Assassin's Crown (The Assassin and her Dragon Princes Book Book 3)

by Ivy Clyde

  “Thank you, Cain,” I said, leaning forward to kiss his lips. “This is perfect for me.” Even as I thanked him, I realized how naked I felt without the familiar weight and chink of the needles and flattened blades I usually carried under my clothes. Those special weapons could only be found in Linmoor.

  “Why do you look so anxious?” asked Norvin, turning me around to face him directly.

  “I left all my weapons back in Baledonia,” I said. Panic flared inside me. The old terror of being caught by Zane and being completely weaponless crept back inside me.

  “Isn’t there any other place you can buy them from?” asked Cain. “There’s still a lot of gold left with me.”

  I shook my head. “Those needles and blades were specially made in Linmoor. No other place I know makes them that way.” The thought of returning to Linmoor after traveling this far into Drakhaven made my gut fill with dread.

  Norvin laid a gentle hand over my head. “Stop worrying, Dari,” he said in a mocking voice. He chuckled as I frowned at him. “Just tell me what you need and I’ll get them for you.”

  “You can’t find them anywhere other than Linmoor,” I replied, pushing at his chest. “Aren’t you listening?”

  He nodded. “Then that’s where I’ll get them from.”

  “What?” I stared up at Norvin as he smiled down at me.

  “I’ll travel to Linmoor while you go ahead with Cain and Adal. Tell me what you need and I’ll get them for you. Also, I want to have a chat with Lady Elga.”

  I glanced at Cain. He seemed to be in agreement with what Norvin was saying.

  “You have to make sure you fly over the clouds,” said Cain. “You can’t be seen heading to Linmoor.”

  Norvin nodded. “I’ll be careful.”

  “I wish I could write a letter to Lady Elga,” I said, wishing there was ink and parchment to let her know that my memories were back. It would have been convenient to list out the things I needed as well.

  “You can,” said Cain suddenly. “I bought ink and parchment yesterday, considering one of us may need to send a message.”

  “That’s great!” I said excitedly, turning around to hug Cain tightly.

  “Why are you all so excited?” came Adal’s sleepy voice from further inside the cave. “Are we in danger?”

  “No, Prince Moron,” shouted Norvin. “Go back to sleep.” Leaning closer to me and Cain, he whispered, “How does he sleep on that hard ground? I’m sore all over.”

  “It’s hard on me too,” said Adal, walking over to us. His luscious lips were shaped into a pout as he glared at Norvin. His sunshine blond hair fell into his narrowed sapphire-blue eyes, making him look even more irresistible.

  Surrounded by my mates, I couldn’t help but ignore the demands of my pleading body. Don’t be such a wanton, I chided myself!

  “I got something special for you too, Adal,” said Cain, going back to rummage among his haul. Straightening up, he slapped a small package onto my annoyed prince’s hand.

  “What is this?” asked Adal, looking at the wrapped package in his hand.

  “Henna,” announced Cain. “You will have to use it to keep yourself concealed as well.”

  Adal stared at Norvin’s ugly dyed hair. A low groan escaped him as he covered his face with his hands.

  “You’ll still be more beautiful than me, Adal,” I said, gripping his arm. “I don’t think a change in hair color will change that fact.”

  “You weren’t this sweet to me,” said Norvin accusingly.

  “I wasn’t being sweet,” I said, shrugging. “I was stating a fact.”

  Adal smiled, the look of irritation vanishing from his face. “You really can be sweet too, Daria.”

  Over the next hour, we busied ourselves by checking every item that Cain bought for us. He’d been thoughtful, bringing particular things for each of us. While the princes dressed into their new garbs, very similar to the attires they wore back in Iorna, I walked outside into the sun with the roll of parchment and ink pot.

  Setting up a sheet on a bit of smooth, flat rock, I dipped the pigeon-feather quill into the dark ink. I smiled at the humble quill that Cain bought. Had it been before, he would have surely bought one with a pheasant or peacock feather.

  Master Elga, I wrote, pausing to think the best way to breach the subject. While a part of me refused to forgive her for the torturous training she made me go through, I still had to be grateful to her. She’d protected me in her own twisted way and strengthened me enough to have the courage to assassinate Ivan. There were times when vengeance failed and good people refused to soil their hands with blood. Elga made my hands so dirty with blood, there would never be a reason to step back from killing Ivan despite him being my uncle.

  A shudder passed through me as the image of my broken and defiled mother rose up in my mind. No, there would be no forgiveness for what he did to her.

  Dipping the quill into ink once again, I began writing.

  Master Elga,

  Unforeseen circumstances delayed my journey to Drakhaven but I have presently arrived there in the company of three princes. They are fleeing their kingdoms with me, but all hope is not lost.

  They were able to achieve their true dragon forms through me.

  But you must have already guessed or at least predicted it would happen. You knew who I was all along. All these years, you suppressed the powers in my blood, but they are back now. The magic of the sacred chambers of the dragon temples removed every block from within me.

  I know I am a dragonborn and the princess of Drakhaven. The throne of the kingdom rightfully belongs to me and that I took up the assassination of my own uncle.

  I will complete the tasks given by both you and the princes.

  I am mated to them now in more ways than you could possibly imagine.

  And while Prince Norvin of Redfall is there, I would humbly request you to send me the weapons and herbs I am listing in the next sheet.

  Lastly, as much as I’ve hated you all my life, I am also grateful that you kept your promise to Lady Kora.

  Thank you.

  Humbly,

  Princess Daria of Drakhaven.

  I breathed out a long breath, pausing before I brought forward a fresh parchment to list the herbs and weapons I wanted. A breeze blew by, making the parchment flutter wildly. Pressing my hand on it, I wrote out the items I needed immediately.

  The princes were fully dressed by the time I headed inside the cave. They were back to wearing coarse hemp and cheap wool. The colorful Baledonian attires lay heaped in a pile in the corner.

  “Are you hungry yet?” asked Cain. “We’ll be heating up some wine and meat from yesterday.”

  “Thank you. I’ll get dressed too and join you.” Walking towards Norvin, I handed him the rolls of parchment. “Give this to Lady Elga for me. I’m sure she will let you have everything I need.”

  He nodded, placing my letter inside a side flap of his tunic. Cain and Adal dragged him out of the cave, giving me an opportunity to change my clothes. As the Baledonian dress fell away, I looked at the linen bandages wrapped around me securely. The wound underneath didn’t hurt as much as before.

  Cain had bought me a woolen dress instead of the leather breeches that I preferred. Perhaps, he considered that to be the norm among women here and wanted to further conceal my identity. While it would limit some of my movements, I decided it was best to play a farm maid than get caught by some authorities.

  The delicious aroma of roasting meat wafted through the air. Putting on the sturdy boots Cain bought, I headed outside the cave, eager to fill my stomach with the leftover venison from yesterday.

  I sat between Norvin and Adal, picking at the meat while Cain passed around a bowl of warm wine. We bantered, laughed and ate and drank to the brim, for it would be a while before we could stay in such safety and isolation as the mountain cliff. Norvin would soon leave for Linmoor and I would march forward to Fuvaros with Adal and Cain.

  9


  Fuvaros, the capital of Drakhaven, lay some miles away from Okarijun, the closest town to our temporary abode. It was the same place Cain explored to buy our clothes and supplies. Hoping to buy ourselves horses for the rest of the journey, we decided to head into the village.

  Our new attires helped us blend with the rest of the townsfolk. However, as we walked around, I could feel people take note of us. In small villages like these, it was usual for everyone to know their neighbors. Strangers not belonging there were easily spotted. The only bit of relief came from the fact that we were well-disguised.

  As predicted, Adal looked beautiful even with the perverse shade of henna-dyed orange hair. As the late morning sunlight fell on him, illuminating the strands of his hair, he looked utterly mesmerizing. He glanced at me, smiling at the dazed expression on my face.

  “Next time, please try riding me,” he said as we walked through the market square. “I promise to be as gentle as Cain when I am carrying you.”

  I nodded but cringed internally. Riding dragons weren’t the same as riding a horse. Apart from the danger of falling from a thousand feet, it was also highly uncomfortable and nerve-wracking. The force of the wind as a dragon flew was enough to topple any rider off their backs. Only the magical sphere of air I conjured kept me safe.

  “It’s best you accompany me to the dragon temple of Drakhaven,” I said, winding my arm around his. “Perhaps, mating with a true dragon will help me transform too.”

  Adal came to a sudden halt. Cain, who was walking a few feet ahead of us, noticed and stopped to look back at us.

  “With you close to death and fleeing from Baledonia, I didn’t even consider the possibility.”

  “What are you talking about?” asked Cain, coming closer to us.

  “Daria could turn into her true form if she mates with one of us now. I suppose it would have to be at one of the dragon temples, but it’s a strong possibility,” explained Adal, his blue eyes brightening like the sky above. “We’ll have a dragon queen for Drakhaven,” he whispered, letting his smile widen.

  “Save this banter for later,” said Cain in a grim voice. “We don’t know who’s listening.”

  I looked around us. People went about their business, hardly paying any attention to us, but Cain was right about being wary. We were still strangers to the townspeople.

  “What is happening over there?” said Adal, drawing my attention to the corner of the street he was pointing at. Several people had crowded around someone.

  “Get away from him!” someone shouted, stomping past us. “Get away before you catch the sickness.”

  An older man shouted until the crowd dispersed, looking scared and wary. As people parted, I noticed someone had collapsed in the middle of the street. He wasn’t too old, close to his late thirties but looked awfully emaciated. Sores covered the exposed skin of his hands and face.

  I strode forward.

  “Get back, woman,” shouted the old man gruffly, pulling me back forcibly.

  Suppressing the urge to break the man’s wrist, I glared up at him. “Why? What’s happened to him?”

  By the look of the older man’s decent clothes, I could tell he was either a merchant or a well-off farmer. His curious gaze swept over me before loosening his hold on me. “You are newcomers to Okarijun, aren’t you?”

  “Yes,” I replied. “So what?”

  “So you don’t know about the sickness spreading throughout Drakhaven. The winds are carrying it further north and affecting every village in its path.”

  My mind instantly thought of Helena and the “plague” she’d been spreading, but this sounded different. The merchant was saying it’s spreading through the villages. Moving forward, I kneeled down beside the fallen man. His chest was still moving but I could see he was having difficulty breathing.

  “Didn’t I tell you to get away from him?” shouted the merchant. Before I could turn around, he uttered a shriek of pain. Cain had his wrist locked in a painful grip.

  “Don’t touch her,” he said in a warning tone.

  “She is a healer,” added Adal.

  “A healer?” The merchant calmed down and Cain let him go. “Can you help treat these people?”

  “I don’t know yet,” I said, turning back to the sick man. Placing my fingers on his forehead, I closed my eyes, focusing on the flow of his internal energy. Thick tendrils of black miasma emanated from his heart. A gasp escaped me as I snatched my hand away. This man was close to death.

  “What do you think, Daria?” asked Adal, bending next to me.

  “It’s a sickness.” Meeting his gaze, I knew what he wanted to ask. “It’s not like last time. It’s a real disease that will kill this man.”

  “He is about to die?” asked the older man in a voice thick with apprehension.

  “Yes.”

  A heavy sigh escaped him. “I will call the undertaker to arrange for a cremation. It is best if you lot don’t go near him. You will catch it too.”

  “You said the sickness is spreading,” said Cain. “But we don’t see any sick people around here.”

  “That’s because the sick are driven from the town,” said the man. “This man may have come here to buy food but he’s going to be dying anyway.” He made a disgusted noise. “Selfish lot! Why do they have to spread the plague to the rest of us?” Turning away, he walked down the street, muttering to himself.

  No one came close to the fallen man. People kept their distance as they passed by him.

  “Please…help…” The sick man’s weak voice reached my ears. Moving closer, I tried to hear what he was saying. “My children need food. Please help them.”

  “Where are they?” I asked, looking around the busy market street. There were no children nearby.

  “In the woods,” he whispered but couldn’t speak any longer as a hacking cough overwhelmed him. Blood spurted from his mouth. Cain pulled me back in time so I wasn’t sprayed completely.

  “What is going on here?” I asked, straightening up and looking between Adal and Cain. “What should I do?” My heart thundered heavily in my chest. We were supposed to buy horses and look for an inn for the night, but with so many people suffering, I wondered if I could concentrate on anything else. I had to do something.

  “Breathe, Daria,” said Cain, holding my shoulders in a gentle grip. “Let us find more about the plague and then we’ll know what to do to help the ones who are suffering.”

  That sounded like the most sensible thing to do. I stared up at him gratefully, glad I had a ruling prince by my side. It had only been two days since I discovered my identity as the princess of Drakhaven. Somehow, it didn’t feel like an excuse for ignoring the plight of my people. I was no longer the little girl who refused to speak and eat after witnessing the cruel deaths of her parents. It was time I pulled myself together to aid every person in Drakhaven.

  “Let’s go to the place where they are staying,” I said.

  “Perhaps, we should carry some grains to them,” said Adal. “If the sick are not allowed inside the town, they must be starving in the woods.”

  More relief spread through me. I could trust Adal for a good strategy. I nodded. “Let’s do that.”

  We bought as much grains as we could carry which turned out to be a few silver’s worth. Borrowing a hand-pushed cart from the seller, we set towards the area where the sick were being kept. Now that I knew what was going on, I could see the gloom over everyone. There were no children on the streets and the adults walked with their heads bowed, not making eye contact. It looked like someone related to them was already suffering.

  “I can’t believe Mekhi, Zane and Helena are out of Drakhaven when a plague is spreading through the entire kingdom,” I said, panting as I hurried after Cain who was pushing the cart.

  “They never cared,” said Adal, walking alongside me. “Emperor Ivan is satisfied to collect his yearly toll to erect his statues and monuments. He doesn’t care if people are starving.”

  “And
if you can’t pay the tithe, he will burn you,” said Cain in a grim voice filled with suppressed rage. “He’s burned so many villages in both Iorna and Redfall. Only Baledonia can keep up with his demands.”

  “It is one of the many reasons Cain and Norvin decided to revolt against him,” said Adal. “It is more than just revenge for their families.”

  I understood it all before, but never experienced the anger or helplessness that my princes felt. For the first time, I was seeing and feeling things through their perspective. It only added heat to my already searing rage.

  It took us over an hour to reach the area where the sick were accommodated. It was far from the main town with horrendous living conditions. Tents had been erected for them but in the cold weather of the region, I doubted they made good lodging for the sick.

  I stared all around the clearing in the woods, not knowing which way to go. Men, women, and children crowded the tents or lounged sickly among tree trunks. No one had the strength to look after themselves or their families. Despair and doom hung in the air. It was easy to tell these people had given up hope from their thin, tired faces.

  Panic flared inside me. What was I to do in a situation like this? How was I to help so many? Elga taught me to kill many. Why didn’t she teach me to save them as well? Even if I gave up my life, I could only save one of them.

  I met the gaze of a young child. She sat leaning against a tree trunk, staring at me with unfeeling eyes. She was quiet while the adults around her wept or moaned in pain. Moving close to her, I knelt by her side.

  “Are you all right?” I asked, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder.

  I could feel the cold seeping into my skin through the thin material of her dress. My gentle touch was enough to make her sag and fall sideways. It took me another moment to realize the girl was dead. I choked on the cry of shock.

  I scrambled away from the corpse.

  “Daria,” Cain’s voice sounded close to me but I remained staring at the dead body before me. A child had died and no one had noticed. What kind of fresh hell had I stepped into?