The Golden City by Jaleigh Johnson

Author:Jaleigh Johnson [Johnson, Jaleigh]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Media Tie-In, Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Historical
ISBN: 9781839082221
Publisher: Aconyte
Published: 2023-04-03T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

Hytham and Basim raced through the city streets. Rain had soaked the world and cast everything in pale, liquid silver. The weather had driven many people inside, so they moved unimpeded, but it still seemed to Hytham that the palace was a hundred miles away and that they couldn’t possibly reach Leo in time.

The sense of dread Hytham had been feeling since talking to Justin only grew. If he was wrong about him, what else had Hytham missed?

“Now’s not the time to doubt yourself,” Basim said from beside him, as if he could read Hytham’s thoughts. Perhaps he could. The man was supernatural. How many things about Basim had Hytham misjudged in all this?

“If the boy dies because I read Justin’s motives wrong, then–”

“If the boy dies, it will be because his father had him murdered,” Basim snapped. “You or Justin will have had no hand in that. But we’re going to do everything we can to prevent that from happening. Focus, Hytham,” he said, as they climbed the hill toward the palace. “Remember the mission. You’re serving a higher purpose here. It isn’t just about Leo. There is so much at stake beyond him. Don’t lose sight of that.”

No, he wouldn’t, but that didn’t mean Leo wasn’t important. Hytham cared for the boy, but it was more than that, he told himself. Basil was twisted. He would drag the city down in his sadistic games and machinations. He would let the Order run rampant in Constantinople, digging themselves in deeper and deeper until there was no way to root them all out. For generations they’d be trying to clean up the damage that Basil had caused because he could never see beyond a personal grudge against a dead man. People like that were prime targets for the Order to control and manipulate.

Leo would be different. Leo deserved better, and Hytham would make sure he lived and thrived and became the leader Hytham knew he could be.

They reached the palace gates. Basim disappeared, and Hytham had shed his robes in favor of the uniform of the Varangian Guard, so he was let through with haste. When he told the guards at the gate that he suspected an attack was about to happen, they came on full alert.

None of this would mean anything if the assassins were already inside.

Hytham stopped briefly at another guard checkpoint once they were inside, while Basim melted into the shadows and continued on to find Thyra and Leo. He questioned the woman on duty to ask if she’d seen anything suspicious, but there had been nothing. It had been quiet, and Hytham felt a quick jolt of relief. Maybe he was imagining things, enemies around every corner. Maybe nothing was planned for tonight.

“It’s the quietest night we’ve had in some time,” the woman said, sounding pleased. “For once there’s no parties and no guests staying the night. Makes for a pleasant change if you ask me.”

No parties. No guests of the emperor tonight. Hytham’s dread came rushing back.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.