Barker, R J [Wounded Kingdom 03] King of Assassins by R J Barker

Author:R J Barker
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Orbit
Published: 2018-08-06T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 21

That evening my master and I walked to meet with Aydor, near the entrance to the dungeons.

“And you are sure she was not responsible, this Tinia Speaks-Not?”

“As sure as I can be, Master. She showed me …”

“Ah,” she said. “I have heard of such things but never experienced it. What of Leckan ap Syridd, you think he plans something?”

“No. He is stupid and cruel and spoilt but not clever. He would probably get on with Prince Vinwulf.”

“The king-in-waiting is not stupid, Girton.” We passed through a door and into a dimly lit tunnel. I coughed on smoke from the torches. “Do not make that mistake, or think that he does not see your dislike of him.”

“He has said something?”

“No, but I spend a lot of time watching. Everything about him alters when you approach. He is not yet decided between his desire to impress you and his desire to best you. But one day the two desires will become one, do not doubt it.”

“You are jolly today, Master.”

“It is Ceadoc, it brings out my humorous side.” She looked miserable. “Rufra hides something also.”

“Rufra has been hiding things from me for years now.” She held up a hand, quieting me as we approached the door at the end of the tunnel and we stood in silence.

One, my master.

Two, my master.

Three, my master.

“Ah, it is nothing,” she said. “I think my ears were playing tricks on me.” She opened the door on to another gloomy tunnel. “What Rufra hides now is different. It tortures him. I think it may be to do with why he brought us here, because it is not power he desires.”

“No. I think it is the menageries that brought him. He cannot stand cruelty.”

“He cannot, you are right, but he has come to accept it as the price of keeping the peace with the blessed around him.” She rolled her shoulders, glanced around the dim corridor and coughed on the smoke from a guttering torch. “Has he told you it is the menageries?”

“Not in as many words but—”

“It is not. I am sure of it. But now we are at talk of cruelty, it brings us to tonight’s high jinks. Are you sure of what you intend here?”

“Yes.”

“You know, if you succeed, Rufra will think you have failed.”

“He thinks that of me anyway. One more failure will change nothing.”

“You are too hard on him, Girton.”

“And he on me. I …” I was about to carry on. In fact I had it in mind to get into a little rant about Rufra, when I was stopped by the stink of alcohol so strong that it made me choke and I fancied my head spun a little. Aydor stepped around a corner, holding a torch. The smell came from him.

“You two took your time,” he said.

“Dead gods, Aydor.” I covered my mouth and nose with my arm, “put the flame down before you go up with it. You smell like the inside of a barrel.” He grinned at me.

“All the stink, none of the fun,” he said.

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