Shattered Assassin (6 page)

“Princess—”

“You can’t leave your post.” She glanced around, unsure what to do in such an annoying situation. “Am I allowed to go find someone to accompany me? The barracks are within view of Lady Kristina’s chambers.”

“The beast will stay with you?” he asked, his gold eyes flickering toward Nakomi and away again.

“Yes.” Another shared glance, and her guards nodded simultaneously. Kazia blew out a relieved breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. “Thank you. Come, Nakomi.” She turned and practically skipped away, so thrilled to be on her own, even if it was only to find someone else to baby sit her.

The estate had thick, luxurious carpets and expensive rugs. Everything had gold inlay. It was obvious that a lot of money had been spent here, more so than the castle, probably. Kazia admired its beauty, but thought it a waste.

“Lady Kazia. I’m surprised to see you up. Your lady-in-waiting led us to believe you would sleep until tomorrow morning,” Jeffery said, coming out of his study as she passed the second floor.

“One never knows when I will wake. We adjust around my internal clock as well as we can.” She smiled at him, which felt wrong, and hoped it didn’t show in her eyes. She shouldn’t hate them the way she did; they were being so kind to house her under their own roof while her castle, and life, were being rebuilt. But they had never been close and it was awkward and uncomfortable to pretend they had.

“Might I accompany you somewhere?” He looked nervously at Nakomi when he said it, and Kazia imagined he was praying she would say no.

She shook her head. “I’m fine, but thank you, Uncle. I was just on my way to the barracks.”

“Oh. Good, good. Enjoy.” He shuffled back into his study and Kazia escaped down the second set of stairs, her feet making odd pattering sounds against the tile floors.

At the doorway leading outside she found Luke, waiting on the front steps. “What are you doing?” She frowned, slipping through the wide doors and letting them slam shut behind her. They were heavy enough to crush a girl and her giant wolf. Well, maybe not the giant wolf…

He leaned against a pillar, his uniform pulled tight against his chest. Kazia pretended not to notice. “I’m watching. I figured you’d be coming down soon, and try to sneak out alone.”

Kazia huffed. “I’ll have you know I was on my way to the barracks to find someone to walk with me. No sneaking on my part. I’m not stupid, you know.”

“No one would ever accuse you of being stupid, Kazia.” He smiled and offered her his arm. She rolled her eyes but took it, pulling her hood over her head since the sun was still up. Nakomi leaped down the steps and loped toward the lawns and Kazia had a moment of pity for the gardener who would have to clean up after her.

“What happened to Jeffery’s troops?” Kazia asked after they had ambled far enough away from the house that they couldn’t be overheard.

“They were caught in an ambush as they were traveling through Scorcen canyon.” Luke didn’t look at her as he said it, instead squinting out toward the village in the distance.

Kazia swallowed painfully, horrified. “Did anyone survive?”

“A few. Two made it here but didn’t live through the night. Two more were wounded but seem to be recovering, and the man who brought us the news at dinner last night was unharmed.” He stared straight ahead as he spoke, and there was no emotion in his voice, so Kazia had no idea how he might feel. But she knew how she felt, and it made her sick.

“It’s my fault, Luke,” she whispered.

Finally, he looked down at her, raising an eyebrow. “First of all, it isn’t your fault. Second of all, I haven’t heard you call me that for years… except for the night of the attack.”

She smirked. “It’s your name, isn’t it? We’ve been friends too long for it to feel normal to call you captain when we’re alone.” Mentioning the fact that they were alone brought a blush rushing to her cheeks. “I didn’t mean—” She started, stumbling over the words, and he threw back his head and laughed. She pulled her hand from his arm and glared at him as he fought to hide his grin.

“You still blush as easily as you ever have.”

“Yes I do. It’s wonderful,” she muttered. She scanned the lawns, watching Nakomi run. She was big, but she still ran with the grace of a wolf, and anyone watching her could tell she loved the freedom. “She hates being cooped up so much,” Kazia said, trying not very discreetly to change the subject.

“She’s too big to be cooped up so much.” Luke stepped in front of her, leaning down so he could meet her gaze — since he was well over six feet and she was only halfway between five feet and six. “This won’t last forever, Kazia. We will find the assassin and you can go back to your kingdom.”

Kazia nodded. “I know you will, Luke.” And since she was the master of subject-changing, she asked, “How many men died, Luke?”

Luke frowned, shaking his head. “It doesn’t matter, Kazia.”

“It does matter! It matters to their families. It matters to me. I don’t want them to die for me!”

“They weren’t killed because of you. They were killed because of whoever is trying to take your throne.”

She hated it when his logic made more sense than her pain. “Do they think the assassin is behind the attack? Or is it just a coincidence that they were ambushed?” She hated the hope in her voice.

“There’s no way to know until we find the assassin.”

“Do you have any idea who it might be?” Now it was her turn to squint at the village. The answer might lie inside her head but she couldn’t give it to him. She wasn’t any help.

“No. I would assume it is the one who had the most to gain. If Jeffery wasn’t the king’s own brother…” Luke trailed off.

Kazia gaped at him. “Jeffery would never do that. And these troops were his own men. He would be an idiot to kill so many of his own. He needs them to protect these lands.”

“I hope you’re right.”

Kazia shook her head. “I am right. He’s the eldest brother. When he came of age, he turned away from the crown so that he could marry Kristina. I don’t believe he regrets it.”

“You don’t think he regrets being married to her?” Luke sounded bewildered.

Kazia stopped her squinting and peered up at him. “No, of course not. She’s beautiful. You do?”

“She’s also selfish and annoying. Beauty isn’t everything.”

Kazia remembered a time when Luke had told her she was beautiful. She blushed again and dipped her head, hoping her blond curls and the folds of her cloak would hide her.

He chuckled.

Kazia cleared her throat. “She can’t be like that all the time. I think she was trying to impress you.” Kazia prayed hecouldn’t read her mind, but from the way he was looking at her, she was afraid he could.

“She failed. Miserably,” Luke finally said, rolling his eyes and grimacing like Kazia had suddenly punched him.

She tipped her head, studying him, memorizing him for the times he wouldn’t be there. He smiled under her curious stare. “Your eyes are still as mischievous as ever.”

“I am not mischievous,” she exclaimed.

He frowned, his eyes suddenly sad. “No, you aren’t. Not anymore. You used to be.”

“I was also young.”

“You aren’t that old now, Kazia. Nineteen, correct?”

“Yes. For two more weeks.”

“I can’t believe we haven’t talked for over three years.” He had stopped walking and turned toward her, his head bent so he could see under her hood.

Kazia’s breath caught in her throat, and she nearly strangled herself trying to speak calmly. “We’ve talked, several times. Just… just last month we talked.”

Luke waited until she looked up at him, getting caught in those sea green eyes. “We talked about the regulations for hunting in the king’s forest.”

“That’s… talking,” she said lamely, breaking his gaze and turning toward Nakomi.

“Not what I meant, and you know it.”

She stopped, planting her hands on her hips. “If I remember, it was you who suggested we stop talking.” Somehow, those words hurt him. She could see it in his eyes.

His voice low, he said, “I didn’t think you would agree.”

She sighed, letting her hands drop as she wandered away. She hadn’t wanted to agree. She had wanted to beg him to take it back, beg him to tell her he loved her again. But that hadn’t been an option then, and it wasn’t now. “I believe Nakomi is bored.”

Nakomi loped back toward the estate, the hair on the back of her neck standing on end. Kazia followed her with her eyes, watching as Nakomi streaked toward a carriage pulling forward up the long drive.

“I wonder what’s going on.” Luke’s hand was already on his sword.

Kazia glanced at him and rolled her eyes. “Whoever it is, they aren’t going to attack us in broad daylight. Put that thing away.”

He opened his mouth to object but she turned away, hurrying after her wolf. They followed Nakomi to the front steps where the carriage waited. Jeffery’s footman stood, half asleep, at the door.

Jeffery came out, closing the door behind him. He turned and jumped, letting out a strangled yell when he nearly ran right into Luke.

“Are you going somewhere, Uncle?” Kazia asked, peering around Luke’s broad shoulders.

“Yes. I’m… worried about Braydton. With the attack on our troops, I’m afraid for his safety.”

“I thought you didn’t know where he was. Aunt Kristina said he was traveling the world.” Kazia felt she should leave the safety of Luke’s shadow, but couldn’t quite make herself.

“When we heard the tragic news about your father…”
My father. Like my mother and brother weren’t also killed?
But Jeffery hadn’t paused and she tried to focus on his words. “…sent a missive asking that he go right away to Abeta, where the family of your future groom could protect him.”

Kazia’s head snapped up. “You’ve received word from Randolf?”

“No, not yet. We are acting on an assumption. If nothing else, I can act as an ambassador for our country until the wedding.”

Luke growled next to her. “You can’t possibly believe the wedding will still go on as planned?”

Kazia raised an eyebrow, ready to respond, but Jeffery beat her to it. “It must. It is more important than ever that Kazia marry and provide the country with a strong king and, eventually, heirs.”

“Because she can’t rule this country alone?” Luke demanded. Kazia knew he was completely out of line, questioning a duke, but she agreed with him. Why couldn’t she rule the country alone?

“Captain, of course you won’t understand, but Princess Kazia simply isn’t well enough to run an entire country alone. Besides that, she wasn’t trained to rule a country.”

“I know better than most how well Lady Kazia is—”

“Captain.” Kazia’s voice was soft, but both men jerked to attention, seeming to have forgotten her in their argument. She glanced at him coldly before turning to Jeffery. “Perhaps I should accompany you?” she asked her Uncle.

His face paled. “I fear the assassin, Princess. You are safer here in our walls.”

Fear for my safety, or your own?
Kazia stifled a sigh and inclined her head. “Of course. Good luck on your travels.” She patted her side, and Nakomi stepped out of the shadows, where she’d been nearly invisible. “Good day, gentlemen.” Kazia tugged the door open and let them both through, shutting it behind them before Luke could follow her.

“Lady Kazia, I didn’t realize you were up.” Kristina swept across the entryway, looking every bit a vision in a light green gown with a plunging neckline. Her blonde hair was swept up, leaving her graceful neck bare.

Kazia felt small and mousy next to her. She shoved her blond braid over her shoulder self-consciously. “You look stunning, Kristina. Are you to accompany Jeffery on his trip to Abeta?”

“Oh good heavens no. It is far too dangerous for a woman to travel. I’m just going to wish him good bye.”

“I see.” Kazia could think of nothing else to say, so she stepped around the layers of silk standing between her and the stairwell and made her escape. She raced to her room and buried herself in a quilt by the fire.

She knew she was going to marry Randolf. That was nothing new. And the fact that her uncle thought her sickly and weak was nothing new either, she had
always
been sickly and weak. Maybe she was too weak to run the country? She nibbled her nail. And Kristina, so beautiful, sweeping by her, on her way to Jeffery and…
Luke
. Kazia moaned, flopping over in her chair. Of course it was Luke. It was always Luke. She didn’t want Luke to see how beautiful Kristina was. She had spent the last three years trying
not
to watch Luke move on without her. Now she was stuck having to witness every move he made and it was driving her crazy.

Nakomi grunted, and from the way Kazia was lying upside down in her chair, the wolf seemed to be looking at her like she was insane. If wolves had eyebrows, Nakomi would definitely be raising one. “Well yes, I know he hasn’t actually done anything. But Jeffery is leaving and Kristina is very persistent.” Nakomi blinked and Kazia pulled herself to a sitting position, then shoved the quilt off so she could pace back and forth across her room. “And anyway…” She threw her hands up. “How can I even be worrying about him? I’m getting married in a month!”
and hopefully Randolf will make me forget a boy named Luke ever existed.

She sank to the floor and Nakomi came, flopping down next to her and laying the big black head in Kazia’s lap. She wanted to run, to hide, to escape this assault her heart had been under for the last two weeks. “I miss our garden,” Kazia whispered.

CHAPTER SIX

_W
ITH JEFFERY GONE
, Kristina turned the full force of her attention on Luke. Dinner that night was uncomfortable, to say the least. Kazia had just settled herself resignedly in her chair when Kristina swept in. “Captain, you really must join us for our evening meal.”

“Thank you, Lady Kristina. It isn’t my place.” Luke stopped in his regular position near the doorway, watching Kristina pout.

“Captain, you realize it’s insulting your hostess to refuse our meal. Kimbern! Set a place for the captain!” Kristina snapped, and the harried maid scuttled away like she expected to be hit.