The Assassin's Mark (Skeleton Key) (8 page)

“I’m not sure. Don’t lose hope quite yet. The library at my family’s castle has an extensive collection of the lore and history of this world. If there’s anything detailed there that may help you, you are welcome to it. You saved my life, and as such, I’ll allow you to seek out what you need from there. If there’s a record of it, it will be in the library.”

Edward’s eyes narrowed when I mentioned the library. “If I ensure your safety,  you mean? I’m lousy at protecting people, but as an assassin, my skills haven’t found their match yet.” His demeanor seemed to shift at the thought of going home. He was more focused.

He’d already kept me safe once, and if his words were true, he’d be invaluable in rooting out other assassins and preventing other attempts on my life. All he wanted in return was access to the library to help him find out how to get home. He had a definite motive to keep me alive at all costs.

“I don’t have many allies here. The ones I do have might be traitors to my cause. Your proposal is acceptable, Edward. Do you then pledge your service to me?” I asked him directly. I had a feeling any vows might be lost on him.

“Yes, Your Highness, I pledge to keep you safe.” He bowed his head to me. There was something more to the moment than I could put my finger on. I was honestly just glad he was on my side. The more allies I had, the better, particularly if I’d be reclaiming my throne.

A commotion outside drew my attention, and after a moment, Sir Alan barged into the tent with Sir Orlan in tow. “You let her in here without guards? Are you insane?” he yelled.

Sir Orlan glanced around the room, as if to ensure nothing out of place. “See for yourself, Sir Alan. She is alive and unharmed. He is still tied to the column and unable to move around. You have nothing to worry about.”

“Sirs, I’m fine. What is going on?” I turned my gaze to my old teacher. This was unlike him. It took me a moment to realize there were new dents in his armor that I hadn’t noticed earlier. My thoughts ran wild with speculation. Were we under attack again? He’d doubled the guards, yet now his armor was dented. It didn’t make sense.

“Forgive me, Your Highness. I had a heated argument with some of our fellow knights. It’s nothing for you to worry about.” He glared at Sir Orlan who’d begun to open his mouth. Neither of the two knights spoke for a few minutes as they merely glared at one another.

“Both of you are terrible liars. How many knights tried to defect?” Edward said as he rose to his feet. He brought his hands out from behind his back. They were bright red and a little bloody. How...? Tension built in the air until I feared they’d start fighting again. I had to intervene.

“Sirs, Edward, stop it. Sir Orlan, what you were going to say?” I kept my words terse, letting my agitation bleed into my voice. They tell me the truth whether they liked it or not. I couldn’t have anyone keeping things from me, not now.

“Two guards tried to flee. Both were young men who’d only been with us a few months. Sir Alan found them and tried to convince them to return. When that failed, he had to take matters into his own hands. We can’t allow deserters to wander into nearby towns and run their mouths to anyone who will listen after a few pints of ale.” Sir Orlan kept his voice steady and his gaze on Sir Alan. “He didn’t want to tell you because he knew you’d be concerned. This happens from time to time. New, untested men become afraid and try to leave. You love your people, but your safety comes first.”

Deserters, great. Not what I needed to hear right now.

Edward

The tension in the tent had lessened after the truth came to light about the deserters and Sir Alan’s actions. I wasn’t sure how Brigit would take the news. Her attention remained locked on Sir Alan, as if she were trying to decide what to do.

“Did you know them?” she asked, a hint of sorrow dampening her voice.

Sir Orlan started to speak before Sir Alan lifted his hand to quiet him. “It’s all right, Sir Orlan. Yes, Your Highness, I knew them. Two sons of a farmer who lives not far from here. Both were squires and seemed loyal. Apparently neither of them had the grit to risk their lives for their princess. I took no pleasure in ending their lives. It just had to be done.” His voice was calm.

The atmosphere had become solemn. The kids had taken too much on themselves and deserted. Their only mistake was to do it in a time when their kingdom was unstable. My own memories of serving my country returned for a few moments. “It can happen to anyone. Trainees, those prepared, or those experienced in the field. None of it matters when things get tough and everything seems to go wrong. It’s easy to be a soldier during times of peace, but men don’t know who they are until they meet their own limits. Just because they met their limits is no reflection on you, sir. You did your duty. There is no shame or dishonor in that. Your Highness, may I speak with you alone?” My own voice regained some authority I’d used when commanding a squad before leaving military service behind.

For the first time, Sir Alan looked at me with more than disdain in his eyes. He appeared to recognize a fellow warrior in me. With a brief nod, he excused himself and left the tent. If I had to trust one man in this camp besides myself, it would be him. Someone who could kill without remorse had little humanity left in them. The fact he cared about the two he killed spoke much of his character.

As Sir Orlan left the tent, I walked toward the back of the tent to pace. Being tied to the pole had been restrictive, and I needed to stretch and move around the tent to get the circulation going again in my legs.

“Sir Alan did what he had to. He feels horrible about what he did. That’s the sign of a good man. But I get the feeling there’s more going on between you two than a knight and his princess,” I said without really expecting an answer.

“Sir Alan was my tutor from a young age. He served with my father. When my father and mother went away on trips to keep the kingdom running smoothly, he put Sir Alan in charge of watching after me. His patience has made him a great politician and fighter. It didn’t take long for us to grow close. He’s a wonderful man who swore to ensure the safety of the throne. He has declined many offers of marriage to avoid being distracted from his primary task. In short, he’s the most loyal knight a princess can hope to have.”

“I find it hard to believe such an imposing man was your tutor. He would have been twice your size, clad in armor teaching you history?” I tried out a bit of humor to clear the air.

“Goodness, no. I had other teachers too. He primarily taught me sword fighting and strategy. For a time, I thought my parents seemed to consider arranging a marriage between us, but it wasn’t to be.” Relief filled her expression. “However, life in court showed me the darker side of people, and the pettiness most nobles seem to harbor. I dreaded that my parents would arrange a political marriage between me and some portly baron who cared more about himself than cultivating love. My mother and father always had a caring and warm relationship that really meant something to me. With most arranged marriages, there isn’t any warmth, kindness or real love. My parents had that though. I hoped one day I’ll have that too. But Sir Alan is quite married to his position.” A soft smile played upon her lips. It felt good seeing her mood lift.

“He is dedicated, even for a knight. I was in similar situation to his. I didn’t make time or make any commitments to anyone other than my work. The moments I was able to, it seemed the dread of something bad happening to them killed my chances. It was easier to go about my life and live for my work. I guess I never thought about finding right one I’d spend the rest of my life with. People in my profession rarely do anyway. There’s a lot of danger involved. It wouldn’t be a good life for either me of us.” I’d never really opened up to anyone about my life. What was it about Brigit that made it easy? “What strikes me as almost comical is that growing up I was always told I’d be a heartbreaker, but the only heart I’ve ever broken was my own.” I completed my train of thought and looked at the tent flaps leading outside.

“It’s a shame. Do you need anything else tonight?” The softness of her voice had thrown me completely off my game. I’d taken in the melody of her voice and enjoyed her company so much I nearly missed the quiet movements at the front of the tent.

I raised a finger to my lips and turned toward the entrance. Anyone could cut holes into a tent, but that would be noisy with the fabric tearing. If someone could use the tent’s entrance to avoid attention, they would. With a few quick steps, I closed the distance to the entrance and pulled the flap aside. I held my knife at my side in case it was a merc. When I caught Tabitha’s outline against the torchlight outside, I came to a stop. Brigit and I must’ve been in the tent longer than I’d thought.

“Come in. Don’t skulk about.” I waved Tabitha into the tent. She hesitated a moment before walking in and giving her princess a slightly questioning look. The stare lasted a few moments before she dipped into a curtsy.

I took an opportunity to stare past the guards in front toward the semi-cloudy sky above. The fresh scent of rain was in the air, strong enough to break through the usual assortment of camp scents. The wind had picked up, and storms brewed in the distance.

Remembering the dream, I stole a glance back inside the tent to ensure Brigit was safe and secure. Whatever the dream had been about, it led me here. And there had been violent storms nearby, dangerous storms.

Whatever the reason, be it destiny, coincidence, or something more, I didn’t care. Being close to her made me feel it was worth leaving my life on hold. My job in London could wait.

This was a whole new world. I had someone to protect. I’d do that until I’d reached the castle’s library. When we reached that point, I’d see what my choices were.

Brigit

The journey from our camp to Skyhaven Keep had taken longer than expected. With this assault, we had left later in the day than we’d have liked, which went on to require another night of camp further down the road.

But, at last, we were here. I still remembered when my parents brought me to the keep the first time. I’d felt so far from away from home that I’d asked my father if we were in another kingdom. The memory of his laughter and the loving smile he’d shared with my mother faded back into the depths of my mind.

This time, my trek here wasn’t quite as innocent.

Someone wanted to kill me and take what was rightfully mine. On the last stretch of road, Sir Alan forced a group of peasants and smaller merchants off the road due to the risk that one of them might be an assassin. It was not the impression I wanted to make with my people; some pompous noble shoving the poor aside on the way to her big house.

Skyhaven’s big gates and extended overlook towers were designed to withstand most sieges. Still, it would be a safe haven on my trip home. As we entered, the local guardsmen who were all loyal to my father when he’d still been alive came to assist us. No lord or a noble currently oversaw the keep, which made it even more valuable. The soldiers stationed here cared little about politics, and their commander had a reputation of being a strict and honest man.

The keep served two functions. It was a central station for local guardsmen and a strong military checkpoint between the castle and main trade routes. It also ensured no forbidden goods were allowed into the cities along the road. Despite the trade traffic in the lower courtyard, the keep proper was secure and allowed very few nonmilitary personnel inside. Anyone caught sneaking around in its halls would soon find themselves in the dungeons below.

I followed Sir Alan through the secondary gates and into the inner courtyard. Knights surrounded us, and I tried to focus on breathing. I couldn’t afford letting my guard down. The other night’s attack still shook me to the core, but I balled my hand into a fist to keep it from moving to the hilt of my sword.

Skyhaven’s commander was fairly friendly. His face had deep scars earned during battles throughout his life. A twinkle of happiness lit his eyes as he spotted me. Sir Alan and the commander exchanged a few quiet words before I was lead further into the keep. We took a tight set of stairs up to the commander’s quarters.

I released a nervous sigh. Maybe this would turn just fine after all. Across the hall from the commander’s quarters was the keep’s main office. It was held aside for any member of the royal family and would function as my room while we stayed here.

The main office had a fantastic view over the other towers and the huge metal drawbridge door. It was meant for royalty, and it showed. Heavy expansive benches and cloth-lined chairs were placed near the walls, giving anyone visiting the room a comfortable sitting arrangement regardless of their status. I was more than ready to sit down after those stairs, but Edward barred my entry into the room.

“No, this won’t do,” he said and turned to leave, blocking my way.

Sir Alan grabbed him on the elbow. “What do you mean?”

Edward sighed and pointed to the opened windows and the breathtaking view beyond. “If she’s here, her location is easy to find. Someone could see her at the window and shoot her with an arrow. If they don’t know where she is, they can’t attack her. It only takes one keen eyed civ...peasant to see that the princess is in this tower. No, it’s not safe. If I intend to protect her, this room will not do,” he said.

Anger boiled up inside of me, but I calmed myself. He’d said he was trained as an assassin. If he thought this wouldn’t work, then I should listen. He’d already saved me once. “I see your point. Is there another room here that would work better?”

We checked half a dozen of rooms before Edward seemed content on one in middle of the tower. It had no windows. Instead, heavy bookshelves lined the walls. My hopes for the royal family’s room sank. This room seemed to fit what he wanted.

Even so, he ventured around the shelves, perhaps testing for secret passages until he was satisfied. With another glance at the door to gauge its thickness, he finally nodded. “This is the best so far,” he said and nodded toward Sir Alan. “It’s nicely isolated with no visibility. Thick walls and the door seems solid enough. This will do.” He glanced in my direction as if gauging my reaction.