Imperial Assassin
Authors: Mark Robson
For Timothy—
may your life be rich and
full of good times.
SIMON AND SCHUSTER
First published in Great Britain in 2006 by Simon & Schuster UK Ltd
A CBS COMPANY
Text copyright © Mark Robson 2006
Cover illustration by Geoff Taylor © Simon & Schuster 2006
Cover title design by
www.blacksheep-uk.com
This book is copyright under the Berne Convention.
No reproduction without permission.
All rights reserved.
The right of Mark Robson to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with sections
77
and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and
Patents Act, 1988.
Simon & Schuster UK Ltd
Africa House
64–78 Kingsway
London WC2B 6AH
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN-13: 978-1-4169-0186-0
ISBN-10: 1-416-90186-8
eBook: 978-1-4711-1655-1
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to
actual people living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Typeset by Rowland Phototypesetting Ltd,
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Printed and bound in Great Britain by Cox & Wyman Ltd, Reading Berks
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
In Shandrim, Capital City of Shandar
REYNIK – Legionnaire of the General’s Elite Legion. One of only two such elite Legionnaires yet to reach their eighteenth birthdays.
TRENNON – Legionnaire of the elite First Legion.
SIDIS – File Leader of the elite First Legion. Companion to Femke during her journey to Thrandor.
FEMKE – Talented young spy for the Emperor of Shandar. Mistress of disguise.
TYMM – Legionnaire of the elite First Legion. Friend of Reynik
NELEK – Veteran Legionnaire of the General’s Elite Legion.
LORD TREMARLE – Powerful ‘old school’ Lord of Shandar. Father of Lord Danar.
LORD LACEDIAN – ‘Old school’ Lord of Shandar. Best friend of Lord Tremarle.
LORD DANAR – A handsome young playboy of the Imperial Court. Only son of Lord Tremarle, a powerful ‘old school’ Lord. Killed by Shalidar during Femke’s
mission in Mantor.
LORD FERDAND – Master Spy. Mentor of Femke. Missing, presumed dead for two years. Now the Guildmaster of the Guild of Assassins.
OTHER ASSASSINS – Brothers: Scorpion, Firedrake, Falcon (deceased), Viper, Cougar, Fox Bear, Dragon, Wolf Spider.
SURABAR – Ex-military General of the Shandese Legions, now Emperor of Shandar.
SHALIDAR – Member of the Guild of Assassins (Brother Dragon) and long-time adversary of Femke.
LADY ALYSSA – A phantom. That is, an alias of Femke. A spoilt young woman known to be the daughter of a rich merchant Lord from a coastal city.
VERSANDE MATTHIASON – Proprietor of The Silver Chalice, a high class inn located in the centre of Shandrim.
RIKALA – Dressmaker and friend of Versande Matthiason.
LORD KEMPTEN – ‘Old school’ Lord of Shandar. Regent of the Shandese Empire in Emperor Surabar’s absence.
LADY KEMPTEN – Gracious lady wife of Lord Kempten. Known affectionately as Izzie by her husband.
COMMANDER SATERIS – Commander of the Shandese First Legion.
COMMANDER VASCILLY – Legion Commander who gives daily reports to the Emperor.
ANEKI – A servant to Serrius, retired gladiator of Shandrim.
SERRIUS – A deadly gladiator. Reputed to be the best swordsman ever to fight in the Shandese arena. Retired. Tutor to Reynik.
DERRYN – An ageing street entertainer and expert knife thrower. Tutor to Reynik.
DEVARUSSO – The debonair leader of Shandrim’s foremost band of actors. Tutor to Reynik.
DIKARIS – File Second to Sidis in the elite First Legion. Stickler for discipline and personal hygiene.
TOOMAS – An unscrupulous tattle tout.
SHANTELLA – True name of Brother Fox – the only female member of the Guild of Assassins.
JARRON – A guard at the house of Lord Lacedian.
DAKREAS – A guard at the house of Lord Lacedian.
SASSO – A servant of Lord Tremarle.
MERRIK – A lord of Shandar.
SHEDRICK – An informant – agent of Femke.
LUTALO – Legion Commander. Assigned to the elite First Legion after the assassination of Commander Sateris. Father of Reynik.
TAM – A legionnaire.
JURRE – A servant in the Guild complex.
GAETAN – A wagoneer.
C
ONTENTS
HAPTER
O
NE
‘Well, lads! What do we have here? If it isn’t the Emperor’s golden boy returned from his holidays. Did you have a nice time in Thrandor, Reynik? Did you
bring us all presents?’
All eyes in the barrack tent turned to focus on the young man in the doorway. He met their combined gaze with a confidence at odds with his years. Reynik had yet to celebrate his eighteenth
birthday, but already he was no stranger to military action. During his first ceremonial guard duty there had been a skirmish with traitorous rebels. Reynik’s skill at arms during the
fighting had brought him to the attention of the Emperor, who had then chosen him for a special escort mission. The acid welcome at Reynik’s return was no more than he had expected.
‘Thrandor was hell! Fine wines, beautiful girls and a luxurious room with my own bathtub – a complete nightmare. You’d have hated it, boys,’ he responded, his grin making
him look more a boy than a man. ‘I spent all my money on memories, so you’ll just have to make do with my stories as gifts.’
‘Bah, you wouldn’t know what to do with a beautiful girl if she came with written instructions!’ one of the older men spat.
‘At least they didn’t worry about over-exciting me for fear of my heart packing up, Trennon,’ Reynik retorted swiftly.
There was a round of general laughter at that. Reynik was relieved. Outwardly he strove to give the impression of confidence. Inside, he trembled. He knew from his recent training that anything
perceived by the group as special treatment made for bad feeling. His father had taught him group dynamics well. He knew that brazening it out was the best way to tackle the situation.
If he could tell them the
real
story of what had happened in Thrandor, then his re-acceptance by his fellow soldiers might be easier to achieve. Sadly he was sworn to secrecy. The
Emperor had made it clear to both himself and Sidis that they were not to discuss the events of their trip with anyone. Sidis had been a miserable companion for the entire duration. Given that he
was a File Leader and Reynik was a junior Legionnaire, Reynik had hoped that Sidis would take time to teach him something new of soldiering during their journey. He had not. He had been sullen and
unfriendly throughout. After he witnessed Reynik tackle an assassin in front of the entire Thrandorian Royal Court, the File Leader’s disinterest in progressing Reynik’s soldiering
skills turned to active obstruction. During the return journey Sidis had been all but unbearable.
‘If only Sidis was more friendly,’ he thought. Having someone, anyone who he could talk to about the time in Thrandor would have helped. The only person with whom he could talk about
the trip was Femke, the Imperial Spy who had posed as the Shandese Ambassador, and that was awkward on several levels. Thoughts of Femke were not helpful. They were distracting and he knew he had
to keep his focus. He had to show his fellow soldiers that he had not lost his identity as a member of the group.
Reynik heaved his heavy pack in through the opening of the tent and put it in the nearest corner, to the left of the entrance flaps. The spot closest to the door flap was the worst in the tent.
It was the draughtiest, the most difficult to keep clean, and the place liable for the most disturbances during the sleeping hours.
‘So, what’s Thrandor really like, Reynik?’ asked one of the other more junior soldiers.
‘Much like Shandar, Tymm,’ he replied with a shrug. ‘The trip was pretty boring for the most part. File Leader Sidis and I got to play nursemaid for an Ambassador during the
journey. When we got there, we were largely left to our own devices until it was time to come home again. I got to see a fair bit of Mantor, which was good fun. The Royal Guards in the Thrandorian
Palace were up for a bit of weapon play, so I learned one or two new tricks. Aside from that, it was as dull as a duty watch in the early hours.’