An Empire of Assassins (#1)

Chapter 2

Maeve raised her eyebrows, "A double assassination?"

Her father, with a snide tone, responded, "What? Can you not do it?"

She rolled her eyes, "Of course I can fucking do it. Why though? Why two this time?"

His voice raised slightly. She was used to it though. "Watch your tone with me little girl. The details aren't important. It is simply something that needs done." The details aren't important was something Maeve heard over and over again whenever she asked about her assignments. What really irked her was when he called her little girl, as if she wasn't three quarters of a century old.

"If this contract has something to do with our political gain... don't you think I should know about it? Or am I to be in the dark about everything up until I inherit your crown?

Aelfred smirked, "I wouldn't be too sure about that. Your brother Jax shows increasing promise. And who knows? Lately the trend in Dronea has been to disregard the females and hand over sole power to the males."

Not even wanting to put an effort in responding to that, Maeve just challenged, "I'm only fulfilling this double-assassination contract if you tell me who I'm murdering and why I'm doing it. I'm getting tired of doing your dirty work with zero explanation."

She expected her father to only grow in anger, but he seemed almost desperate. To her surprise, he started, "In two weeks-time, the House of Wind will be hosting its first ever Peace Banquet right here in this very throne room. The banquet will serve as a trust-building event across Dronea, but it will also give you a chance to weaken the House of Storm, which I've been wanting to do for a very long time."

Maeve furrowed her eyebrows, "Remind me again why we hate that House so much?"

He signed, "There's been a long standing feud between Clan Windstone and Clan Styrmir. Grudges that haven't been let go, murders between clans that haven't been resolved. I want to be the one to end the rivalry. And, the House of Storm is weak right now. They just got done fighting off those fiery bitches from the House of Flame. If you could successfully complete this contract, it would put us in a position where we could take over the House entirely."

Maeve, to her father's credit, was impressed by his confidence, "You want to... conquer the House of Storm?"

"Is that not what I just said?"

She cleared her throat, ready to be done with this conversation and go to bed seen as the sun was just coming over the horizon. "Okay. So, who are the two people I need to kill? Two council members?"

"No. The King and Queen. Ryland and Pria. Once you get rid of them, their House becomes our House."

Words became foreign on her tongue at her father's shocking statement. "You want me to... kill a King and a Queen? During a banquet where every leader form Dronea will be?"

"You scared little girl?"

Without any hesitation, Maeve answered, "No. I just think that in your old age you shouldn't be so confident and greedy."

He looked away for a moment and took a swig of his drink before he said boredly, "You in or not? Or would you not like to rule this House someday?"

An impossible ultimatum, she thought. Either I kill a King and Queen or lose the promise of a future.

The sun began creeping along the marble floor of the throne room, illuminating the room, which further reminded Maeve it was time to get some rest after a long night and even longer conversation.

"I'm in."

With that, she walked past the thrones and ascended the staircase on the right that led to her comfortable bed that she was yearning for. Maeve entered her medium-sized bedroom. The bed was situated against the wall on the right side of the room. The bed was built for a princess, as she was, with a decorated wooden frame and tulle canopy. To the left of the door was a doorway that led to a personal bathroom fit with a large tub.

Maeve didn't so much as slip off her leather boots as she crashed on the bed.