The library itself was a huge maze of shelves and displays that stretched the span of three floors. Everything had a place; it looked as if someone had spent many, long hours working to make sure that everything remained in prefect order. There was far more order in this room than Amberfall had ever seen in an army camp. If only battles could be fought with libraries and knowledge instead of weapons and blood.
Frostfire rested his hands on his hips. “Well, where do we start?”
Amberfall peered into the closest display, which housed an ancient jeweled sword. “They would probably have something on it in their medical section.”
“Which would be where? You see, this is why I didn’t want to come this early. There’s no one here to help us.” Normally, Amberfall would have reprimanded a subject for speaking to her like that, but she let it slide off. Frostfire watched as she made her way down the centre of the stacks.
She really wasn’t sure why she was going this way, but there was this pull behind her navel, telling her that this was right. The books kept getting older and more cracked looking the further she went. It was kind of odd to her, because she would have thought that the older books would have been on one of the upper floors.
“Do you see anything?” Frostfire asked.
Amberfall jumped. She hadn’t even been aware that he had been following her. “No, not yet.” She looked at the books closest to her. They looked like they were covered in blood.
“I can’t even read half of these,” Frostfire muttered with a frown. “Do you think the Scholars can?”
Amberfall shrugged as she let the pull lead her down a small corridor. It was even darker here than the other stacks. The normal castle chills had left her, making her feel somewhat warmer. The books here were actually written in a language that she could read.
She looked closer at them. They all appeared to be on the Trelian curse and judging by the state of them, they had been read a lot. Her eyes narrowed as she looked down at the shelf. There was no dust here.
Someone had been looking at the books pretty recently.
Frostfire peered over Amberfall’s shoulder. “I think we found them.”
Amberfall pulled out the closest and largest book of the collection. “Yeah.” She flipped open the book and attempted to make out the first couple of words. It was the basic background to the curse. “Do you have a light?”
Frostfire shook his head. “I didn’t think we’d need one. Should I go get one?”
Amberfall closed the book, holding it close to her chest. “No, because I don’t think we’ll have any trouble finding this again. I think there’s something in the castle that wanted us to come here.”
Frostfire frowned. “Do you really think everything is going to come back to Trelia?”
Amberfall sighed. “It’s always been about Trelia.”
Chapter Fifteen: The Art of Training
The Yule decorations were not as cheerful now that the other assassins had returned to the guild. It really was just amazing how quickly the magic of the holiday season could disappear once the working days returned.
Ryanon stretched a stiff muscle as she watched Azur and Kitt battle it out across the training room. It looked like Azur was quickly gaining the upper hand on Kitt. She winced as Azur landed a swift upper cut to Kitt’s stomach, dropping him to the ground. Kitt laid there for several seconds before slowly making his way to his feet.
“You can’t tell me that you miss getting punched in the face every day,” Masse said as she took a long drink. Even covered in sweat, she somehow managed to look like a princess. “I mean, if I could avoid getting bruises for awhile, you can bet that I’m going to take that chance.”
Ryanon rolled her eyes. “If you want to put up with Aliss all day, then be my guess.”
Mass rolled her eyes. “Everyone knows that you two are best mates. I don’t know why you pretend to be otherwise.”
“Well, let me tell you that her training is not exactly easy.”
And it wasn’t. Every day for hours on end, Aliss would drill Ryanon in the arts of being a courtesan, as one must properly call them. Ryanon never knew there was such a thing as training to be one. She just always thought that if you batted your eyelashes, smiled, and wore next to nothing you would get paid. Apparently, there were actual skills needed. If you were a certain skin tone, you were only able to wear certain clothes. You had to talk and walk in a certain way. Not to mention, you had to know all of the right positions to entertain your guests. The very thought of having to bed a stranger sent shivers down Ryanon’s spine.
Azur and Kitt squared off with each other again. Ryanon would have thought Kitt would have had enough by now, but she guessed she was wrong. He must really have enjoyed hitting the mat every time.
Masse twirled a piece of hair around her finger. “Well, I also heard there was ball in the castle and everyone was invited. Why didn’t the king announce it earlier? I would have so been there.”
Ryanon snorted. Spending Masse with Yule would have ruined the entire holiday. “It wasn’t much, just dancing, great food, live music, and getting to hang out with the rich and famous. Plus, they had the castle all decked out. Yeah, you didn’t miss much.”
Masse gave Ryanon a long look. “You know, sometimes I really don’t know why I still put up with you. I try to have a decent conversation and you always have some kind of remark.”
Ryanon shrugged. “Well, maybe if you weren’t so shallow, we would have more things to talk about.”
“And maybe if you would get your nose out of those books, you would be able to talk to actual people.”
Ryanon gave her a dirty look. “Well, at least someone actually wants to pay me for my services instead of saying what a waste of time they are.”
Masse’s eyes narrowed as she turned and walked away. Ryanon smiled at her retreating back. It always was good to get the last word in.
Over the next couple of days, Ryanon found herself working more than ever. She had to memorize all the possible routes in and out of Trelia and the castle. She had to learn how to blend in with guard and how to use their far bulkier weapons. It really didn’t help that Dak wasn’t around a lot to help her. It seemed like it had been next to impossible for him to slip away ever since Queen Amberfall arrived. Plus, whenever he was around, he was a lot cooler toward her than normal. In fact, he was about borderline scary.
Ryanon found herself lowering herself into bed each night, unable to read or do anything else. Her body was just ready for a total shut down. The sleeps she had were completely uninterrupted by days and made her feel as if she was crawling into a black hole.
Outside the snow still kept falling harder than ever. The entire country was locked into an eternal winter with little hope for an end in sight. The coldness really hadn’t helped all the people who lived in its icy path. People were going hungry and it seemed the castle was not doing anything about it. Everyday there were food riots and people dying. Most of them were children. Ryanon passed those children every day. Their hollowed out eyes were nothing more than blinking white circles in their skeleton like bodies. What was even worse than that was the smell of death that seemed to linger on them. The sights alone made Ryanon want to stay inside and never venture to the outside world.
Death had completely surrounded the land, leaving everyone wondering what was going to happen next. What would happen to them? How were they going to live?
On one rare sunny afternoon, Ryanon found herself wandering the slum’s streets with Aliss. Both of them trying and failing to stay out of the slop.
“It’s just sad,” Aliss muttered as a bit of slop landed near her feet. “Don’t people realize we have to walk through this.”
Ryanon watched as a Healer stepped out of a nearby house. Wails could be heard from within. “I think their minds are elsewhere.”
Aliss s followed Ryanon’s gaze. “I heard there is a sickness again. No one knows what it is.”
Ryanon nodded.
> “I guess it appeared right after the Yule Ball. People are starting to think that maybe the ball was held so we all could get sick.” Aliss's eyes darted around. “I don’t know if it’s true or not, but it is kind of suspicious."
Ryanon frowned. It would just be like King Teodric to unleash some kind of plague on his people. She would even go as far to bet that he would even blame Queen Amberfall for it. He was probably trying to make himself come across as the good guy and the saviour of Xandria when he really was its death.
Aliss put her arm around Ryanon. "We really should get started on your training. You can't afford to miss a day."
Ryanon brushed Aliss's arm to the side. "I have to go." She turned and took off running down the muck filled street, not even wincing as it caked her clothes.
"You can't run from your duties!" Aliss screamed behind her. "If you want this to work, you have to stay here and listen to me!"
Ryannon gave her a rude gesture as she kept running. Dak was bound to be Srilurk Landing still investigating Lord Lowis Goldspire's death. She knocked people to the side as she rushed forward. He had to get him by himself. She sent a silent prayer up to the gods, hoping that they still had an ear for her.
Srilurk Landing was busy with guards and iced in sailors. Languages from around the world buzzed in Ryanon's ear as she pushed her way through the smelly men. Every once in awhile, she would catch the sight of a royal guard member or a common whore.
These were for sure Dak's men and it wasn't like him to send them out here without coming with them. She kept her eyes trained out for Dak's heavy features.
Come on! She mentally cursed herself as she passed the scene of the murder, but Dak was not there.
Keeping close to the ground, she crept around the side of the bar's building, keeping a ear open for Dak's baritone. She paused at every window, peering in and ducking out so quickly that no one could see her or if they did, would think she was nothing more than a mere shadow. She loped clear around the building, but there was no sign of him.
Her eyes drifted up to the second floor. She could probably make her way up there by scaling the building. The lord's room really wasn't that far from here and she probably could make it. However, Dak was bound to have his best men up and they were bound to notice her peering in. Plus, she was pretty sure that there was decent description of the lord's last conquest out there and Dak would have no choice but to integrate her on sight if he saw her and his men were around.
Still, she had to find Dak and she had to find him now. The king was his father after all and Dak was bound to know more than the common person.
She gripped the rough sides of the building. The snow and ice made it far more difficult that it had been a few weeks ago. Grunting, she started heaving herself upwards. She hands slide, causing her to break skin. The snow beneath her turned a bright red.
"STOP RIGHT THERE!"
Ryanon cursed as she struggled to reach her knife, praying that the person hadn't yelled loud enough to alert the other guards. "Ah," she whispered as she grabbed her knife. Glancing down below her, she jumped, landing like a cat on her feet.
"What are you doing?" the guard snapped as he kept coming closer.
"Fool," Ryanon muttered as she threw her knife. The knife danced through the air in a movement of death. It was moving so quickly that it was bound to hit the guard, leaving her with yet another body to deal with.
And the stupid guard moved to the side, giving her a better look at him.
"Why would you do that?" Dak asked as he stepped out of the shadows. "Now, we're going to have to do this the hard way." He shook his head. "Really, Ryanon, why couldn't you just play by the rules?" He roughly grabbed her arm.
Ryanon narrowed her eyes as she yanked, but his grip was a lot harder than she remembered. "Oh, so you need to make it seem like you can actually catch someone."
Dak's eyes widened. "It's not-"
In a swift movement, she yanked down hard, while delivering a punch to his ear with the other. However, Dak was not her common street fighter. He had practiced the same movements of escape alongside her, even showing the assassins how to do some of the moves.
Dak landed a kick behind her knees, almost sending her to the ground. He grabbed back onto her arm, this time in a death grip. "Why did you come back here?"
Ryanon tried to kick him in the shins, but he danced around her. "I just came to talk to you, since you don't come to the guild anymore. Let go."
Dak tightened his grip. "My men know I'm back here and I can't walk out empty handed."
"Then, you leave me no choice." Ryanon swept her foot, catching him just behind the knee, sending them both tumbling down onto the cold snow.
She landed on top of him, trying to pry his fingers off her arm. He was going to leave a bruise, something she was sure Aliss and Katrina would frown upon.
However, Dak had been ready for this. Before she could even bring her fist down on his nose, he flipped them, so that he was now the one in charge. Ryanon felt the air leave her lungs as he crashed her down onto hard packed snow. He lunged for again, this time going for her throat. Ryanon managed to her feet up on the air, giving herself just enough leverage to kick him in the lower stomach.
He cursed as he kneeled. It was just enough for her to wiggled out from underneath him.
She crouched as he regained himself. The snow sprayed her as she tackled him, sending the air rushing out of his lungs now.
It was just enough to send Dak falling back down again. He grunted as his back slammed into the ground.
Ryanon rested her foot on his board chest as they both struggled to catch their breath. “Are you done now?” she gasped. She couldn’t remember the last time someone had given her this much of a fight.
Dak stared up at her. “I guess.”
Ryanon removed her foot from his chest. “Good, now let’s talk.” She laughed as Dak winced as he slowly got to his feet. “You’re probably glad that none of your men were around to see you get your arse handed to you.”
Dak gave her a long look. “I bet you think you’re so funny, don’t you?”
Ryanon smiled. “Well, I did manage to put you on your back more than once.”
“You said you wanted to talk, so let’s talk.” His voice grew harder with each passing word.
“Does your father have the ability to pass on an illness?”
Dak gave her a long look. “Doesn’t everyone? If you’re sick and around people, there is a pretty good chance of you giving it to other people.”
Ryanon rolled her eyes. “That is not what I mean. I mean, does he have some kind of weapon that enables him to pass along a disease to a large group of people, say during a ball?”
Dak’s frown deepened. “What do you mean?”
“I mean people are getting sick in the slums and it was not happening until they went to the ball,” Ryanon snapped. “Will you give me a simple answer?”
Dak leaned against the wall. “I really don’t know. I mean, the king was sick a long time ago and it did mess with him, but I don’t know if he has the means to capture that illness and pass it on to people. There are a lot of things that he doesn’t tell me.”
Ryanon shifted her weight from foot to foot. “But it is possible,” she pressed.
Dak stared back down the street. “I guess it is.” He frowned. “Look, now is really not the time to be discussing this. My men could walk in on us at any time and I would have no choice, but to take you into custody for questioning.” His eyes shifted around. “They know what you look like; at least, they have a pretty good idea. You were the last person to see the lord alive.”
Ryanon frowned. “Well, no one stopped me at the ball.”
Dak ran his hand through his short dark hair. “Well, there have been some new developments and more threats.” He leaned in close to her. “Tell Azur not to write the next note. The castle is starting to think there is a serial killer out there.”
Ryanon smiled sweetly. “Well, is
n’t that what we are.”
Dak rolled his eyes. “No, I just need you all to be careful. I’ve got enough messes to take care of without you interfering.”
Ryanon saluted him as she turned into the shadows. “Well, you go ahead and keep yourself covered then.”
Chapter Sixteen: Sins of the Father
Over the next couple of days, Ryanon’s words seemed to follow Dak everywhere he went. He knew his father was cruel, but even Dak didn’t think he would go that far. There was definitely something up in the slums. The castle Healers were talking with the common ones about some kind of plague that was killing off the common folk. Dak had tried to listen in on their speeches, but someone always interrupted him.
The snow kept falling, sending even more cold through the lands. Dak’s men actually started groaning about outside duty and would actually hold contests to see who would have to stand outside on the coldest of nights. They didn’t think Dak knew about these little arrangements.
Groaning after a rather long shift on night watch, Dak lowered himself down into his desk. Now that Queen Amberfall had arrived, there seemed to be even more paperwork. The clock on the wall ticked off the hours until it was time to start the working day.
He ran his hand over his rough, unshaven face. There had to be something out there that was causing all of this to happen. The Iron Fairies, the plaque…Something had to be going on that he wasn’t aware of. He really didn’t think anyone outside a select group of people knew about the Trelian mission. If outside sources had found out about it, it could only mean one thing: there was a traitor in their mist.
Dak slowly turned to the first paper, staring at the words without reading them. There seemed to be more death warrants out lately. This one was for a solider from the border for deserting his post. Dak shook his head. It just meant that he would have to send one of his men out to deal with this issue.
He leaned back in his chair, staring out the window as the early morning sun appeared over the horizon.
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