Assassin's Fate (The Assassin and her Dragon Princes Book 1)

by Ivy Clyde

  Chill spread through me at her words. What was she talking about? How could anyone survive such vicious torture? My gaze focused on her face. Her skin was porcelain-smooth and flawless. Not the slightest abrasion marred its beauty.

  She smiled but her eyes remained cold. Daria was starting to scare me.

  “You doubt what I say.”

  It wasn’t a question. She was looking right through me.

  “I killed more men than any of you yesterday. How do you think I gained such ease in slaughtering people? Yes, I am an assassin but I didn’t go to the marketplace to buy my skills for a handful of gold coins. No. Every ability was either beaten or burned into me.”

  “Daria…”

  I could feel the pain and rage radiating off her.

  Suddenly, I felt shame.

  Until now, I’d only seen her as a beautiful woman. She was lethal, and that combination of stunning beauty and danger was highly arousing and attractive.

  It was the first time Daria exposed a part of herself that she always kept under tight wraps. She never allowed her pain to spoil the beauty of her smile. Her past didn’t imprison her soul. There was still kindness in her heart. She’d single-handedly brought me back to life. Without her, I’d have surely died in the wilderness in the body of a pathetic creature.

  Daria didn’t cry. She stood mere feet away, hugging herself like she was suddenly very cold.

  “You, Cain and Adal are the only people who’ve shown me any kindness. You make my heart beat so fast.” She placed a hand over her left breast while she looked at me with tear-filled eyes. “I always feel so warm inside when I am with you three. No one’s ever treated me so well in my life. It’s not my fault I fell in love with you all.”

  “Daria, I am…” I was lost for words. How could I form coherent words from my scattered thoughts? I wanted to tell her sorry for all that she endured but also that I loved her. Too soon, the moment passed.

  “I am heading back. I’ll check on the traps later.” With that, she turned around and walked away.

  This time, I let her go.

  16

  Even though I headed in the direction of the caves, my feet carried me further away into the woods on the other side of the hills. After the confrontation with Norvin, I needed to cool my head and sort through my thoughts.

  My emotions were in turmoil while my body was still yearning for Novin’s warmth. I groaned in annoyance as sparks of need and lust shot through me, the throbbing ache for him nestling deep within the space between my thighs. At the same time, I wanted to weep over my past.

  It was easy to hold onto my tears before Norvin. We were trained to conceal our emotions at all times. The assassins of Linmoor, including Elga, always wore masks. We smiled and went about our jobs, never revealing our innermost thoughts. It was one of the most essential skills we learned. If the enemy didn’t know what hurt you, it would give you an edge over them.

  Now that I was far from Norvin and Linmoor, I allowed the tears to fall. Great gasping sobs wracked through my body. With no audience, I indulged in crying my heart out.

  It was a while before I calmed down again. Now that the tears had passed, I questioned the reason for my breakdown. Norvin hadn’t really hurt me other than demand I be his. He was the most possessive of all the three princes but it never bothered me until now. It was the question of sharing my heart that got me twisted into a knot.

  I was aware of the laws that existed between men and women of the four kingdoms. While the men were allowed to have three wives and five concubines, the women could choose only one man as a husband for the rest of her life. They had no freedom to leave their husbands no matter how abusive they got. However, men were free to divorce their wives anytime they wished.

  The assassins at Linmoor were always separated from the rest of the world. The laws governing the four kingdoms didn’t exist in our world. We had our own edicts to live by. Elga had no qualms about her assassins choosing to sleep with multiple men.

  Our sexuality wasn’t tied to our honor.

  Having grown up in such an environment, it didn’t feel wrong to love three men at once. If I was being honest, my heart really belonged to Cain, Adal, and Norvin. I would never be able to choose one over the other.

  But they’re different.

  The thought startled me.

  The princes were probably used to the notion of owning many women who would all be devoted to them. Having harems in the royal palaces was a common practice. My heart squeezed painfully at the thought of sharing Adal, Cain, and Norvin with other women.

  A sudden vision of Cain lying naked came to mind. Along with that, came the image of his muscled chest being caressed by a number of female hands while he closed his eyes in pleasure.

  “No!” I shouted, punching a tree trunk. Layers of bark cracked under my knuckle while the pain and shock reverberated through my bones. Blood marred the skin of my hand. Despite the intense ache, my rage refused to subside.

  Tears of frustration poured down my cheeks as I slowly sat down and leaned against the trunk. If Elga could see my pathetic breakdown, she would have definitely punished me with twenty lashes of the whip. A shudder ran through me at the memory of that keen leather that left angry welts on the skin without breaking it.

  Brushing away the tears from my eyes, I checked on Tuto. The owl was napping. Urging him awake, I took a quick glance at the surrounding area of the cave. All was quiet. Nothing out of the ordinary.

  I needed to toughen myself. My mission to protect the princes almost failed. The assassination of Emperor Ivan was still before me. How did one kill a full-fledged dragon? Will my needles pierce through scales as tough as stone? I wondered amusedly. Linmoor taught me the most creative ways to kill men. Suddenly, my skills seemed laughable compared to the task I was handed.

  I needed to toughen up. It was time to wake up from the stupid dream I kept having. No matter how good the princes were to me, I couldn’t let my heart distract me from my mission. So far, it had only complicated matters between us.

  Norvin’s anger was justifiable. He didn’t understand me or my feelings. I wasn’t an ordinary woman. I was an assassin of Linmoor tasked with the elimination of Emperor Ivan.

  I took several deep breaths, willing the choking emotions to subside. It was time to stop playing a silly girl in love and be the assassin accompanying them. I would stay close to them but only for their protection. I won’t let my emotions take over my mind again.

  Getting to my feet, I walked back towards the cave. My stomach was groaning with hunger. I’d not eaten anything before running out with Norvin.

  The sun was already overhead. It would be a relief to escape inside the cool, shadowy interiors of the cave and eat a roll of bread and water.

  I saw two figures perched on the edge of the hill where we were camped. Drawing nearer, I saw it was Adal and Cain. They were both looking out towards the forest in the west, probably waiting for me and Norvin to arrive.

  Adal’s golden curls moved gently with the wind. From my vantage point, he looked utterly beautiful. The color came back to his cheeks and lips, and with the way he was standing, I could tell he was no longer in pain.

  My heart swelled with joy. I started running towards him but then stopped.

  What was I doing? Didn’t I just decide not to let my emotions come in the way? Slowing my gait, I walked up the hill to reach him.

  I was halfway to the top when he heard my footsteps and rushed to come towards me. “I am so happy to see you, Daria,” said Adal as soon as he saw me.

  “Where is Norvin?” asked Cain.

  I shrugged, not meeting their eyes. Just being close to them made my heart pound with longing. “Still out there, I suppose.” Walking past them, I went inside the cave.

  Staying quiet, I picked up my pack and took out the parcel of bread. Moving towards the wall in a corner, I sat down and began wolfing down the loaf.

  After eating half of it, I placed the rest inside i
ts package and took up the waterskin. The clear, cool liquid felt soothing against my throat after the dry bread. Satiated, I leaned against the wall for a nap.

  When I woke up again, the interior of the cave was several shades darker. There was a chill in the air as I slowly stood up to go outside.

  Even before crossing the threshold, I could hear the three princes talking in low voices. The smell of roasting meat wafted towards me, making me hungry again. A part of me wanted to stay back in the cave and not see any of them. Just being near them made my emotions go berserk. It was easier to stay away. But my grumbling stomach didn’t care for those reasons.

  I walked out of the cave. Several sticks with whole, skinned rabbits were stuck to the ground beside a burning fire. The skins on them were already roasted a burnished gold, making my mouth water.

  “Are you hungry, Daria?” asked Cain. Moving away from the spot he was sitting in, he waved towards me and gestured at the space beside him.

  I sat down next to him. “You should have woken me up earlier. I could’ve helped with the skinning.”

  “We decided to let you rest,” said Adal. “You must’ve used up a lot of your inner strength to heal me.”

  I nodded and muttered a thanks. Adal moved close to me, close enough for his body to touch mine. Taking my hands in his, he whispered, “Thank you.”

  I looked into his soft blue eyes. “It was nothing.”

  “You could have died doing what you did.” His eyes were full of emotion as he squeezed my hands.

  My gaze flickered towards Norvin. As expected, he was staring at us.

  Looking back at Adal, I pulled my hands away. “Don’t worry about it. I can’t let my patrons die, right?”

  I pulled out the nearest stick with a rabbit on it. “I am starving,” I declared, tearing the skinny flesh of the breasts. It would have burned a normal person but I was able to touch the searing hot meat without any hesitation.

  Adal exchanged a look with both Cain and Norvin. I kept my gaze lowered to the ground, eating the rabbit with gusto. It was still a tad bit raw and bloody on the inside but I was happy to let it distract me.

  “We’ll be able to ride out tomorrow,” said Cain after a while.

  I looked towards Adal. “Will you be all right?”

  He nodded. “The wound has dried up. It is still sore but I am sure it will heal further tonight. The amount of energy you transfused inside me was enough to kill you.”

  He wasn’t wrong about that. I avoided looking into his grim face and continued to gnaw at a small drumstick.

  If I wasn’t so distracted by own thoughts, I would have realized how silent the three princes were that night.

  17

  We were up before dawn the following day. I left the three princes to gather their things while I went out to the lake some distance from the caves. My bundles were already packed but the waterskins needed a filling. From last night’s discussion, it was agreed we would be traveling the whole day, only making stops to rest the horses.

  A sickle moon hung in the western sky as I made my way through the woods to reach the lake. The ball of fire dancing on my palm lit the path forward. Calls of foxes and wolves rang throughout the forest but none of that scared me. I was strong enough to take on these mindless beasts by myself. It was my own thoughts and emotions I feared.

  A cold breeze lifted the stray strands of my hair. Shivering, I looked out towards the dark expanse of the lake before me. The moon and stars shining overhead were reflected on its smooth, glassy surface. I remained there for a while, soaking in the calmness. Once we left the shelter of the caves, we would be on the open road again and vulnerable to attack.

  I breathed in the fresh, chilly air deeply.

  When the eastern horizon began turning gray, I moved towards the edge of the waters, taking care not to slide on the slippery stones. The soft gurgling of water as the waterskin filled was disturbed by the sound of hooves coming towards me. Knowing it was the three princes, I remained stationary, letting the waterskin fill up.

  When both the waterskins were filled, I got to my feet and turned around. Adal, Cain, and Norvin were mounted on the horses with everything else packed and loaded to the saddles. I walked towards them and realized we only had three horses among the four. I sighed internally. Sharing a horse with one of them would be the opposite of trying to keep my distance.

  “I’m sorry, Daria,” said Adal. “Looks like you would have to ride with one of us.”

  “It’s best if you choose me or Cain,” said Norvin. “Adal is still not fully healed, so we’ll let him have his own mount.”

  Frowning, I looked up at Cain. He smiled warmly at me. It was an easy choice between him and Norvin at the moment. Dumping my waterskins at Norvin, I walked towards Cain’s horse. Things between me and Norvin had to cool down despite my body’s yearning for him and his hardness.

  Cain helped me mount up the horse, seating me in front of him.

  “Are you secure?” he asked, taking up the reins.

  “All good,” I muttered. My back was against Cain’s chest and as we trotted towards the woods, our bodies were gently colliding. The heat from his body was seeping into me, warming me up. As we sped up, the cold wind didn’t bother me anymore.

  The woods on both sides of the narrow path flashed by as we rode hard and fast towards the north. Wind whipped the strands of my hair away from my face as I looked forward to the never-ending road before us. The enthusiasm with which I left Linmoor had already faded. Now, I just wanted to get on with the mission and finish it as fast as possible.

  It was mid-morning when we stopped for a break. We were beside a roadside tavern in a small village square. A deep groan escaped me as my feet touched the ground. My thighs were stiff and sore from the hours of riding. I wasn’t used to traveling such long distances on horseback.

  “Let’s eat and rest,” said Cain, climbing off his horse.

  He gestured at a young stable boy. “Feed and water the horses for us. We’ll be ready to leave within two hours.” To my relief, he gave the boy a single copper coin. He glanced at me and caught me staring at him. “I see you approve,” he said with a grin.

  His smile made my heart throb. I gave him a nod and looked away to hide the rising blush on my cheeks. Stop acting so girlish, I chided myself. You will never see him once the mission is over.

  “Shall we go in?” I asked as Norvin and Adal came to stand beside us.

  “Yes,” said Cain. Glancing at Norvin, he said, “Make sure not to spend more than a few copper coins for food and drinks. Don’t forget what happened last time.”

  Norvin made a face but agreed.

  “How about I buy the food?” I asked once we’d located a free table inside the tavern. “I can play the maid and avoid any suspicions.”

  “All right, then,” said Cain, taking off his cloak. “Go ahead.”

  I walked towards the man sitting behind a counter and stacking up coins of copper. A number of eyes followed my movement but I pretended not to notice.

  “What can we get for ten copper coins?” I asked.

  The elderly man glanced up at me. “Just for ye?”

  “For me and my masters,” I said, pointing towards the three princes who were easily noticeable in the crowd of peasants, vagabonds, and drunkards. They were clean, well-shaven and sat straight. The three could very well be sitting for a feast in the royal dining room and not a dirty old tavern in a village. Every female eye was on them.

  A sweet ache shot through my heart. That’s how things were supposed to be. There was no way an assassin like me could covet the princes for herself. It was as fanciful as wanting to touch the stars.

  “For ten coppers, ye get a loaf of bread and a pint of ale each,” said the man, interrupting my thoughts. “Add twenty coppers more and ye get a loaf of bread each, a hunk of cheese and ale for all.”

  “I can’t give you more than twenty coppers.” I placed the coins on the counter. His hands shot out at on
ce, pulling the coins towards him. “Curses on ye travelers! Robbin’ me blind in broad daylight. Aye Etti!” he hollered. “Give ‘em bread and cheese and ale. No more than a pint, mark it!”

  A middle-aged woman in a dirty apron shouted back at him.

  I walked back to the table. Norvin pushed a stool at me with his foot. Taking it, I took my seat and looked around at the three princes.

  “So, what are we having?” asked Norvin.

  “Bread, cheese and a pint of ale each.”

  “How much did it cost you?” asked Adal, leaning forward with interest. I was glad to see his soft blue eyes sparkling with life and curiosity once again. His old cheerful self was back.

  “The tavern master asked for thirty coppers. I got us the same deal for twenty.”

  “No wonder the man was crying bloody murder,” said Cain with a chuckle. “You did good, Daria.”

  I couldn’t help the bubble of happiness that swelled inside me at his praise. Damn it, Daria! Stop smiling like an idiot! It’s not like he’s praising you for single-handedly killing a whole battalion.

  No matter how hard I tried, my lips would curve into a smile each time my gaze met one of theirs. The food was low quality but it didn’t dampen the fluttery happiness shooting through me. The bread was hard and the cheese too sour and gray, but the ale made up for it.

  “Why can’t we have more?” demanded Norvin after finishing his in one go. “This is the only thing worth paying for in this place.”

  “We don’t have any more money,” I hissed under my breath.

  He slammed his hands on the table, making the whole thing tremor. “I demand a feast when we get to your castle, Cain!”

  “Shut up, Norvin!” I hissed, rising to my feet to cover his mouth.

  Suddenly, he’d snaked his arm around my waist and pulled me against him. His face was barely an inch away from me as I fell into his lap.

  “You’re finally ready to touch me again,” he whispered. His hot breath fanned the stray strands on my forehead. Desire coiled deep inside me.