“What are you thinking?” Ari asked him.
“That if we make a quick getaway, we may need to exit through another gate. One that they wouldn’t expect us to use. However, if there are only four, that limits our options.”
“Why does the wall surround the entire kingdom? Even near the ocean?”
“Apethaga has always been wary of other kingdoms. They think the wall will protect them from invaders.” He remembered the first time he’d seen the wall. He hadn’t expected it to be so tall.
“At least we know where we are since Apethaga only has one large lake.”
That was what Savenek had been told and what he’d studied on various maps. “The lake is directly east of the forest that extends from Emperion into Apethaga. The gate we came through has to be the one west of here.”
Savenek lifted his cup and took a gulp. Damn that was some good ale. Four men were huddled in the corner, tuning their instruments. He slouched in his chair, taking another swig of his drink. Maybe once the musicians started to play he could entice Ari to dance with him. The thought of holding her as she moved to the music made him smile.
“You’re lucky the king didn’t have you killed today,” Ari said.
He raised his eyebrows.
“I’m serious,” she said. “He could have had you arrested and hauled off to the dungeon.” She gathered her hair, pulling it over her right shoulder and nervously twisting it.
“Then it’s only fitting we’re here since we finally have something to celebrate in this blasted kingdom.” He lifted his cup in salute and then took another drink, finishing it. He raised his cup in the air, and the bartender acknowledged him. When Savenek set his cup down, he leaned forward on the table. “I have another idea about the man from Russek.”
Ari waved her hand for him to continue.
“What if he’s here to ensure a deal with Emperion doesn’t go through?” This theory made sense to Savenek considering both he and Ari had encountered assassins on the way here.
“Possibly,” she acknowledged. “It would account for Apethaga inviting us here in the first place.”
The server brought over another cup of ale, setting it before Savenek. “Do you want anything else? Something to eat?”
He shook his head. “I have another question. We’re visiting and aren’t familiar with a lot of places in Apethaga. What are the Kepper Mines?”
The room suddenly went quiet as everyone turned to stare at Savenek.
“What did I say?” Savenek asked, trying to act as innocent as possible. Clearly, there was something going on with the Kepper Mines that he was not supposed to know about. If he could discover exactly what it was, he’d finally have some useful information to report to the Brotherhood.
The server looked over her shoulder at the bartender who shrugged.
“Should I not have mentioned the Kepper Mines?” Savenek said. “I heard some of the palace workers talking about the place. My sister is obsessed with sapphires. I thought maybe the Kepper Mines had something to do with rare stones.” He took a sip of his ale, not wanting it to seem like he was fishing for information.
“The Kepper Mines don’t have anything to do with stones or rocks,” the server finally said. She walked away before Savenek could ask her anything else. Talking resumed as the patrons went back to doing whatever it was they were doing before Savenek had asked about the mines.
“Too bad,” Ari said. “I would have liked to see stones in their pure form before being cut and polished.” She took a drink, her hand shaking ever so slightly.
“Let’s dance,” Savenek said.
“There’s no music.”
Not yet, but the musicians were getting ready to start playing. He stood and held out his hand. Ari hesitated. “What’s the matter?” he asked.
She folded her hands together. “We probably shouldn’t.”
“Why?” He could think of a dozen reasons for them not to dance, but he wanted to know hers.
She bit her bottom lip and looked up at him with her beautiful brown eyes.
“Are you afraid of being that close to me?” he teased her, secretly hoping that was the reason. Did she feel anything for him?
“It’s best we behave as siblings in case someone from the palace comes here and sees us.”
He doubted any of the palace workers came here. However, what she said made sense, so he plopped back on his chair. “You want to just sit here drinking?” She didn’t seem the type.
“No. I thought we could play a card game.”
She had his attention. “Which one?”
“Thieving Daggers. Do you know how to play?”
That was his favorite game. “Anyone have a deck of cards we can borrow?” Savenek called out to the patrons in the tavern.
A man at an adjacent table said he did. He lifted the box off his table and then dropped it on the floor. He bent over and picked it up, handing it to Ari with shaking hands. She took it and pulled the cards out, shuffling them. A piece of paper slipped out between two cards. She placed her hand over the paper, sliding it up her sleeve.
Savenek eagerly rubbed his hands together. “What are we playing for? Money?” He didn’t have much on him.
“Hmmm,” she said, dealing the cards. “Let’s play for something more interesting than money.”
He saw the opportunity and took it. “If I win, you have to kiss me. On the lips. For at least ten seconds.” That may be pushing it, but he wanted a chance to kiss her.
She lifted one eyebrow. “That’s what you want?” He nodded. “Very well. And if I win, the next time you decide to…investigate, you will do so with me and not go alone.” The cards had been dealt. Ari scooped up her set, not looking at them. “Best out of three games wins. Do we have a deal?”
Bullocks. She would come up with something he didn’t want to do. Was that how she felt about the kiss? Clasping his hands behind his head, he thought about it. Was the possibility of a kiss worth the risk of having to take her spying with him? While it would be difficult to ensure her safety, she was probably adept at sneaking around. Plus, it would be prudent to let her have a look in one of the offices since she knew the Apethaga language. There might be correspondence that she could read and understand.
“Deal,” he said. They shook hands, sealing the terms.
And the game began.
His first hand of cards was strong. At the academy, he’d played often enough that he was pretty good. He set his first pair down. Ari put down two pairs and smiled at him, taking four more cards.
He swallowed, realizing he may have met his match. “Did your brother teach you to play?”
“No, I taught him to play.” She discarded two cards and drew one more.
“Why don’t you talk about where you’re from and what your family is like?” He set a pair down and drew two more cards.
“I didn’t think you cared.”
“What gave you that impression?”
She set down a pair. One more and she’d win. He pursed his lips, trying to decide if he should discard two cards or not.
“We’re here on a mission,” Ari answered. “When we’re done, you’ll go back to Emperor’s City and I’ll go to Lakeside. I doubt our paths will ever cross again.”
Savenek discarded two cards. He drew one and sighed. Still no matches. “You never know. I could end up having an assignment where your particular skill set comes in handy. Maybe we’ll work together again.”
She smiled and set down another pair. “I win the first round.”
Blasted. He couldn’t believe he’d lost. “You don’t want to kiss me?” he smirked, trying not to let his disappointment show.
She scooped up the cards and started shuffling them together. “Best out of three,” she reminded him. “I still need to win one more.”
He noticed she was avoiding answering his question. Maybe there was hope. Although, if they never saw one another after this mission, what was the point? He watched her deal the cards, t
rying not to stare at her lips.
“What’s the matter?” she asked.
“Nothing.” He picked up his new hand; it was much better this time. There was a piece of paper between two of his cards. Ari must have slid it from her sleeve and placed it between the cards. Keeping the paper aligned with his cards, he read the rough writing: Kepper Mines are in the northern mountain range. People who go there never return. It is a death sentence.
He pretended to cough, shoving the paper in his mouth. He chewed and swallowed it. He’d always been taught to destroy all evidence.
Since he’d lost the last round, he went first. After laying a pair down, he discarded two cards and drew one more. Ari didn’t have any matches, so she also discarded two and withdrew one more. The music started up, instantaneously changing the atmosphere of the tavern. Savenek raised his hand, ordering two more ales.
“How did you know you wanted to be an…” She glanced at him, clearly not wanting to say the word assassin in public.
“I started training at the academy when I was seven.”
“Seven?” she said incredulously.
He shrugged. He’d never really had a choice in the matter. Since his mother was dead and his father ran the academy, he went with his father every day. At the age of seven, the Brotherhood decided that Savenek might as well start training.
“That’s ridiculous,” Ari said. “At seven you should be playing and learning to read. Not, you know, learning how to…” She waved her hand as if wielding a dagger.
“It is an actual school. They teach us to read and write.” He wasn’t a complete idiot. He’d studied history and math as well.
“Still,” she said, setting a pair down, “it doesn’t seem to be the thing a child can decide. And I don’t believe parents should force that on a child.”
“Most of the children come to us out of necessity.”
“Meaning?”
“The parents are dead, or ill, and there’s no place else for them to go. The Brotherhood takes them in, feeds, and clothes them.” He set two pairs down, winning the game. Ari didn’t say anything, just scooped up the cards and shuffled them. “It doesn’t matter anyway,” Savenek said. “I’m happy to be doing what I’m doing, and I’m good at it.” The last thing he wanted was to go to a regular school and learn to be a merchant or a member of the City Guard. He shuddered. Such a job would be hideous.
Ari dealt the cards. “Last round. Winner takes all.”
He rubbed his face and picked up his cards. They weren’t great, but they weren’t bad either. Peering over at Ari, he tried to read her facial expressions. She gave nothing away. Since she lost, she went first. Instead of playing any cards, she got rid of two and gained one. Savenek put one set down.
They went back and forth, not talking. Five minutes had passed when Ari looked up at Savenek. “I win.”
“You haven’t put anything down yet.” She set all her cards down. Four pairs. “Impossible,” he murmured. She’d beat him. Which meant he didn’t get a kiss. Damn it.
A slow smile spread across her lips. Her eyes gleamed with mischief and she bit her bottom lip. Then she slowly moved her tongue over her lips. Savenek’s eyes widened and he almost fell off his chair. What the bloody hell was she doing?
Ari burst out laughing. “Sorry,” she said between laughs. “I couldn’t help myself.”
He felt his face go warm. And he never blushed. “That’s it,” he said, shoving his chair back and standing. “You’re dancing with me. Now.” He grabbed her arm, dragging her—still laughing—to the dance area. It was a fast tune so they didn’t have to touch one another. A series of clapping and stomping that made him forget about her lips and instead, focus on his feet. And on her laughing. Only this time, it was from the thrill of letting loose and dancing.
“You want me to put this on?” Ari asked, holding up the stable boy’s clothing.
“Unless you have a better idea,” Savenek answered. Since she didn’t have appropriate sneaking-around-the-palace clothes, he’d swiped a pair of pants and a shirt from the laundry room.
“Fine,” she said with a sigh. “Leave so I can change.”
He went back to his room and put on the darkest pants and shirt he had. It was difficult to possess only what the royal family had given him. He wished he had his own clothes and supplies. And weapons. He really missed his weapons.
“Don’t laugh,” Ari said, coming into the room.
The pants were too short and the shirt a little tight, but otherwise she looked adorable. He refrained from saying anything so she wouldn’t bite his head off. It reminded him of when they’d first met.
He waved her closer and whispered, “We’re going to Prince Patteon’s office. We are looking for two things. One, any correspondence from Russek. And two, anything about the Kepper Mines. Understood?”
She nodded and pulled her hair back, quickly braiding it and winding it around her head.
“There will be no talking.”
“I know how to be quiet and snoop. I’ve been trained in this particular area.”
“Really?” Who had trained her and why? She was a woman.
Ari looked at him pointedly, as if reading his thoughts. “I’m small and agile. Plus, I have access to places other people do not.”
He wasn’t sure what all that meant, but he trusted her enough to believe what she claimed. And it sort of got him all hot thinking about her spying. He shook his head, needing to focus.
Now for the hard part—getting out of his room undetected. Ari didn’t have the upper body strength needed to scale the outside of the palace, so they had to exit his room through the door. Going over to the candles, he blew them out. Then he and Ari sat next to the door, waiting. When she didn’t question what they were doing, he wondered if she already knew. The soldier in the hallway switched positions every hour on the hour. The soldier walked to the end of the hallway, stopped, and saluted his replacement. The new soldier then proceeded into the hallway, taking up watch. That meant there was a twenty second window during which they could exit the room unseen. In those twenty seconds, they had to make it to the servants’ stairwell which was fourteen feet to the right.
“Last chance to back out,” he whispered.
She shook her head.
Three more minutes.
Savenek peered under the door, watching the soldier standing ten feet or so to the left of Ari’s bedchamber door. The soldier’s feet snapped together and he turned to the left, heading away from them.
Savenek stood and slowly twisted the door handle, counting as he did so. Ari stood next to him. When he reached thirty, he swung the door open and she took off running for the servants’ stairwell. He gently shut the door as silently as possible, and then he too ran for the stairwell. Five seconds left. Ari made it. Four, three, two, he flew into the stairwell, breathing hard. They both froze, not wanting to make a sound.
The new soldier’s footsteps echoed in the hallway. When it went silent, Savenek assumed the soldier was in place. Ari started going down the stairs as silently as, well, an assassin. Savenek went after her. When they came to the lower floor, they went to the right and found the other passageway that led to the floor on which Prince Patteon’s office was located.
Since it was the middle of the night, not many servants were out and about—which was both good and bad. Good that Savenek and Ari wouldn’t encounter many people, bad that they would be remembered when they did run into someone.
They exited the servants’ passageway and crept down the corridor, stopping before Patteon’s door. Savenek held his ear against it, listening. After waiting two minutes, he picked the lock and opened the door. The moon provided enough light that the desk and bookshelves were easily visible. Heading over to the desk, Savenek searched for anything pertaining to Russek.
There was a small table with several pieces of paper on top of it. Ari went over to the table, examining the pages.
Not finding anything on the desk, Savenek op
ened the drawers and rummaged through them. Again, nothing. He went over and tapped Ari’s arm. She shook her head. They needed to look in another office.
Ari cupped her hands around Savenek’s ear and whispered, “What’s the guard situation here?”
He didn’t want to make any noise with a response, so he just gave her the okay symbol, and she nodded in understanding. This area was guarded. Two soldiers stood at either end of the corridor, just around the corner and out of sight. But since Ari and Savenek had come up the servants’ stairwell, they’d managed to avoid the soldiers. There were also roaming guards, and they would have to keep a look out for those.
They exited the room. The king’s office was located next to Patteon’s. Footsteps came from the right. Savenek darted for the servants’ stairwell, Ari right next to him. Crouching on the stairs, he noticed a faint light. The guards never carried torches or candles with them. He peered around the corner. Someone was standing in front of the door to Conditto’s office. The person went inside, leaving the door ajar.
Ari tapped Savenek’s arm and then pointed down the steps. He nodded, and they both slowly descended a couple of steps and waited, pressing their bodies against the wall. The person finally exited Conditto’s office. Instead of going back the way he or she had come from, the person headed their way. Whoever it was, was going to walk right by the stairwell. Hopefully, they’d gone down enough steps to remain out of sight. Once the person had passed by and the candlelight faded away, Ari and Savenek descended the rest of the steps.
At the landing, Ari grabbed Savenek. “That was Prince Patteon.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. I saw his ring. It was him.”
What was the prince doing at this hour? What had he been up to in his sister’s office? “I’m going to follow him,” Savenek said.
“Okay.”
“No. I want you to go back to your room.”
“We don’t have time to argue. I’m going with you.”
Oath of Deception Page 17