“Still mad because you completely disrespected me this morning? Still mad because you treated me like your own personal whore, which I’m sure you have plenty of? Still mad because you proved to be a liar hardly eight hours after you convinced me to trust you?” Nakia barked. She paced in front of the bed.
Ashni winced. None of what Nakia said was exactly a lie, except for the personal whore thing. Yes, she had sex slaves, but she wouldn’t use them since it bothered Nakia. She hadn’t treated Nakia like her personal whore, and she hadn’t lied. She never lied. She had no reason to do so.
Ashni needed to clear this matter up. “Kitten—”
“And stop calling me that! My name is Nakia, Princess Nakia Lysand of Phyllida. My father is a king.” Nakia’s face was bright red.
Ashni rushed off the bed and tried to gather Nakia in her arms. As expected, Nakia fought, struggling in vain. Ashni held her tight, but with caution, not wanting to hurt her. Never wanting to hurt her. They ended up sitting on the floor. Ashni settled her back against the bedframe and pressed Nakia to her chest.
“Princess Nakia Lysand of Phyllida, daughter of King Dorian Lysand, please, listen to me.”
“No!” Nakia howled, trying to push away. She beat her fists against Ashni’s chest and Ashni barely felt it on her body. Inside, each strike echoed through her, cutting through muscle, bone, and soul. A dull pain spread through her that had nothing to do with a physical ache and everything to do with a spiritual one. This little thing would be the death of her, one way or another.
“This morning was just a joke. I had to work, which is why I left the bed before you woke up. When you came out, I planned to let you sit with me, but you seemed dazed and you went to stand where you usually do, so I thought I would have a little fun and waved my cup at you. I wanted to see if you were so out of it that you’d actually fill it. I only meant it as a joke,” Ashni said, pleading in Nakia’s ear.
Nakia’s frenzy had her breath coming in pants and she tried once more to break free. She grunted and groaned, pushing against Ashni. Ashni refused to release her. She let Nakia wear herself out a little more and cuddled her closer when she stopped to catch her breath.
Ashni pressed her forehead to Nakia’s, wishing Nakia understood the gesture. We are linked in mind and soul. We are bonded. We’re united. “I told you that you’re precious to me. I don’t say that to anyone, especially not someone I plan to disregard. It was only a cruel joke and I was stupid to do it.” Damn it, Layla better not be right. I can’t always be at fault.
“Do you always play around so viciously with those you claim to care about?” Nakia huffed, puffing out her crimson-stained cheeks. She glared at Ashni as best she could while pressed into her chest.
Ashni’s face pulled into a bit of a grimace. “Uh…yeah, I do, actually. You see what I do with my sister.”
“She’s not even your real sister,” Nakia hissed.
Ashni scowled. “She is closer to me and dearer to me than most of my brothers, so, yes, she is my real sister. I trust her with all things and when I play with her, it’s brutal. You’ve seen. She can take it and dish it out and I adore her for it.”
“Oh, so I’m supposed to take your horrid joke as some sort of declaration?” Nakia practically spat at her.
Ashni tensed. “I thought you could handle it, like you’ve been handling other things. But, maybe I’m wrong. Maybe you haven’t been handling anything. Your bite and wit are because everything is scary to you and you don’t know how to deal with it.” For a moment, she felt disgusted by Nakia and would go to great lengths to wash Nakia from every cell and memory if this were true. How could she have misjudged someone so drastically?
Nakia’s eyes ignited with that lovely fire as she tried to stare Ashni down. “Handle it? Handle it! How would you handle being used as bait by your father and dragged across the sea into some strange barbarian world where the Queen mocks you at every turn? How would you handle knowing you’re only worth your weight in gold because your father can’t muster enough of an army to handle a woman after he’s spent your entire life telling you that the only thing you’re good for is marrying into an alliance because you are a woman? How would you handle being treated as a slave by someone you think is a savage, even though you’re a princess and have always acted the part of a Lady? You have everything and you want more and you look down on me. When have you ever known pain and suffering?”
Ashni chortled, glad to see the fire in her hellcat once more. I knew I couldn’t have misjudged someone so badly. But, that hadn’t stopped her from being nervous for a long moment. Nakia glowered at her. Ashni knew laughing right now was the wrong thing to do. She gazed at Nakia.
“I’ve known a great deal more of it than you have, I’d wager. I’ve only lived on this planet a few more years than you, but you know what? I’ve felt true agony. No, I don’t know the pain where your father looks at you as if you’re unworthy of his name, but I’ve been betrayed more times than I can count by those who should’ve been loyal. I know how precious people truly are. Maybe your father doesn’t, but I do. Gender will never have anything to do with it. Culture will never have anything to do with it. And blood will never have anything to do with it. Are you here for me or not is all I care about. We all have our strengths and weaknesses. We all have moments of pain and doubt. We all have moments where it seems like the world will stop at nothing to crush us. But, what we do in those moments is what I care about. I watched my mother find my father’s dead body, the only man she had ever loved, and she cradled him and she wept and she beat her breast over how unfair it was for the gods to call him back so young and then do you know what she did?”
“Mourned forever?”
“She fought off jackals trying to tear the empire she helped build right out of her hands. You think your father is the only man alive to think women are inferior? Cowards who wept over my father with her tried to stab her in the back immediately after, dared to rally against her to put her son on the throne, even when Jay wouldn’t dare take anything from our mother without asking her. She could’ve crumbled. She could’ve tucked herself into a ball and ducked away. She could’ve bent and let Jay have what she helped create. But, she fought. She fought and she won. She pulled those she knew she could count on together and she destroyed those who tried to destroy her. And, now, she continues to sit as Empress of the Roshan Empire. A barbarian woman from the hills.”
Nakia was silent for a long while. Ashni held her and waited. She enjoyed feeling Nakia breathe against her. I want this for as long as I can have it. Grant me this. She should feel selfish asking for more considering what she had in life, but she’d fight for Nakia and she always felt that if she fought for something, then she’d earn it in the end.
“What do you want from me?” Nakia whispered.
“I want you to keep that fire burning in you, hellcat. Show me you’re as fierce today and tomorrow as you were when you first arrived. That Princess would’ve thrown wine in my face this morning.” And Ashni would have laughed it off. Maybe even pulled Nakia into her lap and kissed her for such actions.
“That princess hadn’t slept with you, nor had you told her she was precious.”
Ashni had to concede that. Nakia had changed and change was often good. Maybe Ashni was the one who had made the wrong decision in the moment. Maybe she should have chased after Nakia and explained her actions before pulling her close, wrapping Nakia in her outer robe, and returned to the throne with the only person she wanted at the moment. Instead, she made a joke. Okay, yes, I’m probably going to be at fault a lot.
“In a fight or battle, I’m a genius,” Ashni said. “At governing, there are things I can do and things I can’t. I learn and adjust when I can’t do things. At this…” She motioned between them. “I’m new.”
Nakia let out a weak giggle and wiped her nose with the back of her hand. “Me, too.”
“It was a poor time to make a joke.” Ashni put a finger under Nakia’s c
hin and gently tilted her head, so Nakia would look at her. “You are precious to me. So precious, I’m going to kiss you right now even though your face is totally red and your nose is running.”
Nakia laughed and sniffled, apparently taking it as a joke. Ashni leaned down and gave her a brief, but tender kiss. The laughing stopped; the sniffling not so much. A soft smile settled on Ashni’s face as she pulled away to see Nakia smiling as well.
“I just realized, I was the one who had the moment, not you, and I totally failed in the moment. I’ll get better if you give me a chance. I’m a pretty fast learner,” Ashni said. Or Nakia would learn to deal with her awful sense of humor and bad timing. One of the two.
Nakia sighed. “Why should I believe you?”
“Good question. First off, I don’t lie. My word is my word. Always has been and always will be. Beyond my horrible mistake after the Festival, have I ever hurt you? I’ve been intrigued by you since the first day, kitten, and everyone can see it.”
There was a crushing silence for more time than Ashni was comfortable with. This was the only time she felt like she fell out of the gods’ favor. Her father was supposed to be looking out for her.
“That captain you blew off, he wants to kill you.”
Ashni blinked. Okay, she hadn’t been expecting that, but it was something positive. Nice to know her hellcat didn’t want to assassinate her. See, you haven’t misjudged her at all.
“How do you know this?”
“He approached me in the garden today. He wants me to put something in your drink.”
Ashni nodded. This show of trust deserved the same. “I know.”
Nakia blinked and then narrowed her gaze on Ashni. “You know? How do you know? Are you having me followed?”
“I’m having him followed.” Okay, she was also having Nakia followed, but not for the same reasons. She needed to make sure Nakia was safe, be it in the palace or when she was outside. Whenever the Princess was on her own, there were a few invisible followers with her.
“You suspected him?”
“Yes, I suspected him. I didn’t think he’d approach you with this foolishness. It’s quite reckless to trust you with this plot. He doesn’t know you.” Majeed really was an idiot. It was a good thing she never felt comfortable giving him any real responsibility.
“He thinks I believe he’ll send me home if I help him.”
Ashni shook her head. “More like you’ll take the blame and be executed when someone realizes my wine was poisoned.”
“I figured that as well. He seems to think I’m gullible or an idiot.”
“Well, fortunately for us, he’s the gullible idiot and he doesn’t know you at all. When he comes to give you the poison, will you take it?”
Nakia’s brow furrowed. “You mean will I participate in an assassination attempt I just told you about?” She gave Ashni a deadpan look.
Ashni chuckled. “It’ll help make this whole situation easier to deal with.”
Tilting her head slightly, Nakia arched an eyebrow. “What would you have me do?”
“Well, before we go into that, are we all right?” Ashni put her hand on Nakia’s cheek, glad to see the color back to normal. She gently stroked Nakia’s cheek with her thumb. She pressed her forehead to Nakia’s again.
“I think we both need to adjust.”
“Agreed. Just know that if I do something stupid, it’s more likely a joke than something malicious…for you anyway. Other people, I’m probably being malicious to.”
Nakia sniggered and leaned in for a kiss. Ashni smiled against her lips. She liked this feeling. She wouldn’t jeopardize it again. At least, she’d try her best not to jeopardize it again.
***
Nakia whined as she felt sleep slipping away. But, then she felt light kisses on her cheek and neck. Without opening her eyes, she turned into the kisses, which floated from her neck to her lips. She wrapped her arms around Ashni’s neck and pulled her closer even as Ashni pulled away.
“I want you to know I’m getting up. I have work to get to and plots to foil,” Ashni whispered.
“I should get up…” Nakia made no move to do so. She was so tired. Ashni kept her up all night after they made up and made plans.
“No, don’t. You need your sleep. The sun’s barely up. When you get up, join me.”
Nakia nodded and there was one last kiss before she fell back to sleep. When she woke up, she found breakfast waiting for her instead of her having to wait for it to be served. She knew it was Ashni’s doing. When she was finished eating, she dressed, putting on traditional Roshan clothing. She had a date with an assassin, after all, but then she also had a date with the Queen.
Majeed was in the garden when she arrived. She wondered who was watching him and where the person was hiding. This was serious, so it was probably Layla or Adira hiding. Nakia couldn’t spot either, as she approached Majeed, but she didn’t look too hard. She didn’t want to seem suspicious or paranoid.
“Good day, sir. I see you’re enjoying the gardens again,” Nakia said, wanting it to make it seem like she was being normal and trying to cover up their rendezvous.
“It is peaceful,” Majeed replied with a slight shrug. “I’m sure you agree.”
“I do,” she said. She stood close to him and whispered, “Pass me this thing quickly and quietly.”
“There’s usually no one here, unlike so many of the other gardens. The ones with the statues are especially infested with the servants’ wild offspring,” he said as he eased a tiny vial into her hand.
She gave him a polite smile. “I’ve seen some of those gardens, but never bothered to walk through them or really see them up close. They never seemed to be enough to draw me in.” She hoped he understood her meaning. She couldn’t believe the small bottle he passed her was enough to do anything. This can’t be enough poison to put down a mouse let alone someone like the Queen. Is he testing me?
Majeed’s eyes danced with devilish delight. “Oh, they are more than enough, but sometimes one just needs to be alone with one’s thoughts. If only for a few seconds.” He wiggled his eyebrows.
Nakia swallowed. This tiny potion would work in seconds? This was serious and Ashni trusted her to retrieve it. Wow. She took a deep breath.
“Is everything all right?”
“Oh, yes. Fine. I didn’t expect that. I mean, that you’ve been to the other gardens.” I didn’t expect this poison to be so powerful.
“Oh, yes. Every place, like every person, has its function.”
“I suppose. A few seconds seems to be all I need. Now, for a fun day of shopping,” Nakia found it hard not run from the scene. She was surprised that neither Layla or Adira appeared to take the vial from her.
Instead, Ashni met her in one of the palace hallways as she made her way back to the throne room. Before she could ask about why no one took the vial from her, Ashni yanked her into a secret room. She yelped and Ashni laughed.
“You’re cute when you’re startled.” Ashni’s eyes sparkled as she kissed Nakia.
“You’re demented.”
Ashni put her hands on Nakia’s hips and pressed against her. “I can’t help it. You’re sweet and I’m all about sweet things.” She latched onto Nakia’s neck, kissing and tonguing the area.
Nakia moaned, tempted to get lost in the feeling. “Wait, wait, wait. This isn’t what we’re supposed to be doing.”
“I’m Queen. I can do what I want, and I really want to do you right now.”
Nakia glared at Ashni. “You just did me a few hours ago.” Besides, she refused to be taken up against the wall in a room hidden from the wide, open hallway by only a thin wall.
“This is true. I also had apples for breakfast, but that won’t stop me from having them for lunch. If it makes you feel better, I’ll wait until tonight.”
“Good, because you should focus on the fact that someone is trying to kill you and that I’m too much of a Lady to allow you such liberties in a public place.”
Shrugging, Ashni chortled. “Attempts on my life happen at least once a year. I’m sure your father has to deal with it, too.”
Nakia frowned. “That’s not the point. Here.” She pulled the vial from a pocket in her belt and handed it over.
“Thank you. You’re even cute when you’re helpful, kitten.” Ashni beamed.
Nakia sighed and shook her head. “You’re so annoying. I should have let him kill you.”
“I’m sure you would have a way to blame him.”
“Of course. After all, I wasn’t sure I’d tell you until I was telling you, but I knew as soon as he tried to draw me in that he wanted me to take the fall. Speaking of that, do you really trust me enough to believe that’s the real vial?”
Ashni smiled even more. “I wouldn’t have sent you if I didn’t.”
“Was Layla or your monkey general watching me on the way over?”
“No, Layla has to stay with Majeed. Adira is handling other matters. No one followed you. I trust this is the right vial.” Ashni shrugged as if it was no big deal.
Nakia smirked at Ashni. “Maybe you’re the fool.”
Ashni still smiled, her eyes sparkling. “Maybe I am.” She leaned down and kissed Nakia. Nakia returned the kiss and whimpered when Ashni pulled away. “But, if I am to die, you have more reason than he does, so I’ll accept it.”
Nakia pursed her lips. “You’re a smooth talker when you want to be, but we both know you wouldn’t let me just kill you.”
Ashni gave her a lopsided grin, looking quite diabolical. “Well, I wouldn’t make it so easy.”
Nakia had no doubt this was true. “Well, you work things out with your goons. I’m meeting with Bashira and we’re going shopping.”
Ashni groaned. “Can you try not to bankrupt me in the process? I have a campaign to conduct once the weather settles down and would like to be able to feed my troops.”
An impish smile settled on Nakia’s face. “Maybe this is my true scheme. It would save the West, after all. Save Phyllida.”
Warrior Class_Sky Cutter Page 25
