Chapter 45

Chapter

Forty-Five

ALYX

I t’s a dark, dreary night, the sky covered with a thick blanket of clouds blocking the moon. These are perfect conditions for sneaking around, and thanks to the light drizzle of rain, many have taken shelter for the night. The streets in the Uppers are usually fairly quiet, but many lords like to stay out past midnight.

Dressed in my dark tunic, trousers, and cape, I blend right in. My hair is tied back, I have a covering over the bottom part of my face to hide my identity, and my body is laden with weapons.

Checking my coverings are all still in place, I dart across the deserted street and meet Crux at the spot we arranged yesterday. He is exactly where he said he would be, hiding in the shadows between the tailor’s and the baker’s in Oaken Provence, near the market. He’s using the uncanny ability he has to blend in with almost anything, and if I didn’t know him so well, I never would have noticed him there.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” His voice is a whisper of smoke.

That wasn’t exactly what I was expecting to hear from him after what happened yesterday. Sure, I wasn’t thinking he was going to shower me with declarations of love, but he does not even acknowledge that we fucked. When Orion burst in on us, sweating and covered in cum, our moment was over.

Orion was furious and wanted to slaughter the assassin for the wounds he caused me. He doesn’t understand our relationship or that there is a dark, twisted part of me that calls to Crux. As my best friend, saviour, and now lover, Crux gets me in a way no one else could. He has seen the darkness inside me, his own speaking to me in a way I’ve never experienced with anyone else. Orion might not want to admit it, but I’m an assassin, and violence is how I thrive. During my time working for Joha, I have discovered that I have several parts to me, but there is no denying that underneath it all, I have done some terrible things.

After giving me a hot, blistering kiss, Crux quickly dressed and whispered for me to meet him. He had a lead and we were going to investigate together, which is what brought me to the Uppers in the early morning hours.

The fact that he has not acknowledged yesterday’s climatic meeting burns, but I try not to let it eat me up. I know how possessive he is of me, and he is simply focusing on the task at hand. Like most of our jobs, this could end badly, and if our concentration slips even for a second, we could lose our lives.

Taking a deep breath, I push those thoughts aside and close the remaining distance between us.

I glance over my shoulder, checking we are still alone. “We need to get proof, and they could give us that.” My voice is low so I’m not overheard.

“You know what we are going to have to do to get information from them.” His eyes are dark as he scans my face, his gaze intense.

Frowning, I pull my face covering down so my mouth is exposed. What the hell is he asking? He trained me himself, and now he’s questioning if I’ll be able to carry out my role as an assassin. How is this job any different from my previous ones? Puzzle pieces slowly start to shift, and suspicion builds in my mind.

It’s almost like . . . like he knows the link between my family and the Oakenstram family. That would be impossible, though, as he does not know that part of my past.

“I’m perfectly capable of using pain during interrogation, Crux. You know this. Are you starting to doubt me?” Quiet outrage coats my tongue. That would possibly be one of the worst things he could do to me other than betrayal.

He adamantly shakes his head, taking a step closer until his chest brushes against mine. “No. Never,” he promises, pulling down his own face covering so I can see his sincerity. He waits for my slow nod of understanding before he begins to turn. “Let’s go.” He pauses abruptly, and I almost walk into him. I’m looking around for threats, but he only has eyes for me. “Oh, one more thing.”

He grabs my face and pulls me against him in a smouldering kiss. I push into him, forcing him to take a step back as we battle for dominance. The kiss is messy and fucking hot, and anyone could find us. Not wanting to tempt fate, though, I pull back and stare into his eyes.

He presses his forehead against mine. “Yesterday was the best day of my fucking life. Never forget it.”

His words are an order, turning the sweet comment into a demand—one I’m happy to follow. He must see the agreement in my eyes because he grins at me and pulls his face covering up so only his eyes are on display. Doing the same, I follow him from the alley, and we make our way to the Oakenstram estate.

It doesn’t take long and is easy to find, the gated property filling a large portion of the province. Their house is easily one of the largest in the Oaken Province, thanks to the wealth they make from running the market. Due to this, they have guards who patrol their grounds. This does not deter us, however, and we easily slip past the patrols and over the fence into the lush garden.

Crux seems to know where he is going, and it would not surprise me if he had already been here, scouting the area for ways in before we met.

We quickly make our way to the house, and he rounds the corner, leading me to a low, one-story building that looks as though it was a later addition to the house. Crux scales the building, standing on the roof of the squat structure. As I get closer, I get a waft of clean, fresh laundry, and I realise these are the servants quarters. I listen closely and hear the sounds of someone washing dishes, confirming my thoughts.

I think about what he said as we break into the Oakenstram house. I hate that he said it—not because of his doubt, but because now I have to acknowledge the small, niggling part of my brain that is trying to get my attention. A part of me is reluctant to hurt anyone who was so close to my family. My father and Lord Oakenstram were good friends, and he was loyal up until the very end.

Now he seems to be involved in trying to kill the king, and I want to know why. From what I remember, he was a family man and always kind to me as a child. I do not relish the fact that I am probably going to have to hurt or kill him, but I have to protect Joha.

Thanks to the aid of a drainpipe, I join Crux on the roof, glancing at him to find him pointing to an open window on the second floor of the main structure. Removing my daggers from my thigh sheath, I stab them into the brick and begin climbing, using them to gain purchase.

Getting into the house is easy. No one in the Uppers expects to be broken into, especially not a family as large and influential as Oakenstrams. The hired guards outside would be a deterrent to most too. The rich never learn, comfortable with their perceived sense of safety. What they never realise until too late is that money does not buy their safety. By leaving a window wide open, they are practically begging to have their house burgled.

We are not here to steal anything though, unless stealing secrets counts.

Inside the building, we start with the bedrooms. At this time of night, most people will be fast asleep. When we reach the master bedroom, however, we only find a sleeping woman, the other side of the bed still untouched. Wherever the lord is, he has not come to bed yet.

I tilt my head, recognising the quiet sounds of a crackling fire downstairs. Crux hears it at the same time I do and gestures for me to go down the large, grand staircase. He turns in the other direction, and I know he means for us to split up.

Light on my feet, I tiptoe down the steps, my dagger raised as I stalk the hallways. Light and warmth guide me until I find myself outside a study. It’s a huge room lined with bookshelves and a large, mahogany desk facing the marble fireplace. There are many different ways I could enter the room, but stealth is not the aim right now, so I simply walk through the doorway as though I own it.

It takes Lord Oakenstram a few moments to realise he’s not alone, and when he spots me, his face pales. Slowly, he reaches towards his sword, which is leaning against the desk, but it’s too far.

“Take whatever you want, just leave my family and me in peace,” he says quietly but firmly, as though that is going to deter me.

Clucking my tongue, I continue to walk towards the desk. “What I want is information.”

He seems genuinely confused by the comment. “What information could I possibly have that someone like you would need?” Is he so sure of himself that he didn’t think the assassination attempt would be linked to him?

I snort at the comment. Someone like me? If only he knew.

I don’t bother to beat around the bush. “The attacks on the king. I know you are behind them.”

His face pales as I speak. “I know nothing of that.” His voice shakes, giving him away.

“Liar.” Jumping over the desk, I knock him from his chair and press my blade against his throat. “I will hurt you to get what I need, but we can do this without bloodshed, your choice.”

It’s easy to kill and hurt bad people, but with good people, especially ones you are familiar with, it’s harder. It doesn’t mean I won’t do it, especially for Joha, but it does cause me to twinge.

His hands come up as though he plans to grab the blade, but he thinks better of it at the last moment and drops them. “My family?—”

“I will kill your family to get what she wants,” Crux croons, standing in the doorway with the terrified, sobbing woman we found upstairs not long ago and a tall, young man who must be his son. He looks just like his father, and despite having just been dragged from bed, he holds himself like a lord, standing tall and proud, refusing to cower despite the threat.

“Please, let my father go,” the boy asks, surely no older than seventeen. I have not seen him at court yet, so I’m guessing he has not yet reached adulthood.

“Why are you trying to kill the king?” I ask again, pressing my weight against him and making him lean forward. “Or are you just the dogsbody who organises the attacks?”

“If I speak, I’ll put my whole family at risk.” He shakes his head adamantly, and I have to admire his balls. His family is at knifepoint, yet he won’t say anything because his family would be hurt? Find the logic in that one.

“Look,” I coo, lowering my voice as though I’m sharing a secret. “My friend over there likes to play with knives, and if I don’t get any information, then he’s going to start cutting. Once he gets started, it is difficult to get him to stop.”

“I think I’ll start with the woman,” Crux remarks, ignoring the shrill cry of Oakenstram’s wife.

That woman once chased me through our back garden, playing hide-and-seek with me. She’s older now, with more lines and grey hair, but it’s her. The memories keep on coming, and I force them back. I cannot afford to be weak.

The lord’s eyes widen, and I see genuine love and fear for his wife, but he presses his lips together and squeezes his eyes shut. From the corner of my eye, I see Crux examining his blades, letting the light gleam off the sharp metal before lowering it to the woman’s skin.

“Wait!” the son blurts out.

Crux pauses, looking over expectantly.

“Son, no!” the lord exclaims, his fear palpable. I press my blade harder against his throat, and he stops talking but watches on, aghast, as the son starts singing like a canary.

“It was the only way we could get our revenge. We knew we would never be able to kill him on our own, so we needed support from inside the palace.”

This is good information. I was right when I said they were just the dogsbody, following someone else’s orders because it suits their agenda. I just need to prod them for more.

Tilting my head to one side, I ask, “Revenge? Why are you trying to get revenge? What has the king done to you?”

“We did it out of loyalty.” Lord Oakenstram takes over, unable to hold himself back any longer and no doubt wanting to draw our lethal attention away from his son. He’s just as I remember, so willing to die for his family—like my father. “We never would have agreed to work with her otherwise.” Shame laces his words, and I get the feeling it is due to working with this mysterious “her” and not the fact that they organised the king’s assassination.

They did it out of loyalty, but not to the woman they have partnered with. There seems to be some regret that they are working with her in the first place, but getting their revenge made it the lesser of two evils.

“Her?” I question lightly.

Both the lord and his son seem to realise they’ve said too much, sharing a look. They have reached their limit. Something is scaring them more than the threat of us killing them here and now.

“If I tell you anything else, then I’m as good as dead,” he says, confirming my suspicion.

“Or you could be dead right now.” Crux strides across the room to where I stand with an arrogance that suggests he knows the lord’s family wouldn’t dare try to run. Even if they did, he would enjoy chasing them down. Stepping behind the lord, he takes my place, pressing his own blade against his throat then gesturing for me to guard the witnesses.

His wife whimpers in the corner at the silent exchange, trembling and backing into the wall as I cross towards her, not realising that between Crux and me, I’m probably the least dangerous—at the moment, anyway.

A female within the palace asked them to work with her to kill the king. She would have to be in a position of power, someone who has something to gain if Joha were to die. An image appears in my mind.

“The woman whom you partnered with . . . was it the Queen Mother?” I ask carefully, needing to know.

“I won’t tell you,” the lord answers. “Kill me if you have to, but if I tell you, then my whole family will be slaughtered.”

His eyes give him away, telling me the answer even if he doesn’t speak it.

I knew it.

I can also see that the lord is serious about not giving away any further information. Crux glances at me, sensing the same thing and confirming I’m okay with what has to happen next. With a quick jerk of his hand, the blade slices across the male’s neck. Blood gushes from the wound, splashing all over the floor, his eyes wide as he dies in front of his family. It’s ruthless, but we couldn’t risk him warning Queen Mother or anyone else. We got everything we needed from him. Besides, I owe him no loyalty, whereas I owe Crux and Joha everything. Maybe it makes me a bad person, but if it’s to protect the ones I care about, then I’ll be the villain in this tale.

When Crux turns his attention to the screaming wife in the corner of the room, I step into his line of sight, shaking my head slightly. There is no need to kill the wife nor the son. They seemed reluctant to work with the mysterious “she,” so I think they will keep their mouths shut if we give them a way out. Maybe I am also honouring the man who stood at my father’s side in the only way I can now.

“They will tell someone about this. They have to die.” Crux doesn’t bother to lower his voice, and the family whimpers behind me when they hear him.

“This is one of the biggest families in the kingdom. If we kill them all, it will make things difficult for us. The young one will become lord, and we can make sure he behaves.”

His eyes are troubled, but he nods despite his concerns.

I turn to the wife and eldest son. The wife is still sobbing uncontrollably, but the son’s eyes are dry. He’s frightened and his face is pale, but he stands strong, shielding his mother with his body. He’s brave. Good, he’ll need to be to get through this.

“We are going to spare your lives, but if we hear one word about the conversation we had with your father, then we’ll be back, and I’ll let my friend here finish the job.” They started to look relieved as I spoke, but fear sparks in their eyes again as I gesture to Crux, who flips his dagger for emphasis.

Striding forward, I step right up to the son, casually brushing the front of his nightshirt, reminding him how dangerous I can be. “Tell the guards you found him like this, that’s all.” My threat is clear. “You are the head of the family now, so rule them well. I will be watching.”

He meets my gaze, and I see the acceptance in his eyes. “I understand.”

Yes, I think he does. This is his chance to get his family out of the mess his father put them in—one that none of them wanted to be involved with anyway.

There is shouting outside the house, and I realise our time is up. I glance over at Crux. He’s already moving, grabbing me as he passes and dragging me down the hall. Once again, he seems to know where he’s going, and it does not surprise me that he has an escape plan or six.

It is ridiculously easy for us to climb out of a window at the back of the house and slip into the dark garden. From that point, we don’t even have to worry about the guards thanks to Lady Oakenstram’s screams echoing around the house.

The problems start when we reach the market, the area swarming with guards. Cursing, Crux and I spend the next hour dodging them on our journey back to the palace. This is not hard to do, since they are easy enough to evade, but it makes it a far longer journey than necessary, giving me plenty of time to process what I learned.

My number one suspect is Queen Mother. I’ve had my suspicions about her for a long time now, but I did not believe she had the power or ability to actually carry it out. However, with Oakenstram behind her and indirect access to their connections, she basically had control over the whole city. I suppose she is after the crown, wanting to rule, her current role not good enough.

If Oakenstram was working with Queen Mother, then their comment about not wanting to work with her is puzzling. It could be because they don’t want any connections to the royal family. They were once completely loyal to my family before the betrayal, so I suppose this could make sense.

All I know for sure is that my gut is telling me Queen Mother is behind this. I just need to find proof before I tell Joha and Orion because this doesn’t just affect the Crown. It also affects the whole kingdom.

One doesn’t simply kill Queen Mother and live on.