Page 87 of Decoy

Surprising compassion filled Princess Evelyn’s gaze. “I understand your wariness. If it’s an official contract you desire to guarantee your safety, then that is what we’ll provide.”

When Their Majesties made no objections, the princess went to the nearby desk and procured quill and parchment to write out the royal promise to protect me. Luke monitored her to ensure no tricks were involved. When she finished, she handed the contract to me; I read it three times, my gaze lingering on the promiseto receive a full pardon. All appeared to be in order, which Luke confirmed after his own careful perusal.

The contract was sealed with the royal insignia, and just like that I had a guarantee I’d be allowed to live when all of this was over. But even with it, the weight constantly pressing down on my shoulders didn’t cease; it only grew heavier when I reached for the contract and the king held it out of reach with a firm look of warning.

“Our concerns for our daughter’s safety have only escalated now that she’s returned to the palace. You will provide us the information we need to protect her while keeping both your role as the decoy as well as her presence within the palace secret. In exchange, we will give this to you once the assassin is unmasked and safely in our custody.”

My fists clenched, but unfortunately I was in no position to protest. A warmth of reassurance seeped over me when Luke rested a comforting hand on my shoulder. “There’s no need to worry; I have no doubt Princess Evelyn will keep her word.”

The princess narrowed her eyes at him in silent scrutiny. After assuring himself that the others weren’t paying attention to the exchange, Luke took the opportunity to toy with her. Not severing eye contact, he lifted his arm to recreate the assassin mask that usually covered the lower part of his face, offering her the last clue for her to connect the dots concerning his identity.

Her startled gasp drew everyone’s attention. Luke waggled his finger back in forth before pressing it to his lips, an admonition to remain silent that he amplified by parting his cloak just enough to stroke the hilt of his dagger.

Concern furrowed the queen’s brow as she brushed her daughter’s arm with an affection that made my heart twinge for my own departed mother. “What’s wrong, Nymph?”

Rather than answer, she only stared in disbelieving silence…and Luke stared evenly back, his dark eyes filled with a sinister promise that he wouldn’t hesitate to kill the princess should her lack of cooperation force his hand.

A smirk tugged his lips, his satisfaction at her lingering shock and that their bargain forced her to remain silent. Beside her, guard Silas and her other companion glared at Luke with open fury that indicated they too had come to realize his identity, but like the princess they were powerless to say anything.

Throughout my life I’d heard rumors about the Shadow, but prior to learning Luke’s true identity, our interactions had been too playful for me to take his title as seriously as I ought after discovering it. If anything, I found it amusing that for all the assassins to be a fraud, it’d be the heir to such an infamous house…not to mention I was relieved to finally have an explanation for his superhuman powers. Of all the men I could have fallen for, it was the most dangerous person in the kingdom…except I knew the real man behind the mask.

Only now did I understand the full implications of his identity: even someone as soft-hearted as Luke wouldn’t hesitate to put his lifelong training to use to kill if it’d protect what was most important to him—and to think that wasme. My heart swelled at the thought.

“Is everything alright, Princess?” Luke watched her with brows drawn in exaggerated concern, such a contrast to the taunting amusement glistening his eyes.

After a long pause she forced a smile. “Forgive me for my moment of inattention. I promise the Estorian royal family will uphold our end of the bargain.” She faced me. “You have nothing to fear, Blair.”

I’d been trapped within death’s clutches too long to immediately believe her. Luke didn’t seem to harbor any such doubts, appearing confident in his own powers of persuasion. The relieved smile he bestowed on me was much more friendly than the sinister one he’d given the princess.

“There. You see? All will be well.”

All will be well. I clung to these words. Somehow, hearing them in his dear voice helped me better believe that I’d emerge from this scheme with my life…yet still, the unwanted doubt lingered.

Sensing this, he leaned closer. “If trust in the royal family is still difficult for you to render, then for the moment you may rely on mine: Princess Evelyn will keep her promise, I assure you.”

I did trust him, implicitly. Sweet reassurance filled his eyes, causing the tension filling my posture to slowly ease enough for me to recapture my previous determination.

“Luke is quite adept at investigations and has been assisting me in tracking down our quarry. We believe we’re quite close to the target, but will need a bit more time. Now that I have your word you’ll uphold your promise to grant me my freedom in exchange for the suspect, we’ll close in.”

He nodded. “It’s time to finally finish this.”

We exchanged a warm look, another balm for the worry cinching my heart. He allowed me to exit first before glancing back at Her Highness, watching us warily.

“I’m sure you’ll keep your end of the bargain, Princess.” And with a final wink he departed for the next act in this scheme: to confront the mastermind seeking the princess’s life.

CHAPTER25

Once within the privacy of the corridor, the pressing tension brought by the royal family’s presence finally eased, allowing me to drop my rigid mask with a relieved breath.

“You’re such a child.” I tried to sound scolding, an effort undoubtedly marred by my twitching lips. Even in the early stages of our relationship I was already failing in my duty to keep Luke’s antics in check. We’d be in trouble moving forward, a future that finally felt within reach that I was greatly looking forward to.

His arm came around my shoulders to gently guide me down the corridor. “A bit of fun always lightens the mood…and in this instance provides a bit of persuasion for the princess to keep her end of our bargain.”

“Did you truly threaten her? This entire time I thought it was a bluff.”

He shrugged, thoroughly unrepentant. “How else was I to earn her cooperation? They’re the ones who started this dangerous game by threatening your life.”

By now I shouldn’t have expected any less from him, yet part of me was still shocked at the extent to which he’d gone—he’d truly tracked Her Highness down and struck a deal without any regard for the potential consequences that could come from threatening a princess, for no matter their influence, assassins weren’t out of reach of the royal family’s authority.

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