Two-Faced (Assassin at Court Series Book 1) (5 page)

Chapter 16

“
I
am not getting on that thing!” I eyed the monstrosity of an animal with disdain.

“Fine,” Zander shrugged. “If you’re too afraid we can do something else.”

My chest puffed out on its own accord. “I am not afraid.”

“Prove it.”

Ugh! Me and my damn ego.
“Help me up,
Your Highness.
But I’m warning you, if I fall and crack my skull open, my ghost will hunt you for the rest of eternity.”

“It might be cool to be hunted by a pretty ghost,” he cheekily grinned. 

I inwardly swooned.
He thought I was pretty.

Zander held his hand out and helped me onto the mare. Despite my fear of horses, I had to admit her beautiful. She was all corded, lean muscle covered by a flawless white coat. When I settled my weight on top of her, she jerked her head in a huff.

“See she hates me. The evil horse is going to throw me to my death.”

Zander gently stroked her mane in an effort to calm her down. “Nah, Caris here doesn’t have a malicious bone in her body. Do you girl? She just senses your nervousness. If you calm down, so will she.”

“Says the person
not
on the horse.”

He gathered her reigns in one hand and placed the other on my leg to help keep me steady. “Come on. I’ll give you a few pointers then we can go for a ride.”

Zander showed me the basics of riding and led me around the stable with Caris a few dozen times.  The longer I spent with her, the more my fear lessened. By the time he declared I knew enough to leave the stables, I was mostly at ease with the beast.  I even kept my cool when he left us alone to retrieve his own horse.

We traveled at a brisk walk as we rode well beyond the palace grounds and into the wooded forest that bordered it. The scenery stole my breath away. The rolling hills that cut through the lush green foliage looked like they were created by an artist’s paintbrush. We rode in silence for the first part of our journey. I kept stealing glances over at Zander. I couldn’t help myself. He looked every bit a stately Prince on top of his glistening black stallion. Yet, for all his regality he was not haughty. He looked confident without being arrogant, and surprisingly down to earth. With his mesmerizing brown eyes, leanly muscled build, and heart-melting smile, he was already hot. The genuineness of his personality made him scorching. Our eyes met and I found that he was watching me too.

“Where are we headed?” I asked to break the silence.

He flashed his twin dimples at me. “I could tell you, but then it would spoil the surprise.”

I wish he told me and afforded me a warning that my heart would momentarily stop and then start again. Our destination was a waterfall. Pristine, clear water rushed over the edge of a cliff in droves as the sun’s rays bounced off of the droplets, creating a rainbow of colors. Mist circled the water, adding to its ethereal beauty.

“How did you find this place?” I asked my traveling companion in awe.

“Jacob, the guard you saw me with, and I stumbled upon it as kids. We used to take the horses out and explore beyond the palace grounds for hours. One day, we traveled too far from the palace and got lost. We came upon this place trying to find our way back. It became our secret hideaway whenever we wanted to get away from the palace. To be honest, I haven’t been to this spot in years. I don’t have much time to ride these days.”

“So what did you guys do out here?” I asked as he helped me dismount my horse.

Mischief gleamed in his eyes. “We cliff dived.”

“Oh no. Absolutely not!” I protested. “You got me on the horse, but you will not get me to jump off a cliff.”

“Even if I go first?” he tried to persuade me.

“How does the saying go? If your friends jumped off a cliff would you? Absolutely not!”

We both erupted in a fit of laughter. Never in a million years would I have thought that the saying would actually literally apply.

“So you consider us friends?” Zander asked me when we finally sobered.

“Do you?” I hedged.

He stepped closer to me and placed a hand at the small of my back. “I do, but I would like us to be more.” He kissed me. It was nothing like the tentative first kiss we shared in the garden. This one was both possessive and demanding. My lips burned where his touched mine, and I found myself kissing him in kind. An involuntary need for oxygen was the only thing that forced us to separate. Neither of us actually took a step back though. We stood breathing heavily without bodies pressed together. Zander curled a strand of my hair around his finger.

“I wish we did not have to go back.”

“Me too,” I responded breathily.

“Aside from being the most beautiful, you’re also the most genuine girl I’ve ever met.”

His words sent waves of guilt rippling through my belly. “Zander don’t,” I warned him.

“Don’t what?”

“Fall for me. I’m not worth it. Your mother is right. You’re too good for me.” I meant every word I said. He was kind, and compassionate, and upstanding. I was an assassin with rivers of blood on my hands that had come to his court to kill him.  He was genuine one and I was a fraud.

His expression turned dark. “My mother knows nothing. I love her, but she is as shallow as everyone else at court.”

“Still,” I tried to reason with him, “If you are going to court a girl it should at least be one deserving of the honor.”

His eyes bore into mine. “Skyler, haven’t you learned by now I am not like most High Nobles. I don’t care what House you are from, or how much money or influence your family has. You could be a common girl and I would still be falling for you.”

I doubted it, but everything about him up until this point said he was telling the truth. Maybe if our paths had crossed two years prior things would be different. Then I was just a common girl, but now I was an assassin, one that would die by his family’s decree if my identity were ever revealed.

“The shadows are back in your eyes.” He wrapped his arms around me in a tight embrace, attempting to comfort me. “One day I would like to know what causes them so that I may permanently chase them away.”

It was the sweetest, kindest thing anyone had every said to me. I fought back the moisture that threatened to flood my eyes.

“Come one,” he let go of my waist and grabbed my hand. “I want to show you something. There’s a cave behind the waterfall that’s even more awesome than the waterfall itself.”

I should have put a stop to things right then. I could have insisted we return to the palace, then packed my things and left. There was no use even pretending like I was still going to assassinate him. But I didn’t. I made the selfish decision to stay, not only at the waterfall, but also at the palace for a little while longer. I would have to disappear eventually and leave the Guild behind when I did. I had accumulated and saved enough money to live off of for a fair amount of time. The money would not last forever and eventually I would have to figure something out. But I was not a thirteen-year-old girl anymore and it was a lot harder to take advantage of me now then it was back then. Things did not have to turn out like they did last time. It would break Zander’s heart, but he would be better off without me in his life. In time he would forget me and find someone more deserving. I on the other hand would never forget the stolen moments we spent together. I would cherish him until the end of time.

Chapter 17

T
hree days had passed since Zander’s and my first horseback ride to the waterfall. We’d had breakfast in the garden and rode there every morning since. It became sort of a ritual. We could never stay for long, but every minute was precious. In those stolen moments away from the High Palace and the watchful eyes of the court we were able to just be ourselves. Zander was not the Crowned Prince and I was not a lesser noble from a forgotten city or an assassin with an order to kill. He was simply a boy and I was simply a girl. And we were simply falling in love. I became his sun and he became my stars, cherished spots of brightness in my otherwise dark world.

We lay on our backs in the cave gazing up at the intricate stalagmite formations hanging down. Our hands rested intertwined between us.

“I can’t wait to see what you are going to do for this afternoon’s talent competition,” Zander said.

He was fishing for information. The third trial of the competition was basically a talent show. According to his mother, any future Princess should have a talent. It would be part of her duty to entertain courtiers. I had been dreading the trial since it was announced two days ago. The only freaking skill I possessed was with a blade. Zander kept asking me what I was going to do and I kept telling him I wanted it to be a surprise. The trial was less than a few hours away so I decided I better come clean.

“The truth is I don’t have a talent,” I told him sheepishly.

“Of course you have a talent. You’re amazing at everything you do.”

“No, I really don’t. I can’t sing and I never learned to play the violin, or a harp, or the flute or whatever other ridiculous instrument your mother thinks Princesses are supposed to play. While other girls were studying the arts or learning domestic hobbies, I was in a field with my brother learning to wield whatever weapon he trained with that day.”

“I’m surprised he allowed you too.”

“Like I told your sister, I suckered him like she suckers you. He could never tell me no.”

Zander turned to his side, giving me his full attention. “What was he training for?”

I could have made something up, but I didn’t want to lie to him. “He always dreamed of being a palace guard.”

“What happened?”

“He didn’t make the cut.” I shrugged as if it was no big deal.

“Where is he now? Whenever you talk about him it is in the past tense.” The Prince was very perceptive.

I remained on my back with my eyes fixed to the ceiling. If I looked at Zander he would recognize the grief that shone within them. “He died,” I said quietly.

Zander gently grabbed my chin and turned my face toward him. “I am sorry.”

“Me too.” I kept the tears at bay.

“I’ve got an idea,” he said, standing up then pulling me to my feet as well. “But we need to get back to the palace to have time to set it up.”

“To set what up?” I eyed him suspiciously. Mischief danced in his eyes.

“Your talent display.”

“But I don’t have one.”

“Sure you do,” he grinned at me. “It’s archery.”

“The Queen will have a fit.

“I know.”

“Let’s go,” I grinned back at him.

Chapter 18

A
lot more people than the Queen and her entourage were present in the palace courtyard. Dozens of courtiers, Zander, and the King himself turned up to see the talent trial. I guess the Queen was right. People at Court did enjoy entertainment. It was odd that it was considered a part of a Princess’ duties though. It seemed to me like people should be entertaining her. Some age-old traditions needed to be updated. The King’s resemblance to his son was striking. He looked like a carbon copy of Zander aged 30 years into the future. The only difference was their eye color. Zander had inherited his mother’s amber brown hue. The King’s were gray, almost blue.

Iliana mercifully finished her rendition of a classical opera song. Everyone else seemed to enjoy it, but it made my ears ring. Emily went next and she played her cello beautifully. It tugged at the audiences’ hearts leading to a standing ovation at the end.

Zander set things up so I would go last. After listening to every popular classical instrument played twice over, it was my turn. The announcer spoke my name and all heads turned in my direction. The palms of my hands sweated from nerves. I stood and walked to the center of the courtyard. On cue, a pair of guards, one half of which consisted of Jacob from the hall, brought out a wooden target, an archer’s bow and several arrows. I walked up to the table the bow and arrows had been placed on. The crowd’s expressions ranged from bewildered to curious to jeering.  I ignored them all. The only one who mattered was sitting to the right of the Queen. I picked up the arrow, strung the bow, and let it fly. It hit the target dead center. I used the next arrow to split the first one down the middle. I did the same with the third and fourth and fifth ones. Once out of arrows I put the bow down and bowed to the crowd. They were speechless. I turned to take my seat, but then Zander started clapping. My cheeks warmed.
That was not a part of the plan.
Emily clapped too and before I knew it the entire crowd was frantically falling in line to please the Prince. The King himself even applauded, with genuine delight on his face. The Queen, however, glared daggers in my direction.

After the talent trial there were 30 girls left in the competition. Every single one of them snickered in my direction at dinner that night. On the way back to our room, I accidentally bumped into Iliana.  We turned a same corner from opposite directions at the same time.

“Sorry,” I said politely.

She responded by looking down her nose at me. It was quite a feat to accomplish seeing as how I had about 5 inches on her.  

“Do you have to be so rude all the time?” I asked. She was seriously starting to annoy me.

“Do you have to be a slut?” she snapped at me.

I blinked in surprise as the trio of girls traveling with her erupted into a fit of hushed giggles.

My hands fisted at my side. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me? Do you have to be Such. A. Slut?”

I was two seconds away from knocking the snooty expression she wore off her face. I took an intimidating step forward, purposefully crowding her personal space. “Call me a slut again, and that smug grin on your face will be meeting the stone floors.”

She must have sensed the truth in my threat because she abruptly turned around and walked off in the opposite direction.
Smart girl.

“Ignore her, Skyler,” Emily spoke up from beside me. “It is just a stupid rumor.”

“What rumor?” I had a feeling I would not like the direction things were heading in.

“That you are sleeping with the Prince,” she said quietly as if saying the words too loud would raise a scandal.

“What?!” I choked out. “Why on Earth would anyone think that?”

Emily had the decency to look apologetic. “I may have let it slip that you had breakfast with the Prince to Charlize from the House of Danvue. I told her not to tell anyone, but she told Rosemary from the House of Windemere, who told Iliana. She thought Rosemary was lying, but she was still livid. She asked her cousin who is a palace guard and he told her that you and the Prince have breakfast in the gardens every morning then disappear afterwards beyond the palace grounds.”

“And the conclusion you lot came up with is that we are
sleeping
together?!” I asked incredulously.

“Well what else would you be doing?”

I slapped my hand against my forehead. “Never mind, forget it. I’m done with this conversation. Not cool Emily, at all. I thought we were friends, but friends don’t gossip about each other.” I stalked off, leaving her alone in the hallway.

I didn’t know where I was going. I just knew I did not want to be around my roommate. She was headed to our room; therefore I headed anywhere but there. I wondered where Zander was. I missed him and wanted to see his face. I was also curious about what the Queen had to say about the trial. I started to go in search of him, but stopped myself. What was I going to do? The thing developing between us was not permanent and could never last. I thought about taking a stroll through the rose garden. It was supposed to be reserved for the Roth’s, but I had been there enough times now that the guards paid my comings and goings little attention. They automatically assumed their Prince invited me. However, the Queen often visited them with her ladies-in-waiting in the evenings and she was the last person I wanted to run into. The Princess decided my destination for me when I ran into her aimlessly wandering the palace halls.

“Skyler,” she squealed when she saw me. “I was looking for you, but I did not know which room was yours.”

There were no guards with her, which meant she ditched them again. She hated being made to travel with an escort even within the palace. She thought it made her seem like a baby.
Give me break! You are nine-years-old. Of course you are a baby,
is what I thought every time she pouted to me about it. I did not dare tell her that though. She would erupt in a fit. Still, if someone hired me to kill the Prince, then someone obviously had a serious grudge against the House of Roth.
Damn it, she needed to stay with her guards at all times.
I gave the Princess my best stern-looking face.

“Kiera, you have to stop running away from your guards. It is not safe for a young Princess to travel without them.”

She poked her bottom lip out and stomped her foot. “I am not a baby,” she pouted.

“Of course you’re not,” I placated her. “How about I make you a deal? Every day that you stay with your guards, I will owe you an archery lesson.”

“Really?!” she beamed at me.

“I promise. I will even pay up the first time in advance. We can go right now, but afterwards you must immediately find your guards
and stay with them.
” I was not above bribing children, especially if it helped ensure their safety.

“Deal, let’s go.” The Princess grabbed my hand and practically dragged me out to the palace grounds.

“Skyler, do you like my brother?” Kiera asked me as I carried her on my back toward the palace. We stayed in the archery fields for so long that the sun was beginning to set in the sky. She finally agreed to leave when I told her I would give her a piggyback ride if we left.

“I think I do.” Thankfully, she could not see my face as it turned red. This was so not a conversation I wanted to have with a nine-year-old.

“Well I think he really likes you.”

“What makes you think that?”

“Because he argues with Mother all the time about making you a Princess. I hope he does. Then you can stay at the palace forever and we would be sisters. Do you want to stay here, Skyler? Please say yes, I don’t want you to leave.”

“Slow down, Kiera,” I laughed. The child talked a mile a minute when excited about something.  “I would love to stay at the palace with you, but it probably will not happen sweetie.” Even without seeing it I knew she had a crushed look on her face. I could have lied to her and let her believe that her wish for me as a sister would come true, but I would not give her false hope. It would only hurt her more when I left.

“But I thought you said you liked Zander?” her voice quivered.

“I do. A lot.”

“Is it me? Do you not want to be my sister?”

“Of course not Kiera. If I could choose to have any little sister in the world, I would choose you. You’re the best.”

“I don’t understand what the problem is,” she said confused.

I sighed. The conversation was mentally draining me. “It’s complicated.”

“Then un-complicate it.” Her tone was so matter-of-factly that I momentarily forgot I was talking to a nine-year-old. In that moment the Princess sounded wise beyond her years. Her advice was sound, simple, straightforward and to the point.

However, un-complicating things were easier said than done. I had heaped so many lies on top of lies and knotted my web of deception so intricately that it was far past the point of being unraveling. I was a common girl wearing the mask of an assassin pretending to be a lesser noble who wanted to marry the Prince when I was really at court to kill him though I no longer would. However, the Guild still thought I was fulfilling my contract. The only truth in my deceit was the very real feelings I felt for Zander.