Chapter Fifteen
In the Chamber of Prince Balduin
I’d been to the Heir’s Tower and to the chambers of Prince Balduin on many occasions, usually with Nicolo. But never like this nor under these circumstances.
“You know the way, you go first,” smiled Balduin. “I may as well enjoy the view,” he continued as he fell in line behind me and made a motion of sizing up my backside. “A preview of what’s to come.”
My heartbeat was roaring and my breath was so short, I feared I might pass out. “Yes, Your Highness.”
Balduin rolled his eyes. “And put a smile on your face, girl. I’ll put one there for you later, but it’s quite off-putting to be with a woman who’s pouting as though she’s walking to the scaffold.” He smacked my ass as if to draw more attention to his point.
I laughed at his ‘joke’. “Apologies, Your Highness. This is just… a little overwhelming.”
Balduin accepted the compliment—maybe even believed it. He laughed. “Just wait until you get a good look at it , my dear. Then you’ll be overwhelmed.”
But a finger-length less than Nicolo , I thought to myself.
The bodyguards tramped along with us, saying nothing, seeing everything. They were as inconsequential as the walls and I suspected Balduin barely even noticed them.
By the time we entered Balduin’s chambers, my heart was thumping painfully through my chest and I’d started to feel dizzy, almost like I was going to pass out. I’d spent much of the evening trying to find ways to dampen my own arousal—turned out all it took was the prospect of a night with Balduin.
This couldn’t be how tonight ended, I thought to myself, even now still in shock.
This couldn’t be how my first time happened.
Trainee assassins were encouraged to get used to the idea that their first time would be in service of a mission and would have nothing to do with love or romance or even attraction. If they were lucky, the man would be gentle and might know what he was doing. I’d been ready for that or I’d thought I was. But meeting Nicolo, spending time with him, seeing his interest in me and feeling mine grow for him had changed my expectations without my even knowing.
I’d gotten lucky that my mission had brought me to a man like Nicolo, but now that same mission had landed me with Balduin, and I couldn’t get out of this situation without blowing my cover. Then again, perhaps this was what I deserved; like a black widow, I was supposed to kill after mating—that was a hell of way to say ‘thank you’ for an amazing and life-changing night.
Perhaps I could never have gone through with killing Nicolo after bedding him. Maybe my feelings would have been too cemented by that point, too deep? Maybe this was actually a benefit in disguise?
“The word is ‘Pumpkin’,” Balduin spoke to his guards as we left them on the doorstep. “Any other screaming you can ignore.”
Instantly, my heart dropped to the floor as I wondered what affronts to humanity were awaiting me. What were Balduin’s turn-ons for him to say such a thing?
The door closed, and suddenly I found myself missing the silent, wall-like company of the bodyguards, because now it was just Balduin and me, and I saw no obvious way out of this. Perhaps I could knock him out and claim he knocked himself out on the headboard.
I recalled one of the older girls at the Guild telling a story about finding herself in a similar situation. She’d knocked the man on his ass, held a knife to his genitals and told him that if he uttered a word about what was happening, she’d tell everyone he’d been beaten by a woman.
That might work on an arrogant man like Balduin.
“Charlotte, is it?” Balduin asked.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“We’ve known each other a while now, but I make very little effort to recall the names of subordinates.”
“I understand, Your Highness.” Even as the words escaped my mouth, I wondered what would happen if I killed Balduin and then escaped the Gath and returned to the Guild? But no, that was simply a day dream that would get me nowhere but dead.
“Drink?”
“No, thank you, Your Highness.”
“Yes, you will.” He walked over to a tray, complete with a decanter of amber liquid and a few crystal goblets, that sat on a wooden side table by the wall. There was the sound of glass touching glass and liquid being poured. I couldn’t bring myself to look at him, he disgusted me so.
Suddenly, the prince spun around, his arm moving quickly. A throwing knife spun through the air, straight for me. Acting on instinct, I dodged the projectile, the knife hit the wall and I grabbed it, ready to defend myself.
But Balduin just smiled and applauded quietly. “Very good. Nicolo said you were a good fighter, but I don’t think he knows how good, does he?”
“Your Highness?”
“You could take him in a fight, couldn’t you? Perhaps you could even take me.”
So, he really believed he was a better fighter than Nicolo. Interesting but not helpful at the present.
“I doubt that very strongly, Your Highness.”
“It’s a curious thing,” Balduin continued as he slugged back one drink and poured himself another.
“What is, Your Highness?” I asked when the words seemed to lodge in his throat.
“The way you just appeared. You’d been a maid for what? Barely a few weeks, it seems.”
“Perhaps a month and a week.”
He nodded. “Right—you just appeared, then you were promoted to serving Nicolo. A girl as pretty as the day is long, bright eyed and bushy-tailed, but who can also handle a sword, dodge a knife, ride a horse with aplomb, dance like a court lady and more besides.”
“My father taught me everything I know.”
I was worried though I didn’t know just why yet.
“So Nicolo said,” nodded Balduin but he appeared doubtful. “Maybe Nicolo even believes your story.” Then he chuckled as I swallowed hard. “I think Nicolo wants to believe everything you tell him.”
“Why is that?” I managed.
“Because he likes you and that is quite a surprise because Nicolo doesn’t like anyone… save for me, of course.” My heart fluttered involuntarily. “You did quite a good job there, I’ll give you.”
“Your Highness?”
“That’s all part of your training, isn’t it?”
“My training, Your Highness?”
He nodded. “Get close to the target. And with a man like Nicolo… well, it’s practically the only way you could finish the job... by getting close to him.”
Holy hell. He knew. How in the hell he’d found out, I didn’t know. But he knew. And that meant… did Nicolo know, as well? Had all of this been planned? But, no, there was something about the expression on the prince’s face that led me to believe this was still our little secret. And Nicolo’s shock when Balduin interrupted us—no, none of that was planned. Nicolo didn’t know the truth. And that was a relief to me which was silly because I was more than sure I was about to meet my end. Right here and right now. If I were lucky, Balduin would kill me before he had his way with me.
“Job, Your Highness?”
Balduin smirked. “You don’t need to play dumb with me, assassin.”
“Assassin?” I repeated, and swallowed hard, eyeing the two exit points from the room. One was a window in which I was sure to kill myself from the fall. The other was out the door and Balduin’s guards would easily overcome me.
Balduin chuckled again as he turned to face me and swallowed the glass of amber liquid before turning to pour himself another. “You appear petrified,” he continued on a heavy laugh. “Relax, girl… I’m the one who hired you.”
It was fair to say this evening hadn’t gone as I’d expected—at all. I’d been expecting a nice meal followed by a good night’s sleep, instead I’d been fingered over dinner, had a close call with the man I was supposed to kill, been given away like a birthday present, and now it turned out that the last man I’d ever have expected to want Nicolo dead was the man who’d paid for it to happen.
There were many people who treated Balduin as if they liked him. There were even more who pretended to be his friend. But I would have bet all the money I had that Nicolo was the only person who liked the prince genuinely, and he ranked as Balduin’s only real friend.
And this was how the prince repaid that loyalty?
Not only that, even if Balduin’s jealousy had blossomed into full-blown hatred, his life depended on Nicolo. He literally couldn’t survive without Nicolo. So, what the hell was going on?
“I am correct in thinking the Guild doesn’t tell you the identity of your client?”
“Not even the Guild knows, Your Highness,” I replied, still a little dazed that I was even admitting to this. But the cat was so far out of the bag, there was no use in continuing to deny it. “Everything is kept anonymous. It’s a financial arrangement, nothing more.”
Balduin shrugged. “I used an intermediary… now sadly deceased. But the fact remains that money was mine. I hired you.”
“To kill Nicolo.” I probably shouldn’t have said it, but I needed to check. Just to make sure my delirious mind hadn’t just concocted up the last twenty minutes.
“Yes. Are you going to ask why?”
“No.” Some of the Guild’s lessons were drummed in harder than others.
Balduin nodded. “The Guild trains its people well. Which is why, frankly, I’ve been a bit baffled by you and decided to take direct action.”
“I’m sorry, Your Highness?” It was like the floor was giving way under me.
“So, you damn well should be,” he answered and the light tone to his words was suddenly gone. In its place was a cold and austere anger that was echoed in his narrowed eyes and furrowed brow. “You’ve been here weeks, working with Nicolo every day, and he’s as alive as he ever was.” He took a breath. “I want to know why. Are you attempting to poison him? If so, you are wasting your time. Not only is he very careful about inspecting everything he eats and drinks, but he’s built up immunity to many different toxins.”
I shook my head, still stuck on our previous conversation. “How did you know it was me?”
Balduin shrugged. “Seemed a bit of a coincidence, someone like you arriving so soon after the commission. You’ve gotten closer to Nicolo than any woman—than any person —ever has.”
Again, I felt that odd fluttering of joy which made zero sense and was beyond frustrating. And might now cost me my life.
“But what if you’d guessed wrong?”
Another shrug. “Then I would have choked you to death. It’s something I do with my lovers now—something that delights me, truth be told.” I swallowed hard. “Sometimes I must admit I get a bit carried away and it’s easy to go too far. Lost a maid that way last year.” He breathed in deeply and then sighed. “She died with a smile on her face though.”
Balduin was smarter than I’d given him credit for. I needed to tread carefully. But why was he doing this and how could he afford to—his life was on the line if Nicolo died.
“If you’re not poisoning him then why is it taking so fucking long?” the prince snapped at me.
“It’s not easy to get close to him, Your Highness,” I replied with a simple shrug. “I was planning to see it through tonight, but you interrupted.”
Balduin scoffed. “You could have chosen any night.”
“Tonight was the first time we were… alone together.”
Balduin looked confused for a minute. “What… you mean that part about you being a maid was true…? Nicolo hasn’t been skewering you this whole time?”
I felt myself color in anger and insult. “No, Highness.”
Balduin threw back his head and laughed. “That’s… oh, the irony! I thought he was fibbing simply because he wanted to keep you all to himself!” He looked at me and continued laughing. “The poor horny fucker! He’s had an erection for you since day one and nowhere to shove it! Bloody hell!” Then his laugh died and the scowl returned. “Why on earth did you waste time ‘getting close’ to him. Any of the maids could have told you how easy it was to get into his bed. He would have fucked the bunny ears off you on your first night if you’d wiggled your tail at him.”
“With a knife under his pillow, a sword by his side and one eye always open,” I snapped back, forgetting myself but at this point, I didn’t care. I didn’t know where Balduin and I went from here. “And I’d have been out the door as soon as he was done,” I continued. “Nicolo never lets his guard down. I needed to be more than just another girl. I needed to be the one who spends the night.”
Irritated though he was, I could see Balduin recognized the sense in my explanation. “You make a reasonable point, little rabbit. Nicolo’s had too many close calls and he doesn’t get sentimental with women.” He poured himself another libation and held it up to me. “Well, you did a good job, I’ve never seen anyone burrow under his skin the way you have.”
“It’s a bit more difficult now,” I said. The fact that Balduin now knew who I was gave me confidence enough to almost admonish him. “Tonight was to be our first time, but now that opportunity is gone.”
“Answer me something.”
“Yes?”
“Was it to be your first time with Nicolo or your first time… ever? And don’t offend me with anything but the truth.”
I swallowed hard, unsure why this question left me feeling uneasy. “Ever.”
Balduin appeared startled again. “I’d heard young assassins saved themselves for such missions, but I never dreamed a girl as pretty as you would be… What a shocking waste.”
“Yes,” I replied pointedly. “If Nicolo thinks you and I… mated … it will change my relationship with him completely.” I wasn’t sure if that was strictly true but was searching for any reason to get away from Balduin and settled on that one. “I’ll never get close to him again.”
Balduin pulled a face. “He’ll never believe I didn’t fuck you. He knows me better than that.”
“Would he believe you were too drunk to perform?”
Balduin rocked his head from side to side. “I suppose. It happens to every man from time to time.”
“Then…”
Balduin’s eyes narrowed. “Let me handle it.”
“Of course, Highness,” I answered, starting to feel relief but not sure if I should.
“Then you do still plan to complete your commission?”
I nodded. “Of course, Your Highness.”
At that moment, I didn’t know what I was going to do. My head was so filled with conflicting thoughts and feelings; my attraction to Nicolo doing battle against the disgust in which I sometimes held the things he did and the company he kept. But, right then, I would have said anything to get out of that bedroom.
“You want to know, don’t you?”
I paused. I thought I could guess what he was talking about and, damn it, I did want to know.
Balduin grinned as I turned back. “You want to know how I can kill Nicolo without dying myself.”
He beckoned. Heart in my mouth, I followed him to the wall where he turned a candle sconce with a grating sound. A secret door swung open in the wall and he passed through it, into the candle-lit space beyond.
The room was small, warm and stank of waste, excrement.
“It doesn’t get cleaned often,” Balduin recognized the look on my face, “because I have to kill the maid afterwards and doing so becomes suspicious after a while. The secret must be kept, but I’ve been dying to share it with someone.”
From the ceiling, a large cage swung. Crouched within it was a boy. He might have been nine or ten but it was hard to be sure because he was so malnourished. He looked up as I entered and a tremor went up my spine.
His eyes were the same as Nicolo’s; bright violet.