Page 47 of House of Blood and Roses: Vol. 2

I jump and turn around to see Marcus approaching. I offer my cousin a smile. "Why should I know her name?" I ask.

"House Dagworth is known for one thing, and one thing only."

I raise an eyebrow. "And are you going to tell me what that is?"

"Assassinations," Marcus says. He claps Linc on the back and comes to stand with us. "Lord Dagworth brings his daughters to court and teaches them the art of assassination. Or they teach one another, it's unclear. Lady Helene is the eldest."

I look over to where Bastian is still talking to her. "Should I be worried that my brother seems to be getting to know her?"

"Probably not," Marcus assures me. "But I would never say no. Do you think Lord Bastian would hire an assassin?"

I chew on my bottom lip. "I don't think so."

"Who would he have assassinated?" Linc asks.

I look right at my future husband and raise an eyebrow.

He laughs. "He doesn't like us being together, that doesn't mean he's going to have me killed. Besides, that would make Lord Fallmartin angry, I doubt he'd do that."

"Hmm." I look back at my brother, a series of conflicted feelings within me as I realise that I'm not actually entirely sure what he would and wouldn't do. He's not the same person he was before we came here. Though as Linc has pointed out to me, that's not entirely true. He's more honest about who he is here, as am I. It's created more of a rift between me and my twin than I thought possible.

"Assassinations are expensive," Marcus says. "I don't imagine Lord Fallmartin would allow Lord Bastian the funds necessary to acquire one without him knowing. Unless he has secret money your father doesn't know about."

"I doubt it," I respond. "We've only been at court for a few months, and we had next to nothing before that."

"And look how much you've achieved in that time," Marcus says.

"I am not my brother," I respond.

"And we're all grateful for it," Marcus responds. "Especially my brother." He nudges Linc's shoulder affectionately.

Linc smiles. "I would much rather marry Beatrice than Bastian."

"I'm sure Bastian feels the same way," I respond, still not taking my eyes off of Bastian and Lady Helene.

The two of them break apart and Lady Helene approaches a man who I assume is her father based on the way he's dressed and how they interact with one another. I watch them both closely, wondering if there's any way to tell that they're assassins from the outside.

"Ah, Lord Wentworth has arrived, that's a surprise," Marcus says.

"Why?" Linc asks. "He usually gets an invitation to balls."

"See his wife?" He nods over to the woman beside him in a pale blue and silver gown.

Linc and I both voice our confirmation.

"That's Lady Sariah Dagworth."

"She's Lady Helene's sister?" I check.

"Yes."

"But she's married to Lord Wentworth?" I check. "Does he allow her to continue her role as an assassin for her father?" I suppose there's a chance he doesn't know about it, but I don't see how that kind of thing could be kept quiet.

"I imagine not. Most people assume that Lord Wentworth is her current mark. Lord Dagworth has a habit of marrying his daughters off, only for them to return to his House as widows within a month. The fact that Lord Wentworth is still alive is raising some eyebrows."

"And she's wearing his House colours, not her father's," I say, my attention on the beautiful dress the dark-haired woman has on. "That feels like it could be sending some kind of message."

"It's not unheard of for women to wear the colours of their married House," Linc says.