Chapter Fourteen

Queen Jasmine entered Galvar’s room. He lay still on the bed. “Dinner is ready,” she said. “I didn’t send a servant.” She looked at him. His open eyes followed her as she approached the bed. He lay still and remained silent.

Galvar thanked the gods. The assassin had removed his bonds and thrown a cover over him. The poison antidote slowly relieved his paralysis. He didn’t trust his arms or legs to function correctly. He didn’t know which extract she used, but it worked fast. He prayed it would work faster.

“Who was the young woman who ran down the hallway?”

The question startled him. He didn’t know how to respond.

“Son, is everything alright? Are you ill?” She sat on the edge of the bed and placed her arm over his body. She leaned over him and said, “Please, Galvar, talk with me. It hurts me when you are this way.” Tears formed in her eyes.

Galvar slowly raised his right hand to block out her face. Uncontrolled tears ran down his face and soaked his pillow. An astonishing truth stared at him from her moist eyes.

“Galvar, why are you crying?” she asked.

“Mother,” he replied, “only now have I realized your great love for me. Now, if you will leave me, I’ll come right down.”

“Alright, son, you didn’t tell me about the young lady.”

“Did you see her face? She doesn’t want to be known.”

“No, a veil covered everything except her eyes.” She frowned. “Somehow, I feel as if I know her.”

“I doubt it, mother. She is from a southern kingdom. I met her recently, and we are working on a secret project. Please don’t mention her to Father. It would embarrass her.”

“I need to get to the dining room. Your father may come looking for me,” she said, moving toward the door.

“Mother,” he called after her, “I’m sorry it has taken so long, but I need to tell you how much I love you.”

Her sobbing faded down the long corridor.

###

Krinna waited patiently atop a flat roof overlooking the field before the castle. Dusk settled over the land. Decent folks hurried to get home. Only fools and the criminal dregs of society traveled at night.

Her stomach rumbled. She took the last apple from her pouch and consumed the core and seeds. She sat up as her mark exited the gate and spoke to the sentries. He whistled as he leisurely strolled toward the city.

He was up to something. Why would he mark his course? He wanted to be seen and followed. Warily, she watched him until he reached the first house.

Sprinting to the back side of the building, she ran down a flight of stairs to the alley. She ducked into a recessed doorway. Drawing a knife, she waited for him. He passed within inches of her hiding place. He whistled down the street until he arrived at a three-story building. The whistling stopped when he entered the structure.

She ran on silent feet and gained entrance to the door before it closed. She leaped into the shadows at the foot of a flight of stairs. His footsteps sounded on the wooden stairs as he reached the second floor. When he started up to the third floor, she quickly followed. He knocked on a door in the middle of the hallway. It opened, and he entered, closing it behind him.

An hour later, he exited the room. She squeezed further into the shadows. He stopped at the head of the landing. Without turning his head, he whispered, “Eating too many apples will get you killed. Be careful. I left the door open. I sensed danger in her quarters. Get your money and get out fast.” He continued down the stairs.

She moved to the door and heard voices inside the room. A man and a woman conversed about contracts. She used the sound of their speech to muffle her entrance. The living room was empty. A long, red drape with yellow tassels hid the occupants from her view.

She jumped across to the curtain and yanked it to one side. A woman stood with her back toward her. She was looking behind a drape as well. Did the man hear her and conceal himself? The dim flickering lamp didn’t cast its light beyond the drape.

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The woman jerked her head around. “Who are you? Get out of my house!” she said vehemently.

“I’m here for my contract fee,” Krinna said. She removed the priceless necklace from her tunic and threw it onto a cushioned chair. “There is your evidence. It proves I completed your contract. Pay up.”

“I don’t know what you are talking about. That cheap piece of junk means nothing to me. Get out before I call the constables.”

Krinna slipped a finger dart from her pocket into her right hand.

“I’m not afraid of your toy. You can’t touch me.”

She shot her. The woman fell to the floor.

“I cut a good man’s throat to fill your contract. My guild hasn’t existed since you bought it. Now, you are a beautiful woman of means. I see by your furnishings and wardrobe that you have money to waste. I’m going to help you spend it.”

“All I have to do is say a word, and you are dead,” she replied.

Krinna sat down by her side. She drew a knife and cut the expensive dress material over her chest. She formed some of the material into a ball and said, “Open your mouth.”

She shook her head no. The dagger point penetrated her smooth flesh.

“I’ll pay,” she cried.

“I hoped you would fight long enough for me to cut up your face. Cooperate with me, and I’ll be gone in five minutes. Now, where is my money?”

“Go to the bookcase. On the third shelf on the right side, remove the books. A concealed box is there. Take what you want.”

Krinna found the bound leather treasure box and counted out the contract amount. She put the box away and replaced the books. She took a vial of antidote from her pouch and pulled the stopper out. Kneeling, she said, “Open your mouth. This will counteract the toxin in your system.” She allowed two drops to drip on her tongue. “You have five minutes before you can get up.” She hesitated a moment and said, “I’m curious. Why did you want your husband dead? All the time we were together, he protected me.”

“You wouldn’t understand.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right. Oh, you might want to cancel your contract with the Myth.”

“For an assassin, you don’t know anything. Once a bargain is struck, it can’t be changed.”

“Yes,” she said pensively, “it becomes a matter of choice. I’ll deal with him the way I dealt with your husband. Good night,” she said and left the room.

The scream stopped her on the second-floor landing. She rushed back to the room. The woman faced the draper. Two minor puncture wounds marred the creamy, smooth skin on her right cheek. She lay on her stomach with her dress raised to her knees. Her right slipper had been thrown into a corner. Krinna saw a small, red, three-star tattoo on the bottom of her right heel. She was dead.

Krinna fled the murder scene. The thought of staying in the same room with a viper, however small, terrorized her. She threw up a quick thank you to any god for the strength in Watermelon’s dying arm when he averted her death. Involuntarily, her hand went to her breast.

The viper had fought frantically to bite her. She had never seen such devotion since she avenged Oberon. Her heart hurt. Watermelon’s will to protect her from harm caused her to stop in the street. What did he say? “A young lady like you needs to live.” The pure enormity of the truth left her gasping for air. His dying act saved her life. Why?

She ran toward the darkness created by an exterior stairway.

Absolute fear gripped her heart. The assassin had concealed himself behind the curtain. Who was he? He must have heard me enter the room. She racked her brain to recall any betraying sound. She made none. Possibly, he sensed her presence.

She couldn’t breathe. Fear of the unknown hunter caused her to sweat. Her body began to tremble as she thought about Watermelon’s sacrificial death. He knew she had killed him, so why save her life? Her pounding heart provided the answer. He loved her. “My god, Sar was right,” she whispered into the night. A sharp pain jolted her heart. Leaning a hand against the building for support, she took long, slow breaths to regulate and calm her heart rate.

Krinna focused her attention on the assassin. Was he in the room when Galvar entered? Did he betray her? If he did, he forfeited his life. She would visit him at the castle.

No, he didn’t betray him. She surprised the woman, but not the hidden assassin. Galvar must have known someone was in her room. Yes, he tried to warn her. Why? He sensed the threat when she didn’t.

She moved deeper into the shadows as several constables rode by her shelter. It was time to move. She decided to go through the alley.

“Stand still!” the whisper came from above her head. “He is on the market roof across the street.”

She slowly leaned back against the wall. She raised her eyes to the roof line but saw no movement. Her right foot itched. She scratched it with her left foot.

“For god’s sake, be still. You’ll get us both killed,” the whisperer said. “He shadowed the chimney.”

She closed and opened her eyes to relieve the night strain. Looking right and then left, she focused on the chimney. A dark mass hugged the side of it.

“I see him,” she whispered. Closing her eyes, she listened for noise from the rooftop.

“We can go now. He is gone,” Galvar said aloud.

Startled by his voice, she opened her eyes and asked, “Galvar, who is he?”

“She called for the Myth. I believe he concealed himself while I talked with her. Krinna, you had better run now.”

“How is it you know my name?”

He hesitated and said, “You have your mother’s eyes.”

Does he know the truth? She thought. “If I had a friend, a brother, I would want him to be like you. Why did you help me?”

“I didn’t want to die with you. My death might kill my mother. Now, I ask you, did you kill her?”

“No, a small viper bit her on the face.”

“What a pity. Her beautiful skin was so soft. Do you carry the necklace?”

“No, I left it on the chair. I only took my money and left. I reached the second floor before I heard her scream.”

“You need to leave now. I have to get back to the castle. Farewell,” he said and slipped into the fading night.

She turned down the alley and diligently returned to her rented room. She needed to rest before starting her run.