Page 7 of A Tale of Treachery

There were rumors about Ryken, of course. Rumors of how dark and twisted he was, rumors of him being inhuman, a loathsome creature in disguise. People said there was a reason nobody had ever seen his face, a reason why he hid himself beneath the disguise of a dark cloak. The rumors claimed that his appearance was more gruesome than what lurked inside.

He was a mystery, but one thing was clear: he was a mercenary for hire and would do anything for a price.

I couldn’t help but wonder what that price was and whether it was worth the cost the king paid.

I braced myself, ready to face him head on.

Maybe he’ll just let me pass.

I inched closer, but Ryken didn’t turn to look in my direction, even when I stood in front of him. His body tensed at my nearness, so it was clear that he was aware of my presence, but he still didn’t say a word.

“I have medicine for the king.” My voice came out shakier than intended.

The only sign he’d heard me was the rattled breath released from beneath his cloaked figure.

“Excuse me,” I said, standing on my tiptoes to catch a glimpse of his face, but saw nothing.

He backed up slightly, a movement nearly invisible to the naked eye, and his gloved hands clenched into fists. His unease was apparent by the slight shifting of his colors, and I smiled at the realization that he was surprised to see me.

Usually, I would be in the sanctum at this time of day and didn’t doubt that Ryken was aware of that little fact. My being here had caught him off guard. For once, he wasn’t expecting me. I’d managed to sneak up on the assassin who knew all.

A smirk stretched across my face, wicked delight egging me on. I felt a desperate need to seize the opportunity, to taunt him in the way he so often enjoyed taunting me.

It was rare to get this close. It wasn’t something Ryken often allowed—not that anyonewantedto be in his immediate vicinity.

Drawing nearer, my eyes traced his toned body. He was a magnificent, well-built piece of work, so like the statues that surrounded the courtyard of the palace. An array of sharply pointed weapons hung along the bracers of his arms and chest, deadly and dangerous, so sharp that one could be pierced by simply brushing against his side. I lifted my hand, overwhelmed by the hypnotic urge to reach out and touch, but once my fingertips were just a hairsbreadth away from him, I realized how silly I was being. My breath hitched, and my arm snapped back.

Clenching the jar of salve, I peered up at him, desperate to catch a glimpse of his face, but it was too shadowed. Gods, he was tall, a giant compared to the other men in our kingdom. He could crush me so easily.

My cheeks grew warm at the intrusive thought. “Excuse me. I said I have medication for the king.”

He ignored me, so I grew brazen. Brazen enough to wave my hand in front of his face, and when he still didn’t acknowledge me, I snapped my fingers.

His head whipped around, his hood shifting enough to reveal a small glimpse of his face. Blazing silver irises clashed against my green and gold, and I gasped. He was stunning. Just like the wicked angels that the priests of Cambriel had spoken of, he was fallen from heaven, cast out for being too sinfully beautiful. He was everything a woman could think to dream up, but also something created from the darkest of nightmares.

The rumors weren’t true. No monster lurked beneath the cloak.

A scowling face met my wide-eyed stare, and his dark brows furrowed with a look of distaste. His steeled features and chiseled jawline should have come off as harsh, but they were softened by velveteen lips that pulled together to form a kissable mouth. A stray lock of hair slipped from beneath his hood—not gray, but rather a bright shade of silver, purer than the precious metal that gave the color its name.

I stepped back and nearly stumbled.

He wasn’t human. He was fae. Only fae possessed that sort of otherworldly beauty. It made sense, considering Ryken’s title as an assassin. Fae were deadly, tricky, bestial creatures who held little regard for human morals, just like Ryken.

Ryken stepped forward, moving closer with every step I took back until his body was pressed against mine, pinning me to the wall.

“Did you say something, little crow?” His voice was deep and grated, a voice that was rarely heard but seemed to reach a depth that made chills skitter down my spine. His sterling eyes traced my face, and he stood so close that his breath tickled my skin. He smelled of something foreign and exotic, woodsy and spicy.

Ryken’s eyes drifted lower, measuring the length of my body, making me feel naked despite being covered. Clutching the jar of salve for dear life, I composed myself, looked into those strange swirling eyes, and straightened my spine. “This is important. I must deliver this salve to the king.”

“He’s occupied,” Ryken grunted.

“How could the king be too occupied to receive his medication?”

The sounds of excited moans and thuds filtered through the door of the king’s chambers, and the answer to my question suddenly dawned on me. My cheeks flushed, embarrassment heating my skin. I was no blushing virgin by any stretch of the imagination, but the intensity of the moment grew unbearable. The noises grew louder, and I wanted to crawl under a rock and die.

“You were saying?” he prodded, raising a brow.

I racked my brain for something witty to say to hide my discomfort or at least drown out the sounds of sex that spilled from behind the door, but remained frozen, my eyes wide with disbelief.

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