Page 61 of Vicious Princess (The Trials of Death and Honor #1)

Two months later

Every muscle and bone in my body is against it, but I make my way down into the basement of Lynx’s Den.

The light and cheerful chatter from the bar is distant once I descend to the bottom.

A long, dimly lit corridor opens in front of me.

At the very end of it is a red door. On each side of the door stands a tall and broad fae. They’re almost identical in their tailored black pants and matching tailored black tunics.

Even the intricate tattoos that weave over their necks, all the way to the lines of their jaws, are similar. As if they got matching tattoos to mark their fraternal bond or something. How cute.

The embroidered red star pierced with the long sword above their hearts shines bright, and it’s all I can focus on.

My heart races in my chest.

“Good afternoon, gentlefolk,” I say when I approach the men. “I think whoever is inside that room is expecting me.”

One of the fae opens the door for me. Both their faces are blank, eyes void of any expression or emotion. It’s rather unsettling. Yet I manage to smile and enter the room. The door behind me shuts quietly.

There is no way out now.

“Mister Kregger.” A handsome young fae sits at the only table in the room. A pot of steaming tea is in front of him. He gestures to the empty seat on the opposite side of the table from him. “Please, have some tea with me.”

“Of course,” I say and take the seat.

He’s around my age. That much I know. The rest is a mystery.

His golden skin is luminous and beautiful, and his muscular jaw is sharp. He’s rough around the edges, yet there is something about the way his dark eyes glitter that makes him appear very polished. Calculated.

If we were under different circumstances, I would consider befriending the fae. Friends like him are useful, that much my father managed to teach me.

Unfortunately, he is standing between me and my freedom.

“You’ve been busy and hard to get hold of,” he says once he fills our cups with steaming tea. A faint smell of jasmine lingers in the air between us. It’s my favorite tea. “That’s an issue , Mister Kregger.”

I brush a hand through my hair, but it falls right back onto my slick forehead. “I had to wrap up some jobs here and there. But the moment I was free, I came to see you.”

The man flashes a smile. His teeth are as white and perfect as sea pearls.

“Don’t forget the terms of your contract, Mister Kregger.

I can be very generous. But only if I see that you’re trying to make this work.

If you’re not useful to me, I would rather have your head on a plate than deal with your contract terms.”

I swallow. “Noted. How can I prove myself useful ?”

He leans back in his seat. “I’m glad you asked.” I don’t like the mischievous gleam in his gaze. “There is something I need you to do. It’s a job of utmost importance, and if you are successful at it, you’ll fulfill your contract and get your freedom back.”

My pulse speeds up at those words. Freedom.

“What do I need to do? Steal, scheme, con—name it and I’m on it.”

“I need you to kill someone,” he says.

Kill someone. Shit.

“That’s not something I specialize in. Wouldn’t it be better to get someone else to do this…job? A professional?”

“It’s a job that will require someone with your skills. Someone charming and sneaky. Who can get in and get out without raising suspicion.”

“Interesting.”

Assassination is punishable by death in Ekios. Public execution. I will need to be more careful than ever.

The young fae smirks. “You appear to be hesitant. Isn’t your freedom worth the price I’m asking?”

“I’ll do it,” I say. “I will need more details about the job, dear—” I pause and tilt my head to the side. “If we’ll be working together so intimately , maybe I should know your name?”

“Call me Ghost,” he says.

Clearly, he’s keen on protecting his true identity. Ghost doesn’t want me to know anything about him when he knows everything there is to know about me.

Ghost takes an envelope out of the inner pocket of his tailored black tunic. He places it on the table and slides it over to me.

“In this envelope you’ll find jin, a flower found in the fields of southern Ekios.

It’s a beautiful flower and only blooms one month out of the year.

But what’s even more beautiful about it is that if you dry it and grind it into a fine powder, it’s an effective poison that will stop even the heart of a sea serpent. ”

“Good to know,” I say, tracing a finger over the envelope. “At least I don’t have to stab someone. Just poison them. Who?”

“You’ll need to grind the dried flower just before you poison the target, as the powder has a short time when it’s active,” Ghost explains.

“Three days from today, in the evening, you’ll be working as a bartender in one of the most prominent lounges in Jaakii, Golden Dragon.

A very important meeting will take place there, and a lot of prominent people from House Dzuni and the Order of Ezkai will be present.

Your target is one of those important people, and you’ll have to poison him during the evening without getting caught. Can you do that, Mister Kregger?”

“Yes. As easy as slicing a pie.” It’s not.

“If you do get caught, I trust you not to reveal my identify to the authorities.”

“Of course. I’m as loyal and trustworthy as a criminal can be.”

Ghost smiles, but it doesn’t reach his dark eyes.

“So, how important is my target? Which one of the nobles will it be? I’m not familiar with all the families, but I’m a fast learner,” I say, desperate for more details.

Truth be told, I want to know exactly how much trouble I am getting myself into here. After all, what is my freedom worth if I don’t have my head on my shoulders to enjoy it?

Finally, Ghost says, “Your target is the Ezkai General, Kitajo Hiromasa, Mister Kregger.”

Well, spirits of the gods be damned.