Assassin's Maze

by Everly Frost

  He nods. “I guess that would explain it.”

  I twist my hands. “There’s more, Cain. Do you remember the Keres feather that Gareth showed us on the night you visited the Legion?”

  Cain jolts a little. “That was Archer’s?”

  I nod. “I stole it. It’s how I found out about Archer. It’s how I found out that Mom was protecting her. But I didn’t know Archer’s name, only the color of her eyes.”

  He says, “They’re violet.”

  It’s the final confirmation that Archer is the Keres woman I’m looking for. “After I stole her birth feather, I burned it.” My shoulders sag with the guilty admission. “By burning it, I would have locked in the spell. If her symptoms are getting worse, that would be why.”

  He is quiet and thoughtful. “There’s no way to reverse it?”

  I look hopefully at Tansy. She is more powerful than any other witch. If anyone can undo the spell, she can. Despite the intensity of her concentration, the way she interjected into our conversation before tells me that she’s listening.

  “Tansy? Can you help?”

  I’m startled to see that she is floating off the floor now, the glow between her and Archer growing brighter by the second. Power streams between them, a kaleidoscope of colors.

  Tansy’s voice is silky soft. “I’m sorry… I can’t unlock the spell that binds her wings right now. It would tear her apart even more. But I promise I will try when she’s healed—if she wants me to. In the meantime…” She smiles. “Archer’s wounds are healing now. She will be fine.”

  The brightness around the two women increases, a soothing calm that makes me ache. The color returns to Archer’s face, her lips relax, parting a little as her breathing deepens. The fissures in her chest and arms begin to close and her torso settles onto the bed as the bones in her back smooth into position.

  Tansy exhales a sigh as her feet return to the floor. She gives Cain a small smile. “Archer has scars beneath her wounds. But her mind is clear. She won’t forget you, Cain.”

  On the bed, Archer’s eyes suddenly fly open, but she’s unfocused, staring upward. She struggles to get up. She cries out, “Cain!”

  Cain jolts as if she reached out and touched him, shuddering toward her.

  Tansy steps between them, pushing him away. “She isn’t awake. Not really. Please don’t touch her or you’ll interrupt her healing.”

  Cain backs away from the bed until he hits the wall, his chest rising and falling rapidly. For a second, I think he’s going to change his mind and go to her, but he says, “I can’t be here when she wakes up or I won’t be able to leave.”

  Tansy quickly brushes her hand over Archer’s face, closing her eyes again. Archer relaxes, sagging back to the bed.

  Tansy, too, sinks to a sitting position on the bed to take Archer’s wrist in her hand, checking her pulse. “She needs a change of clothes, but that can wait for now.”

  I reach out to Cain. “I promise I will look after her.”

  His movements are slow and heavy when he turns to the door. “You once told me that I could do better. Well… she is my better.”

  He glances back at the room with a suddenly wry smile. “Don’t expect her to wake up meekly. She will hit first and ask questions later. Be warned, she can make a weapon out of anything. She’s Archer Ryan. I suggest you strip this bedroom down to basics before she revives.”

  I give him a small smile. “I’ll be prepared.”

  I follow him out to the little kitchen. Slade stands up from his relentless study of the Coda. There’s no doubt in my mind that he heard our entire conversation, including the part where I admitted that I can’t fully bond. He reaches for my hand, drawing me into his side, his gesture telling me it doesn’t matter.

  He says to Cain. “You have my word that Archer will be safe.”

  Cain exhales carefully. “You and I were never enemies, Slade.” He reaches into his boot and pulls out a dagger, turning it handle-first to give to Slade. It is etched with the initials “SL.”

  Cain says, “Archer took this from Lutz when she fought him. I’m officially returning it to the Legion.”

  Then he reaches inside his jacket, retrieving a hardcover book, which he places on the table. It has a slit in the middle as if it was cut through with a sharp object.

  Cain says, “This is Archer’s. She loves to read. Make sure she gets it back. I’ll have all her belongings sent here tomorrow, including the rest of her books.”

  He spins and bows to me, but he lowers his eyes to the floor, a gesture of peace before he strides down the stairs.

  The bell on the door rings and then he is gone.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Cain’s departure leaves us in silence.

  Slade takes a deep breath. “I can’t be here on Saber Lane when Archer wakes up.”

  I pull back to see his face. “Wait… what? You can’t leave. You’re safe here.”

  “Archer knows all about the Code and the fifth rule. She knows I was duty bound to kill her. She will treat my presence as a threat.”

  When I begin to argue, he strokes my arms, gentle but firm. “If I’m here, you’ll lose her trust and never get it back. She’ll run and never stop running. We know she’s good at hiding.”

  Archer’s history proves that she knows how to move undetected in the shadows. I press my cheek to Slade’s. He told me that I was his mission. Now he’s willing to go back to the Realm, away from the protection of Saber Lane, because he doesn’t want to scare Archer.

  He says, “Amalia fled the Horde after Archer fought her tonight. She hasn’t returned to Boston yet. What’s more, Gareth left the city this morning. I’m running surveillance and so far all indications are that they’re heading west. I’ll warn Vlad that they could be coming his way and then I’ll leave Saber Lane at first light—”

  “No.” I place my finger against his lips, my voice stern. “Slade, you told me that you want to walk this path with me. Well, this is the part where you stay with me. Archer will react badly to your presence whether you’re here when she wakes up or she meets you in a month. We both know I don’t have that long. Besides… I have a feeling she’s not that easily spooked.”

  He laughs, but it’s worried. “That’s what I’m afraid of. A fight between me and Cain is one thing. But between me and Archer? Or worse… you and Archer. I never want to see that, Hunter.”

  “I won’t lie to her about you. I’m done hiding, Slade. Cain and Vlad know about me now. If I’ve only got a few months to live, then I’m going to live my final days with honesty and truth.”

  Taking hold of his hand and asking him to come with me, I pick up Archer’s damaged book to carry it to William’s room—the room that I will need to start thinking of as Archer’s. Assuming she will agree to train with me.

  Tansy sits in a chair by Archer’s bed, watching over her. She sits up when we enter. “I will stay with Archer tonight. You both should get some rest.”

  “Thank you, Tansy.” I place Archer’s book on the bedside table. The book is obviously important to her or Cain wouldn’t have returned it like he did. If she values books, then I hope she might like living here. “How long before she wakes up?”

  “She’s a fighter. She’s healing more rapidly than I expected. I would say she could be awake in as little as two days.”

  “We need to prepare this room before then. Cain said she’ll wake up swinging. I want to make sure she doesn’t have any weapons at her disposal.”

  Tansy inclines her head at the bedside table. “What about the book?”

  “Leave it there. It will be a leap of faith.”

  Two days later, I lean against the wall in Archer’s room, waiting for her to open her eyes. The Guardian left Saber Lane as soon as she was satisfied that Archer was healing. Slade and Tansy have relocated themselves to Tansy’s place for the day. Even though he agreed to stay, Slade drew the line at being present when Archer wakes up. I had to agree that was wise.

&
nbsp; Archer slept the entire time while Tansy visited regularly, keeping her nourished with magic, making sure her wounds mended completely. Tansy told me—with some annoyance—that Cain deposited a sizeable amount of money into her bank account. She grumbled, “I didn’t do this for payment.”

  I took her hand and told her, “It’s Cain’s way.”

  Now, I’m alone with Archer.

  Her hair is a paler blond than Tansy’s, her lips crimson, and her eyes… Well, we’ll see. Tansy removed Archer’s contact lenses while she slept so I’m preparing myself for the moment I see her violet eyes for the first time.

  She wakes much more calmly than I expected. In fact, she is so quiet about it, it makes me wonder if she has been awake for a while. Her gaze travels around the room, quickly sizing up the emptiness.

  I took Cain’s advice seriously. There is nothing in Archer’s room now but the bed, a bare mattress, closet, and bedside table. Archer is dressed in my old sweatshirt and pants, soft and comfortable, but not the height of fashion.

  Her focus settles on me—on my tattoo in particular—and there’s no doubt in my mind that she has already determined the threat level I pose, deciding whether she can take me on. The relaxed set of her lips and her even breathing tell me she’s confident she can fight me—and win.

  I hide a smile. I like her already.

  “I’m sorry about your surroundings,” I say. “I couldn’t take the chance that you’d react before you let me speak.”

  Without moving, her electric eyes swivel to the book I left on the bedside table—the one with the slit in it. The growing tension around her mouth disappears, telling me she appreciates the gesture.

  She says, “I could probably throw my book at you.”

  Her voice is soft, confident, but it carries an edge of threat that tells me she is prepared for anything.

  I remain very still aside from allowing myself to smile. “Cain said you were resourceful.”

  She flinches as soon as I say his name. She can’t hide her pain fast enough or disguise the hurt that creeps into her voice. “Where is he?”

  I lift myself off the wall, my heart hurting for them. They don’t deserve to be torn apart. The only blessing is that she didn’t fully bond with him. “Where you left him. But not where he wants to be.”

  She sits up, sliding her legs over the edge of the bed, every movement careful and controlled. “Who are you?”

  “I’m Hunter Cassidy. Perhaps you’ve heard of me.”

  She nods. “I’m told nobody messes with you.”

  Cain must have told her that. I guess that means he didn’t see me as his enemy the whole time that Archer was with him.

  I reply with certainty, “Which is why nobody will mess with you now.”

  She gestures at the room with careful movements. “What is this place?”

  “I live above a bookstore. I believe that might appeal to you.”

  A small smile touches her lips before she hides it. Cain sent her clothes and a box full of books this morning. The size of the box tells me that Archer values reading well above her appearance.

  There’s only one more thing I need to ask her before I let her out of this room. “Are you willing to train with me and become an assassin, Archer Ryan?”

  She considers me for a moment. She’s still sizing me up. She slips off the bed, rising to her full height. Eye-height with me. She’s curvy, tall, and moves with a grace I don’t think she’s aware of.

  She says, “Yes.”

  I give her a firm nod. “Good. Then let’s get started.”

  She looks surprised. “Right now?”

  I fold my arms across my chest. “You need to become a fully-trained assassin. You already know how to fight. You wouldn’t have survived a battle with Lutz Logan otherwise. As soon as I determine your strengths and weaknesses, I can send you on a mission. Then you can earn your status as a Superior Assassin.”

  Her expression shuts down so rapidly I nearly do a double-take. Her voice takes on a deadly edge. “I don’t have any.”

  I blink. “Any what?”

  “Weaknesses.”

  I stare at her. Oh, wow. She’s serious. In fact, she spoke with anger, a clenched jaw, and tense shoulders, not pride. I shouldn’t be surprised. Her reputation is earned, not fabricated.

  She says, “My father beat any weakness out of me. Literally.” She taps her finger against her thigh in a sign of irritation. “Send me on a mission. I’ll show you what I can do. Or ask Cain what I did with the shifters we fought in Texas. I’m sure that will convince you.”

  I make a mental note to ask Cain about that. “We’ll see.” Before she can argue, I spin away from her. “Cain sent your clothes and books—”

  “My books!” She lurches forward but halts herself, quickly disguising her enthusiasm. She clears her throat. Reforms her expression into one of aloof indifference. “Thank you.”

  I press my lips together, finding it hard not to warm to the true personality she reveals in small glimpses when she’s not maintaining her tough act. Briar told me that Archer used the alias “Grace Kennedy” when she came back to Boston several months ago. She was a waitress, blended in, completely undetectable. Even Briar didn’t figure out who she was until Archer revealed herself. She is going to make a perfect assassin. But then, death is in her blood, the same as it is in mine. Killing is what she does best.

  I say, “Your things are in the corridor. This is your room now. I’ll get it set up with linen and make sure you have what you need. Get yourself dressed, put your contact lenses in, and meet me downstairs. We’ll spend the afternoon training in the dojo at the end of the street.”

  “My eyes!” Her hand shoots to her face. I guess she didn’t realize she wasn’t wearing her contact lenses. The questioning look she gives me tells me she is surprised I haven’t reacted to her eye color. It’s true that her violet eyes make her appear less than human, and very otherworldly, but that’s undoubtedly the way I look when my wings are spread.

  I smile. “They’re gorgeous. I’m sorry you have to cover them up.”

  She gives me a guarded smile in return. I take it as a sign of trust when she leaves the book—her only possible weapon—on the bedside table before she follows me out of the room.

  I continue, “Then we’ll see if you have any weaknesses.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Archer’s fist is like a hammer.

  Smack!

  I allow her to land the blow to my shoulder so I can gauge her strength but I dodge her follow-up kick to my chest, ducking and whipping my arm against her knee to knock her off balance. Or so I expected. She adjusts her balance and spins on the spot instead of falling, her fist shooting back toward my face.

  She may as well be flying as she follows me around the dojo, attempting to get in another solid hit. I asked Drake to give us space and he agreed after giving me a cautious look. Archer’s reputation has made all of the inhabitants of Saber Lane wary. When we arrived, she took the suspicious look he gave her in stride, her head held high but making only small, non-threatening movements. It will be hard to convince them that she’s not here to destroy the safe haven they have created. Tansy’s decision to heal her helped a lot. Over time, I hope the others will come around.

  If there’s any blessing in her inability to spread her wings, it’s that she can’t inadvertently use her full power against me. I’m safe, but that doesn’t mean she couldn’t shorten my remaining time on this Earth.

  My biggest problem is how to tell Archer that I’m Valkyrie. According to Cain, she knows that our two species are enemies.

  For now, that’s a problem for future Hunter. Right now, I’m flat-out avoiding her fists.

  I duck and dodge every attempt she makes to hit me, flowing with the punches, my back burning. Her presence triggers my inner power, the need to release my wings growing stronger with every attack. I’m impressed to discover that she does not fight defensively, only on the offensive. She attack
s with strength and purpose but she reacts like liquid to my responses, shifting out of the way instead of taking the hits.

  I finally step in close when she isn’t expecting it and sweep her feet out from under her.

  She flips to the side before she lands on her back, her leg shooting out, nearly colliding with my calf: a hit that would have knocked me over if I didn’t dance away from her in the nick of time.

  I smile as she regains her feet. “Enough for now.”

  She says, “You let me land that first hit, didn’t you?”

  My smile turns into a grin. “I need to know how strong you are. In fact, I need to know everything you can and can’t do. As your Master, it’s my job to keep you alive.”

  She narrows her eyes at me. “I didn’t think there were any female Masters.”

  I’m surprised. “Cain didn’t tell you?”

  She shakes her head.

  I say, “I’m a Rogue Master, like my mother was. That means I control my own territory but I don’t have a team like other Factions do. It’s just me.”

  A smile curves her lips. “Until now. Does that make us a fully female Faction?”

  Sudden warmth fills my heart. “Actually… it does.”

  She plants her hands on her hips, barely out of breath. She may be curvy but she moves like an elite athlete.

  She says, “You should know that I can kill anything with a single bullet. I can also break a man’s neck with a single twist. Cain told me that I…”

  She stops and exhales. Saying his name clearly hurts her. A trickle of apprehension enters my mind. She may not have fully bonded with Cain, but I’m starting to suspect that her bond is like mine: partial and built on love, which actually makes it stronger. That sort of emotion doesn’t disappear no matter how far apart they are.

  I ask her as gently as I can, “What, Archer?”

  “Cain said I fight with impact. That includes willingly taking a hit if it means getting closer to my opponent. I tend to approach a fight expecting to get hurt. He taught me how to shift out of the way and react with greater force.”