Page 18 of Warrior Princess Assassin (Braided Fate #1)

Chapter Nine

The Warrior

B y the time I return to our quarters, my men are awake, with the exception of Nikko, who’s finally asleep in the back room.

I haven’t slept yet, but my mood is lighter than it’s been in months, and it doesn’t go unremarked.

When I come back through the doors, Sev takes one look at me and grins. “ Don’t care what she’s like , my ass.”

That makes me blush before I can help myself, and Callum and Garrett both whoop and clap me on the shoulder until I tell them to knock it off.

But it’s good to see them so lighthearted after so many hours of riding in the dismal cold—and after months and months of battling near the front, while food stores ran empty and Draegonis seemed to gain ground with every assault.

“I believe we understand each other,” I tell them when they ask about the princess. “And I believe our goals are in accord.”

“ And she’s beautiful,” Callum coughs, and Garrett smacks him in the arm before I have to.

But warmth clings to my cheeks, and their gentle ribbing starts up again. I truly meant what I told Sev earlier—it doesn’t matter what she looks like. I’m certainly no ideal husband, and I would’ve married a stone pillar if it meant helping my people.

Princess Marjoriana is beautiful, though.

Jory, I think. I don’t tell my men about that part, because it feels too personal, like a secret between us.

Prince Dane never used a nickname when describing his sister.

I still can’t quite believe that she resorted to disguising herself when she wanted to see me.

It’s simultaneously so brave and so...

innocent . Like the way she was ready to put my eyes out with a hairpin, but then she blushed like a schoolgirl when I unbuckled my weapons.

I remember the spark in her gaze when she asked me to show her my magic, how badly I wanted to pull my flint right there.

I haven’t said a word, but Callum grins and whistles low through his teeth, and this time I do punch him in the shoulder. He laughs.

Roman smiles too, but his reaction is more reserved.

“It’s good that you found some common ground with the princess.

” There’s a gravity to his voice that sobers the others, and I realize that it’s not just the endless fighting or the cold ride that’s been weighing on them.

It’s the prospect of this alliance—and the risk of failure.

Roman himself sketched out a means to escape this palace before he even went to sleep.

They all know how tenuous my relationship is with Prince Dane—and how dire the circumstances have become in Incendar.

They also know my reputation, and what’s at stake.

My people are in need , I said to her. I want to help them.

She said her people were in need, too. That she wanted to help them all.

My chest clenches. Hope is so dangerous, but I let it settle in my heart for the first time.

“She wants this alliance to succeed as badly as I do,” I say, and I know that same hope rings in my voice.

I envision healthy spring crops that provide enough food to store for the winter, farmers with fat livestock bragging about the size of their spring calves, soldiers returning home and having more to eat than bone broth, fish stew, and stale bread.

I imagine returning to my capital city of Lastalorre, finding my people waiting to greet me with bright eyes and welcoming faces.

The images are so powerful that I’m surprised to feel emotion tightening my throat. “We’re so close to bringing home a new kind of victory.”

That emotion must capture them, too, because no one is smiling now.

After a moment, Sev stands and puts out a hand. “By fury and flame.”

The first line of our battle rally. It’s rarely spoken so solemnly, especially by him. But more than anyone else in this room, Sev knows how very desperate I am to make this work.

I stand and clasp his hand to say the next line. “For valor and truth.”

The others slap a hand over their heart. “ For Incendar. ”

I’ve heard it a thousand times. Maybe more. But it strikes a different chord this time. “For Incendar,” I say back.

Sev pulls me forward into half an embrace, clasping my shoulder before letting me go.

His dark eyes hold mine, and I can see the flicker of relief there.

He’s been a captain long enough that he never reveals anything less than cool confidence to his soldiers, but we’ve been friends long enough that he’ll let me see it.

He blinks the emotion away, then steps aside so the others can do the same thing.

When Garrett lets me go, he winces and glances over his shoulder at the small hallway that leads to the other rooms. “Nik is going to hate that he’s missing this.”

I think of the soldier who rode all night, then stayed awake to sit sentry so the others could get some sleep. “Don’t wake him,” I say. “Nikko needs to rest.”

A knock sounds at the door, and the others snap to attention. Any warmth in my chest ices over. This is probably Prince Dane, ready to resume our pissing match. I’m sure he’s full of vitriol over the way I chased him out of his sister’s room.

I’ll chase him out of this one just as quickly.

“Enter,” I call, and Sev automatically steps to the side, ready to block if necessary.

But the door swings open, and instead of an angry prince, I find the princess—and she’s alone.

My eyebrows go up. “Princess,” I say in surprise.

“Ky.” Her eyes flick to my men, and she seems to falter, just for an instant. A bit of pink flares on her cheeks. “Ah... Your Majesty. Forgive me for interrupting.”

I find it fascinating that she can be so demure in one moment, and so courageous the next. It’s like the way she smacked my hand when she was still dressed as a maid.

“There’s no interruption. You are welcome here.”

“Thank you.” But she doesn’t move forward through the doorway.

There’s something apprehensive about her gaze, and I consider that she first hid that hairpin out of genuine fear. I wonder if the others are frightening her, or if it’s still me.

Then I think of the bruises shadowing her wrist and the way Dane loomed over her.

Maybe she’s afraid of her own brother.

A bit of fury coils in my gut as I remember that he first proposed a marriage between himself and my sister. If he ever has occasion to loom over Victoria like that, I’ll turn him into a pile of ash piece by piece, starting with his favorite appendage.

But as I regard Princess Marjoriana— Jory— I think maybe it is my men.

Her eyes flick from them to me. To their credit, they’ve fallen back to stand at attention, abandoning any hint of lighthearted banter now that she’s here.

But they’re my most lethal soldiers, and they definitely don’t look harmless.

I can feel the weight of their focus, so I’m sure she can, too.

“You didn’t have to come here alone,” I say. “Would you prefer to summon your attendants?” I pause. “Or would you like to speak somewhere less private?”

“No,” she says quickly. But then she lifts her chin. “You said you would allow me to review the alliance contracts.”

“You didn’t have to fetch them.” I glance at Sev. “I was just asking Captain Zale to deliver them to your quarters.”

She lifts a hand. “It won’t be necessary for me to review every detail. The discussions have taken months. I don’t want to prolong them further.” She pauses. “But I did have a few questions for you.”

“Of course.”

She glances at my men again, then crosses the threshold, her skirts whispering against the floor.

She might be afraid, but she’s brave, her green eyes piercing as they hold mine.

In her chambers, I said I would defend her against her brother, and the promise seemed like an affront.

I can already tell that this is a woman who’s always had to defend herself , with no one at her back, no one to fight at her side.

The air between us is charged, and for a searing moment, I want to step close and offer reassurances.

We are to be allies. You don’t have to be afraid.

But I’ve only just met her, and she has no reason to trust me. Perhaps that would feel like an empty promise.

So I keep my distance. “Ask anything you like, Princess.”

“Could we be alone again?” she says softly. “If you please, Ky?”

Every pair of eyes snaps to me. Behind her, I swear Callum is smirking now. Sev might be, too.

If they make me blush again, I’m going to kill them.

“Leave us,” I say, and my tone is sharper than I intend. But they obey, moving into the hallway, letting the door fall closed.

Once they’re gone, she finally moves closer, and some of the tension slips out of her frame. Maybe the others were frightening her. “Did you bring a hairpin?” I tease. “Or are my eyes safe this time?”

She smiles and lifts her hands, revealing her palms. “Completely harmless.”

That makes me smile. “I rather doubt that .”

“ You’re not, though.” She reaches out to trace a finger along the buckle of my bracer. Even through layers of leather and steel, I’d swear I can feel her touch, and it sends a pulse of warmth right through my body. I suddenly feel the need to adjust the lacing of my trousers.

This is terrible. I need to get it together.

“Shall I disarm every time we meet?” I say.

Her eyes flick back to mine, and I expect her to smile, to tease back—but instead, she sobers. I wish I could figure out her expression, but I don’t think it’s fear. Something has changed in the short time since we spoke before. Is it her brother? What has happened? My eyes narrow.

“Yes,” she says after a moment, and there’s a note of finality in her voice. “Disarm. Then we can face each other as equals.”

“As you say.” But when my hand lands on a strap of leather, I hesitate.

In her room, this didn’t feel reckless.

I’m not sure why, but this time, it does.

She lifts her chin, and she finally smiles, though it’s small. “Are you afraid of me now?”