Page 1 of The King's Weapon

Chapter1

No one else mattered.No one but her mark for the night, who to Kallie's disappointment, had chosen an old tavern that reeked of stale bread, mold, and sweat. Every step Kallie took squished, making her question why she had worn her favorite pair of black leather boots tonight. Even though she frequented the taverns in the lower city during her spare time—which, granted, was too rare for her liking—this one was her least favorite by far. It was cramped, unkempt, and the drinks were subpar. She had no idea how the establishment was in business still, but it probably had to do with its cheap prices. Although, the prices did nothing to improve the quality of the alcohol or the service.

The tavern did, however, have one perk Kallie could appreciate: no prying eyes. Its occupants were always too drunk and too absorbed in their own fantasies to notice anything or anyone out of the ordinary. She suspected that was why her mark had chosen this place to meet his acquaintance.

Kallie leaned against the brick wall and looked beyond the edge of her black wool hood as she scanned the room for the fourth time.

The tavern was more packed than usual tonight. No doubt a result of the king's upcoming ceremony that had all seven kingdoms of Vaneria restless. Men and women crowded the small tables with pints of lukewarm ale in their hands and bland chili on their tables. As midnight neared, Kallie's favorite time was approaching. The time of the night when inhibitions and morals faded as more drinks were ordered and downed by the glass. Sweat glistened behind the ears of men who drank one too many pints, bodies relaxed and swayed as the fiddler plucked a new tune, and lips became looser. An insatiable hunger for a never-ending night hung in the air as anticipation bounced off the sticky walls. In the far corner of the establishment, patrons placed bets on who the princess would choose to marry in the coming days.

And Kallie watched it all with a smirk on her face. None of them knew she had all of the answers on the tip of her tongue. Perhaps, another night she would have joined in on the fun. But as much as Kallie yearned to lose herself in the crowd, the pressures of her father weighed heavily on her. And Kallie's desire to prove she was capable to her father was far greater than her desire to let loose. She had a job to do, and Kallie could not fail.

She wouldn't.

She would have plenty of time to do whatever she wanted once the plan came to fruition. So Kallie waited.

And waited.

Her lukewarm beer, which was only half-consumed, sat forgotten on the high-top table beside her as she observed her mark. In his mid-twenties, he was a little older than Kallie. He wore a plain, black fitted jacket atop a white button-up, both of which were too clean and too well-tailored for this tavern. He had cleanly cut ginger hair and a freshly shaven beard. His attempt at aloofness was dismal, for his scabbard, which hung forgotten at his side as he sat on the barstool, had Frenzia's crest sewn onto it. If someone wasn't paying close attention, their eyes would easily glance over the minute details. However, Kallie wasn't like most of the people here. She was well-trained, well-attuned to the small details. She knew immediately who the man was: Prince Sebastian, the brother of the recently anointed King Rian and the newly promoted captain of Frenzia's largest fleet.

As his acquaintance got up to leave, Sebastian called the innkeeper over and ordered a second drink.

Pushing herself off the wall, she abandoned her pint, pulled her cloak down, and sauntered over to the bar.

"I'll have what he's having," Kallie said to the innkeeper, who then nodded and turned away. As Kallie leaned over the edge of the bar, she felt a sticky residue beneath her palm. Her insides squirmed, but her face remained unfazed.

Sebastian cocked his head in challenge. "Are you sure about that?"

"If it's good enough for the prince of Frenzia, it's good enough for me," Kallie said.

Flinching, Sebastian drew back on his stool as he looked at the nearby patrons sitting on the other end of the bar. "How did you—"

"You don't often see the royal Frenzian crest in a run-down tavern." She chewed on her lip and shrugged one shoulder. "The red hair is also kind of a giveaway."

He looked behind her at the crowd. And Kallie was positive this was the first time Sebastian noticed that he was the only person in the building with bright red hair, a rare and well-known trait of the Frenzian royal family.

He swiveled back on his stool, and from underneath her hood, Kallie noted how his gaze slid down her, his brows raising in amusement. "I suppose I should have worn a cloak." He nodded to the chair. "If my cover is already blown, you might as well sit while we drink. It's not like I can force you to forget who I am."

Kallie smirked and sat on the chair. Crossing her legs, the edge of her cloak floated to the side, revealing tight black leather trousers that hugged her thighs. She did not come here for money but rather for something more worthy of her time.

The innkeeper set down their drinks and walked over to two men on the other end of the bar.

Sebastian raised his glass, the golden liquid sloshing within it, and made a toast, "To disguises."

"And to discovering the secrets beneath them." Kallie clinked her glass against his. When she took a swig of the liquid, the whiskey burned her throat as she swallowed.

Kallie released a deep, quiet sigh. "Good choice, Prince. The ale here tastes like piss." She cast her eyes at the innkeeper, who scoffed. Then, as if to prove her point, one of the men on the opposite end of the bar nearly gagged after taking a large gulp of the ale.

When Sebastian set his glass of whiskey down, she slid her hand on top of his and leaned in. His breath hitched as her lips grazed the tip of his ear. Then with a deep inhale, Kallie pulled from the pit of her stomach and felt the welcoming presence of her gift ready to be unleashed.

And Kallie happily obliged it.

With a sly grin, she whispered King Domitius' words she had spent all morning rehearsing into her mark's ear. As the words left her lips, the bottom of her stomach felt lighter, freer even; however, the hunger still lingered. She craved the taste it left on her tongue, like sweet honey melted over freshly baked rolls covered in butter. But she knew she could not succumb to the pull. She had learned early in her training that if she overused her ability, her body would suffer the consequences. Even this tiny use of her gift would leave her with a nearly paralyzing headache come morning.

Kallie peered into Sebastian's eyes. Once a clear, crisp green, his eyes were now glossed with a faint haze. With that confirmed, she knew her job was done.

Tomorrow, she would find out how effective it was when the palace was crowded with travelers begging for the king's favor.

She downed the rest of the whiskey in her glass, tugged her cloak down once more, and maneuvered through the budding crowd as she abandoned the prince. She pushed open the old oak door and nearly ran straight into a tall, lean woman with a determined face. Kallie let the woman squeeze past her, their shoulders brushing against one another. Once outside, the fresh air brushed against Kallie's face where a coy smile crept across.

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