Page 55 of The Dragon King's Assassin

Chapter Twenty-Five

The King led us back to the meeting room he'd been using with the merchants. I took up a position near the door, arms loose at my sides, and Ren sat on the floor beside her master's chair.

“So, what has brought you here, Rac?” Taroc asked.

“We've got a problem.”

“Which we is that; you and me or you and your brother?”

“All of us if you don't help me and my brother.”

“Go on. What's the problem?”

“It's the dead.”

“The dead?”

“Yes, the dead.”

“What's wrong with the dead?”

“They're not staying dead.”

“The dead are coming back to life?”

“Not exactly. For the last two weeks, everyone who dies, revives after a few hours. But they're not themselves. They are confused and aggressive. We've had to quarantine them.”

Taroc slid his stare to me.

“Don't look at me.” I held up my hands. “The people I kill stay dead. I've never had any complaints from my customers.”

“Yes, but you know a lot of people who I don't. People who might know something about the dead awakening.”

“You mean necromancers.”

“We hired one of those,” Prince Racmar said. “She didn't do shit.”

“Perhaps she was the one creating your problem,” Taroc said.

“Could be, but since she's currently locked in His Majesty's dungeon, we'll know soon enough.”

“You tossed her in a dungeon for failing?” I asked.

“You're going to allow him to join this conversation?” Prince Racmar asked the King instead of answering me.

“Since I invited him into it, yes. And I'm wondering the same thing. Why did your brother imprison the necromancer?”

“Because he had the same suspicions you just voiced. He's keeping her there until he's sure she isn't involved.”

The King grunted. “It must be a necromancer's spell. In which case, only another necromancer will know how to stop it.”

“I don't know. The necromancer we hired said the land felt unsettled to her. She wasn't sure if someone was deliberately bringing back the dead or if it were a side effect of another spell.”

“The land? Did you try not burying the dead?”

“Yes. That didn't work either.”

“Pardon me for speaking and existing, Your Highness, but I have a question,” I said to the Prince.

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