Gavin slows, looking at some of the pendants laid out before us. I make it a game to guess which one has caught his attention. But each one is so unique, it could be any one of them.
The one that captures my eye is a phoenix, the way its wings look like fire. Another phoenix beside it is also beautiful, but less detailed. It doesn’t speak to me the same way. I gaze back at the one that looks like fire.
Gavin runs his finger over it. “This one looks very much like a necklace my mother wore. My father gave it to her, despite having very little money for such luxuries. He asked me for permission, knowing I would have to go a little hungry so he could purchase it. When she saw it, the look of pure joy in her eyes made the bitter pains of hunger worth it.””
It feels as if my heart stutters, goose bumps covering my arms. “That’s beautiful.” And so heartbreaking. A single glimpse into his past tells me what I need to know.
“She died wearing that necklace. I wished I could have saved it before being taken away. All these years, I’ve searched for it, knowing I would never find it. And yet, here a twin lies, and I can’t help but wonder if it was hers.” He picks up the small pendant.
His words repeat over and over in my head. “Before being taken away.” But I don’t pry. ““I’m sorry for your loss. And not getting to hold on to that little piece of her must have made it so much harder to bear.” I know more could be said, but I do not know what. My heart is broken for this man who works so hard and asks for so little in return.
“Thank you. It was, but I made it through all right.” He nods, replacing the small necklace before wandering to the next stand.
“Please wrap this up for me.” I hand it to the man who has been eyeing me carefully. His eyes light up.
“Of course, Your Highness.” He bows his head slightly, taking the necklace from my hand and wrapping it in a small cloth.
I hand him the proper number of coins before taking the cloth and slipping it into the hidden pocket in the folds of my dress. “Thank you.” I nod and follow after Gavin. He seems to have recovered from his memories as he samples food the merchants offer to entice people to purchase more.
With each sample he tastes, I enjoy it through him, seeing the way he savors every bite. In the few instances when he does not like the food, I can’t help but laugh at the look on his face. I note his favorite food being the breaded, fried apple rings so I can remember to have Tolla prepare more for him.
“You should know better by now, you little snitch! He will hear about this.” A large man, his arms the size of small tree trunks, yells at a much smaller man, though the one being yelled at looks like he can take care of himself.
I look at Gavin, who appears completely stiff as he stares at the scuffle. I touch his arm in an attempt to get his attention.
“We should return to the castle, Your Highness. Immediately.” He hardly looks away from the two men before wrapping his slender, but strong fingers around my upper arm and pulling me along with him. I can’t imagine what would cause such a reaction, but knowing just a bit of what he’s been through, I opt to go with him.
Seeing Saar and Neo in Tivor was a shock. Cordae would have Saar scouting it out to see if I got into the castle, but to be fighting in the village square? And Neo? His job is simple – protect the fortress entrance.
What would he be doing here with Cordae’s guard dog? Cordae’s most trusted ally? I might have engaged in their argument, questioning what was happening, if not for the fact that Princess Lily was two steps away.
If the chores given to me this evening allow it, I will be going to the fort. If Cordae is sending me a message, he is doing an awful job of getting his point across.
“What’s the matter?” Lily asks calmly. That makes me feel the slightest bit better.
“While I may have gone only as your servant, I still feel that it is my duty to keep you safe. A random argument in the middle of the street could be simply just that, or it could be a distraction.” I hope she leaves it at that.
“And what would they be distracting people from? People get in arguments often. It isn’t a rare sight, especially in the markets where thieves are known for targeting the merchants.”
“He threatened to tell someone, a higher up, whatever the other man did. That was no petty theft, and you know it. Do not pretend to be any less smart than I know you to be, Princess. You are above that.” She is smart. I allow her to fill in the blanks with what could have happened. I am assuming a part, playing someone I am not, so I must act like it.
I release her arm and walk a little slower. With the castle in sight, I know Saar won’t do anything. Cordae has already informed me that I am to kill the royal family when victory is near. But there is no need for bloodshed before then.
“If you are right, who is to say that they aren’t waiting to ambush us as soon as we reach the bend just ahead, leaving us out of the view of the castle guards and far enough away from the market that no one would hear our cries for help?””
I look ahead and realize she is right. Having never come from this direction before, I hadn’t realized the flaw in my plan. “I will protect you.” I straighten my shoulders, meaning every word.
“Or we could avoid the bend and take a shortcut.” She grabs my hand, her soft skin such a contrast to my rough hands.
“And does this shortcut take us farther out of sight of the castle?” I ask.
“If that were the case, we would be safer taking the road. Trust me. Plenty of guards can attest to the fact that I know these woods well. There isn’t a single entrance to the castle that I do not know about. If anyone planned an ambush from this direction, they did not take the time to map out how many guards stand nearby.” She laughs and continues pulling me after her as we enter the thick foliage.
I can hardly see what’s in front of me as we push past the leaves and thorns, my tunic getting caught on the brambles. At this rate, it will be a mess of holes by the time we reach the castle. A thorn tears into my arm. I step back, caught on it, pulling Lily into me, but I steady us both. I release her hand and unhook the thorn from my clothes. The cut on my arm isn’’t long, but it is deep. I bite the end of my sleeve, ripping the fabric apart. I attempt to tie it around my upper arm using my teeth and one hand.
“Here, allow me.” Lily takes the cloth strip and ties it, pulling harder than I expected, causing me to bite my tongue. “Sorry.””
“It’s all right.”
“I will have another tunic made for you. It has been a while since I’ve taken this path. I forgot how torturous it can be if you aren’t expecting it.”” She gazes around as if looking back and seeing how it used to be.
I notice scratches on her hands, arms, and cheek. “My apologies, Your Highness.”
“What for?”
“Here you are, attending to my injury, when you have plenty of your own.” I push her hood down, brushing her hair back and taking a closer look at the cut along her upper cheek. “We should see the physician. Perhaps he will apply a salve so it does not become infected.”
“I’m sure it will be fine. It is just a scrape.” She pulls her hood back up and moves to continue leading us.
“Oh, no.” I grab her hand and pull her behind me. “I will make the path.” I begin pushing through the bushes.
“You do not know the way.”
“Tell me where to go.”
“You know I am perfectly capable of leading. What gives you the right to do so when you do not know where you are headed?” Her voice grows angrier with each word.
“I told you I would protect you. I meant from anything and everything that could hurt you,” I say in a flat tone.
“Fine.” She crosses her arms over her chest. “Keep going forward until you reach the wooden slats stuck in the ground,”” she says in annoyance.
I do as she says, continuing forward, holding branches out of the path so they don’t smack her, careful with every step. We come upon the marker much more quickly than
I expected.
I turn around and face Lily. “Now what?”
“We go left.” She brushes past me, taking the lead once more. I don’t attempt to reclaim it. Once upon a time, I would’’ve loved to be able to take control, to what I wanted rather than what I was told. Now I’m used to leading, but always for someone else. Never for myself. I can understand Lily’s need to be independent, strong, in the lead.
I look up and find it rather odd how the trees seem to be forming a path. The overwhelming sensation of something magical going on causes a tremor to run down my spine. A single oak tree stands at the end of our walkway. Lily keeps going, not stopping once she reaches the tree, but instead going around it, disappearing from my view.
I jog toward her, confused and cautious. “Come on!” she calls, though I still cannot see her.
I go around the tree, just as she did, and find that we’re inside the walls surrounding the castle. I spin around, baffled by the whole thing. There’s a small amount of damage to the wall, causing the perfect route in and out. This could be very useful to know later.
“You haven’t even seen the best part. Hurry up.” Lily’s laughter floats like a breeze, causing a stir in my chest.
I follow her. Looking around, I realize that the grove we stand in is opposite the one Hera has me clearing out at the moment. I wonder if she is aware of what’s back here. I also make a mental note of that before running between the trees right toward the castle wall.
Lily places her hand on the brick. The outline of a door slowly appears, though it is barely noticeable. She places her hand on a brick that sticks out only slightly from the rest and pulls. The door opens silently.
“Come on.” She waves me in.
I don’t hesitate. I follow her up a staircase and through a multitude of corridors, turning and weaving. I map out every step of the way, knowing this may be useful later. Finally, we arrive in a corridor lined with rooms on either side.
“It helps having a route leading outside so close to my rooms every time I wish to go out and explore.” She laughs, stopping in the doorway of one of the rooms.
“This is your room?” I nod to the door.
“This is my wing.” Her cheeks burn red as if she is embarrassed to have an entire wing, or perhaps because I am in it.
“Might I ask how to get out of your wing then, milady?” I ask with a smirk in an attempt at easing her discomfort.
“Well, you could go down this hall, through a number of doors, and once you’re in the corridor, go left,” she explains. I turn to leave. ““Or you can use the servant tunnels,” she adds. I turn back.
“And where would I find those?” The fewer people who see me, the better. The last thing I want is to run into Hera and be put to work. I need to speak with Cordae.
“Through here.” She opens the door.
We walk past an ornate table, a velvet sofa, and a chair sitting beside an expansive fireplace. The walls opposite are lined with full bookcases. There are three doors, including the one we just came in through. Lily opens the one to our right. A plush bed, a large armoire, a sitting chair, and a vanity fill the room. “Here.” She opens one of the wood panels to a tunnel.
“Thank you.” I lift her hand to my mouth, kissing the back of it before ducking into the tunnel and disappearing. I wander down the tunnel, looking for another exit that lets out closer to the stables. With hardly any time to spare and having no success, I backtrack and take the route that leads me through the kitchen door.
Only the cook and a few servants I’ve never met see me as I pass through, and not one of them says anything. I walk carefully, hurrying, but not making it appear as if I am preparing to bolt. I only hope that my good standing with Lily keeps me from being let go, should Hera need me while I am nowhere to be found.
I slip into the barn and am greeted by neighing horses. I climb partway up the ladder leading to the loft and pull my bow and quiver from the hook where I placed them, hidden unless someone is looking for them. Back on the ground, I look down each stall in search of Kova. After carrying the princess to the infirmary, I hadn’t thought to return outside and ensure Kova was taken care of, and I didn’t have a chance to search for her while cleaning the stalls, as all the horses were in the pasture.
“Can I help you?” An older man, with white hair and a slight limp, walks out from one of the stalls. His presence startles me only because I was so concentrated on finding my horse that I hadn’t thought of running into anyone but animals in here.
“Perhaps. Two days ago, I saved the princess. I assumed my horse was brought to the stables, but I cannot find her.” If anyone would know where she is, the stable boy would.
“You are Gavin?”
“I am.”
“I am Hernan. Your horse is beautiful and quite tame—up until I tried to lead her into a stall.”
“Where is she?” I clear my throat, feeling a panic like no other set in. I can’t lose my one and only friend.
“Just beyond those trees is the king’s pasture. She has been grazing there since you arrived.” He points out the barn door leading away from the castle.
“Thank you.” I don’t wait for a response, but run out the door and through the trees, jumping over fallen logs and short bushes. Kova is where Hernan said she would be. I enter the pasture, hopping over the fence, and approach her.
She looks up as I get closer, nuzzling my hand as I reach out to pet her. “I missed you too,” I say as I pull myself up on her back. Out of time, I don’t bother returning to the stables for a saddle.
I can’t risk Hera finding me, either. I am sure she was none too happy knowing I was going to the market with the princess rather than finishing the tasks given to me. Assuming she even knows, that is.
I lean down, almost lying on Kova. I intertwine my fingers in her mane so as not to fall off and squeeze her sides with my legs, urging her to go forward. She doesn’t need any more pressure before taking off in a run headed straight for the fort.
We jump the fence and take off through the woods. Kova needs no guidance from me.
Approaching the hidden door, I gently tug on her mane, getting her to stop. I pull my bow and nock an arrow, walking slowly, turning side to side and looking back occasionally as I approach.
“What on earth are you pointing that around for, Derrick?” A voice from above has me spinning around and aiming directly at the speaker.
“Where is Neo?” I look at the young man, one of Cordae’s men I don’t know personally.
“Cordae sent him on a mission.”
“Where, and for what?” I don’t lower my bow, waiting for him to tell me.
“To look for you. You disappeared, and Cordae was concerned when you didn’t check in. He would hate to lose you. He sent Neo and Saar to Tivor in search of you.”
I lower my bow and slip through the hidden door without another word, leaving Kova in the forest, knowing she will wait for my return. I march into the throne room, angry at Cordae.
“Well, well, well. I thought perhaps you died. It is the only explanation I could come to when you disappeared without a trace. No word on your whereabouts, or whether or not you infiltrated the castle.” He stands and approaches me.
I take two more steps before throwing a punch, hitting him in the jaw. His head knocks back, a sick popping sound echoing through the room. He stands straight, rubbing his jaw.
“How dare you send Saar into the city? He could have given away my true purpose for being there!” I scream at him. Having gotten it out of my system, I begin to cool down. My heart pounds as I stand before Cordae, realizing he might have me killed for that punch.
He moves faster than I can react, jumping forward and grabbing hold of my right forearm. He twist it around, yanking my arm behind me. I’m bent over, unable to move without initiating another attack and making the situation worse. “I have to send the second-best in when the best doesn’’t return or communicate,” he sneers.
“If I am you
r best man, you had better trust me to fulfill the tasks you give me. Did you honestly worry that I was dead? Or that perhaps I ran? Did you think for even a moment that I wouldn’t find a way into the castle?” My anger rears up again.
“Did you?” He steps back.
“Did I what?” I spit.
“Find a way into the castle?”
“Of course I did.” It comes out more a scoff.
“My apologies for doubting you.” Now he steps closer. “But if you ever attack me like that again, it doesn’t matter if you were my own son—I will have you killed.”
“Understood.” I nod, pursing my lips, fisting my hands at my sides.
“What do you have to report?”
“I am a servant in the castle. All of my tasks have been outside except for one. While helping prepare for a feast, I found the servants’ tunnels. They go throughout the entire castle. Once night falls and the kingdom is asleep, I will use those passages to find the king’’s quarters and get any information I can.”
“Well done, Gavin.” Saar’s voice grates me to my core. I turn to find him slow clapping behind me, a mocking smile on his face.
“Why would you ever call him that again after I told you his name is Derrick?” Cordae’s anger returns, but it is directed at Saar.
“Ask your best man.” Saar’s nostrils flare, an angry glint in his eye.
Cordae turns to me, waiting for an explanation.
“I did not think it wise to use my real name. And I knew it would be easier to give them a name I was already familiar with.”
“At least one of you is doing your job.” Cordae glares at Saar again before returning to his throne.
If looks could kill, Saar’s look of pure hatred would be lethal. And just to irk him even more, I smile. “Speaking of which, I had best return before my absence is noticed.”
“Very well. Neo will be in the village. Send him updates, and he will return to me with any news of importance. Until then, continue gathering information, and if possible, getting closer to the royal family,” Cordae orders.
Once Upon an Assassin (Finding Gold Book 3) Page 5
