Prince of Lies

Chapter 43

Eaan didn't have much warning.

It was the same instinct that woke him before Hanan's assassination attempt and when Jace was standing over the crib.

He was out of bed and dressed within thirty seconds.

"Chaol?" He called, sticking his head out the door.

"Hmm?" Asked Chaol, turning a page in his latest read.

At the sight of something that normal, Eaan relaxed a bit. "Sorry. I just had a feeling that something was off. Ignore me."

Chaol went back to doing just that.

Eaan backed into the room, puzzled.

What could that be?

He walked next to the crib and peaked inside. Haruto and Misha were both asleep, Haruto flat on his back with his arms and legs splayed out while Misha was on his side, cuddled both in and on his brother's right side.

"You two are going to hate me for this, but Papa's got a feeling, okay?" Eaan asked, and picked Misha up with one hand, transferring him to the bed with no problem.

Haruto woke up and pouted until Eaan held him close. At least his right arm wasn't totally useless and he could still balance one baby in the remaining part of it.

Before Eaan got back in bed, he looked out the window and bolted it shut, just to be sure.

Then he crawled back into bed and watched Haruto tumble around a bit, exploring before settling back down beside his brother.

Eaan rolled onto his side to watch them protectively. Over the last few days Haruto had gained more weight and with it confidence, finally standing his ground against Misha.

Just as Eaan was closing his eyes again, someone knocked lightly at the door.

"Eaan?" Ilya asked, sticking his head in the room. "Chaol said you thought something was the matter?"

"No, not anymore," Eaan smiled. "Sorry."

"Okay. He'll be back in a few minutes."

Eaan nodded and Ilya shut the door. The tall man paused for several seconds, as something was tickling the back of his neck.

Just as Chaol rounded the corner after using the restroom, he saw the figure clad in black as they dropped Ilya's body to the ground.

Throat slit.

Just like Chaol's father.

Chaol blinked for a few moments, then ducked away behind a pillar when the assassin hurled daggers in his direction.

"Eaan!" Chaol shouted, as he gripped his sword tightly with both hands and rounded the corner. Then, to the nearest guard, "Sound the alarm!"

Their swords clanged together.

Seconds later Eaan's door opened, sword in hand as the warning bells began ringing. Now everyone knew of the assassin.

Chaol and Eaan could take them.

In no time at all they had the assassin backed into a corner within Eaan and Hanan's room, ready to deal a final strike.

But the assassin had some tricks up their sleeve. A sweep of their leg and Eaan fell off-balanced. Another kick, and Eaan found out the hard way that the assassin had special climbing shoes on: the metal treads dug into his side painfully, ripping through the lining of his vital organs as they came back out.

In one last scramble before Chaol dealt the killing blow, the assassin knocked over the candle holder.

"Are you okay?" He asked, holding Eaan's shoulders.