Assassin of the Heart: Book Two: The Temple Islands Series

by Richard Parker

  The Traveler turned the brass doorknob slowly, very slowly, wanting to avoid any small squeak or hiss of metal. His patience paid off because the silence remained unbroken. He slid the door open with even more care, taking nearly a full minute before the opening was large enough for his body to slip through. Once open he quickly stepped into the room, which was large. The remains of a fire glowed softly along one wall and opposite that was an enormous four-poster bed. The light snore of a sleeper was the only sound in the room.

  The Traveler quickly double-checked the perimeter of the room, wanting to be completely sure it was otherwise unoccupied. When he was satisfied that only the sleeper was present, the Traveler moved stealthily forward. Even through the darkness he easily recognized his old Master, the High King of the Inland Sea. The High Queen, bless her young heart, was not with her husband at the moment, a fact most welcomed, for it made the intruder’s job just that much easier.

  The Traveler noiselessly made his way to the bedside and then drew a large, wicked looking knife from its sheath. Smiling, he bent slightly and placed one strong hand over the mouth of the High King, and then placed the cold, sharp blade at his throat. It took a surprisingly long moment for the King to escape his slumber, but when he did his eyes went wide, fear plainly evident, revealing that he was fully awake and aware of the danger that now faced him.

  “Sssssssh,” the Traveler whispered, and the High King’s eyes darted to his assailant. His eyes grew wider still as he recognized the face.

  “I see you are sleeping well,” the Traveler added in a soft voice. “That’s good, no troubled conscience. Hard to believe…but good.”

  The High King made no move to either escape or talk, his chest just quickly rising and falling, betraying his fear.

  “Alone in bed?” The Traveler asked a large smile on his face. “I was so hoping to meet our young Queen. Ah well.”

  Again the King made no move to speak. The Traveler started to raise his hand from the King’s mouth then stopped.

  “How quickly do you think I could cut your throat?” he asked, pausing for a few seconds to ponder the question and then removed his hand altogether; the knife, however, remained firmly in place. “I’m fairly sure I could get the job done before your trusty guards could make it into the room. What do you think?”

  “Nev…What do you want?” the High King asked a little too loudly and felt the pressure from the knife at his throat increase ever so slightly.

  The Traveler above him acted surprised. “Is that any way to greet your old Weapons Master, and after all I’ve done for you.”

  The High King’s face went red with anger. “How did you get in here?” he asked much softer, though he truly did not expect an answer.

  “I’ve come to give you a piece of advice,” the Traveler said, still in a whispered voice. “Call it my last duty to the King.”

  “Traitor!” the High King whispered back.

  The man above him just shrugged.

  “As you like…but I like to think I had a higher calling,” he answered then bent closer, much closer, and his eyes grew very intense.

  “You will remain out of Massi,” he stated and the pressure from the knife increased once more. The High King gasped; thinking perhaps his life was over, but then the pressure eased again.

  “Why would you help the young Prince? Why did you take him as student?”

  Again a shrug. “You will take no side in the upcoming conflict,” the Traveler insisted.

  “You cannot…” the High King began, but stopped as the pressure at his throat increased to the danger point.

  “If you or your Knights become involved I will return and my next visit will not be so pleasant,” Tar Nev said simply. “Did you think I could not kill you? Did you think it beyond me?” With that the Traveler struck out hard with his free hand, hitting the High King in the right temple, dazing him, and then quickly retraced his steps back to the balcony.

  ‘That should get everything moving,’ Nev thought with a smile as he began the process of returning to his home.

  Inside the King lay stunned for several moments before fully coming back to his senses. He sat up rubbing the side of his head and looking about the room. Tar Nev was not in sight and nothing seemed amiss, save the door to the balcony was ajar, letting in the soft night breeze.

  “Captain!” he yelled and when his door did not open he yelled again, much louder. “Captain!” This time the door sprung open and a pair of armed Knights rushed in. The High King angrily threw back the blankets and struggled to his feet, still dizzy.

  “M’lord,” the taller of the two guards said, attempting to ignore how ridiculous his liege looked with his skinny white legs protruding from the bottom of his long white night shirt. As far as the Captain was concerned no one should be able to see the High King in such adornment. Somehow it took all the majesty out of royalty.

  “An intruder,” the King insisted, pointing to the balcony. Both guards frowned and at first neither moved; after all the room was located at the very top of the tower.

  “A Traveler,” the King explained, and the two men immediately bolted across the room toward the balcony doors. “It’s the only way Tar Nev could have gotten in here.”

  The speed of the two guards diminished noticeably at the mention of the old Weapons Master’s name and there was obvious indecision as to who would be heading outside first. Finally they threw the doors open together and peered out into the night. Spotting nothing, Captain Rye stepped cautiously out into the night air, and though he was tall with broad shoulders and a great deal of bulk, he tried to shrink, to somehow become invisible, until he was sure the balcony was completely free of any threat. He moved carefully over to the stone banister and peered down into the night, before quickly looking up overhead. No one was in sight, and the Captain breathed a sigh of relief. Moments later Captain Seb and the King joined him on the balcony.

  “He’s gone M’lord,” Rye said and wondered if perhaps the King had only been dreaming. It would take an extremely accomplished Traveler to hit this particular balcony and then disappear so quickly. It would take a Zar certainly, perhaps even the Zarina Aleecia.

  “Blast the man,” the King said and rubbed his neck, and in the darkness the Captain caught sight of a thin line of blood along his throat.

  ‘No dream then,’ the Captain thought and shivered, very thankful for the Traveler’s skill. He had no wish to face down the legendary Tar.

  The King turned and moved back into his sleeping chamber. “Summon Hothgaard, and have my Speaker brought to me immediately. The High Zarina has some explaining to do.”

  ǂ

  An hour later another bubble opened in the middle of the Tar Amon’s private rooms. It appeared suddenly, quietly, with only a ripple of a breeze, leaving a sharp metallic smell like a lightning strike. In the bubble it was dark, with muted green trees and the shadowy pigments of flowers in the background. In the foreground stood a tall silvery blonde woman, accompanied by a lone hooded servant. Zarina Aleecia stepped forward through the bubble and onto Noble Island. Her servant followed along after her without a word.

  Tar Amon was surprised; though the Zarina was a regular visitor, she’d never appeared unannounced, and never within his private chambers. It was only the presence of the servant that kept Amon from entertaining the idea that the visit might be motivated by romantic inclinations, since it was nearly an hour past midnight. But whatever the time, the visit was highly irregular.

  “Master Amon,” the Zarina greeted, her face pink at the intrusion. Respect for the privacy of others was an idea hammered into every new Traveler, for without such respect, trust could not be maintained. Above all, Travelers had to be trustworthy, for no one was hated quite as much as a spy. In the past, Travelers were spies and dealt in information, but the order had long ago left such pursuits behind them. It had taken many, many centuries to dispel the negative feelings toward the Travelers as a whole. The current Zarina had no desire to see
such suspicions arise again.

  “Forgive me, but my visit is urgent and I did not wish to be seen,” She hurried on, agitation causing her voice to rise an octave.

  “Forgiven,” Amon said simply, putting aside the book he was reading, and stood in greeting. “Please, have a seat.”

  The Zarina shook her head. “I haven’t time. I’ve been summoned before the High King…I’m to appear immediately.”

  Amon frowned. “Immediately?”

  Aleecia nodded, clearly anxious, “Yes, I don’t know what a summons like this will entail, coming as it has in the middle of the night and without explanation. It may be nothing, but recent events have put me on guard.”

  Amon, still frowning, walked past her and with quick movements pulled the window shutters closed against the cool night air. “That is understandable,” he said once there was no possibility of someone overhearing his words.

  “I wish you to accompany me to the King’s Island,” the Zarina blurted, taking a quick step toward her friend before stopping once more. Amon looked from Aleecia to her servant and back. The servant was heavily hooded and though her face was indistinct, hidden as it was in the dark recesses; by her shape Amon could clearly tell that she was female, and probably young.

  “Mair, my acolyte,” Aleecia said as Mair held out a silver robe trimmed in gold.

  The frown fell from Amon’s face and was replaced by a look of bemusement. He shook his head but before he could answer the Zarina stepped forward.

  “I know, I know,” Aleecia began, wanting to say something, anything that would explain her disquiet at the summons. She was completely convinced the High King meant to kill her, though how she’d come to such certainty was impossible to explain.

  “It is against the High King’s law for anyone to set foot on the Island without an invitation,” Amon began. “What you ask of me could put not only our lives, but also the lives of all those on our respective islands, in jeopardy.”

  Aleecia bowed her head.

  “You’ve asked me to put the lives of all the Tars and all the students on Noble at risk…why?”

  Aleecia stood silent for a long moment, head and eyes cast down on the floor. “Forgive me, Amon. I will leave you now. I cannot, in good conscience, ask you to take such a risk.”

  She turned to go, but Amon reached out and took hold of her arm just above the elbow. The contact sent tiny electric sparks through them both, though neither would ever acknowledge the fact.

  “Why do you ask this?” Amon repeated, knowing that the Zarina of the Travelers would not make such a request lightly.

  Aleecia turned and their eyes met, adding another layer to the tingling that was moving up and down her body. Inwardly she frowned at her own reaction, after all she was no longer a girl, and hadn’t been for many years. She suspected her senses were heightened by the danger she was about to face.

  “He means to kill me,” she whispered.

  “Kill you?” Amon answered, his frown finding its way back to his face.

  Aleecia nodded. “I cannot explain why I feel this way. The summons was unexpected and very abrupt. Something has raised his ire.”

  Amon was silent for several moments before moving quickly over to Mair. He took the robe from her without a word. He moved quickly, removing his nightshirt and slipping into the robe. He tied two knives in leather sheaths to his legs just above the ankles, but he left his kali hanging on the wall near his bed for they could not be easily hidden.

  “If I am discovered it is likely we will all be killed,” he said looking directly into the dark of Mair’s hood. There was a slight answering nod as Amon pulled up his own hood, making sure that it was positioned as far forward as possible.

  “So, let us see what the High King demands,” he added and moved to take his place just behind the Zarina.

  “Bless you,” Aleecia said and began the intricate hand movements known only to the Travelers. She was fast. She was powerful and it took less than a minute for the bridge to fully form. Within it appeared the dark courtyard of the High King. The court was lit by a dozen or so torches which were held by a squad of Temple Knights. Without hesitation Aleecia moved through the bubble in space. She was followed closely by her acolyte Mair and Tar Amon.

  A tall, broad shouldered Knight moved forward to block their path.

  “I come on the command of the High King,” Aleecia said in a clear high voice.

  The Knight said nothing, just tipped his head, a slight sneer on his face.

  The Knight led them through the main doors of the keep, down a long wide hall and then left up a short flight of stairs to another set of large, heavy oak doors. Two lancers stood guard outside but they let the group pass unchallenged. They entered into a large throne room. Neither Aleecia nor Amon was surprised by the size of the room since the High King’s recent nuptials were held within less than a year prior. Both were present for the wedding of High King Mastoc and Audra, the young princess of the Deutzani. But they were surprised that the room now contained a great many Knights, though most were relaxing on the long benches that lined the walls on either side of the room. Their mere presence here in the dead of night however, was enough to renew the Zarina’s sense of foreboding. It was a feeling Tar Amon was beginning to share.

  They walked quickly, but it still took an impressively long time to reach the stone stairs leading up to the raised dais where the High King waited tensely, on the very edge of his throne. Kneeling at the foot of the stairs was Gan, the Speaker assigned to the King. He glanced up at the Zarina as she stopped next to him. She tried to give him an encouraging smile but failed.

  She bowed low before High King Caiman Mastoc before straightening up once more.

  “I have come, my King,” she said trying to make her voice sound confident and unconcerned.

  The High King glared down at her from his throne for several long seconds.

  “I had a visitor tonight, in my private chambers,” the King began in a low, slow voice.

  “A visitor M’lord,” Aleecia answered frowning. His statement and summons could only mean the visitor was a Traveler or someone who garnered a Traveler’s help. Her mind raced through all the Zar’s and Zarina’s who were strong enough to send someone to the King’s Island. The list was a short one. Traveling was very difficult and quite taxing on both the mind and the body. It was a skill few could master. Most who came to the Isle of Light found that Traveling was beyond them. Those with at least a little skill, like Gan, became Speakers; Speakers could open a bubble to send sounds and messages, but nothing substantial, nothing made of matter. There were only a little over three dozen Traveler’s capable of moving people in all of the lands, most could only create a path strong enough to move people a short distance, perhaps fifty miles in distance. There were only a dozen or so who could move someone several hundred miles, the distance necessary to send a person to the King’s Island. Of course the Isle of Light was only about sixty miles from the King’s Island, but no one would have tried such a thing under her very nose.

  “A visitor,” the King reiterated, “a visitor who appeared on the balcony outside my private rooms, and after a brief conversation; a visitor who departed from that very same balcony. The departure was hastened by the appearance of my guards.”

  Aleecia sighed. Such a thing, if it were true, could have only been accomplished by a very high-ranking Traveler. She was at a loss as to how this happened and was very thankful for Master Amon’s presence at her side.

  For his part, Tar Amon was intrigued. He held very still, hidden beneath the large hood of his robe, wondering just who would have been reckless enough to do such a thing, and what could possibly motivate anyone to make such a pointless move against the High King. To kill him maybe…perhaps it was a failed attempt, thwarted by the Temple Knights.

  “Only a very strong Traveler could have opened a path so precisely, M’lord,” Aleecia answered in a very soft voice. Her mind was racing with possibilities, but as quickl
y as one came to her mind, it was just as quickly rejected. She could not believe any of her fellow Traveler’s would do such a thing…would be so reckless.

  “My thoughts exactly,” the High King answered. “And I would have put the blame squarely on the shoulders of the Travelers and their Zarina, had not the visitor been my old Weapons Master.”

  Amon sucked in a quick breath. The noise was hardly noticeable, but the sharp ears of the King caught the sound and he turned his attention to the Zarina’s companion.

  “I know he can be very, very persuasive,” Mastoc continued and turned most of his attention back to Aleecia.

  “Tar Nev?” Aleecia stated with a frown. The Tar had returned to his isolation on Noble, and as far as she knew he was still there.

  “Yes, Tar Nev,” Caiman snapped loudly. “Who is helping him? Who was on Noble?”

  “I…..I,” Aleecia began; knowing that Tar Amon forbade any Traveler to stay on Noble. She knew for a fact that no Traveler capable of putting a man on a balcony outside the King’s chambers was anywhere near Noble Island. She shook her head; in fact, she could only think of three…maybe four Travelers who could accomplish such a precise trip. She, for one, and Zarina Monde, her second in command; the old Zar Milo Crimpier could certainly do such a thing, as well as the young Zarina Jess na Gall. The only other Traveler who might dare such a trip and succeed was the Zar Nic le Austral, but he was in the employ of the Palmerrio. “I can think of very few who would have the skill for such a trip,” she finally said.

  The High King nodded. “I thought the list might be short,” he answered dryly and gestured to the Knight who’d led them into the room. The man instantly drew his blade and stepped forward.

  The King leaned forward in his chair, his eyes shining with anticipation. “You will tell me who helped the traitor, or you will die here and now.” Instantly a dozen Knights drew their long swords in a hiss of metal and began advancing on Aleecia and her party.