Cage of Deceit (Reign of Secrets Book 1) (25 page)

She stood facing a young girl of similar age, height, and build. They both wore the same outfit—brown pants, boots, tunic, and cape.

“It’s an honor, Your Highness,” the girl said.

“What’s your name?” Allyssa inquired.

“Bri,” she replied.

“Do you know how to fight?”

“My father and brother are both in the army. I can fight.”

Allyssa studied Bri for a moment. She stood with her feet shoulder-width apart, leaning slightly forward as if she was ready to pounce if need be. There were also a few small scars on her hands, indicating she’d been in some scrapes.

“Very well,” Allyssa said, approving of the girl. “The first thing he’ll do is remove your weapons.”

“I know,” Bri replied. “Your men have gone over what to expect and what to do. You can count on me. I promise.”

Jarvik knocked and entered the room. “It’s time,” he said. “The decoy will leave with Marek and a handful of guards—just as you would have done. We’ll wait a few minutes and then follow them.”

Marek turned to Allyssa. “Stay with Jarvik and do exactly as he says. I can’t do my job if I’m worrying about you.”

“I promise,” she said.

“As soon as the assassin has Bri, I’ll wait for you and Jarvik to follow them, and then I’ll trail you guys.”

“Be safe,” she added.

He nodded and took the decoy, leaving with half a dozen guards.

Jarvik strapped two daggers to his forearms. “Are you sure you won’t reconsider? We can do this without you.”

“I want to be there,” Allyssa answered.

“I know, and I understand why. Sometimes, though, you have to allow others to help you. You have to be able to trust other people.”

Sliding two additional daggers in her boots, she said, “You mean like you do?” She adjusted the hood of her cape.

“It was worth a shot,” he grumbled. “Fine, let’s go.”

As they traveled through the city, Jarvik’s eyes roamed over every inch of the streets, searching for threats. “You know, I almost locked you in the dungeon tonight.”

“Why?”

“For your own safety while I rescued Grevik. Then I realized that if something happened, and your friend got hurt or died, you’d order my execution.” He shrugged. “You’d probably kill me yourself. So I decided against it.”

She chuckled.

“You think it’s funny?”

“No. I like the way you think,” she said. “I must say, you’ve surprised me.”

“The feeling is quite mutual.”

They turned onto a street a block away from the inn. Slowing their pace, Jarvik’s eyes darted to the rooftops.

“Something’s off,” he quietly mumbled. “Hide in the nearby doorway.”

Pulling out one of her daggers, Allyssa did as he requested. While she leaned against the door, Jarvik stood a few feet in front of her, observing the rooftop across the street.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“One of my men isn’t in position,” he answered as he slid in the doorway alongside her. 

They stood there waiting for several minutes, neither one of them speaking. Since they hadn’t been able to locate Grevik, their only hope was following the assassin to his hideout and rescuing Grevik there.

“Let’s go,” Jarvik said, waving her forward. “They’re moving.”

“Is the decoy with the assassin?” she asked.

“Yes.”

Allyssa stayed by Jarvik’s side as he swiftly advanced through the streets. He kept glancing up at one of his men on the rooftops. They came to the wealthy part of the city where mostly homes were located.

Since there were hardly any people about, Jarvik remained concealed in the shadows of nearby homes and bushes. He squatted next to a tree, pulling Allyssa down with him. “There,” he whispered in her ear, pointing ahead of them.

A man wearing a black cape with a woman by his side walked up the pathway to a dark house. Allyssa couldn’t tell if the girl was blindfolded or not because of her hood. Jarvik crouched and followed them, Allyssa at his heels.

Instead of going up to the front door, the assassin skirted around the side of the house. Behind the property there was a smaller house, probably used by servants. The assassin led the woman up a flight of stairs to the entrance of the smaller house. He opened the door, and they disappeared inside.

“Let’s go,” Jarvik said, pulling out a knife. He raised his arm and six soldiers slid out of the shadows. 

As they approached the house, three soldiers took the lead, Jarvik and Allyssa following, while the remaining three soldiers brought up the rear. Clutching onto her dagger, Allyssa tried to calm her raging nerves as she crept up the stairs. At the door, they paused and listened to the voices arguing inside. A female scream pierced the air and Allyssa grabbed Jarvik’s hand, trying to steady herself so she didn’t burst through the door and ruin the plan. Jarvik held up his other hand and made a fist. Everyone armed themselves, preparing to fight. Already holding one dagger, Allyssa withdrew a second one and nodded. Jarvik pointed at the door and the first three soldiers stormed inside, Allyssa running in behind them, ready to attack the assassin.

As she stepped through the threshold, two soldiers lay on the ground, lifeless, with daggers protruding from their chests. Bri clutched her side, blood oozing out of a knife wound. In the center of the room, slumped over on the chair, sat an unmoving Grevik. Blood pooled on the floor beneath him.

A rushing sound filled Allyssa’s ears, and she became dizzy. The remaining soldiers entered and searched for the assassin, who was nowhere in sight.

“Check the floorboards to see if any are loose,” Jarvik ordered. “You and you, search the outside perimeter. Hurry.”

The room swayed before her, and she stumbled. 

Marek stormed inside with the six Emperion soldiers. He ran to Grevik, touching his neck to locate his pulse. Marek lifted Grevik’s eyelids and then turned to face Allyssa. “I’m so sorry,” he said.

“He can’t be dead,” she said as she took a step back and bumped into one of her soldiers.

“Forgive me,” the soldier said as he lifted his sword with shaking hands and placed the blade against her throat. “The assassin has my family.”

“Don’t do this,” Marek pleaded as he righted himself. 

Her soldier wrapped his arm around her upper body, pinning her arms down. She was unarmed since both of her daggers had fallen to the floor when she saw Grevik. 

“If I deliver the princess,” the soldier said, his blade piercing her skin, “he’ll let my family go.”

“That’s what he told us about this man.” Jarvik nodded toward Grevik’s limp body. “The assassin didn’t keep his word. He’s probably lying about your family. Release the princess, and we’ll help you rescue your wife and children.”

The soldier slowly shook his head. “You don’t understand,” he said, his voice shaking. “He’ll kill them.”

“You took an oath,” Marek said. “If you take the princess, you’ll be a traitor. You’ll be hanged.”

“But my wife and kids will be safe.”

“No, they won’t,” Jarvik insisted. “If you don’t release the princess, your family will be arrested for your crimes.”

“No … no …” the soldier cried. “I have to take her to him. He promised.”

Allyssa saw the small knife in Jarvik’s hand. He shifted his grip, and she knew he was going to throw it at the soldier who held her. However, she had no intention of being the damsel in distress who needed rescuing. Her father was a legendary commander for a reason.

Regaining her wits about her, Allyssa knew she needed to act quickly and couldn’t afford to make a mistake since the sword was digging into her throat. Closing her eyes, she took a shallow breath, slamming her heel down on the soldier’s foot. At the same time, she shifted her body and swung her elbow into his stomach. When his grip loosened and the blade was no longer at her throat, she whipped out a knife from a hidden slit in her pants, and plunged it into the soldier’s side. He dropped to the ground, and Marek jumped on him. 

Something warm dripped down her neck to her chest. Reaching up, she touched blood. Lightheaded from blood loss, she staggered and then collapsed.

***

Allyssa woke up in Jarvik’s arms. The dark night sky loomed above as he carried her, his brows pinched together with worry.

“Hurry,” he ordered the remaining soldiers. “She’s lost a lot of blood. We must take her to a healer.” His face blurred as she passed out again.

The next time she woke up, she was lying on a cot in a dimly lit room. 

An elderly woman with dark, wrinkled skin hovered above her. “No signs of poison,” she said. “Only blood loss. I’ll stitch her together and bandage her up.”

“Thank you,” Jarvik said. “What can I do to help?”

“Give her this.”

Jarvik reached down and lifted Allyssa’s head. “Drink,” he encouraged her. He held a cup to her lips, and warm liquid slid down her throat. Her eyelids grew heavy, and she fell asleep.

The next time Allyssa woke, the room was dark. She tried to sit up, but a hand reached out, gripping her shoulder.

“Rest,” Jarvik whispered. She leaned back against the pillow. “The healer doesn’t want you moving too quickly. You must regain your strength.”

When she went to say something, her throat seared with pain as if it were on fire. She hadn’t realized the soldier’s sword dug so deep into her skin.

Tears filled her eyes when she remembered Grevik’s lifeless body. A sob escaped her.

“Shh,” Jarvik said, rubbing her arm. “It’s going to be all right.” He brought his chair closer to her cot so she could see his face. “I’m having Grevik’s body brought to the castle. His mother has been told. I’ll make sure she’s heavily compensated for her son’s sacrifice.”

Tears spilled down Allyssa’s face. Her friend was dead because of her. She’d never hear his laugh, see his dear face, or chase thieves with him again.

“It wasn’t your fault,” Jarvik insisted.

She closed her eyes, wanting to go to sleep so she didn’t have to feel the pain of her best friend’s death.

***

When morning came, the sun shone through the room’s only window, mocking her. Jarvik slept slumped on the rickety, wooden chair in the corner. Allyssa pushed herself up into a sitting position. The furnishings were sparse, the room small, and no healers lingered nearby. This was not the medical wing of the castle.

Jarvik jerked awake. “How are you feeling?” he groggily asked.

“Better,” she said.

“Let me get you something to eat.”

“Where are we?” she asked.

Jarvik rubbed his eyes and yawned. “The servants’ wing. I thought it would be safer for you here. The decoy is in your bedchamber recovering.”

He went to the door, mumbled something to the person standing on the other side, and then he sat down again. “What’s that?” he asked, pointing to her neck.

She reached up and felt several bandages covering her skin.

“No, on the chain.”

“Oh,” she said lamely, not sure what to tell him. “Just a gift.” She lifted the necklace the rest of the way out from under her shirt. Strung on the delicate chain was the wooden ring she’d received as a gift. Based on her research, it most likely came from Fren. She suspected Prince Odar had given it to her, although it didn’t seem like something he would do.

“You’ve been wearing it this entire time? A simple ring?”

“Yes,” she whispered, her throat sore. “It means something.” She wasn’t sure how to express that this gift was more valuable to her than all the diamonds and jewels others had bestowed upon her.

“Do you know what it means?” he asked.

“I know there’s an old peasant tradition where a wooden ring is given from a man to the woman he wishes to court. If she fancies the giver, she wears the ring on her finger.”

“Do you know who gave it to you?”

She fingered the smooth ring, turning it over on her hand. “I’m not certain.”

“Then why do you wear it?”

“For what it represents—hope for love that has nothing to do with crowns or kingdoms, but love for love’s sake.”