Assassin (Book 1)

FOUR

I slipped into my room and changed into a beautiful navy blue dress that one of the servants—Lorelle—said brought out my eyes. I slid on the toe-pinching heels I had taken so many lessons to be able to run in, and then worked on putting my hair up into an elegant bun.

I walked out, taking a deep breath to calm myself. I had to find the king. He needed me by his side.

Automatically, I reached down to feel if my spare knives were strapped to my thighs.

I hurried across the polished floors towards the doors to where the kings would be. I stood outside, inhaling, exhaling. As I opened the doors to walk in, I crashed into Xavier's hard chest.

"Where have you been?" he hissed.

I strode past him and into the grand ballroom to find groups of ladies and lords drinking and chatting away.

Xavier yanked my arm back in a steely grip. I tried to pull it away, but he wouldn't let me go.

"Adalia, who did you kill?"

I ripped my arm out of his grasp. "Duke Charleston," I whispered, confused as to why he was asking me that. I walked past him and took the empty seat beside the king of Astodia. I glanced at his face for a sign, and I immediately knew something was wrong. He looked tense—more than usual.

"What's wrong?" I muttered under my breath, taking in everything around me. The princess sat at the long, polished table, blond curls falling perfectly below her shoulders. Her blue eyes looked bright and bubbly like the sky, and she was wearing a white and soft blue dress made of the most exquisite silk.

The queen of Dystalphi wore a deep crimson dress. It matched her lips and the cruel glint in her dark eyes, her brown hair twirled above her head. A glittering gold crown rested atop her head.

I made a quick note to self: stay away from her.

The king of Dystalphi, on the other hand, was a blond like his daughter. His hair was cropped short, and he had a small beard. His face was hard, but he had a soft side—I could immediately tell by his shining blue eyes that were so similar, yet so different from his daughter's.

"Who did you kill?"

I heard it again. That question.

His lips barely parted as he murmured the words.

"Duke Charleston," I replied for what felt like the hundredth time that night, but even I heard the hesitation in my voice.

It was too obvious.

Was it happening again? Had I made another mistake?

I scanned the room again, racking my brain. Why was it so full? I thought it had been only the royal family that was invited. 

Or at least that's what Xavier had said.

I gently rubbed my throat as if it was parched, and one of the servants immediately appeared at my side. Once he'd come, I tapped his shoulder and motioned for him to bring his ear close.

"Bring me the invitation that was sent out to King Adrean," I whispered as he pretended to refill my already full glass. He nodded and hurried away, reappearing moments later with the spare invitation in a goblet. I pretended to take a sip, sliding the page out and into my lap. As I read it, the truth dawned on me. It was addressed wrong.

The duke was here, laughing in front of me, with his place beside the king of Dystalphi. I'd killed a decoy.

I was out, faster than anyone could see me. My throat was closing up, lungs tight. I had killed the wrong person. I pushed past the massive doors, my heart thudding in my chest. I escaped outside and inhaled deeply, kicking off the damn heels, and resumed running. I needed to get away and think.