An Assassin's Redemption: A New Adult Urban Fantasy Romance Novel

by Tanya Kennedy

  Tome tucked under his arm, he weaved his way out of the maze of bookshelves. He stopped short as he rounded a corner.

  Eylsa stood blocking his way, bright innocent-looking eyes locked on his face.

  “Well, if it isn’t my favorite little assassin.”

  “No food to offer me?”

  He tilted his head. “Food?”

  “Never mind.”

  He watched her for a moment in the hopes that something would show her intent. “So to what do I owe this pleasure? After me now?”

  Her eyes flashed and her head tilted to the side as she scrutinized him. “Should I be?”

  He rolled his eyes. “I take it you still haven’t figured out why we follow Darius. Why do you follow your master?”

  She blinked in surprise. “I follow Master because he is strong. He gave me a purpose.”

  He mimicked her tilted head stance. “And if you don’t do as he says?”

  “Punishment must follow disobedience.”

  He made his way around her with a shake of his head as he continued toward the exit. “I’ll assume ‘punishment’ is a bit beyond a slap on the wrist or grounding.”

  She fell in beside him and eyed the book beneath his arm. “What is this ‘grounding’? Does it involve being locked in a cave?”

  He jumped, uncomfortable with how casually she said it. “No…it…well, it really involves taking away privileges.”

  “Like food and blankets.” She was excited now, as if she had made some great leap in understanding.

  “No, more like treats and toys.”

  “Toys?” Her forehead wrinkled in confusion.

  “Toys, playthings.” He waved his hand.

  “How does one play with things?” Her face was a comical mixture of confusion and suspicion; she obviously thought he was trying to trick her.

  “Never mind.” His voice shook with laughter.

  She trailed him in silence for a while, glancing at the surrounding stacks as he led the way toward the exit. The street outside was empty and dark. “So, what would be done to someone like me, in your circles?”

  “An assassin? You would be imprisoned.” He said it without hostility.

  “And imprisonment entails…?”

  He glanced at her as he turned up the street. How did he end up the assassin’s encyclopedia? “Well, you are locked away from society, given basic meals, meager accommodations. Why do you ask?”

  “And these places, are you ever let out of there?” She kept her eyes to the ground.

  “Some people are, depends on the person and what they were arrested for.” He was beginning to get uncomfortable.

  “But an assassin wouldn’t be.” Her voice was soft. Completely the opposite of the storm that had blown into their lives a few days ago.

  “Not likely.”

  “Do you want me to go to one of these places? Be imprisoned?”

  Trey stopped and watched her continue for a moment before turning to face him. “Do you care what I think?”

  She tucked her thumbs behind her belt and shrugged her shoulders. “I did ask.”

  He glanced at his feet as he chewed his lip for a moment. Her sharp eyes read his face, searching for something, but he couldn’t decide what. “I do think you belong in a prison. You are a killer. You were sent here to kill my friend and have threatened people I care about.”

  “And these are qualities you think I should be imprisoned for.” Her face remained unreadable.

  “These are not things that normal people do. If you kill Darius, I will spend my every waking moment hunting you down. I will waste no breath in seeing you locked up until you rot into the floor.” He kept his voice low but strong.

  She took a step toward him with a forceful stare into his eyes. “I could tear you apart before you could even react. There is no way you could ever best me, even with your friends’ help. Following me will only bring you pain and death.”

  The muscles in his jaws tightened. “Then I guess I will die.”

  She dropped her eyes. “Even knowing you will die, you would do this?”

  “Justice is not free. If I have to pay with my life to secure it, I will.”

  “Justice?” Her eyes blinked back up to his.

  He felt ire rear up inside him. “Did you come to me for a vocabulary lesson?”

  She stared at him for a few breaths before she turned and melted into the night. For a moment he remained, waiting, wondering if she would ghost back to his side with more questions, but as the moments passed with no sign of her, he decided the visit was over.

  With a sigh, he tucked his book under his elbow and continued on his way. Surely she hadn’t just wanted to ask him idle questions. She had some kind of plan, he was positive of it, but how to divine her thought process was beyond him.

  He pulled a homing device from his pocket and squeezed it into his palm. The street around him blurred before resolving into the familiar open cobbles outside his home. Slipping the device back into his pocket, he stepped into the security light of his porch. The shifting shadow in the living room window announced Brendan was already inside. Hopefully he had had some success in locating the artifact, but Trey didn’t hold too much hope. An ancient well of power, the Astrian had been stolen from the Tribunal’s cache before any of them had been born. The Tribunal had been studying it for years, trying to discern its powers. In the end, all they could conclude was that it could impart incredible powers but at a great price. It was said to manipulate its handler, twist them to its own will. He was sure that was just rumor and superstition, but it still wasn’t something you wanted in the hands of your enemy. It was a long shot, but slim hope was better than none at all.

  The door flew open when he stepped up on the porch, but it was not Brendan who greeted him. Darius held the door open in silence as Trey made his way into the house. Inside, Brendan and Cade sipped tea around his kitchen table, eyes awash with their tumbling thoughts. Trey set the book aside then poured himself a cup and leaned against the counter.

  “I’m going to take a wild guess and say I am not the only one who ran into Eylsa today.”

  Brendan shook his head. “That’s not even the half of it.” He pointed into the living room behind him. Trey followed his gesture, brow wrinkling at the figurine set up alone on the coffee table. “Didn’t even mention it, just left it at Darius’ house on her way out.”

  Darius purposefully turned his back on the figurine. “She came back to Brendan’s first. Caught sight of what he was researching. She not only knew what it was but where to find it.”

  “Could she know what it does? Why would she give this to us?”

  Cade shrugged as he lifted his cup. “Perhaps to see what we would do with it.”

  “Curiosity.” Darius moved to glance over his shoulder but stopped himself. The figurine had a pull to it. It wanted to be used. “It was either in her possession or that of her master and either way, it will likely be missed soon.”

  “What do we do if she wants it back?” Trey felt the anxiety build up in his gut.

  Darius stared blankly forward. Trey knew what the older man was thinking: They couldn’t allow the Astrian back into the hands of the Trinity—it was too powerful, too dangerous—but refusing Eylsa would likely get someone hurt.

  Darius spoke. “Whatever the cost, we cannot allow it to return to the Trinity.” He looked up. “I am afraid I will have to ask one of you to keep this until we can find something permanent.”

  Trey shrugged. “Leave it there. Doesn’t bother me any.”

  Darius nodded before he slipped out the door.

  Brendan stared after him. “He wasn’t this out of joint when the damn girl showed up in his house.”

  Trey set his cup down on the counter behind him. “Everyone’s on edge, it’s only natural that it would begin to show.”

  “Brendan is right.” Cade was on his feet moving closer to inspect the statue. “There is something about the Astrian that offsets Darius. Ma
ybe you should lock it up, keep it out of sight. Just as a precaution.”

  Trey shrugged. “Whatever. I say we just melt it down and be done with it. Nothing but trouble if you ask me.”

  Brendan twitched and rolled his shoulders as if trying to ease a cramp. “I doubt it would be that easy. Likely protected.” He spun and stared out the window for a minute before returning his attention to the room. “But Cade is right. Lock it up and leave it there. I can almost hear it pulsing from here.”

  * * *

  She pulled the fargazer from her eye and secured it to her belt. Sighing contentedly, she palmed her homing device, gave it a squeeze, and waited for the hallway to solidify around her before gliding toward her room. The building around her was silent and dark, but the she knew her way. Inside her room she removed and organized her weapons, being sure each was returned to its designated place before changing from her dark prowling clothes. The warmth of her covers enveloped her as she lay staring at her ceiling, wondering why she was delaying. The dark around her offered no answers.

  Flickering light brightened the hall outside her door. She rose from her bed to answer her silent summons. She should have known better. Ashlan had her homing device triggered to his own; he would have known she had returned. She opened the door to Ashlan’s servant. Wordlessly, she followed the woman to Ashlan’s door, still lost in her contemplation.

  When her master’s door opened, she stepped into the warm light and braced for the reprimand that was likely coming. It was only recently that he had begun demanding that she come see him whenever she returned to the castle but he never let a lapse in her obedience go unpunished. Her knees bent, dropping her to the floor. She kept her eyes to the floor as she awaited his anger.

  “You forgot again.” His voice was smooth, calm.

  “I am sorry, Master.” She kept her own voice steady.

  “I also told you to call me Ashlan. Are you trying to make me angry? Do you like it when I punish you?” She kept her eyes down as he moved toward her. The anger in his voice rose as he neared. “Well?”

  “No M…Ashlan. It was late; I didn’t want to disturb you.”

  His hand gripped her chin as he moved her gaze to his face. “Of course you didn’t, but you still cannot be allowed to shirk your responsibilities.” His voice was softer. He hugged her to his bare chest. “I’m sure it is confusing for you. I tell you what, to save confusion, you will move into this room with me. That way you will not have to think about coming to me because you can just return to your room.”

  Her brow furrowed as she nodded. His hands slid down her back as he brushed his cheek along her neck. “You know I worry about you.” He grabbed her face. “Do you want me to suffer?”

  “No.”

  “You know what to do.”

  He released her face and stepped aside, allowing her to move further into the room. She made her way to a tall dresser and wrapped her fingers around a small wand sitting there. The pain dropped her, instantly whiting out everything around her. Every muscle cramped as waves of agony swept along her body. Liquid fire burned from her eyes and her throat scorched, freezing the scream fighting to flee her lungs. It felt like she died for hours lying on the floor before her hand sprang open empty. Ashlan lifted her from the floor as she cradled her hand to her chest.

  She shook in his arms as he brushed hair back from her face. “I don’t like having to punish you, Eylsa. I don’t understand why you keep forcing me to do it.”

  “I will do better.” Her voice cracked as her body struggled to pull breath. Something stirred in the pit of her stomach when his fingers trailed along her cheek; she had the sudden urge to slap his hand away.

  “I know you will.” He pulled her hard against his chest, his breath shifting her hair as it fell down her back. “Tonight, you will stay with me.”

  “Yes, Ashlan.”

  His fingers curled around her hand as he led her to the bed and threw the covers low. He waited for her to slide in close beside him before pulling the covers over them both. “You will stay in my room from now on. It will keep me from worrying.”

  “Yes, Ashlan.” She settled into the mattress and allowed him to pull her into his chest.

  “And do not forget. I do not want to have to remind you. You will come to me.”

  “Yes, Ashlan.”

  He ran his hands down her side, his fingers sinking into her flesh as he jerked her closer. His mouth locked over hers as his lips worked hers apart, allowing his tongue to play along her teeth.

  “After you kill Darius and Father takes over the Trinity, I will make you my wife. Together we will be unstoppable.” His eyes sparkled with a fevered intensity as he pulled her back to his mouth.

  * * *

  Brendan cursed as the boiling pot crashed to the floor. He glared at the girl who had suddenly appeared in his kitchen, startling him. “Do you know how to knock like a normal person?”

  She tilted her head as she considered his burned hand. “Knocking is not something I am used to. I could take care of that for you.”

  He held out his hands as she moved toward him. “No, you’ve done quite enough.” He scooped up the pot from the floor with a towel and tossed it irately into the sink. Her large eyes angered him with their innocence. How could she hide such violence and treachery behind that sea of tranquil blue? His knuckles turned white against the sink. “Haven’t you made up your mind yet? What exactly are you waiting for?”

  “You are angry with me for not killing your master?” She caught his gaze in her eyes and pulled a softness up from his belly. He shook it off.

  “He’s not my master!” His anger bounced off the walls. He pulled a salve from the cabinet and fumbled with the jar as he tried to dislodge its lid. He jerked back as she snatched it from his hands, twisted the lid off, and held it out for him. He stared at her as he dabbed some out and rubbed it into his reddened skin. “Thanks.”

  She sniffed the jar before she twisted the lid back on. “What is that?”

  “It’s a salve to soothe burns.”

  “No, that word. What does it mean?”

  His face was a mask of shock. “You don’t know what thanks means?”

  She shook her head.

  He stared at her incredulously as he tried to discern if she was hiding anything. Large blue eyes watched him in open curiosity. He could find no deception. “It is a way to express gratitude, when someone does something nice for you.”

  She twisted the salve in her hands. “You are grateful that I opened this for you?”

  He took the jar from her hand and replaced it in the cabinet. “I am grateful that you helped me when I needed it.” His voice was strained with the tediousness of the conversation.

  Her eyes rolled up to his. “Why did I do that?” Her voice was distant, dreamy.

  “How am I supposed to know that?”

  “You seemed shocked that I did.”

  He leaned back against the countertop and massaged his temples. “I didn’t expect you to care that I was having trouble. Compassion is not a trait that would be useful in an assassin.”

  “Compassion?”

  He glared at her. “You are a pest, you know that.”

  She just stared at him, expectation painted across her face.

  He sighed, giving in. “It’s a connection you feel to others. Makes you want to help them when they need it. Makes you understand what they are feeling.”

  “So I understand that your hand hurts.” Her voice rose with the excitement of revelation.

  He waved his hands. “No, that’s not it. You felt bad that I was having trouble opening the jar because my hand was hurt.”

  “That seems overly complicated. Perhaps I just wanted to remove the distraction faster.”

  His eyes rolled to the ceiling as he drew a deep, calming breath. “Fine. I am undistracted. What do you want?” He wiped the spilled liquid from the floor.

  She glided past him, glancing around as she went. “Why does everyone
always expect me to want something?”

  “Perhaps it is because we are not used to casual visits by random killers.”

  “I am not a killer, I am an assassin.”

  “Are we going to argue semantics now?”

  She rounded on him and forced him back a step. “I do not kill for kicks; it is my profession.”

  He crossed his arms as he stared down into her face. “How long can we expect to have you haunting us anyway?”

  Her brow wrinkled as she searched his eyes. “I’m…not sure.”

  He felt his own forehead furrow as she continued to stare up at him.

  “You are losing your anger at me.”

  He took a step back. “What?”

  “It is hard to tell, but each time I see you, you are less angry. You were ready to kill me, or at least try. Now it is more like you are just irritated.”

  He grabbed her shoulders and forced her back against the wall. “You can’t keep putting us all through this! Your presence is a constant torment to us all. We can’t keep wondering when you are going to snap and decide to kill us. What are you trying to find here? What do you want from us?”

  She watched him, unflustered by his outburst. Her eyes drifted down to his hands clamped around her forearms before returning to his gaze. “You can kill me now. I will not fight you. You can protect your friends, save your master.” She took his hand and moved it to her throat. “The neck is very fragile. It won’t take much pressure.”

  He jerked back from her, shaking his head. “Are you insane?”

  “Is that not what you want? To see your friends safe? I offer you the ability to get what you want. Why do you not take it?”

  “You want me to kill you? Are you serious right now?”

  “I would not offer if I weren’t.”

  His mind reeled. “You would really just stand there and let me kill you?”

  “I can turn my back if that will help.”

  He searched her face again in a vain hope to discern something recognizable, something familiar. “I’m not going to kill you. At least not now.”