Focusing back where he’d first seen the shadow shift, he tried to spot his opponent. Time was running out. He needed to act before whatever was out there did.
Savenek slowly stepped to the backside of the tree, moving around it so he could appear on the other side. There—a shift in the shadows again. This time ten feet away. Whatever it was had to be next to that bush. If it was an animal, it would have attacked by now. He had to assume it was an assassin, and the assassin knew right where Savenek was. Which meant the man would either rush toward him or throw a knife at him.
Envisioning his target, Savenek readjusted his grip on his dagger. One, two, three…he stepped away from the tree, arm already raised, and threw his weapon. He immediately jumped behind the tree and moved to the other side, throwing his second dagger at the intended target. His dagger embedded into the assassin’s thigh. The assassin had thrown a knife, but just as Savenek expected, the man threw it to where Savenek had been standing a moment before. Which was why Savenek had thrown that first dagger—to lure the man away from the bush.
The assassin threw a second knife at Savenek. Savenek ducked and rushed toward the man, tackling him to the ground. He withdrew his dagger from the assassin’s thigh and plunged it into the man’s side. The assassin reached up, wrapping his fingers around Savenek’s neck and squeezing. Savenek twisted the dagger. With his other hand, he forced his arm against the assassin’s throat. The man’s fingers fell from Savenek’s neck.
“Who sent you to kill me?” Savenek demanded, applying a little more pressure with his arm.
The assassin snarled, not answering.
“Did Telmena send you?”
The man’s eyes narrowed, and Savenek knew he’d hit on the truth. He felt, rather than saw, the man reach down toward his leg. He must be going for another weapon. Savenek withdrew his dagger from the man’s side and jammed it into the assassin’s neck. Blood gushed out and Savenek jumped back, away from the dying man.
Since Telmena clearly knew the route Savenek was taking, he needed to adjust it so he wouldn’t find himself in this situation again. Once the man stopped breathing, Savenek quickly examined him, searching for a tattoo similar to the ones on the previous assassin. After finding them on the man’s right arm, Savenek retrieved his daggers, cleaned them, and packed up. There would be no more sleeping tonight. Even though he hated traveling through the dark, it had to be done.
Going over to Onyx, Savenek spoke to him with a calm voice, trying to sooth the agitated animal. After Onyx settled down, he saddled him but remained on foot as he led Onyx through the trees and to the main path. Not wanting to get lost in the forest in the middle of the night, Savenek decided to travel parallel to the path but on the south side. Unfortunately, the land here was bare and there were hardly any trees. He felt too exposed. The only other option was to head farther south and travel along the coast. Once he reached the main river that started in the Romek Mountains and went all the way out to the sea, he’d have to charter a boat to cross it. The southern route would add a day or two to his travel time. Still, it wasn’t an obvious route which therefore made it a safer option.
Savenek led Onyx southward. He didn’t want to mount and travel too fast in the dark. The last thing he needed was for his horse to injure a hoof.
Bloody hell. Day two and someone had already tried to kill him.
Riding along the coast provided not only a magnificent view, but cool air and easy navigation. Savenek made good time as he traveled harder and faster than usual for five long days, trying to make up for the time added to his journey. Thankfully, there were no signs of pursuit.
Entering the seaside town of Klivemonek, Savenek decided to stable his horse for the night and sleep at an inn. Tomorrow he would secure passage across the river. From there, it would take four days to reach Lanek where he was supposed to meet the negotiator and the interpreter.
After paying for Onyx to be fed and watered by one of the stable hands, Savenek entered the Hogshead Inn and Tavern. He deposited his bag in a tiny room and headed downstairs. The tavern was filled with patrons drinking and playing cards. Several of the men had bright red faces, burnt from working outside in the sun all day.
A server came over, setting a cup of ale down in front of Savenek. “Need anything else, honey?”
“A bowl of stew and a loaf of bread.”
She smiled and left. The server’s use of the word honey made him think of Hana. Funny how he hadn’t thought of her once since he’d left. Was she wondering where he was or what had happened to him? He’d probably be gone for about six weeks. That was an awfully long time to be away from her. Would she find another man she fancied? Or would she wait for Savenek?
“Here you go.” The server slid a bowl in front of him.
He immediately started shoveling food into his mouth. The meat was tough and the broth salty, but at least it was warm.
A hand slid over his shoulder. He automatically reached up and twisted the person’s wrist, almost snapping it. A young woman cried out, and he released her. “Sorry,” he mumbled.
“Will you be needing any services tonight?” the woman asked as she straightened the sleeve of her purple dress. Her breasts heaved over the low-cut neckline, barely concealing her. Savenek couldn’t help but stare, after all, her bulging breasts were right in front of him. He forced himself to look up at her face.
Her blue eyes sparkled with mischief and she smiled, promising a good time. As tempting as it was to use the woman as a diversion, his father would kill him for being duped. Nathenek always said anyone you had to pay to enjoy wasn’t worth the price. Plus, she could have another agenda—like getting him alone so someone could sneak up and kill him, or she could plan on stealing his possessions after he fell asleep. Whatever game she played, he wasn’t interested.
“I’ve made arrangements elsewhere,” he said, not wanting to reveal he was staying at this inn.
“Your loss,” the woman said as she sauntered over to another table.
Savenek rubbed his forehead. He was dirty, sore, and exhausted after traveling for a week straight. A rowdy game of cards was underway at the table to his left. Four men, one empty chair. Very enticing since the men appeared drunk. Which meant it was probably a trick to lure an unsuspecting victim over. Besides, Savenek didn’t have any money he could afford to lose since he had no idea what passage across the river would cost.
A group of people started dancing off to the side. There were far too many te
mptations here. He forced himself to stand. After tossing a couple of coins on the table, he went upstairs to his room. This was his first assignment. He had to stay on course and prove to his father that he was ready to take his vows and enter the Brotherhood.
“Are you trying to rob me?” Savenek asked the short, balding captain.
“If you want to get across the river with a horse, that’s the price. Take it or leave it. I sail in ten minutes.” The man turned and waddled across the plank and onto the ship.
Bullocks. That was most of his money. Passage for himself wasn’t bad—it was the horse that was astronomical. But he wasn’t going to leave Onyx behind. This was the third person he’d spoken to, and the price was relatively the same everywhere he went.
“Fine,” Savenek called after the captain. “I’ll pay. Half now, half when we arrive.”
“It’ll only take an hour to get across.” The captain waved him on board.
Savenek looked at the narrow plank. There was no way Onyx could walk across it. Thankfully, a sailor came on deck and shoved another plank across the way. Savenek grabbed ahold of the other end, securing it in place next to the other one. It was still narrow, but manageable.
“Okay, Onyx,” Savenek murmured. “Keep your eyes on me.” He took out the carrot he’d been saving. Holding tightly to the lead rope, Savenek walked backward, pulling Onyx along and tempting the animal with the treat. The planks stayed together, not bending under the horse’s weight. Savenek stepped onto the ship, leading Onyx onto the deck after him. “Good boy.” He gave him the carrot.
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