73. Clash of Stone and Steel #2
“Absolutely not,” Samhail said. “You have no idea how dangerous she is without that thing. Three hells, she’s dangerous even with it on.”
Talyn felt a swell of pride to hear him say so, and she smiled at him. “Thank you,” she said, and he glared at her.
“I agree with Samhail, Lord Consort,” Maziren said from behind Jasper. “We can’t let a shapeshifting assassin loose in the palace.”
Talyn gave the captain of the guard a look of challenge. “Afraid you won’t be able to handle me?”
Samhail flashed her a look of warning, but Maziren only straightened and returned Talyn’s stare.
“Any time you want to try me, girl,” the captain said.
“Ladies,” Jasper said placatingly.
“Lord Consort,” Talyn said, turning back to him, “I’m no more dangerous than letting rumors spread around the palace, and eventually the city, that Lord Aidan is missing.
I understand I’ve done little to earn your trust thus far, but I think I’ve at least proven I won’t just kill you all for the fun of it.
If you don’t take me up on my offer now, it may be too late by the time you realize you should’ve trusted me. ”
“No,” Samhail said again, but there was less certainty in his voice now.
“Half an hour,” Talyn said. “Remove the cuff for half an hour and let me walk around the palace as Aidan so as many servants and guards can see me as possible, then I’ll let you put the cuff back on. I promise.”
She gave Samhail a serious look that she hoped conveyed her sincerity.
“Lord Consort, no,” Maziren said urgently from behind Jasper. “You can’t really be considering letting this woman loose in Seatherny.”
Talyn met Jasper’s gaze. She wasn’t sure what she saw in his face, but she wouldn’t try to convince him any further. He seemed like a smart and fair man, and he’d make his own judgement. Trying to sell him on the idea too strongly would only backfire.
Several seconds rebounded off the walls in the silence of the room.
“I think we should try it,” Jasper said finally. He addressed Talyn. “You think you can shift into Aidan well enough to fool his own people?”
“The one issue is Aidan’s size,” she said.
“I can only stretch my body so far. I might have to shave an inch or two off his height, maybe make him a little leaner, but that might work to our advantage. You’ve told everyone he’s sick, so if he looks smaller and thinner, it only sells your story.
Your people will see a sicker, weaker version of Aidan, but they’ll at least see him. ”
Jasper considered this.
“Jasper, I…” Samhail said, but he trailed off as he looked at Talyn.
She looked right back at him, daring him to say he didn’t trust her. She knew she didn’t deserve his trust, but she still wanted it, and it would be a stab to her gut to hear him say what she knew he wanted to.
Samhail let out a deep sigh through his nose. “Fine,” he said to Jasper. “If you want me to take the cuff off her I will. We can try it.”
Jasper nodded. “Is there a way to get her into our bedroom without the guards noticing? They’ll need to see her come out of the bedroom to make it believable.”
“Do you have a balcony, and is it unlocked?” Samhail asked.
“Yes. It should be,” Jasper said. “It’s on the east side of the palace. I can show you where.”
Samhail turned to Maziren. “If you can distract any guards in that area or get them away somehow, I can fly Talyn up to the balcony.”
A muscle ticked in Maziren’s jaw, but she nodded. “If I can’t talk you out of this, then yes. I can do that.”
They all rose and followed Jasper out of the room toward the east courtyard. Once there, Maziren rounded up everyone in the area and made them follow her. What she planned to tell them, Talyn had no idea, but she didn’t have time to consider it.
“Meet us up in the room,” Samhail told Jasper as his giant leathery wings unfurled behind him.
Jasper nodded and hurried off as Samhail wrapped an arm around Talyn’s waist and pulled her against him.
“Hold on,” he told her only a second before his wings gave several mighty beats, and they shot upward toward the balcony.
Talyn barely held in her shriek of surprise as she threw her arms around his neck. By the time she registered what happened, her feet had already touched down on the balcony, and Samhail hurried them inside.
“Sweet gods above,” she said as she steadied herself. “A little warning next time please.” She tried to step away from him, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her against him again.
“Don’t give me a reason to regret this,” he said. “Bressen isn’t around to stop me from crushing your neck this time.”
He wrapped one hand gently around her throat, but somehow the way his thumb caressed the column of her neck was more sensual than threatening, and she bit her lip.
“Don’t worry,” she said huskily. “I won’t do anything naughty before you’ve had a chance to fuck my ass.” She ran a hand over his groin, and she felt him harden as he grunted loudly. Gods, it was almost too easy.
Samhail swore as he took his hand off her throat so he could pull hers away from his groin. He stepped back, mumbling something about the gods hating him.
The door at the other end of the room opened, and Jasper slipped in.
“Is everything ready?” he asked as he strode to Talyn and Samhail.
Samhail fished in his pocket and pulled out a small key. Talyn held the caronium cuff out to him. He took her wrist, and after a deep breath, removed the cuff.
Talyn considered porting into the closet to hide, just to see if he’d explode, but she resisted the urge. Instead, she shifted into Aidan, albeit a thinner, slightly shorter version of him.
She turned to Jasper to let him inspect her. The look in his eyes was pained, but he nodded.
“It’s a good enough likeness that it’ll fool anyone but me and Maziren,” he said. “This may actually work.”
“Are we just going to walk around the palace?” Samhail asked.
“You should probably stay here and let me and Talyn walk alone,” Jasper suggested.
“Not a chance,” Samhail said. “Wherever she goes, I go. I’ll hang back, but I’m going with you.”
“Then you’ll need to meet us,” Jasper said. “You can’t leave the bedroom with us. Around the corner is Aidan’s study. Fly over to that balcony and come out that way.”
Samhail looked uncertain about leaving Talyn alone for even the minute or so it would take to do as Jasper asked, but he finally turned and strode back out on the balcony.
After a look around to be sure no one was watching, he beat his wings and flew toward the side of the building Jasper had indicated.
“Are you ready?” Jasper asked her.
“Is there anything I should know before we go?” she asked.
“The guards at the door are Marsh and Elrid,” Jasper said as they walked over.
“Aidan knows all the guards’ names and likes to greet them.
I’ll try to feed you names as we go. Otherwise, just keep it simple and say hello.
We’ll tell everyone you were feeling well enough to try walking around.
We’ll make a quick circuit of the main floor and then say you’re tired and need to come back to rest.”
Talyn nodded. “After you, Lord Consort.”
Jasper reached to open the door, but he stopped and looked at Talyn.
“Is something wrong?” she asked.
“No, I…” He paused. “I just wanted to thank you for not killing Aidan, for letting Bressen try to find a way to get Morland out of him.”
Talyn went still at the look on Jasper’s face. She knew it wasn’t fair to kill Aidan in order to get rid of Morland, but she’d also forgotten Aidan had a husband who’d mourn him if she killed him.
Gods. How was she going to do this if Bressen and Cyra couldn’t find a way to draw Morland out of Aidan’s body?
Talyn swallowed down the knot in her throat. “I hope we find the solution to both our problems,” she said with a weak smile.
Jasper smiled back, and they opened the door to find Marsh and Elrid facing down a tense and thunderous-looking Samhail who was trying to get them to open the door.
“Ah, Samhail,” Jasper said genially. “My apologies for the delay. Aidan is still weak from his illness, and it took us a bit longer to get ready than anticipated. He’s ready to see you now, though. Please follow us.”