Oath of Deception

by Jennifer Anne Davis

  He waved for the interpreter to follow, and they crept along the side of the stables and to the entrance. He knew they could easily sneak away; however, he wanted their horses. Unsheathing his knives, he pictured the stables in his mind. One man should be fifteen feet away and three feet to the left. That man was six feet tall with wide shoulders. Hitting him in the torso should be easy. The second guy was farther back, approximately twenty feet away, leaning against a stall door. His arms were muscled and he would prove to be the more challenging of the two opponents, making it necessary to kill him first.

  Taking a deep breath, Savenek stormed into the stables, throwing one knife and then the other. The first knife embedded into the closer man’s torso, just as he’d planned. The guy stumbled forward, hunching over, trying to remove the weapon.

  The second knife struck the other guy’s temple, causing him to reach up and cover his face from the pain. Savenek rushed at him, unsheathed his last dagger, and plunged it into the man’s stomach, twisting it. When the guy stopped breathing, Savenek jumped to his feet and turned to take care of his other opponent. Only, the interpreter had struck him over the head with a pitchfork, and he had fallen to the ground, not moving. Savenek felt for a pulse. There wasn’t one. He shoved the guy’s sleeves up and found a tattoo on his right arm. Another Telmena assassin.

  The interpreter ran over to a brown mare and began saddling it. He went over to Onyx and did the same. Instead of mounting, they led the horses out of the stables. Unfamiliar with this city, he had to rely on the stars to guide him. Apethaga was northeast, so he headed in that direction. Knowing they could be seen from windows and that there could be more assassins searching for them, Savenek forced himself to walk as casually as possible. He wanted it to appear as if he was out for a stroll with a friend.

  When they finally reached the outskirts of Lanek, the pair mounted and rode hard and fast along the main road leading away from the city. They couldn’t stay on the road for long. If anyone followed, they would come this way. However, Savenek wanted to put as much distance between them and their pursuers as possible. Once they’d traveled about twenty miles, he led Onyx off the road and into the surrounding forest.

  The interpreter rode quite well. It was impressive, really.

  Not wanting to travel through the forest at night and risk injury, Savenek dismounted and tied his horse to a tree. The woman did the same.

  It was time to level with her. “What happened?”

  She didn’t hesitate to answer. “On our way here, we were attacked. The negotiator was murdered. In the chaos, I managed to slip away and hide in the trees. The next morning, I snuck into a small town and stole a horse, since the assassin had taken mine. I also grabbed a boy’s clothes from a laundry line figuring the assassin would be looking for a woman. I managed to arrive in Lanek today, where I found you.” She sat on the ground, resting her head on her hands. “What about you? What happened to your companion?”

  “We ran into a bit of trouble the night before we left. He was sent on a different mission.” Savenek sat down across from her. “Did the man who killed the negotiator have any distinguishing tattoos or characteristics?”

  “None that I saw.”

  He rubbed his tired eyes. “I was attacked on the way here as well. I think someone doesn’t want us to reach Apethaga.” Was Telmena behind all of these attacks? And if so, why? Hopefully, Nathenek would find out.

  “Should we return home?” she asked. “Or continue on?”

  “I think we should continue if you’re willing.”

  “Are you a member of the Brotherhood? You seem a little young.”

  In other words, she wanted to know if he could protect her. “I’m due to take my vows when I return from this mission. You’ll be safe with me.”

  She shook her head. “I can take care of myself. I asked because I want to know if you have any negotiating skills. Since there are two of us, it would make the most sense for you to assume the role of the negotiator while I maintain my position as the interpreter.”

  Oh, she was already thinking that far ahead. Savenek ran his fingers through his hair, messing it up. “I can handle the negotiations—although, I wasn’t given any of the specifics.” Like what weapons to secure, how many, or how much to spend. “I do have another assignment while I’m there.” If he wanted to find out what the royal family intended to do regarding their children and possible marriages, he’d need to snoop. Or time to get to know someone who would know…like a lady-in-waiting or a steward.

  “Will you be able to handle two things at once?” she said with wide eyes and a small grin.

  Was she mocking him? He didn’t know if he liked her teasing attitude or not. On one hand, it turned him on. On the other, it seemed as if she was one step ahead of him.

  “Get some sleep,” he said. “At first light, we’ll set out. It should take us about three and a half days to reach the Apethaga border. From there, it’ll take another week or so to get to the palace.”

  “Are you taking the first watch?” she asked.

  She was sharp. “Yes,” he replied.

  She nodded and laid down. He wished he had a blanket to give her. “What’s your name?” he asked, realizing she still hadn’t told him.

  She hesitated and then replied, “Aryam.”

  He burst out laughing. “What kind of name is that?” He could barely pronounce it.

  She glared daggers at him. “It is a name the Apethaga people will understand.”

  “But is it your name?”

  “Yes.”

  It took her too long to answer. It was probably her middle name or a variation of her name. “Well, Aryam,” he said, testing it out, “I’m going to call you Ari.”

  Savenek had never trained with a woman, traveled with a woman, or lived with one. His knowledge of them was slim, given his limited experience. His aunt was fantastic—she was loving, understanding, and there for him. Hana was funny, beautiful, and well, voluptuous.

  Ari was none of those things.

  Thankfully, she was easy to travel with. Savenek had been afraid she’d complain and whine the entire time. However, just the opposite was true. She said very little, if anything at all. He tried asking her some questions about where she was from, if she had any siblings, and what she liked to do in her free time. She refused to answer a single question and instead remained focused on her surroundings, constantly scanning the landscape for potential threats. It was as if she couldn’t care less about him.

  They rounded a hill and a narrow valley spread out before them, a thick forest at the end of it.

  “Is that Apethaga?” Ari asked.

  “No. It’s on the other side of the forest.”

  “We have to travel through that valley?”

  “It looks that way.” While they hadn’t had any issues since they left Lanek, the idea of riding out in the open and being so exposed didn’t appeal to Savenek. They’d be easily spotted, and someone could be waiting to shoot them with an arrow.

  “I think we should backtrack and look for a different way,” Ari suggested.

  “I agree.” He turned Onyx around, and Ari followed. “I know you don’t like to talk,” he said, glancing over his shoulder at her, “but I’d like to know what training you have. If we run into trouble, I need to know what to expect.”

  “I can understand, speak, read, and write the Apethaga language. I will translate for you if necessary.”

  “No, your physical training.” They rode off the trail and headed up the side of the hill.

  “Why do you think I have any physical training?” she asked.

  “Oh, I don’t know.” He thought of her escaping from the assassins, the knife she pulled on him at the inn, and her striking the assassin over the head with the pitchfork. He looked pointedly at her, waiting for her to answer.

  “My father and brother serve in the military. They’ve taught me a few moves over the years.” She pursed her lips, as if telling him that small detai
l irritated her.

  “And you work for the royal family as an interpreter?” he asked.

  “Sort of.” The corners of her lips pulled into a wry smile.

  He was certain she was hiding something from him. “What is your official job title?” he asked, suddenly curious to know everything about this woman. Whenever he was around Hana, she never stopped talking. She had no problem telling him anything and everything he wanted to know. Somehow Ari’s secretiveness and having to work to discover the answers was far more appealing. He frowned, not liking that realization.

  “No offense, but I’d prefer not to tell you anything about my personal life,” she answered. “Instead, I think we should focus on our mission.”

  Had the royal family sent this woman because she was more than a mere interpreter? Could she be undercover, like he was? “Are you a spy?” he asked.

  Her eyes twinkled and she smiled, a true smile reaching from ear to ear. It dawned on him again that even though she was dressed rather blandly, her face was very pretty.

  He needed to remain focused. “What information do you intend to discover at the Apethaga palace?” Did she have a similar mission to his? Or did she seek something else entirely?

  “You do your job, and I’ll do mine,” she said.

  He patted his horse’s mane. He’d been observing Ari for days now and had been able to draw a few conclusions of his own. “You said your father and brother are in the military, but you are refined like a courtier. I’m guessing your father is fairly high up.”

  Her eyes narrowed, but she didn’t offer any further information.

  He nudged his horse forward and started to descend the hill. The forest was about a hundred yards ahead of them. Ari steered her horse alongside his. As they neared the forest, Savenek scanned the area, looking for anything of concern.

  “You are singularly devoted to the crown,” she said, surprising him. “You have been training since before you can remember. You train all day, every day. Your life is not your own. You do not get to experience things like family, love, and joy because you have given yourself over to this kingdom.”

  He clutched the reins of his horse, unable to tell if she admired him or felt sorry for him. “That’s not entirely true,” he blurted out. “I have a woman back home.”

  “Does she know what you do for a living?”

  Why did Ari care? “No.” It was safer for Hana not to know that he belonged to the Brotherhood. But he’d have to tell her if they married. How would she take it? Would she care?

  “It’s a hard life,” she commented. “One not many people are able to endure.”

  He eyed her, trying to determine her motive for saying that. He found no mocking on her face, not even sympathy; only understanding. She made him feel off-balance. Taking a deep breath, he forced his nerves to calm so he could focus on his surroundings.

  They’d entered the forest. The trees were spread far enough apart that they continued to ride side by side. Savenek steered his horse toward a stream up ahead. When he reached it, he dismounted and let Onyx drink. Ari did the same.

  When the horses moved away, he crouched and pulled off his boots and socks. He rolled his pants up and waded into the frigid water. He removed his tunic, tossing it to the bank.

  “What are you doing?” Ari demanded.

  Splashing water on his face and chest, Savenek rinsed himself off. “What does it look like?” He smiled at her. As predicted, she flushed.

  “I hardly think now is the time to bathe,” she said. “We are going to reach Apethaga soon and need a foolproof story. Why are there only two of us instead of four? Where are our belongings? Or do you intend to tell them we have been hunted and chased by assassins? Now, put your shirt on and let’s get back in the saddle.”

  “I have a better idea. Why don’t you join me? After all, you smell and could use a bath.”

  Her face went flaming red.

  “We’re in a forest full of wild animals,” he explained. “I’d prefer that those animals don’t come after us because we smell, and they think we’d make an easy meal.”

  She came to the edge of the water and hesitated.

  Savenek dunked his head under the water. Damn that felt good. When he stood upright, Ari was removing her boots.

  “I’ll rinse off,” she said. “But I want you out of the water and looking the other way.”

  “As you wish.” He sloshed out of the water, his wet pants clinging to his legs. Standing on the bank, he faced away from her. He could hear her removing her shirt and pants. He swallowed. When she got into the water, he peered over his shoulder to make sure she was okay. He got a glimpse of her bare back as she went under the water.

  Looking away, he shook his head. She wasn’t his type. She was too skinny, too bony. So why was he teasing her? Why had he just peeked at her? Frustrated and confused, he bent down and grabbed his own tunic, pulling it on with far more force than necessary.

  A large wall loomed up ahead. The Apethaga border. Sentries patrolled the top, bows and arrows on their backs.

  “I’ll announce our presence,” Savenek murmured. “I hope they let us pass without notifying the royal family that we’re here. I’d like to arrive at the palace unnoticed so we can scout it out first.”

  “We don’t have to tell them who we are,” Ari said. “We can say we’re visiting someone. Explore the palace and spy a bit. Then when we’re ready to negotiate with the royal family, announce who we really are.”

  “If we did that, they wouldn’t trust us. We can’t enter into negotiations without some level of trust.”

  Ari’s brows drew together and she looked at him with an odd expression on her face.

  “What?” Did he have something on his chin?

  “Sometimes you remind me of someone. It’s strange.” She shook her head.

  “A lover?” he teased and was rewarded with a vicious glare. He smiled in return. Ari wasn’t like the women he’d met at the market or around the city.

  “No,” she said. “One of my female friends.”

  Had she just implied he reminded her of a woman? She had. And he had no witty comeback to that. Shifting in the saddle, he tried to think of something to say.

  “What do you want to do?” she asked, bringing them back to the task at hand. “Lie? Or announce who we are?”

  Ironically, they were going to lie no matter which option they chose. Even if they announced that they were the negotiator and interpreter from Emperion, they were still using aliases. Savenek eyed Ari, wondering what her real name was.

  “Put your cap back on,” he instructed her. “Try and cover as much of your hair as possible.” It was still pinned on top of her head; however, several strands had come loose making it look like a tangled nest.

  “Why?” she asked as she pulled the cap on.

  “I don’t want anyone looking too closely at you.” With her hair hidden, she could easily pass for a boy, especially since she was dressed as one. It was a good thing she was so dang skinny and lacked curves.

  A whistle rang out from above—they’d been spotted.

  “What’s our plan?” Ari asked again.

  “I’m figuring it out.”

  “You’re figuring it out?” she asked incredulously.

  He did better under pressure and didn’t like to over-plan anything. “Just follow my lead.”

  Ari said something unintelligible under her breath.

  Savenek added planner, control freak, and someone who didn’t like the unexpected to his list of traits belonging to Ari. They rode their horses slow and steady toward the wall. Up ahead, through the thinning trees, he saw a large gate built into the wall. It opened, and half a dozen soldiers approached, bows drawn. The sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting odd shadows on the Apethaga men.

  “Halt!” one of the soldiers in the middle called out. “State your names and purpose.”

  Savenek kept his weapons hidden as he pulled his horse to a stop. “I am Ven, and
this is my sibling, Aryam,” he said, remembering what Isek from the Brotherhood had instructed. Savenek’s primary objective was to keep the negotiator safe. Now that the negotiator was dead and the role fell to him, he needed to make sure Ari remained close so he could protect her. He hoped she passed for a young adolescent not worthy of any man’s attention. “We are expected at the palace for an audience with the royal family.”

  “We’ll escort you there,” the soldier replied. The six men lowered their weapons. One man came forward, taking the reins of the horses. Savenek and Ari dismounted and followed the soldiers.

  When they reached the wall, the gate opened wider, permitting them entrance. Savenek passed through, unable to stop the thrill of excitement that hit him as he officially left Emperion and stepped into Apethaga on his first official mission alone. Once they were on Apethaga soil, the gates slammed shut. A soldier patted him down, confiscating his weapons.

  “Follow me,” one of the soldiers said.

  “Our horses?” Savenek inquired.

  “Will be fed and watered,” he replied. He led them to a small building about thirty feet away.

  Inside the guard station, there were three desks in the center of the room. To the right, there were several doors. Half of them were closed while the other half stood open revealing small quarters with a single bed in each one. On the left side of the room were four empty prison cells.

  “You don’t intend to put us in there, do you?” Ari asked, pointing at the cells as she spoke for the first time since they’d encountered the soldiers. “We are here on a diplomatic mission. Surely you treat your guests better than that?”

  The soldier chuckled. “I thought you were a boy until you said something.” He scratched his head. “No, we aren’t going to lock you up.” He led the two of them to one of the cells, swung the door open, and ushered them inside.