The Queen's Blade Prequel II - God Touched (28 page)

“
Will you celebrate our new queen with me, Dance
Master?”

“
No.”

“
I will make it worth your while.” She pushed a golden across
the table.

Blade shook
his head. Over the years, he had grown accustomed to the attentions
of noblewomen, although he had not come to like them.

“
I am not a bully boy, Madam.”

“
I do not want a bully boy, Dance Master.”

“
Then perhaps your husband will oblige if you make him the same
offer.”

Her brow
wrinkled. “Why do you refuse?”

“
I am not interested in such pastimes.”

“
Come now, surely everyone is?”

He shrugged.
“Everyone except me, it would seem.”

“
And why is that?”

“
None of your business.”

Blade glanced
up as Lilu arrived at his side, as she often did when noblewomen
propositioned him. To his annoyance, she squeezed onto the bench
beside him and scowled at the woman.

“
Go peddle it elsewhere,” she said.

The woman rose
and left, clearly offended.

Lilu smiled
Blade, her eyes sparkling. “I'll pay you a copper for it, Dance
Master.”

“
I think a golden is my fee for that these days.”

“
Made any sales?”

“
Not as many as you'd think.”

She giggled
and slipped her arm through his. “You'll be retiring soon, so at
least you'll be able to earn a living then.”

He frowned and
shook her off. “I have no plans to retire.”

“
You're almost thirty years old. Don't assassins retire at your
age?”

“
Only those who have lost their edge.”

“
And you haven't?”

“
Not that I'm aware of.”

“
But you will before you do, won't you?” She looked
concerned.

“
In all likelihood.”

“
Good.” She shot a glance at his belt. “None have ever retired
as Master of the Dance, I've heard.”

“
Not as far as I know.”

“
Will you be sad to give it up?”

“
I expect so.”

Lilu sighed,
looking martyred. “Trying to have a conversation with you is like
pulling teeth.”

“
You should know; you've got so few left.”

“
That's mean.” She leant back and gazed across the room. “What
do you think of the new Queen's proclamation?”

He shrugged.
“Not much.”

“
You don't approve?”

“
I haven't thought about it.”

“
And if you did think about it?”

“
Why would I bother?”

She frowned at
him. “Because I asked you to?”

“
Why do you want me to?”

“
Because I want your opinion!”

“
Why?”

“
Blade!”

He smiled,
shaking his head. “I don't care one way or the other.”

“
And if you did?”

“
But I don't.”

She gave a
frustrated snort. “It's a waste of time trying to talk to you,
isn't it?”

“
I'm working.”

“
You call lazing around drinking wine working?”

“
Just as you call lying on your back working.”

“
I do more than –”

He raised a
hand, grimacing. “Spare me the details.”

“
This isn't working; it's waiting for work.”

“
You call it work when you're trying to persuade men to bed
you.”

“
Because it is!” She shook her head. “I have to sit with them
and talk to them, and they –”

“
Again, spare me the details. I've seen it too
often.”

“
You still can't call sitting around drinking wine
work.”

“
And yet, I do.”

“
So what do you do for fun?”

He shrugged.
“Nothing.”

“
What about when you talk to me? Isn't that fun?”

“
Not really.”

“
So why do you do it?”

He sipped his
wine. “Because you talk to me whether I like it or not.”

“
If I didn't, no one would.”

“
That wouldn't bother me.”

“
You're a heartless monster.”

He smiled
again. “I know.”

“
You've been working on becoming one for how long now? Nine
years?”

“
More like seventeen.”

“
Well, you've certainly perfected it.”

“
I usually do, when I set out to do something.”

She cocked her
head. “Why would anyone want to be a heartless monster?”

“
So people will leave him alone.”

“
Why do you want to be alone?”

“
I like it.”

“
Yet you visit me in my room quite often.”

He gazed
across the alehouse. “Go away.”

“
Was that an awkward question?”

“
It wasn't a question.”

“
Statement, then,” she said.

“
No, just an irritating one.”

“
Because you don't like to admit that you enjoy my
company.”

Blade turned
his head to scowl at her. “Right now I'm not.”

“
But you do, sometimes.”

“
It's tolerable, when you're not nagging me, talking my ears
off or pawing me.”

“
So that would be... when I'm asleep?”

“
Precisely,” he said, his slight smile returning.

“
And yet you don't sleep with me.”

He chuckled.
“There are usually men in your bed.”

“
Otherwise you would?”

“
Gods, no.”

“
I wouldn't charge you, you know.” She put a hand on his knee,
making him jump and frown.

“
Bugger off, Lilu.”

She giggled.
“You're blushing.”

He sighed.
“I'm not, but if I was, it would be out of embarrassment at being
pawed by an ugly trollop.”

She leant
closer, pouting. “How would it be if an ugly trollop kissed
you?”

“
Disgusting.”

Lilu darted in
to kiss his cheek.

Blade wiped
it, shooting her a frown. “Go away before I make you.”

“
Or I'll ruin your reputation?”

“
Before someone thinks you'll make a good bargaining
chip.”

She glanced
around. “If I just leave, it won't be –”

Blade thumped
the table. “Bugger off!”

Lilu jumped up
and flounced off, her nose in the air. The assassin leant back and
signalled Rendal to bring him another bottle of wine.

Almost three
moons later, Blade strolled into the taproom and sat in his usual
spot. The serving wench brought him a bottle of red wine, and he
settled down to wait for a customer to approach him, if one was
going to. On average, he received one assignment per moon-phase,
although sometimes he got as many as three and occasionally none,
but he had amassed a sizeable collection of goldens to tide him
over the lean months. He spent a few time-glasses each day in the
common room, and the rest of the time reading or practicing his
skills.

Pouring a cup
of wine, he glanced around, spotting Lilu giggling with four tough
looking soldiers in civilian clothes. Their stern, scarred miens
and rigid postures gave them away, along with a certain air of
nobility that hung about them, even though they were clearly
commoners.

Half a
time-glass later, they left, and Lilu came over to slide onto the
bench opposite Blade, who shot her a frown.

“
Go away.”

“
I have something to tell you. Those four are from the palace
guard, and one of them told me something amazing.”

“
Only one? You were sitting with four of them.”

“
He came to my room.”

“
Ah.” Blade gazed across the taproom.

“
He said that he and his companions are going to Cotti. The
Queen has offered them lands, riches and titles.” She leant closer,
lowering her voice. “To kill the Cotti King.”

Blade's heart
quickened, but he feigned disinterest. “How bizarre. They won't get
near Shandor, never mind slay him.”

“
Well, that's what he said. The Queen also wants the Prince
brought to her, alive.” She glanced around as if she was imparting
royal secrets, when this was clearly not something the soldiers had
been sworn to secrecy about, or else the man would not have
divulged it. “Do you think it has something to do with her plan to
end the war?”

“
Killing Shandor won't end it. It's more likely to escalate
it.”

“
But perhaps she'll be able to negotiate peace with the
Prince.”

He said, “The
Cotti live only to make war and slaughter innocents.”

“
She must have a reason for doing it.”

“
I expect she thinks she can make peace with Kerrion, but I
would say she's sadly mistaken.”

“
And yet, she consulted the Idol.”

Blade
shrugged. “What of it?”

“
He can see the future. Perhaps he told her what to do this to
end the war.”

“
Then he's sadly mistaken, too.”

Lilu picked up
Blade's wine cup and sipped from it, looking thoughtful. “I'll
wager you could kill the Cotti King.”

“
Probably.”

“
Wouldn't you like to be a wealthy noble?”

“
Not particularly, and I certainly don't want to go back to
that infernal desert.”

Her gaze
sharpened. “You've been there before?”

Blade looked
away, cursing his slip, and several minutes passed before he
replied, “A long time ago.”

“
That's where...” She looked down at the wine, biting her
lip.

“
That's where what?”

“
You were... hurt.”

“
You already know this.”

She shook her
head. “I thought so, but you'd never talk about it.”

“
Nor will I now.”

“
I understand.”

“
No you don't.”

“
The Cotti are cruel; everyone knows that.”

Blade
retrieved his wine cup and topped it up. “The true depths of their
depravity aren't known to anyone who hasn't been in one of their
camps, and they don't survive.”

“
But you did.”

“
I was unlucky.”

“
Some would say lucky.”

“
They also know nothing.” He hesitated. Although he considered
her suggestion to be impossible, the prospect of killing the Cotti
King did interest him. “How many bungling soldiers has the Queen
sent into the desert?”

“
I don't know. At least one other group, I think.”

“
They won't succeed.”

“
He said she offers a mighty reward. An estate, a title and a
yearly income. You'd never have to work again.”

He shook his
head. “It's a fool's errand.”

“
Not for you.”

“
A little while ago, you were begging me to retire before I got
hurt, now you want me to go to Cotti and kill their king? That's
about the most dangerous thing I could attempt.”

“
But think of the rewards,” she said. “It would be worth the
risk, and if, as you say, you haven't lost your edge, you'll be
fine.”

“
And you think you'll share in my reward, huh?”

“
If you were generous, I suppose I might. It would be
nice.”

“
Leave it alone. You don't know what you're talking about. Ten
leagues of burning sand just to get to Shandor's camp, and no Cotti
horse to ride. A Jashimari beast would be instantly spotted, even
if it survived the journey.”

She shook her
head. “No, the soldier said less than a league. The camp is
practically in the foothills of the Endine Mountains.”

“
They've moved it, then.”

She leant
forward, her eyes gleaming. “Don't you want to kill Cotti?
Especially their king.”

Blade inclined
his head. “There would be some satisfaction in that.”

“
And you'll have the Cotti Prince as your prisoner all the way
back to Jondar.”

“
That part's not so appealing.”

“
But he'd be at your mercy,” she said. “You'd be able to
humiliate him, or worse.”

“
I'm not a torturer.”

“
Think on it, though.”

“
Maybe.” Blade said, to put an end to her nagging. He had no
intention of leaving the city and enduring the hardships of travel,
nor did he ever want to return to Cotti. Even if he wished it, he
could not do the deed without a client, and the Queen hardly ever
granted audiences to commoners. She consulted with her advisors and
nobles, and the only commoners who were allowed into her presence
were palace soldiers, the clergy and her advisors. Lilu gazed at
him, clearly expecting him to come to a decision while she waited,
and he sighed.

“
Even if I wanted to, the Queen doesn't speak to
commoners.”

Her face fell,
and she looked thoughtful. “You could request an audience.”