His purple gaze slid to her. “It is my duty to protect you and your family."
She stopped and turned to face him. “It is also your duty to tell my family what I have done, is it not?"
Ixion came to a halt and slowly moved to face her.
"Are you going to tell my father?” Natalia's heart clenched at the thought. Her father would be so angry with her for going out into the city after dark and singing somewhere so public without any guards. She bit her lip and stared into Ixion's eyes, waiting to hear her sentence.
She would do anything to keep him silent.
A frown creased her brow when a voice at the back of her mind asked exactly how far she would go to silence Ixion.
The pale light of the streetlamp shone down on his face. His gaze held hers, steady and intent, his stunning purple irises stirring something deep inside her. She pressed a hand to her stomach as it warmed. Her heart fluttered against her ribs like a butterfly, trembling in its attempt to break free and fly to him.
He was so mysterious and handsome, and she had never experienced anything like the pull she felt to him. It was deep, making her chest and stomach hot, and tingles dance along her nerve endings whenever his eyes met hers.
"We must keep moving,” he said at last.
Natalia shook her head. “No. Not until you promise not to tell my parents."
His eyes darkened as he frowned. He looked as though he was going to refuse and then slowly nodded.
"But you must promise me something in return.” Those words held a sense of foreboding and she knew what he was going to say. She didn't move, didn't want to agree to his terms, even though it would mean trouble if she didn't. “You must stop leaving the palace to sing."
It hurt to agree to that, to sacrifice the one thing that made her truly happy and feel free, but she nodded nonetheless. She had no other choice. She was asking a lot of him by making him promise to keep her habit secret and go against his duty to inform her parents of any danger to the family. The least she could do was promise that she wouldn't put herself at risk anymore.
With a heavy heart, Natalia followed him over the bridge that led to the palace grounds and through a side gate. No one was on the other side and it wasn't a gate that she was familiar with. Was it one that the assassins used? She hadn't been paying attention to whether Ixion had a key for it.
Looking up at the palace towering above her, she tightened her grip on her sack of clothes and sighed. So much for freedom. She was reduced to singing in her room again and living the life of a princess.
They walked up through the gardens and she followed Ixion when he branched away from her normal path and took a barely visible one through the low flowering shrubs. It twisted and snaked its way through the garden and she was surprised when it came out right by the door to her apartments.
She looked back, trying to see the path, but the night stole her vision and made the path invisible—just as it made Ixion invisible. She could barely see him in the low light from her apartments. He lingered in the shadows away from her door, on the main path that led to the back of the palace.
Natalia looked into his eyes, wondering if he would keep his promise and whether she would ever see him again. Twice in her life, he had allowed her to see him, and this time it had affected her deeply. She wanted to know more about him and how he came to be at the palace. She wanted to know why he had come to escort her back rather than sending a guard, and why he would keep her secret when it went against his duty to do so.
Most of all, she wanted to know him.
He placed his right hand against his chest and bowed. “Goodnight, my lady."
With that he disappeared into the night before she could even realise he was gone. She blinked and stared at the spot where he had been.
She pressed her hand against the panel beside her door. The light flashed blue and the twin arched glass and white wood doors to her apartments opened. She looked back into the garden, trying to catch a glimpse of Ixion.
She knew that he was still nearby. She could feel him watching her, just as she had felt his eyes on her at the club.
"Goodnight,” she whispered and then walked into her apartments, knowing that she wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.
Not when her heart and mind were full of Ixion.
He made her feel things that she had never experienced before.
For the first time in her life, she wanted to know a male's touch.
Ixion's touch.
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Chapter 2
Ixion tilted his head back and looked up the impressive height of the central courtyard of the palace to the blazing blue sky above. It was hard to tell what time it was. It seemed to be moving slowly today, dragging its heels as though the sun didn't want to set. He wished it would. Today had been nothing short of torture.
And he couldn't keep his mind off Natalia.
Every shy glance and smile she had given him had been replayed in his mind at least a thousand times since he had left her last night. His concentration was shot, enough that he had agreed to something without thinking it through. Something he was regretting.
Aiden collided with Ciel and burst into a fit of laughter when his older brother fell, his backside hitting the white flagstones of the courtyard hard.
Ixion's jaw ticked.
How could the beautiful and elegant Natalia be related to such buffoons?
Her older brothers were both fools, good for nothings that didn't know the meaning of work or study.
Ixion pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose.
"Again ... without the tomfoolery,” he ground the words out from between clenched teeth.
A curse rolled off Ixion's tongue when the two men ignored what he had said and began to play fight with the wooden swords that he had provided for use in their lesson today. When their tutor returned from his urgent business, Ixion was going to have words with him. Aiden and Ciel were impossible. They lacked even basic manners and their fighting skill was atrocious.
If they continued to vex him much longer, he was going to have to intervene and show them how quickly they would lose in a fight for their lives. He couldn't hurt them but he could bring them down several pegs. It would take him no more than ten seconds to disarm and pretend to kill them.
Ciel brushed his black hair from his eyes, smoothing the strands back into his long ponytail, and thrust the wooden sword at Aiden. Aiden was two years younger than Ciel but they were both broad of build and tall, a strange mixture of their mother and father, just like the family's firstborn, the twins Renie and Rezic.
Rezic showed as much responsibility towards his species as the two younger brothers did. Ixion didn't think much of Renie's exploits either. As the first princess of the family, she should have remained on Lyra Five and attended to her duties.
Being an elite member of the royal guard gave him access privileges to the family's schedule.
All of the appointments that were assigned to her brothers and sister, Natalia attended. She went to all of the ceremonies and receptions, and read through most of the invitations and letters that came to the palace.
Her brothers and sister could learn a lot from Natalia.
Her schedule was punishing but she endured it because she felt a responsibility towards her people. A true princess—kind, warm hearted, open and beautiful.
Aiden bumped into him. Ixion gritted his teeth and pushed him away, barely stopping himself from hitting him as he desired to. He sighed and looked up at the patch of sky again, willing the time to pass so he could escape to somewhere quiet where he could be alone with his thoughts.
"Again. From the top. The moves that I showed you, if you please, my lords.” His words gained a sharp edge at the last, his frustration getting the better of him.
He had never had direct contact with Aiden and Ciel before, but had heard about their disrespect towards the palace staff. Having witnessed it firsthand, he found himself struck by a l
onging to beat some manners into them.
Just at that moment, a breath of fresh air swept through the room.
Natalia.
She looked at him with wide startled eyes and then lowered her gaze and hurried forwards. Beautiful Natalia. His impossible dream. He had allowed her to see him once when she was eighteen and could still remember how she had looked at him—frightened but fascinated. He had guarded her ever since, although she hadn't been aware of it. When she had started sneaking down into the city last year, he had considered stopping her straight away but then he had seen how happy it made her to sing and he hadn't been able to through with it. Things were different now though. Back then, it hadn't been dangerous for her to be out alone at night. Now she was attracting attention from the wrong crowd—the kind who would kill her if they realised who she was.
"Where are we scurrying of to?” Aiden stepped in front of Natalia. She frowned up at him and tried to pass but he blocked whichever direction she went.
She turned around and swept the two long strands of hair that framed her beautiful face out of her eyes.
Ciel stood behind her, his sword resting on his shoulder and a wide grin on his face.
"I'm busy,” Natalia said on a sigh. “Just get out of the way."
There was a tired edge to her voice that spoke of stress. Ixion had seen her schedule for today and it was as gruelling as ever. By now, she would have been working straight for six hours and would have travelled down into the city for a council meeting about the festival. Her brothers were being nothing but cruel by delaying her.
"Don't go,” Ciel said and grabbed her around the waist from behind. He lifted her off the floor and she slid downward in her pale pink accented white empire-line dress. It rode upwards, exposing her legs to the thigh. “Play a while."
Ixion swallowed hard. Iskara. It was wrong of him but he was thankful to Ciel.
Natalia struggled, flailing her legs, and Ixion couldn't take his eyes off them. The white stockings she wore made his heart thunder. His elusive princess.
He looked away, berating himself for taking such liberties. Natalia was a princess. It was wrong of him, a lowly assassin, to look at her like that.
A dull ache settled in his chest.
It was wrong of him to love her.
It was torture.
"Get off me,” Natalia said and then Ciel cried out in pain.
Ixion's head snapped around. Ciel was clutching his shin, hopping around the courtyard as Aiden laughed. Natalia stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at both of her brothers. She huffed and straightened out the loose knot of black hair at the back of her hair and the frowned.
Ixion was about to go to her when she stooped, picked up the wooden sword that Ciel had dropped and stalked towards her brother. She snatched Aiden's sword from him and shoved it into Ciel's hand. Her brothers stood at least eight inches taller than her and were three times as broad, but she wasn't intimidated in the least.
"Play?” she said and held the wooden sword out in both hands. “Is that what you think this is?"
Ciel and Aiden exchanged a confused look.
"All you two ever do is play, and I'm going to prove it. I bet you can't beat me. Nothing that Ix—your tutor says goes into that thick head of yours."
Ixion smiled inside at the fact that she had almost said his name. He wasn't surprised that she knew it. Since he was head of the royal assassins, he was often spoken about by her father and the members of the elite guard.
He was also silently thankful that she intended to beat some manners into her brothers for him.
Ciel looked wary and then straightened to his full height, his cocksure smile back on his face. Aiden patted him on the shoulder and gave him a look that said it should be an easy win.
The moment Aiden had stepped aside, Natalia launched herself at Ciel. Ixion had never trained any of the royal family to fight but knew that the daughters had been trained to the same level as the sons. Clearly, Natalia had given her tutor and lessons the attention they deserved because Ciel was immediately on the back foot, desperately blocking her thrusts and strikes.
The look of sheer determination on Natalia's face only made her more beautiful. Her emerald green eyes sparkled with satisfaction when she landed a blow and a smile curved her delicate rose lips. Ixion pressed a hand to his chest, willing his heart to be still when it raced at the glorious sight of her. She fought with grace and speed, and with immeasurable elegance fit for a princess. She was stunning. If she hadn't captured his heart before that moment, she would have claimed it then.
Ciel tried to dodge her wooden blade and swing at her but she ducked and kicked his legs out. He crashed to the floor. Before Ciel could recover, her white booted foot was on his chest and her sword was against his throat.
The sound of clapping echoed around the room.
"Stunning,” a deep warm voice said, reflecting Ixion's thoughts. He turned at the same time as Natalia and her brothers to face the newcomer. General Lyra II. Ixion immediately pressed his right hand against his chest and bowed his head. “My sons would do well to listen to their tutor's instruction since their little sister has beaten them."
General Lyra II halted in front of them as Aiden helped Ciel up off the floor. Natalia hid the sword behind her back, a deep blush staining her cheeks.
"You will never make officers if you do not apply yourself to your studies,” General Lyra II said with a saddened expression.
Ixion didn't think that Aiden or Ciel wanted to be in the imperial army. Neither of them showed any inclination to do anything besides playing the fool.
"Natalia,” General Lyra II said as he turned to face his daughter. She looked up at him with wide eyes that held a trace of fear. Her father was an imposing figure but Ixion didn't think that she had a reason to fear him. He hadn't said a word about her singing in the city clubs. He would take that secret to his grave for her. “I would like you to come with me. I need to discuss something with you before I leave to meet Renie and Rezic at the edge of the system and escort them home."
Natalia nodded and handed the fake sword to Aiden.
Ixion kept his head bowed but watched her as she passed. She was frightened. Why? Was she expecting some sort of retribution for her behaviour today or was it something else?
The town clock chimed the hour, the sound of the bells carried on the still warm air. Ixion saluted Aiden and Ciel and left. Rather than heading back to his quarters and reporting for duty, he followed Natalia and her father. It went against his duty to spy on General Lyra II but he had to know what he was going to say to Natalia, because whatever it was, it scared her.
They disappeared into her father's chambers and Ixion hung back. He couldn't stand by the door and listen. It was too obvious. There were rooms adjoining her father's office. He looked around the wide arched stone corridor and then went into one. It was a grand drawing room. He had been in it once before when he had first arrived and the general and Natalia's mother had greeted him and the others. There was a door that joined it to the office where Natalia and her father were. Ixion walked over to it and leaned his head against the dark wooden door, listening.
"Several potential suitors have contacted me."
Ixion wished that he hadn't heard those words right. He closed his eyes and leaned harder into the door, until his skull ached.
"Suitors?” There was a high note of panic in Natalia's voice but something told Ixion that her father's suggestion wasn't so wholly unexpected.
She was mating age after all and her sister was to be married. It made sense that her father would start to think about finding her a husband too.
A husband?
Ixion felt sick. He had watched Natalia for seven years. Had fallen in love with her. Now he was going to have to stand by and watch as she was married off to some whelp of a male for the sake of the prosperity of Lyra and good relations with whatever species the male was from. It turned his stomach.
He pressed his hand
to the door, wishing that he could see Natalia's face so he knew what she was feeling. Did the thought of suitors frighten her?
"Send them away,” Natalia said and something slammed into something else. Her fist? It sounded as though she had hit something. “I want no suitor!"
"Natalia ... my sweetest angel of Iskara ... you are twenty five. When you turned mating age it was only a matter of time before you attracted the attention of suitors. You are beautiful, the very image of your mother, and it will be a sad day for me when you marry."
Ixion's fingers curled into a tight fist. How could her father talk like that when he was clearly going against her will just by entertaining the thought of allowing males to court her?
"You will be waiting a long time because I refuse. I will not have males peddling their wares for my heart!"
There was such force behind those words that Ixion was sure her father would be shocked by the outburst. Couldn't he see that she hated the very idea of having suitors come to the palace to court her?
The silence in the room next door stretched on. Ixion's breathing was slow and steady even when his heart beat fast with anticipation of what would happen next. He needed to see her face so he could read her feelings. Years of watching her had given him the ability to see the emotions she felt even when only a tiny trace of them showed on her face. He could see beyond it to her heart.
Looking down, he frowned at the old-fashioned brass handle and lock. He crouched and peered through the keyhole. He could see part of Natalia. She was facing towards him, staring intently at her father, her hands pressed against the wide wooden desk.
"Natalia.” Her father's tone was cautious. “Is there someone already?"
Ixion's eyes widened. He watched Natalia closely. Her blush gave her away.
"Tell me, Natalia."
She shook her head and lowered it. Her fist came up and pressed against her lips. Ixion silently begged her to say the name of the male in her heart. He wanted to know who he had to kill. If it was anyone other than him, foolish dream as that was, he would see to it they disappeared.
Heart of an Assassin [Daughters of Lyra Series] Page 2
