Page 24 of Warrior Princess Assassin (Braided Fate #1)

Jory looks right back at me. “Asher’s my friend,” she says. “I’ve known him all my life.”

“Just a friend?” I say. “Or more?”

“A friend ,” she says, but her cheeks flush. “He wasn’t always a...a Hunter.”

Asher says nothing. His jaw is set.

I lean back against the wall, trying to take some of the pressure off my wrists.

It doesn’t help. “Fine,” I say. “But there’s absolutely no political benefit for anyone in Astranza to kill me—least of all King Theodore, or even Dane.

Draeg forces threaten both our countries.

There’s no love lost between me and your brother, but we’ve been working toward this alliance for months. Why kill me now ?”

“I don’t know,” Jory says. She wets her lips.

“Maybe because your people hired us to kill his sister,” says Asher.

“But they didn’t .” This feels a bit like arguing with my army captains when they can’t decide on a plan of attack. I heave an impatient sigh. “Show me the other one.”

Jory reveals the second page, and there it is, the order for her death, paid in Incendrian silver. A lot of silver. More than we would have carried with us.

I look back at Asher. “Did you see the coins?”

“No. All funds are held by the keeper of the books. No one receives their share until the job is done.”

That seems convenient. I try to examine this from as many angles as I can consider, coming up with nothing. Neither Dane’s order nor “mine.”

“I did not do this, Princess. I swear to you. Untie me, and we can return to the palace, where you can question my men yourself.”

Jory says nothing for a moment. She’s stopped shivering, and her eyes are piercing as she studies me.

But then her gaze softens, and she shifts forward. I think she really is going to untie me—until Asher grabs her arm. “Even if it’s not him, Jory, this order came in before dawn. Someone from his traveling party did this in his name.”

“Then it’s a forgery,” I say to him. “Or a trick. My men were with me for the entire ride to your palace.”

But as I say the words, I realize they’re not entirely true. My men were with me until the last hour, when Sev and I split off.

But still. I can’t see the other four conspiring to have the princess killed and hiring an assassin in that final hour.

Not together, and not individually. They all know how desperately Incendar needs this alliance.

Besides, they wouldn’t bother with hiring an assassin.

If any one of them wanted her dead, he just would’ve done it himself.

“I said the same thing about Dane and my father,” Jory says. “This has to be a trick.”

Asher makes a frustrated sound. “Those are both official orders, sealed by the Guildmaster. If these jobs weren’t completed by sundown, the price was to be cut in half, and they’d send another Hunter.

Now that we’re gone, they probably already have.

” His voice turns cold. “If you return alive , the Guild won’t receive the full pay for these assignments—and you’ll still be at risk.

If I return alive, the Guildmaster will sell me away to make up the difference.

I got you out of the palace, Jory. I got him out of the palace.

” A darker note enters his voice, something hollow.

Something haunted . Every muscle on his frame is tense.

“But I’m not going back to the slavers. Not even for you. ”

“Asher,” she whispers. She frowns and reaches toward his arm.

He immediately stiffens, drawing back. Her frown deepens, but she lets her hand fall.

My eyebrows go up. “Slavers?” I say. “There are slaves in Astranza?”

Jory glances at Asher, then back to me. “No. Not really.”

Asher says nothing. His jaw is a hard edge. He’s very deliberately not looking at her now.

“Not... really ?” I say.

Jory regards him for a moment, then bites at her lip before answering.

“They aren’t slaves,” she says, and her voice is quiet.

“They’re indentured. It’s a debt repaid by service.

Generations ago, it began with penalties for wrongdoing.

If someone was found guilty of a crime, a fine would be levied by the Crown.

If the criminal had no funds, there were wealthy nobles who would cover what was due and force the debtor into service until the balance was repaid.

But now, any unpaid debt can be sold for service, and there’s quite a business to be made selling the indebted citizens to those who need workers.

” She hesitates, casting a glance at Asher again.

“Admittedly, rumor says that some are more honorable than others. But it’s more equitable than leaving prisoners languishing in a cell, and fairer than leaving a family without food because of a husband’s gambling debts. ”

On the surface, it’s an intriguing concept. Making citizens work off the penalties of their crimes does seem fair and equitable—and beneficial to the kingdom. I can tell by her voice that she has been raised to believe in this system.

I can tell by Asher’s expression that he thinks it’s complete and total horseshit.

Interesting. Because they might be friends, but I’m not sure the princess is aware of how deep his tension runs.

I see the longing in his eyes every time he looks at her, and I can hear the devotion when he speaks.

But I watched him withdraw when she reached for him.

She spoke so matter-of-factly, while the sheer mention of these slavers seems to make Asher very unsettled.

I wonder what he did to earn this indenture , whether he owed a debt or committed a crime. Based on this venture, I can probably guess.

He notices my focus. “Stop looking at me.”

“Did the slavers give you those marks?”

His eyes narrow. “I told you to stop looking at me.”

“So that’s a yes , then.”

He draws his dagger, quicker than lightning, but he doesn’t move from that spot. “If you don’t shut up and look away, I’m going to cut your eyes out.”

I hold his gaze. “Then do it, Asher.”

The princess sucks in a breath, but Asher goes very still, like a panther that’s spotted its prey and is waiting for the precise moment to leap.

I shouldn’t provoke him. If he actually attacks me, I have no way to defend myself. But I’d rather have him angry than anxious, and I don’t think he will.

Seconds tick by while we sit there regarding each other. I think the princess is holding her breath. His dagger is a nice piece of weaponry, and it’s so black that the firelight doesn’t even gleam off the edge. His thumb brushes along the hilt, over and over.

But there’s a point where the tension shifts, and it’s clear he’s not going to act.

It takes a moment for him to look away, and when he does, his eyes flick to the door, to the floor, anywhere but me.

He thrusts the dagger back into the hilt.

The panther slinking back into the brush to wait for easier prey.

“It would upset Jory,” he says.

Ah. Yes. Of course.

I don’t call him out—or dwell on it. Instead, I turn the conversation back to the matter at hand. “You’ve shown me your proof,” I say to them both. “While I do not believe it, I trust that you meant to protect me, Princess. I trust that you meant to protect this alliance.”

She holds my eyes boldly. “Yes,” she says. “I did.” There’s so much conviction in her voice that I’m reminded of why our first meeting offered so much hope.

“I trust that you believe in your friend, too.”

At that, her lips part, and she nods. “I do.” She glances at Asher, who’s still scowling, then looks back to me. “I believe that he saved us both. I told him I wouldn’t leave without you. I know this alliance is important to you. It’s important to me, too. Please, you must believe that.”

The sad thing is that I do believe it—or at least, I believe her .

“If this alliance carries such weight for you,” I say, “then you must release me, Princess.”

She stares back at me, and I watch her deliberate.

“If we are to be allies,” I continue, “if we are to be wed , then allow this to be our first test of loyalty to each other. You protected me. If we are in danger, allow me to do the same. I can protect you .”

She shifts her weight, turning to look at Asher.

But he doesn’t look back. Instead, he finally looks at me , and his eyes are like blue fire. “I can protect her, too. I know what you’re doing.”

“I am speaking truths,” I say.

“Bullshit.” He glares at me, then turns to her.

“I bested him, Jory. I bested his soldier. He needs you for this alliance, but he doesn’t need me.

If you cut him loose, make no mistake: I’ll be dead on the floor a minute later—or I’ll be wishing I was.

Then he’ll drag you back to Dane so you can be wed and he gets his alliance. ”

Jory’s breathing has quickened, but Asher’s not fidgeting now. His eyes haven’t left mine. “Admit it.”

“No.”

That’s too easy, and Asher isn’t fooled. His eyes narrow, and he rolls up onto his knees to move closer to me. “Then deny it. Tell her I’d be safe. Tell her you’d let me go.”

Firelight paints the walls with shadows, but breath still fogs faintly between us. Asher is close enough that I can count the lines on his cheek. Seven stripes, in shades of blue and violet. I really do wonder what they mean.

When I don’t answer, he shifts closer, until our knees nearly touch.

Through the fall of blond hair, his blue eyes are vibrant.

Challenging. For a moment, I think I’ve grossly miscalculated—that he really might carve my eyes out, just to prove he’s vicious enough.

In any other circumstance, I’d find him intriguing.

I can see why the princess seems so devoted.

Despite the chaos of this venture, there’s something a bit compelling about him.

“ Deny it ,” he says again.

I wonder if he’d be this brave if I were unbound. There’s a part of me that wants to find out.

But I think of how brutally he attacked. I think of what he did to Nikko, who might be alive—or might be dead. I think of how desperate my people are for an alliance.

I think about how this kidnapping must look to everyone else in the palace. Their princess disappeared—after being alone with me, the man they all fear.

Deny it.

I look right back into those vivid blue eyes. “No.”

Jory gasps, but Asher sits back, satisfied. “Exactly. Keep him bound, Jor. He’s lucky we got him this far.” His eyes glitter in the light from the stove. “At nightfall, we’ll take to the road, and we’ll leave him behind.”