Allyssa stood still. If the man meant to kill her, he would have done it by now.
“I want to speak with you privately,” he quietly said so only she could hear. His face remained hidden under his hood.
“This is all I can offer you.”
He reached for her arm, so she twisted and smacked his wrist with her dagger. “Keep your hands off me,” she said. “You can speak softly and no one will hear. Now hurry up, you have one minute.”
“What is your name?” he demanded.
Her heart thudded in her chest, and relief filled her. He didn’t know who she was. Still, she needed to proceed with caution. “What’s your name?” she countered, unsure where her bravado came from.
A few of the guards on the ground started to moan as they came back to consciousness.
“Do you work in the castle?” he asked. She nodded. “I have a proposition for you. Meet me in three days’ time. Come to the tavern at the Wooden Inn. Alone.” He turned and strode away without waiting for her response.
Marek was immediately at her side. “I don’t know if I should hug you because you’re alive, or kill you for not listening. You’re infuriating.”
“I’m glad I’m not the only one who wants to kill her,” Jarvik said. “Seems there’s a long list. I’ll get in line.”
Allyssa ignored them and replayed the encounter with the assassin in her mind. He wanted to meet her alone in three days. She rubbed her tired face and realized her arms were shaking.
Marek went over to the men on the ground, helping them to their feet.
Jarvik stepped closer to her. “What did the assassin want?”
“We’re in the middle of a public street in the city. Is that really what you think we should be discussing right now? Especially when you have men lying on the ground?”
He glanced around. “You’re right.” He bent down, checking the pulse of one of his men.
Allyssa was too stunned to respond. Did Jarvik just say she was right?
***
Sitting in the alcove, Allyssa kept the curtains drawn shut, hoping no one would find her. She’d even instructed her guards to stay out of sight so they wouldn’t announce her presence in the library. Reading through a book on wooden jewelry, she found one paragraph that mentioned an old peasant tradition where a wooden ring was given from a man to the woman he wished to court. If she fancied the giver, she would wear the ring on her finger. It was an ancient tradition from centuries ago, before the reigning kingdoms of today even existed.
“I thought I’d find you here,” Jarvik said, slipping between the curtains and taking a seat across from Allyssa.
“I’m busy and wish to be left alone,” she said, not bothering to look up.
“What are you reading?” he asked, tilting his head to the side so he could see the title better.
“I’m supposed to be reading books my tutor assigns me,” she said, trying to avoid answering his question.
“And your tutor assigned you books on wooden jewelry and the rivers of the continent?”
Why did he have to be so observant? It was highly annoying. She slammed the book shut.
Early this morning when they returned to the castle, Jarvik had taken his men and her guards to the barracks—not the infirmary—while Marek escorted her to her bedchamber. It had been early enough that no one was about to question what they were doing. Marek asked her not to say anything about the encounter with the assassin until he had time to think on the matter. She agreed and hadn’t seen Marek since.
“What can I help you with?” Allyssa asked as sweetly as possible since being rude didn’t make Jarvik go away.
“Here’s the deal,” the squire said. “I won’t report last night’s incident to Prince Odar or your father on one condition.”
She groaned. Everyone in this castle wanted something.
Jarvik leaned forward on his elbows. “Have you ever seen the man from last night before?”
The question caught her by surprise. “No, of course not.”
He nodded. “What did he say to you?”
“Not much,” she admitted. “He asked me to meet him in three days’ time at the Wooden Inn. He said he has a proposition for me.”
“Have you spoken to Marek about this?”
“Not yet. What are you getting at?” Did he know something about the assassin?
“You plan on going to meet him, don’t you?” Jarvik asked.
“I’d like to find out what he wants.” However, she didn’t think Marek would let her leave the safety of the castle ever again, especially to meet an assassin.
“Why have you been sneaking out of the castle at night?” he asked, sounding genuinely curious.
She shook her head, unable to explain something so personal to someone she despised.
“I don’t understand you,” he admitted, leaning back on the cushion, studying her. “I hear such different accounts about you that I find you utterly puzzling.”
He’d been asking around about her? Bloke. She felt silly and naïve for knowing nothing about the prince and squire when they’d clearly been digging up information about her. Trying to keep her features calm and collected, she asked, “What have you heard?”
“Everyone seems to love you,” he said, shaking his head as if the thought were absurd. “They say you’re beautiful, kind, and will make a great ruler.”
She chuckled. “What are the contradictions?”
He leaned forward on the table again, his eyes intense. “Whenever you open your mouth around me, you’re nasty and rude. I must conclude that you have one personality for the court, and another side you keep hidden. I wonder who the real Allyssa is?”
Her face paled. She had the desire to hide behind one of the books on the table, shielding herself from him. He’d been more observant than she’d realized.
“And then there’s that little stunt you pulled,” he continued, not taking his eyes off her. “You certainly acted like a true princess in the Throne Room with those soldiers. Even I was impressed.”
Suddenly eager for this conversation to be over, she went to stand.
“Wait,” he said, reaching out and snatching her hand. The gesture caught her off guard, and she froze. “Like I said before, I won’t say anything about what happened last night so long as you let me accompany you when you meet the assassin.”
“He told me to come alone,” she said.
“I’ll remain unseen, I promise.”
She stared at their joined hands. He held tight, waiting for her answer. “Very well,” she said, having no doubt that if she didn’t agree, the squire would march straight to her father and tattle on her. Then she’d have no hope of meeting with the assassin. “You can come.”
He released her hand. “Oh, and one more thing,” he said as he stood. “Prince Odar requests your presence this afternoon.”
“Of course.”
He quickly bowed and exited the alcove, leaving Allyssa standing there feeling like a fool.
Allyssa wanted to kick something. Her mother had insisted she and Prince Odar spend their time together in a highly visible place. So here they sat on a blanket at the base of the water fountain in the middle of the smaller courtyard. She felt as if she were on display for the entire court to see—which was precisely what her mother had intended. It was awkward and awful all rolled up together.
“We finally have some time to ourselves,” Prince Odar said.
They weren’t by any means alone. Her guards stood not far away, along with Jarvik and a handful of Fren soldiers. Whenever she examined the windows overlooking the courtyard, she always saw someone watching.
“Yes,” she said, forcing herself to smile. “At last we have an opportunity to become better acquainted.”
“The empress informed me that a grand ball is being held in our honor at the end of the week.”
This was the first she’d heard anything about a dance. “I’m looking forward to it,” she replied. A servant approached and set a tray of f
ood down on the blanket, curtsied, and left. Allyssa took a pear even though she wasn’t hungry.
The prince nibbled on a piece of bread. “If we’ve finalized the marriage contract by then, we can announce our engagement that evening.”
She was staring at a rose bush a few feet in front of her, lost in thought. Engagement.
Prince Odar took his pointer finger and lifted Allyssa’s chin, forcing her to look at him. “What are you thinking about?” he asked.
She glanced over at the guards and Jarvik watching her every move. “Why is your squire always with you?” she asked.
“Most people never notice Jarvik when I’m around,” he said. His hand dropped away from her face, and he answered, “He’s my best friend and closest confidant. Since I’m in a foreign country and I’m not sure who I can trust, I asked him to accompany me.”
“Will he move to Emperion with you?”
“I’m not sure. I’d like to have him here, but I don’t want to ask him to leave his family—it wouldn’t be fair.”
Family? She never considered the possibility of Jarvik being married. He wasn’t particularly handsome, and he was derogatory. “He doesn’t seem the sort of person who would have children.”
Prince Odar laughed. “I understand why you say that, but he is actually quite good with kids. However, the family members I am referring to are his parents.”
She took a bite of her pear.
“What necklace do you have on?” Prince Odar asked.
She was wearing the wooden ring strung onto a golden chain around her neck, concealed by her dress. Her face flushed. She dared not pull it out for fear he’d laugh. It was not something a princess should be wearing.
“It’s nothing,” she said, putting her hand to her neck, ensuring the ring stayed safely tucked under her dress. She didn’t know why she wore it. Perhaps it was because it had been carved by hand and had a special meaning. Most men lavished her with expensive gifts. However, this one came from the heart.
Wanting to change the subject, she said, “I’d like for you to tell me more about yourself.” She twirled the pear between her hands.
Leaning back on his elbows and stretching his legs out, he said, “I grew up at court with Jarvik. Our parents are close.”
That sounded familiar. Maybe she and the prince weren’t as different as she thought.
“I was engaged, once,” he admitted, surprising her. “I was young, and I thought I was in love.” Staring up at the sky, he continued, “It turned out she only wanted to marry me for my wealth and position. Luckily, my parents discovered the girl’s true motives and prevented the marriage. I was angry at the time.” He rolled onto his side, staring at her. “What about you?” he asked. “Have you ever been in love?”
“No,” she admitted, tossing the pear back onto the tray. An uncomfortable silence stretched between them.
“I’m not much of an army man, much to my father’s disappointment,” Prince Odar said, filling the quiet. “I can wield a sword, but not very well. Jarvik is the real sword master. I am, however, a superb dancer.” He continued talking about himself, about growing up in Fren’s court, the subjects he studied, the books he’d read, and what he enjoyed doing in his free time. Allyssa finally felt as if she had an idea of who Prince Odar was.
When he finished talking about himself, he asked her all sorts of questions about her life. He wanted to know who to avoid at court, why she enjoyed running with her father early in the morning—which he found highly amusing—and what her favorite desserts were. She laughed, telling him her choice of cake and pastries were not important, but he insisted the information was vital.
Before she knew it, hours had flown by. The sun was setting and the sky darkened. Prince Odar sat up beside her. “Thank you for today,” he said. “I enjoyed becoming better acquainted with you.” He leaned toward her, too close for comfort. Reaching his right hand out, he cupped her cheek. He was so close she felt his breath caress her face.
He inched forward. Was he going to kiss her? She’d never been kissed before and had no desire to be kissed right now, especially in such a public place with so many people watching them. The prince tilted his head and closed his eyes. She stiffened and slid her hand onto his chest, gently stopping his advance. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I like you, I really do, but I’m not ready.”
His eyes widened with surprise. “That’s a first,” he replied. “Don’t worry. I understand. We can take this slow.”
“Thank you.”
He slid his hand down her neck, along her arm, and to her hand, pulling her to her feet. Two servants rushed forward to gather the blanket, along with their discarded plates and drinks.
“Let me have the honor of escorting you into the castle,” he said, offering her his arm.
She took it and they strolled inside, passing several courtiers smiling at them. Clearly, the court liked the idea of her marrying a prince from a large and wealthy kingdom. They would have to officially announce the engagement soon to make sure her people maintained hope when war loomed on the horizon.
***
Allyssa returned to the castle tired, but gratified, from having spent most of the day working at a local shelter feeding those in need. It was something she did with her mother a couple of times each season.
Entering her bedchamber, she found Mayra waiting for her.
Her lady-in-waiting jumped to her feet. “There is something I need to discuss with you,” she said.
“What is it?” Allyssa asked, sitting on the sofa and pulling Mayra down next to her.
“I’ve been discreetly asking around about Prince Odar and Jarvik, just like you instructed me to.”
Since Mayra was so good with other languages and spying, Allyssa had asked her to see if she could uncover anything of importance about the men from Fren.
“Did you know the prince didn’t bring any servants with him?” Mayra asked. “Not even one.”
“Are you certain?” Allyssa thought back to the day he arrived in such grandeur.
“Yes. Every single person here from Fren, with the exception of Jarvik and the prince, are high-ranking officers and soldiers from the prince’s personal army.”
“What about the elaborate entourage we saw? All the lords-in-waiting?” Allyssa asked.
“Soldiers dressed as servants,” Mayra answered.
“Why?” Had the prince feared something foul would happen when he reached the Emperion court? Or was there a darker, more sinister reason behind the sham?
“I’m not sure,” Mayra replied. “What I’m hearing from our castle workers is that the roads are dangerous near the Russek border. Perhaps the Frens expected to encounter trouble on the way here.”
That made sense. But why maintain the ruse? Possibly for the way home? “What about the prince and squire? Did you learn anything about them?”
“No,” Mayra admitted. “No one will speak about either man. If there was a servant with them, I could probably coax or bribe the servant into speaking, but these soldiers are extremely loyal and therefore, closedmouthed.”
“Keep investigating,” Allyssa instructed her friend. “I’d like to see what else you can uncover.” She had an eerie feeling she was missing something vital.
***
Allyssa entered the training room and found her father sparring with Jarvik. The sight of their wooden practice swords swinging toward one another was so unexpected, she froze, watching them.
When her father saw her, he stopped sparring and pointed his sword at her legs. “Pants?”
“I want to practice my front and side kicks,” she answered.
“If you need to kick, chances are you’ll be wearing a gown. We’ve been over this—I want you practicing in a dress so you’ll be able to defend yourself if necessary.” His shirt was soaked through with sweat, his hair disheveled. She wondered how long he’d been sparring.
“Yes, Father,” was all she said.
Darmik wiped his forehead wi
th his shirt sleeve. “I have a few things to attend to,” he said. “Here.” He handed her his wooden sword. “I’ve worn Jarvik down, perhaps you can take him.” He kissed her forehead and mumbled, “He lifts his chin ever so slightly before he strikes.”
After Darmik left the room, she peered over at the squire, and he smirked. Bastard. Well, she’d wanted an opportunity to hit him, and now she had it.
“I don’t usually fight girls,” he said, standing with his feet shoulder-width apart, the sword loosely clasped in his right hand.
“Fren doesn’t employ women in its army?” she asked. That didn’t seem fair. If a girl wanted to fight, she should be able to.
“I’d never heard of such a thing until I came here. Women should be home tending to the house, not defending their kingdom. That’s a man’s job.”
Bloody two-bit snake pits. She swung, and he easily deflected her blow.
“For a squire, you sure know how to use your sword,” she mused, going on the offensive. “I assumed all you’d know how to do is manage the prince’s affairs and see to his needs.” She wanted to upset him enough to throw him off balance.
He didn’t respond. His mouth drew tight in concentration. Jarvik sidestepped her attack and began one of his own, putting her on the defensive.
“So how’d you learn swordplay?” she asked, trying to sound as if sparring with him was easy and she wasn’t even exerting herself. “By watching your fearless prince practice with his army?”
His eyes flashed with anger. It was all she needed to have the advantage. He didn’t even see her roundhouse kick coming. She struck his sword arm, but he maintained a strong hold on his weapon. Having the element of surprise, she went into full-blown attack mode. Just when she thought he’d go down, he spun and caught her by surprise, sweeping her legs out from under her. Hitting the ground hard, she forced herself to roll and jump to her feet, swinging at the squire again, this time with more force than necessary.
“Your technique is exceptional,” Jarvik said, surprising her. “If you speed up your attack, you’ll have the advantage.”
She was moving as fast as she could. Even though she didn’t want to admit it, Jarvik was rather good, too. He was better than Marek and possibly on par with her father. No wonder Darmik had been so sweaty.
Cage of Deceit (Reign of Secrets Book 1) Page 12
