The sleeve of his duster shifted, offering a glimpse of a wrist gauntlet on his forearm bracer style when he moved his arm in a swinging motion. Garik flinched then caught the object flying in his direction. He fingered the square chip in confusion.
“The Assassins Guild. If you have what it takes, I think you’ll find it will change your life.” With a casual twist to his lips, he added, “It changed mine.”
Garik’s gaze narrowed. Assassins Guild. He’d heard of them. Everyone in the quadrant had. Men and women who killed for a living but didn’t have to fear the law. “Who are you?”
Pulling his hood back up, he concealed his appearance once more and countered, “Does it matter?”
Garik barked an unexpected laugh. “I don’t guess so.”
Was he really considering this? Garik fingered the info chip he’d been given and decided he might actually like the idea of being an assassin.
“If you make it, look me up. The name’s Nevo Xyman.”
Then Xyman aimed his hand at the railing of a balcony above them. A cable launched from the gauntlet on his wrist and hooked on a bottom rung. With a leap and twist, he landed in a crouch on the balcony. He sent a two-fingered salute Garik’s way then vanished with a running jump to the next balcony and the next until he soared up onto a low cropped roof and faded from view.
“Welcome to the Assassin’s Guild, Garik Denikon.”
The pronouncement yanked Garik from the past and he remembered to bow to the Master. Today was the official beginning of his future.
Chapter 2
Present Day
Saedra paced her bedroom and mentally marked off how much time she had left before it was too late. Staying with her father wasn’t possible any longer. She knew that. Felt it in her battered bones. If something didn’t change right away, she would forfeit her life.
Lord Maurin Cressler had grown increasingly erratic and downright cruel in his treatment of her. Saedra didn’t have scales like a true Dragonian, she didn’t possess any psychic abilities like her mother’s race, the Meeta, and most importantly, she hadn’t blossomed into a raving beauty with any notable skills whatsoever.
It was by pure chance as she’d rushed from her shower with her dirty clothing bundled in her arms that Saedra overheard her father. He planned to offer her to his friend, a violent pirate with a history of abusing the women under his care, in exchange for a cache of rare jewels and a prized artifact from the Zephyll royal family. The royal Zephyll family!
It was enough for Saedra. Now or never. It was imperative she put her plan into action.
“Lady Saedra, what are you doing here?”
Saedra spun around, shoving her hands into the wide pockets of her skirt to hide their trembling. Meka eyed her with concern. Meka had been with their household since Saedra’s mother married her father. Initially, her role was to assist Lady Florene by attending to her hair, dress and any other needs.
Her mother’s death when Saedra was only ten had changed things. Circumstances afterward necessitated Meka staying on to care for her because her father didn’t want the responsibility. Something Saedra would forever be grateful for.
“I was just coming down for a medical aid.” Saedra had fabricated debilitating headaches a few years ago in anticipation of using it for future excuses and lies to avoid her father’s machinations.
Meka’s wide-set brown eyes glimmered with concern and she worried her teeth over her plump bottom lip. “Is your head bothering you again?”
“Yes,” she lied. There was no need in risking Meka’s life by telling the truth which Lord Maurin might torture out of her.
“You should go and rest then.” Meka curled an arm about Saedra’s waist and turned her toward the stairs that led to the upper area and her bedroom on the top floor. “I’ll bring you up a bowl of soup when I check on you later.”
“Of course.” Saedra allowed herself to be guided to her room, ignoring the look on the faces of the guards they passed and the sneer Parson aimed their way from his position at the top of the stairs.
Meka stiffened, but it wasn’t until they were safely behind the closed and locked door of Saedra’s bedroom that she spoke. “He gets bolder as time goes on. Promise me to have a care.”
So Meka had noticed Parson’s aggressive attitude increasing as well. Perhaps he knew about her father’s plans for her. She certainly hadn’t been made aware of an impending marriage.
Saedra was being sold like cattle to the highest bidder. It would be enough to make someone like Parson cocky. Maybe he thought to sample what he’d been threatening for years before she was shuffled off for good.
Her skin crawled but Saedra shook off the awful vision. If she let her mind linger on those horrifying thoughts she’d be a weak bundling pile of nerves hovering in the corner unable to put her plan into action.
“I’m watching him, Meka.” She brightened the wattage of her smile and squeezed Meka’s hand in genuine affection. Soon she’d be leaving this diligent woman behind.
Affection had not been a part of Saedra’s upbringing once her loving mother died and Meka’s role had been strictly to see to Saedra’s care. Anything beyond that would have drawn her father’s negative attention. He needed Saedra to be isolated for his control over her to be complete. Meka cared, just not enough to risk her life, nor would Saedra want her to.
But it didn’t matter. Nothing Maurin did could take away the first ten years Saedra spent basking in her mother’s love and attention. While she no longer had that, she did remember. And one day she’d have it again. She’d have a circle of friends who cared for her well-being and there would be a man. A partner. One who was going to love Saedra with every bit of his being and protect her and shower her with the affection and attention she longed for. Deserved.
He would not threaten to silence her by slicing her throat. He would not slam her into walls until one day her head cracked open and she died.
Saedra swallowed back a sob as the memories of her mother’s death attempted to pull her into a morose state.
“I’ll leave you to take the meds and sleep it off.” Meka inclined her head to leave. At the door, she paused and glanced over her shoulder. Her brows furrowed on her brown face and it took a moment but her voice was husky when next she spoke. “I could not show you my feelings during our time together but if our paths part, I wish you long health and safety.”
She opened the door and closed it behind her before Saedra could fully comprehend. When she did, her breath whooshed out and her pulse leaped. Maybe she hadn’t been as careful concealing her intent to escape as she’d thought, or maybe Meka really did know Saedra.
Shaking her head, she would have to trust Meka wouldn’t reveal any hint of her plans. Saedra made her way to the small glass top table and chair in the corner of her room where she usually curled to read adventure tales on her device. Carefully, she pulled out the items she’d hid in her pockets—a confirmation slip for recent purchases she’d made. If discovered, the receipt would have been the final blow in her father’s already growing disregard for her.
***
“Not the great assassin everyone feared anymore, eh? One call, one promise and you’re exactly where I wanted you.”