Page 56 of Path of the Dark
18
Returning the Favor
“NINIA.”
HE SAID her name softly, so as not to startle her.
Ninia turned her attention from the palm-reader and settled it upon Elias. For a moment the pair of them just stared at each other.
The princess inclined her head, gaze narrowing. “Are you following me?”
“Aye,” he replied.
She surveyed him, her gaze sweeping from head to toe. She couldn’t see the knife still hidden in Elias’s palm, yet he noted how her small frame tensed, the way the fingers of her left hand flexed at her side. She was preparing to defend herself.
“What do you want?”
Elias let out a heavy breath, bent down, and slid the blade back into his boot. “I’ve been sent to kill you.”
Ninia’s hazel eyes widened, but she didn’t move, didn’t speak.
“As you can see, I’m not going to,” he concluded, his gaze never leaving hers.
She swallowed, tension vibrating through her, and then her attention shifted past Elias, focusing on something behind him.
Elias twisted, and he spied Santino.
His second had just entered the alleyway and now stood a few yards away, watching them with a scowl.
Elias went still. Had Santino seen him put his knife away?
“Leave us,” Elias ordered, his voice cutting through the chorus of excited voices and the lilt of music that drifted into the alley from the street beyond. Around them, the palm-reader and soothsayer had stopped what they were doing and were now watching the three newcomers.
Santino didn’t respond or comply. Instead, he drew a long dagger from his own boot and advanced toward Ninia.
Elias saw at a glance that the knife wasn’t Anthorian. Santino had been relieved of his weapons upon entering The Royal City, but he’d managed to get hold of a blade locally. That wasn’t surprising as, after the first few days, Nathan had been a lot of more relaxed about security regarding his Anthor guests.
The palm-reader gave a high-pitched cry, although Elias paid her no mind. Santino was intent on completing the job that Elias had just abandoned.
Beside him, he sensed Ninia shift position. The shadows around him began to growl and hiss, a warning that she was readying herself to unleash the Dark.
Santino lunged at Ninia.
He never reached her.
Elias knew how fast his second was. Santino was lithe, and could strike fast. Ninia would have to react quickly to defend herself from his attack. Whipping the slender blade from his boot, Elias threw himself between the girl and the soldier.
With one hand, he grabbed hold of Santino’s wrist, and with the other he slammed his own knife into the hollow at the base of the man’s throat. Elias threw his entire weight behind the attack, driving the blade home to its hilt.
Santino’s dark eyes seized upon Elias, shock flaring in their depths, and then he slumped in his arms.
Neither man spoke a word.
Elias merely stared down at him, holding Santino tight until his body went limp. He then lowered Santino to the ground and withdrew the blade from his throat.
Hot blood flowed out, pooling on the cobblestones.
The palm-reader started to scream.
