Page 73 of Kingdom of Crowns and Daggers

Chapter

Forty

CRUX

The noble’s body isn’t too heavy, so I manage to cover the distance quickly. I wait for the other guards to look away, and then I duck behind the building and into the trees. I want privacy for what I’m about to do. When I heard from my little rats that something was happening, it had been too late, and Alyx had almost paid the price.

I know she can look after herself, but there are so many enemies here that not even my assassin can take them all. The fact that I know she is okay is the only thing keeping me calm, that and she isn’t their main target. However, to get to the king, they would gladly go through her. What was once just a game for me is now real. I can’t let anything happen to her, which means helping her figure out who is trying to kill the king.

How many times will we have to save his life?

It baffles me that Alyx could like such a weak man. He might have power in name, but not in body. Tugging off the stupidly uncomfortable helmet, I kneel by the body as Alyx appears around the building, having escaped the guards protecting her at the palace. She’s panting slightly as she kneels on the other side of the body.

“Well?” she prompts.

“I waited for you. Do you want to do the honours?” I ask, leaning back.

“So romantic, saving desecrating a corpse for me.” She winks as she laughs.

I chuckle. “I have a feeling he would like it more than if I did it.”

Her nose crinkles in disgust as she rips his robes open and shoves her hands into the pockets, searching quickly. Despite my words, I take off his boots and check inside, knowing that’s one place where most people hide things. While we search, I look her over, double-checking she’s okay.

“I’m fine, stop staring,” she snaps, no doubt feeling my gaze. “Ah, what’s this?” I lean closer to see her running her fingers along the front of the robe where it seems more padded. She flips it over to reveal a secret pocket within. Slipping her fingers inside the shallow pocket, she extracts a small square of parchment before leaning back from the body.

“Idiot, why hide it on his body?” I murmur.

“They thought they would succeed and not get caught. It’s called being cocky, and it will be their downfall, but it’s good for us.” Opening the parchment, she scans the contents before showing me. “Orders with time and place. It seems they wanted him to know as little as possible, just a promise for a payment if he could lure the king there, and see that? That is a noble’s family crest. If we can figure out whose and talk to them, then we might be able to connect it back to who is pulling the strings.” Standing, she brushes off her dress. “Let’s go.”

Taking the parchment, I shove it into my pocket. “I’ll go. Stay and protect the king. It will look odd if you suddenly disappear. We need to avoid suspicion.” Her face clouds with anger as I smirk. “I know you hate sitting still, but I will handle all the boring stuff, and when the fun starts, I’ll get you. I promise.”

Sighing, she glances at the body and then me. “Fine, I know you’re right. Princesses never get to have fun killing. What’s the point of all this power if I can’t get away with murder every now and again?”

Laughing, I cup the back of her neck and drag her closer as her eyes widen, her mouth parting on a moan as desire takes over her expression. I lean down and steal a quick kiss. The need to deepen it, to taste her moans fills me, but I pull back as her eyes flutter open. “You did good. Now go play with your king while I hunt for us, and when I come back with answers, I will tell you everything with my head buried between your thighs. After, this pretty princess can come play murder with me, okay?”

“Okay,” she murmurs before blinking. “I’ll hold you to that.” With a flick of her hair, she starts to walk away before glancing back. “Oh, and you deal with the body. He smells like oils and ball sack.”

I can’t help but laugh as I watch her go, my eyes drifting to the body. “She’s something, right? Consider yourself a lucky bastard. If anyone else had her hands on them like that, they would die a very slow and painful death.”

Chapter

Forty-One

ALYX

Sequestered away in my rooms, I make myself comfortable on the large bed, wrapped in a luxurious silk dressing gown that probably cost more than a year’s salary for the average worker in the Lowers. Pulling the fabric closer, I notice the gazes of the two men in my room following my movements.

Orion stands near the door, leaning against it as though he’s relaxed, but I know it is all an act. If anyone were to attack now, he would be ready to fulfil his duty at any moment. Joha sits on the end of the bed, making himself comfortable as he and his friend fill me in on what happened after the attack.

As soon as we parted ways earlier, the two of them were called to meetings, recapping what happened and trying to work out exactly how this had been able to occur in the first place. The fact that someone managed to infiltrate the guard a second time is worrying. Whoever is behind this is getting more desperate. They attacked during the day when there were witnesses. It’s sloppy, but that makes them more dangerous. We need to discover who is truly behind this before it’s too late, which is exactly why Crux is busy following the orders we found.

I can’t be with Joha every hour of the day, and neither can Orion. Sooner or later, one of us will make a mistake that could cost the king his life.

My heart clenches painfully in my chest at the thought. This has gone beyond just a job now, despite what I might tell Crux. Not only would I feel guilty if Joha is killed when I’m supposed to protect him, but I think I would actually mourn him.

It’s a strange feeling to know I would grieve for someone who isn’t family. When I lost my own, I told myself I would never let myself feel so vulnerable and care for another like that ever again. Sure, over time, Crux has worked his way into my heart. He was there when no one else was and taught me how to survive. We are a different breed than the king though. We both know that each day could be our last, and that each new day we live is because of the life we have carved through death, deception, and blood. Joha is the complete opposite, and despite the multiple attempts on his life and the scheming of the court, he manages to stay positive and have hope for this cruel world.

Blinking, I bring the two males back into focus. Both of them are looking at me expectantly. Their meetings were mostly about strengthening our defences, and there was no news on who the attacker was or why it happened in the first place. The assassin in the cells killed himself before we could get any information out of him, meaning Orion is investigating how this was allowed to happen.

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