Page 6 of Cage of Destiny
“Do you still lovehim?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I’mconfused about how I feel. He destroyed my faith and trust in him,but I can’t just turn off my feelings.”
“He has chosen to move onwithout you. To go into Russek without telling you. Have youconsidered that he wants you here in Emperion where you’resafe?”
Odar didn’t dictate what she could orcould not do. She was her own person and would make up her ownmind.
“If he loves you, evenbroke up with you because he loves you so much, how can youdisregard his feelings and wishes?”
“He disregarded mine.” Shestood and started pacing about the room. “Jana is myresponsibility. Not his. And he doesn’t get to tell me what to do.He lost that right.”
Nathenek chuckled. “I’m not sure heever had it.”
She stopped and looked at him. “You’regrowing on me.”
“The feeling is mutual. Ifyou wish to save Odar, I will go with you. However, I do not wantto rush into anything.”
She couldn’t help but laugh. “Thestory of my life.” She always leapt before thinking.
“I do have a fewrequirements before we go into a hostile kingdom in the middle of acivil war to save a man who you may or may not love.”
She eyed him. “What are yourrequirements?” Plopping on the couch, she pulled off her boots andchucked them into Savenek’s room.
He raised his eyebrows. “Go pick thoseup right now.”
“My boots?”
“This is my home. You willnot throw your boots, clothing, or anything else for thatmatter.”
“Sorry,” she muttered,getting up. After grabbing her boots, she set them carefully on theground with extra emphasis. No wonder her brother’s room was inpristine order. At first, she’d thought he wore masks like Kerdan,showing the world a clean and orderly person on the outside whilebeing a mess on the inside. That wasn’t the case at all. Natheneksimply required cleanliness, which she understood. An assassin ofhis caliber had to be meticulous, and he probably lived with thearmy in his younger years.
“Thank you.”
She smiled sweetly at him. “You’rewelcome.” He was starting to make sense to her. “What are yourrequirements?”
“You will work with me so Ican assess your strengths and weaknesses. If I feel you needadditional training, you will accept my instruction withoutcomplaint.”
“Deal.” She could fight sothere would be no delay in them leaving.
“Once I deem you’re ready,we will make a plan together. I won’t have you rushing off toRussek without a plan, a contingency plan, and a contingency planfor the contingency plan. Is that understood?”
She could live with that.“Yes.”
“One last thing.” Sherolled her eyes. “Make that two,” he said. “One, you will not rollyour eyes at me.”
“You can’t beserious.”
“Does it look like I’mjoking?” She shook her head. “And two, we need to use differentnames so no one discovers our identities.”
She smiled, ready to welcome hersecret persona back. It had been far too long. “I’ll go by Lilly.What shall I call you?”
“Captain.”
***
How did Allyssa continuously getherself into these situations? First, she agreed to work withJarvik against her better judgment. And look how that turned out.Jarvik ended up being Odar. Then, she struck the deal with Kerdan,agreeing to kill the Russek royal family for her freedom. And heproposed to her at the end of that one. Now, she was in cahootswith an assassin who killed the previous emperor and put Rema onthe throne.
She rolled over in bed, eager for thesun to rise so she could show Nathenek her skill in hand-to-handcombat, knife throwing, and archery. She smirked. He probablythought he’d have to teach her how to hold a sword. Maybe that washis plan all along—he assumed she was ill-equipped and they’d neverleave Emperion. Well, her father had trained her, Marek—the head ofher personal guard—had worked with her every day, and even Kerdanhad taught her some combat skills. Thoughts of sparring with Odarhovered at the edges of her memories, but she shoved them down,refusing to relive them.
