The Assassin's Mark (Skeleton Key)

by Sarah Makela

  “You’re experienced, but you haven’t trained long enough. The lunged and feints you use are too shallow. You seem to be afraid to die, moving away just before landing another cut,” Doyle said, trying to goad Edward.

  “You’re one to say. After all, you’ve barely harmed an unarmored man. Most of the scratches I have are from climbing up here. You get too cocky. Even if you live, whenever you look in the mirror, you’ll always see the scar and know a better man than you did that.” Edward’s voice remained calm and detached, and his blue eyes reflected the lightning outside.

  My heart leapt almost as fast as Doyle did. Edward slammed his forehead against Doyle’s face, breaking his nose. Furious, Doyle ignored his nose and punched Edward in the ribs. There was an audible crack, but nothing reflected on Edward’s face even as a few drops of blood stained his lips.

  My body burned from within. I couldn’t watch him die. I looked down to see my hands were bright red. As Doyle reached for him again, a loud boom came from the other side of the tower that threw off his aim.

  Edward seized the opportunity and kicked Doyle in the knee. He easily turned and landed a second kick to his chest with his other leg. A loud snap reverberated through the room as Doyle’s head hit the wall behind him.

  Doyle threw a knife out from his right side that barely missed Edward’s head. Edward widened his eyes and took a careful step back. There was little chance of him pushing further in the state he was in. While Doyle was heavily injured, his armor and helmet had saved him from much damage so far.

  As the men grew quiet I knew it had gotten serious. There was no taunting anymore, both of them were fully committed to killing the other. The scratches on Edward’s arms grew in number, while gouges were created in Doyle’s armor.

  Quicker than I could see, Doyle drew a dagger from his armor and barely managed to slice across Edward’s knuckles. If he had leaned into the hit, he probably would’ve lost his arm.

  Pulling back from the strike, Edward dropped the sword from his left hand. With two wide strikes intended to keep Doyle away, he used the injured hand to grab the edge of the torn cloak. He ripped it from his back. Instead of using it to wrap his hand, he whipped the edge of the cloak toward Doyle’s eyes.

  The trick worked two or three times before Doyle grabbed the edge of cloak and pulled. Edward lost his footing and fell forward toward Doyle’s sword. I screamed a warning, but it was too late. The blade was about to cut into his stomach when a blast of air from the balcony slammed into them. The blade barely nicked Edward, but I saw him flinch in pain. Instead of letting his momentum go to waste, he wrapped the fabric around Doyle’s throat as they shuffled around on the floor. His side was bleeding, but the cut didn’t seem to be deep.

  I wanted to cry in relief, but I had a feeling the fight was still far from over.

  Choking, Doyle cut the fabric between him and Edward, receiving two nasty cuts to his arms while doing so. “Bitch, do not interfere!” Doyle yelled at me, his eyes flashing angrily.

  What did he mean? I’d merely yelled in surprise, didn’t I? I drank in the moment, and realized my body was still on fire, but it had changed. My energy still lingered in the room as tiny wisps. Had I caused that buffet of air?

  Tentatively, I reached out, and a current of air moved around the room. What was this? I’d never felt my power like this. The fighting seemed to move in slow motion as my mind worked overtime. The current of energy changed at whim, my whim, and I had conscious control over it. It both scared and fascinated me.

  Doyle had grown as pale as drow could as he continued to fight Edward. His attention skipped between the two of us. He hesitated and paid the price as Edward’s sword cut into his leg, piercing through the armor and leaving streaks of blood behind. He snarled as he refocused on his opponent and rammed his knee into Edward’s cut side, just below the wound.

  Losing his balance, Edward drew backward and lifted his sword up weakly, barely able to block the next blow Doyle sent his way.

  Instead of closing in for the kill, Doyle stole a sideways glance at me and threw one of his knives at me. Instinctively, I focused the wisps of my energy before me like a shield and it bounced to the floor in front of me.

  Hatred burned in his red eyes as he took a step toward me, his blade raised in air. “When I open his flesh, know it’s only because you love him. There he is, trying to get off the ground again. He’s bleeding all over my tower and ruining the evening I was ought to have with you. Maybe I’ll make you watch while I cut his throat.” His vile suggestion hung in the air, making me want to puke. “Who knows, maybe I’ll take Tabitha in front of you too. She screamed so much last night. You know what? You’re nothing, Brigit. Nothing. Neither were your parents.”

  Thunder roared around us. How dare he? He’d killed my parents, tortured my friends and companions, and trying to kill Edward and me. We weren’t nothing. “I’m the Princess of Freehaven. Remember your place, pretender. You do not have the crown and the throne. My people will rise against you. Those whose lives you ruined will have their revenge.” As I spoke, I felt fury building inside me.

  Doyle tried to take another step forward but was stopped as another lightning bolt struck the tower. It was all so much to keep under restraint. The air shimmered with possibilities. I merely had to reach out with my mind and call down the power of the black skies above. It was addicting, intoxicating, and I didn’t want to stop. “I want you gone Doyle!” With a scream, I thrust my hand toward him as a gust of wind swept him off his feet and ripped him from the tower. His screams faded into the distance as he dropped to the courtyard below. A faint thud silenced his cries.

  The joy and exhilaration of using my power faded into a cold pang of sadness. My legs gave out, and I reached for Edward who caught me with a pained wince on his face.

  “You’re shaking, Brigit.”

  All the energy I’d possessed was used up in the final thrust of my power. I could barely keep my head up. Before I slipped into darkness, I whispered two words. “Hold me.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  Brigit

  It had been a few months since the fight with Doyle. Things were slowly calming down as far as politics went. With Doyle dead and his bodyguards run out, the nobles fully accepted their rightful queen. Under the circumstances, no trial was being held, merely my coronation and a declaration that we wouldn’t stand for tyranny in Freehaven.

  My declaration to wed Edward stirred some controversy, but I didn’t care. Many of the nobles and knights who had hopes for a spot at my table saw their dreams crushed.

  As Edward recovered, I used the opportunity to gain more control over my powers and seek assistance in understanding my own limits. Magic, while usually weak in my kingdom, saw a small increase in its users strengthening its power in our realm. That explained how I’d been able to do so much during the storm. But I had no idea how or why the magic had awakened in me to the degree that it did. Perhaps it knew I needed to save my true love.

  Edward recovered well and offered to move around with the troops to chase away any remaining mercenaries as we laid the defenders of Skyhaven to rest. Sir Alan had lit Sir Orlan’s funeral pyre. The solemn occasion was still an important one, and a reminder to all of their crucial sacrifice in holding back a tyrant who threatened the kingdom.

  Tabitha became close with Sir Alan after their imprisonment and were quite inseparable. I wouldn’t have to issue a royal degree to marry him off after all.

  As I arrived back to Darkview from visiting my dear cousin, Lord Flemming, I found Sir Alan and Edward were in the study talking. While they spoke, I had tea with Tabitha. She announced that her and her knight were expecting. Despite my happiness for them, Tabitha insisted I not to share the news as they wanted to marry before word of it spread too far. We would help plan it together.

  “What about yours?” Tabitha asked and softly nudged my stomach.

  At first, I didn’t catch her meaning. I hadn’t told anyone yet...not even
Edward. I wanted to make sure before getting anyone’s hopes up. How did she know? “Am I showing yet?” I asked, staring down at my torso.

  “No, not yet. Well, you’ve gotten a little rounder, but I thought you were just recovering from what happened.” Tabitha smiled at me. Humor, excitement, and a giddy happiness brightened her eyes. I was happy for her. She wasn’t a maidservant anymore but a lady of the court. Was I jealous of Sir Alan for taking so much of her time now? Maybe. But they deserved one another and long happy lives. I wasn’t about to get in the way of that.

  I excused myself and headed for the study.

  Sir Alan was perusing books and scribbling notes, but there was no sign of Edward. He bowed his head and gave me a quizzical look before saying the words I’d been dreading. “We finally have progress on the door, Your Majesty.”

  Edward had been seeking an answer on how to return to his world ever since he could get out of bed. It motivated him and he spent much of his time digging through tomes that were barely legible anymore.

  “Where is he?” I snapped perhaps a little stronger than I’d wanted.

  Sir Alan rose from his chair, and we headed through an extensive maze of tunnels beneath the castle. We followed strange markings on the wall that had mostly lost their meaning. Sir Alan kept some notes for his reference as to which turns to take, but it still took a while to find Edward. He was far beneath the castle in an expansive cave that opened into a dome. An unnatural glow came from the very rocks themselves, suffusing the dome in a soft blue light. Throughout the dome were arches with symbols etched above them and on the rocky floor itself.

  Edward stood in the middle of it all. He waved me over. The very air in this room felt sacred as if we were in a temple. Neither Sir Alan nor I made much sound as we walked over to him, taking in the details of the dome. As we neared, I became aware of the dome’s true size. Filled with awe, I wrapped my arms around Edward who had patiently waited for me in the center.

  “My love, this is the place,” he said as he ran his hand over my back. He nodded to a pedestal in beside us. It had a generalized arrangement that I recognized from old tomes in the library. The dome, the arches, and the outcrops all pointed toward the outer realms of the connected worlds. Directly in front of the pedestal was a smaller door inside a single lonely arch. On the arch was a single word written without flourish. Gauntlet. This was where my ancestors had once lived before the turbulences in that world had driven them to leave. Earth...

  “You found it,” I said, still amazed by the discovery. How many generations had passed without finding this place? My own family had lived in the castle above for centuries without realizing what was deep under our very feet. We’d always been told this was a network of catacombs built on the ruins of another city. “It’s wonderful here. The possibilities are endless,” I said quietly, but dread filled my chest. Would he return home now? Would I ever see him again?

  Edward nodded but emotions played on his face. He was excited, in awe, and...sad. This had been his goal ever since he first appeared in our world. Now he’d found it finally. “I can finally go home and tell everyone I’m okay. I miss back there sometimes,” he said, staring at the door.

  Sir Alan had walked farther along the row of arches as if inspecting them for any signs of trouble. As soon as he was out of range of hearing, I leaned to brush my lips against Edward’s. “Don’t go yet. What would I tell your son or daughter? They’d wonder where you were.”

  Edward pulled me to arm’s length and blinked a few times. “You’re... We’re...?” He cleared his throat. “The Earth can wait. I have you and the beginnings of a family.” He held me close and placed kisses against my temple. I could feel his heart thumping quickly in his chest. “I’m going to be a father.” He nearly shook with excitement.

  I took his hand, and we began the long walk back to the castle. “One day I want to see all of these wonders you keep telling me about,” I said, flashing him a smile.

  His reply easily carried through the tunnels. “Maybe one day. Right now, I want you and nothing else. I love you, Brigit.”

  Thank you so much for taking the time to read our Skeleton Key novella!

  All reviews are appreciated.

  If you would like to read more from the Skeleton Key series, please click on the link below:

  Skeleton Key Website

  About the Authors

  New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author Sarah Mäkelä loves her fiction dark, magical, and passionate. She is a paranormal romance author and a life-long paranormal fan who still sleeps with a night light. In her spare time, she reads sexy books, watches scary movies, and plays computer games with her husband. When she gets the chance, she loves traveling the world too. If you’re interested in being the first to know about her next release, sign up for her newsletter.

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  Tavin Soren is an urban fantasy and paranormal romance author. He loves whiskey, has a sense of adventure, and enjoys learning about all things supernatural.

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  Other Books by Sarah Mäkelä

  Beneath the Broken Moon Series (New Adult Paranormal Romance)

  Part 1

  Part 2

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  Book 2: Cold Moon Rising

  Book 3: The Wolf Who Played With Fire

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  Book 2: Jungle Fire

  Book 3: Jungle Blaze

  Book 4: Jungle Burn

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  Book 2: Savage Bytes

  Book 3: Blacklist Rogue

  Book 4: Digital Slave

  Feral Ink Series (New Adult Paranormal Romance)

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  Book One - Coming Soon