Invisible Assassin (8 page)

Minna stepped back, but Ronan followed, not allowing her to slip out of range. She looked at Shista, but the cat had already read the danger in the situation and stopped her advance, watching the Prince. He smiled, content that his plan had worked.

"Now, where is the assassin?"

"I do not know."

"Come now, do you think me stupid? Of course you know where he is hiding."

Minna shook her head. "Only Kerrion knows his hideout. I see him when he is brought to me for instructions."

Ronan moved closer, raising the sword until the tip was pressed against her throat. "So, he is not such a fool after all, and you think he dotes on you. Obviously he does not trust you, does he?"

Blade walked up behind the Prince, his feet silent on the marble floor. As he drew near to Ronan's broad back, he released the catch on one of the wrist sheaths and let a dagger slide into his hand, the warm steel comforting in his palm.

"Since you do not know, you can die now, Jashimari slut," Ronan growled.

Shista snarled, her tail lashing as she sensed the danger to her friend, but Minna's thoughts held her in check. Blade reached the Prince and raised the dagger. Minna's eyes widened as she realised what he planned to do with the dagger now poised next to the Prince's ribs. One quick stab would snuff out Ronan's life.

"No! You cannot kill him here!"

Blade froze, and the Prince spun around, raising his sword. His elbow hit Blade in the side of the face hard enough to knock him down with a grunt. Ronan stood over him, the sword pressed to his throat, and smiled.

"So, the little fop is trying to play hero? I was not going to bother to kill you, but now I shall."

Minna raised a hand to her mouth, horrified by the situation she had caused. Blade shot her an accusing look as he prepared to elude the Prince's sword. His chances were not good, he knew. As Ronan raised the weapon, Minna shouted, "Shista!"

Ronan howled as Blade stabbed him in the ankle, and the cat sprang at the Queen's command. She landed on Ronan's back, her claws sinking into his shoulders. Her weight caused the Prince's knees to buckle and sent him crashing on top of the supine assassin. Blade coughed as the air was punched from his lungs. His vision darkened and his ribs creaked under the strain of the Prince and sand cat on top of him.

Shista gripped Ronan's neck, her fangs closing around his throat as he shouted and thrashed. Obeying the Queen's thoughts, she lifted him and dragged him off the assassin. Ronan had lost his sword in the fracas, and beat at the sand cat with his fists, making Shista growl in annoyance. Minna dashed forward to kneel beside Blade, who stared at the ceiling with wide eyes.

"Are you all right, My Lord?"

His gaze flicked to her face. "Apart from being a little flattened, I suspect that I will live, My Queen."

She smiled, then dissolved into helpless giggles at his indignant look. The assassin struggled to sit up, holding his ribs. "I cannot believe you stopped me. It was the perfect opportunity."

She shook her head, sobering. "We cannot kill him here. How will we explain it?"

"We could hide the body until Kerrion returns. Let him deal with it."

"No. Doubtless someone knows he is here. It would not work."

Blade looked at the Prince struggling in Shista's jaws, making gargling noises as he tried to pry the cat's mouth open. Shista looked bored, and her eyes begged the Queen to allow her to spit out the distasteful morsel. "Then let Shista kill him. You can say that she was defending you."

Minna pondered the suggestion, then shook her head again. "With Cotti laws I cannot claim self-defence, since he is within his rights to murder me if he wishes."

Blade rose to his feet, grimacing at the pain in his ribs. "How can you stand to live like this, at the mercy of these petty, tyrannical Cotti princes?"

"It is better than being dead, I suspect," she replied, and he looked away, turning his attention to the Prince.

"We must keep him silent until Kerrion returns," he said. "If he calls the guards there will be trouble."

Minna nodded, and he used a napkin from the luncheon table to gag the Prince, then bound his hands behind his back and his ankles with a curtain cord. Once Ronan was trussed, Shista released him and padded over to rub against the Queen, demanding praise for her obedience. Minna hugged and stroked her, whispering lovingly to her. Blade dragged the Prince into a corner and propped him against the wall, ignoring his enraged mumbles. He then returned to seat himself on the cushions before the luncheon tray and pour himself a cup of wine, draining half of it in a few gulps. Minna joined him, rubbing her neck with a shiver.

"That was rather too close for comfort, My Lord."

He smiled. "A good thing he dismissed me as a fop. It pays to look harmless."

"Harmless, you? I would not say such a thing."

"You know what I truly am, but most people think assassins look disreputable and sly, perhaps even brutish and scarred, which many do. The best disguise is that of nobility, as Talon, my mentor has. I do not claim to look noble, only innocuous."

Her eyes sparkled. "Perhaps innocent is a better description."

The assassin's brows rose. "Innocent? Now you do surprise me, My Queen."

"Yet when you are angry you do look quite dangerous. That is how Chiana described you on the day you came to the palace."

"Did she?" His smile broadened to reveal even white teeth in a rare grin. "As I recall, I was rather angry that day. It seems such a long time ago now. "

"Yes. A lifetime ago." The Queen gazed into her wine cup as she became lost in memories.

Shista flung herself down next to Blade and rolled onto her back, demanding that he scratch her belly. He obliged, and the cat purred in a deep rumble. Minna watched him, recalling her first encounter with this strange man whose eyes held the freezing touch of a blizzard. Then, as now, Shista had warmed to him, and the cat was a better judge of character than any person Minna knew.

Blade stayed with the Queen for the rest of the day to ensure that Ronan did not escape his bonds. In the middle of the afternoon an advisor came to enquire after the Prince, and Blade hid Ronan behind a curtain. The man looked suspicious when told that Ronan had left long before, his eyes darting about the room. Blade sensed that he may have searched more thoroughly had Minna been alone, but the assassin's presence, even as a courtier, seemed to dissuade him.

When at last Kerrion returned, dusk had fallen and the heat of the day gave way to the evening chill. The King looked surprised to find the assassin sipping wine with the Queen, and shot Minna a curious glance.

"Still entertaining?"

She looked at Blade. "My Lord Conash was good enough to stay with me after my uninvited guest had been dealt with."

"What guest?"

Blade rose and went over to draw the curtain aside. Kerrion's eyes widened at the sight of his dishevelled brother. Striding over to the Prince, he untied his ankles and yanked him to his feet by his collar, then jerked out the gag.

"I do not need to ask why you are here, I suppose?"

Ronan snarled, "Your damned slut has gone too far! I shall not let this indignity go unpunished."

Kerrion slapped him, making him stagger. "You will be lucky if I do not banish you to some obscure oasis where you can spend your days negotiating with the local warlords."

"Why do you not?" Blade enquired.

Ronan glared at the assassin. "Hold your tongue, you insolent fop!"

"Fop?" Kerrion's brows rose, and he glanced at Minna.

She smiled. "My courtier, who helped to save me."

"Ah." The King scowled at his brother. "Your intrusion into my private quarters without invitation is sufficient reason for punishment."

"What punishment? It is hardly an act of treason."

"No, merely a personal affront. Something I am quite within my rights to redeem, so long as I do not kill you."

"You would not dare!"

"Dare?" Kerrion's voice rose. "I am the King! No one enters my private quarters uninvited. No one!"

"And I shall demand satisfaction for the effrontery of your whore's dandy."

The King gripped his brother's collar and jerked him closer, nose-to-nose. "Each time you open your mouth, your situation becomes more dire, Ronan. If you demand any such thing, I will give you more than a few bruises. Perhaps the loss of an ear or eye will cool your temper? Or maybe I should send you to lead the army against the nomads in the east? An honourable way for a prince to die, so I am told. Definitely more so than in some dark gutter when I tire of your insolence. Do not think I will not do it. I am the King, and you should not forget it."

"Nor should you," Ronan sneered, undeterred. "Even the King is accountable to the courts. You are not above the law."

"Not above it, but I can certainly twist it to my advantage, and I have many who will help me do it. Has not the fate of your brothers taught you anything?"

"It has taught me that you are a murdering bastard who will stoop to killing your brothers to protect a Jashimari whore."

Kerrion nodded. "That is right, because they were plotting to murder her, which makes them no better. Any who pit themselves against me will suffer the consequences."

The royal Cotti glared at each other, and Blade drawled, "What it must be to love one's brother."

Both men turned their scowls upon the assassin and said in unison, "Half-brother!"

Kerrion released Ronan's collar and stepped back, his hands clenched. "So what is it to be? A few bruises, or something more permanent?"

"You are a coward to beat a man who is bound and injured."

"I have already beaten you in fair combat. I have nothing to prove."

"And I have suffered enough at the hands of your slut's fop and familiar."

Kerrion's fist smashed into Ronan's jaw, and the Prince staggered back. The King went after him. "A few scratches does not satisfy my honour, and each time you insult my future wife, you insult me."

Blade turned away, bowing to the Queen. "I shall retire now, My Queen, it seems that bloodshed is imminent."

She inclined her head. "By all means, My Lord. In fact, I would rather not be forced to witness it myself. Shall we walk?"

The assassin headed for the door, standing aside to allow Minna to precede him into the corridor. Kerrion watched them leave, then turned to his brother once more. Ronan retreated, shaking his head, and Kerrion advanced on the Prince.

When Minna-Satu returned, Kerrion was slumped in the chamber's only chair, rubbing his bruised knuckles, a half empty bottle of wine next to him. He rose to embrace her, stepping back to brush an errant lock of hair from her brow.

"I apologise for his insults, Minna."

"Doubtless you made him pay."

"He will carry the marks for tendays, and I will ensure that everyone knows how and why he received them. His humiliation will be grave."

She sighed, turning away. "And his anger will grow in proportion, I venture to say."

"You think I made a mistake?"

"No, I just fail to see any benefit in it. He will not give up. Each time he is foiled he grows more determined, and more dangerous."

Kerrion nodded, scowling. "That is why he must be assassinated. It is the only way to keep you safe."

"I will not order Blade to do it. It is too dangerous. If you want him dead, then it is time you organised an accident for him. You said yourself that one accident would not be suspicious."

"But I may still have to deal with Armin." He threw up his hands in a gesture of frustration when she shot him a hard look. "Very well, I shall see what I can do. I think it is ridiculous that we have the best assassin in our kingdoms willing to take on the task, and you will not let him."

"Not at the cost of his life, no. When you have a priceless weapon, you do not risk losing it."

"But what good is it if you do not use it?"

"It is a deterrent. So long as your enemies know you have it, you need not use it recklessly. Once it is lost, you are ten times more vulnerable than you were before you had it, because now there are those who would seek revenge for their humiliation."

He regarded her with a faint, rueful smile. "I should know better than to pit my wits against you, My Queen. You are right, of course."

"Of course. I had much training to become a Queen, the wisest tutors in all of Jashimari."

Kerrion poured two goblets of wine and handed her one. "Then let us drink to our secret weapon."

She raised her cup. "To Blade."

"And I have other good news."

"Oh?"

"I have had word from my spies. They believe that Blade's sister still lives."

Her eyes sparkled. "That is wonderful. We must tell him at once."

Kerrion caught her arm as she turned away. "No, not yet. I want to be sure first. There is a Jashimari woman named Alenstra dwelling in the harem of one of My Lords, but she may not be Blade's sister. I have sent two advisors to question her, and if she is the right woman they will bring her to me."

"It must be her. Alenstra is not a common name, and for her to be a Cotti prisoner is too much to be coincidence."

"Perhaps, but I want to be absolutely certain."

She shrugged. "Very well, if you insist."

"I do. It will only be a few days before we know for sure, and there are other things to keep you occupied until then."

"Am I so difficult to please?"

He smiled. "Actually, you are, my love. Tomorrow the stipend will arrive from Jashimari, and I have ordered many things for you."

Minna turned away, putting down her cup. "Baubles and trinkets? Do you think me so shallow?"

"No, I -"

"I dislike this stipend that you have inflicted upon my people. They are not defeated. They have no need to pay you any form of tithe. By what right did you claim it?"

He bristled. "For driving the Contara from Jashimari lands."

"Your daughter's kingdom. Has she not the right to claim her father's aid?"

"And she is receiving it -"

"At a price." Minna swung to face him. "She should not have to pay for the privilege of having the Cotti King as her father."