Page 38 of Decoy

I heaved a defeated sigh. “I suppose as a lady I have my own duty to share the details of what you overheard.”

“I’m relieved you’re aware of my intentions so I don’t have to waste time persuading you, as entertaining as that sounds.”

I hated to imagine what suchpersuasionwould entail. “First I must discern how much you overheard.”

“So you can ensure to hide what details you still can?” He raised an eyebrow. “Did you think I wouldn’t see through such a blatant ploy?”

I lifted my chin. “You should know by now that I’m not a woman who wouldn’t at least try.” Especially if one of the things he’d overheard had been the advisor addressing me as an imposter.

“That’s unfortunately true.” Yet his lips twitched, as if amused by my show of confidence, the emotion in his eyes almost one of admiration. “I suppose such a risk deserves a reward: I understand Sir Rupert desires you to uncover further information about me…and considering his position, that leaves me to believe it’s Their Majesties who find me suspicious. Such a fact would be disastrous for my family after generations of maintaining good relations with the crown. I will not be the one responsible for causing years of secrecy to crumble.”

And I’d been the one to ruin it by sharing his true identity with the king’s closest advisor. Though I’d been motivated by self-preservation more than spite, my shame still deepened, even as my conscience repeatedly yelled the necessary reminder that he’d tried to kill me and thus wholly deserved it.

“I’m a princess. Are you so surprised I wouldn’t tell those trusted with my protection that my safety is being jeopardized? It’s your fault for letting me live long enough to share what I knew.”

“And a fine reward for my efforts.”

He looked as if he bore the weight of the world on his shoulders, a position that seemed wearying and even lonely. A flicker of empathy pierced my indifference against my better judgement. He’d allowed me to live, and I’d repaid that debt by drawing suspicion towards him, a man whose field of work required anonymity. Though it’d been necessary in my own fight for survival, I still felt regret.

“Are you angry?”

His lips twitched at the question, one rather childish of me to ask given the circumstances. What need did I have for the good opinion of the man bent on murdering me?

“You only did what I myself have been trained to do: use every piece of information you obtain to your advantage. With our history, you had every right to turn to someone your parents trust. Did you also tell him about the poison attempt?” His brow furrowed as I shook my head. “As disadvantageous as it would be for me, you really should have. Why didn’t you?”

That question had consumed me in the hours following my failure to do so, one I still had no explanation for. He studied me for a long moment in search of answers I myself didn’t know.

“That brings us back to the question of what youdidtell him.”

I hesitated only a moment before realizing at this point it’d be prudent to confess all. “I gave him reason to suspect you’re an assassin.”

Though he didn’t appear surprised, he still swore. “That certainly will make my life difficult.”

“The information against you is only incriminating if there are other professions involving slinking across rooftops. Perhaps he’ll instead mistake you for a common thief.”

He pulled a face. “I much prefer he know me for what I am than suspect that.” But he didn’t sound as annoyed as one might expect and even offered a small smile. “As reluctant as I am to admit it, even with your offense, mine against you is still far greater. Perhaps we can consider us even.”

I didn’t realize how rigidly I sat until his answer caused my shoulders to relax, even as his extended grace only further entangled me in the web he carefully spun around me.

His brow furrowed. “I suppose having one of the most trusted allies of my enemy being aware of my skills will only make this mission all the more interesting.”

I gave him a baffled look. “Is finding amusement from challenges really all you think about?”

“I have nothing else urging me forward.” He murmured this so quietly I likely wasn’t meant to hear. His eyes widened, as if realizing too late he’d spoken the words out loud. But rather than retract them, he merely sighed. “I’ve never been so poor at what I do than when I’m around you.”

If these were his skills at their weakest, I’d hate to witness him at his best.

“So the advisor knows I’m an assassin, yet you didn’t inform him of my attempt on your life?” At my nod his shoulders relaxed. “That’s not as bad as I expected…which means either you’re foolish or up to something; you seem too clever for it to be anything but the latter. I suppose that means that for the time being, I can forgive you.”

“You will?” Surely this had to be another trick.

“However, my tentative forgiveness comes at a price.”

Of course it did. Foreboding clenched my stomach. “What price is that?”

My wildly pounding heart escalated as he settled on the bench beside me and leaned closer, causing a wave of nerves far different than the ones I usually experienced when sneaking around in the dead of night. These emotions caused my heart to ache, leaving me no anchor to prevent me from being swallowed up in the depths of his brown eyes.

“I want information of my own…specifically aboutyou. Considering you seek my own secrets, it seems a fair trade.”

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