Chapter Nine
I woke to a soft strokeon my cheek and a quiet voice. “Rhapsody, love. There’s food if you’re hungry.”
With a reluctant groan, I rolled over and squinted open my eyes. “How did you get in here? I locked the doors.”
Saber smiled at me. “I’m an assassin. Locked door won’t stop me.”
I frowned in disapproval. “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.”
His continued strokes on my face, on my arms soothed me. “I did knock, but you didn’t answer. You’ve been shut in here for fifteen hours. We were getting a little worried you ran out on us again.”
“Like Whist doesn’t have some kind of alarm system set up outside my window for just that scenario.” I snorted and sat up.
“Maybe.”
I scoffed and shoved back the covers to climb from the bed. “I won’t be a prisoner.”
“You aren’t one. If, in a few days, you are determined to ignore the bond of kindred souls and go on with your life without us, we will have to adjust. We will never force you to remain with us and lock you away to keep you safe. I can’t promise we’ll be able to stay away from you, but we’ll watch from afar if that’s what you really want. All we ask is you give us a chance. Get to know us. Let us keep you safe until this mess with the king calms down. You don’t have to hide in here the whole time. We don’t bite.” He grinned, his eyes twinkling. “Unless you want us to.”
My breath caught at the vision his words brought to my mind. I shook it off and grabbed my cloak to ward against the chill in the air. Autumn was quickly moving into winter, the worst time of year for me. It was miserable sleeping in the elements.
Something to consider with my new kindreds determined to take care of me. Not that I needed to be taken care of. Since before my parents died, I learned to rely on only myself.
I couldn’t forget that just because I had three dangerous men who tempted me more than was good for me.
Saber trailed me into the main room where I found Sky sprawled on the sofa and Whist standing over the wood-burning stove making something that smelled utterly heavenly. He glanced over his shoulder, still stirring whatever he was making, and looked me up and down, something I didn’t recognize swirling in the depths of his starlight eyes.
My stomach rumbled, making Whist snort. “It’ll be ready in about three minutes. There’s bread on the table if you need something now.”
I eyed the bread, but shook my head. “I can wait. I had some food before I slept. What are you making?”
“Steak and eggs. Fried apples and cream for dessert.”
My mouth watered and my eyes actually almost teared up. I didn’t realize how much I missed real, fresh food.
Sky leapt from the sofa and approached the table, sliding out a chair for me. “Have a seat, doll.”
My brows furrowed in irritation, but I sat. “Thanks.”
Sky and Saber took the seats on either side of mine, crowding me with their massive bodies. My pulse fluttered at their scents of sunshine and blueberries, campfire and brandy.
What did Whist smell like? I couldn’t remember from the other night when he was wrapped around me and he’d kept his distance since. I studied him as he finished up breakfast or whatever meal this is. He was precise and his expression calm, like cooking was his bliss. He chopped fresh herbs and added them to the pan, the meat sizzling and spitting.
Sky noticed my interest. “Our boy over there loves cooking. His mother is a palace chef and he’s almost as good as her. I’ve been telling him for years he should retire and open up a tavern.”
Whist spoke without turning around. “That would ruin it.”
Sky scowled playfully at Whist’s back. “I told you we’d retire with you and run the business end of things.”
“And what do either of you know about running a business?” Whist asked in a dry voice.
“Nothing. But we’re fast learners. And look, we’ve stumbled across the entertainment.” Sky gestured at me with a grin. “Besides, we may not have a choice now.” Sky winked at me to soften his words, but guilt slid through me anyway.
I’d been so focused on the changes everything was bringing to my life, I kept ignoring what it had done to their lives. They had good lives working for the king, killing people who need killing, apparently enough money to set up luxurious safe houses. Now, they were outlaws just like me, on the run, no home.
At least they had each other. That was more than I’d had since my parents died.
“There are always other choices. We’ll figure it out. The king will understand we couldn’t finish the job.”
My head jerked up. “He’ll just have someone else kill me.”
Whist plopped a platter of steaming food onto the table. “Which is why we have no plans to bring you to him. If we end up having to return, we’ll hide you somewhere.”
I breathed in the scents of the food, hunger pangs shooting through my stomach. “I’m not spending the rest of my life hidden away like a shameful secret.”
Saber placed his warm hand over mine. “We’re not going to ask you to. Not long-term. Just for now. We’ve bought ourselves some time to figure everything out.”
I slid my hand away from Saber, hating the shivers and butterflies his touch causes me. “How did the three of you end up becoming assassins anyway?”
“It’s a long and rather depressing story.” Sky exchanged a glance with Saber.
“Apparently we’re stuck together for a while. We have the time. And depressing stories don’t scare me.”
“We’re more worried you’ll turn our story into another political protest song.” Whist filled a plate and placed it in front of me.
I stared at the food, forcing myself to wait until everyone else was served. “All art is political. Whether on purpose or not, your beliefs and morals sink into your work.”
“Yours just seems to have a little extra than the average artist.”
“Stop trying to change the subject.” I pursed my lips into a frown aimed at Sky.
Sky stared at my lips, his eyes darkening to sapphires. “We’ll tell you ours if you tell us yours.”
I cleared my throat and fidgeted in my seat. “Deal. But you first.”
We tucked into the food Whist made and I smothered the groan rising in my chest. It was delicious. The steak was buttery and so soft I didn’t even need the knife beside my plate. The eggs were fluffy and fragrant with herbs. And the apples, oh my word, the apples. They were still a bit crisp and tart with honey and spices sweetening them, the cold cream melting against the heat.
I barely inhaled as I shoveled it into my mouth, forgetting the manners my father tried to instill in me. The assassins watched me with varying shades of amusement and awe and concern.
I took a moment to swallow my mouthful. “What?”
“How long has it been since you’ve had a proper meal?” Saber asked.
Heat stung my cheeks. “I eat plenty. Just never this delicious.”
Sky waved a piece of steak in the air. “All the more reason to stay with us. You can eat like this all the time.”
I eyed their trim and muscular figures. “How is it the three of you are in such good shape if you eat like this all the time?”
“We train a lot.” Whist deadpanned.
I rolled my eyes. “Of course.” I sipped at the wine Whist served with the meal. “So, assassins. How does one get a job in that field?”
The three of them glanced at each other before somehow Whist was somehow elected to tell the story. “We were soldiers. We were excellent soldiers. We ended up in the elite squad in the king’s inner circle. After a few assassination attempts on his life, the king realized he needed his own assassins to deal with threats quietly. So, the three of us along with a handful of others were chosen to train in the art of killing.”
That was it? The whole story? It told me nothing. “How is that a long and depressing tale? It was more boring than anything.”
“Yeah, Whist. You left out all the drama. How we were almost executed. How the assassins almost killed us and the prince and princess. How we had no choice but to become assassins or we would have faced execution.” There was a dark edge to Sky’s humor. One that made me think Saber wasn’t the only one with secrets hidden behind his eyes.
I had always loved uncovering secrets.
“If that’s true, why are you so loyal to the king? Why haven’t you left and started over in another country?”
“We still have people, family we care about. We can’t move them all. And we aren’t the only assassins who work for the king. They’ll track us down. Besides, we’re loyal to the princess. She’s a much better person than her father and will be a far superior ruler. He’s old. He’ll die soon enough.” Whist shrugged.
“You’re waiting for the day the princess gives you the order to kill him?” Would the princess actually change anything?
Whist heaved a rather depressed sigh. “She won’t. Unfortunately.”
“What about you, doll? Why are you so against kindreds?” Sky asked.
I nibbled on my bottom lip and push my plate away, hunger vanishing. “My parents weren’t kindreds.”