Page 7 of Wild Flame

Securing rooms at the inn once we entered the city took no time at all. The innkeeper hurried to accommodate us when he realized we were nobility and had a dragon rider in our party. After sharing a light meal with Leif and Nilfren in the commonroom—trying to ignore the stares of the people around us—I excused myself and bid them goodnight. In light of what I had to do tonight, I was not feeling very sociable.

When I made my way up to my room, my two maids were waiting for me and had already arranged for a bath to be drawn.

Hilde was a larger, older woman with a heavy brow and gray hair braided back into a severe bun. She had been with me for years and was set in her ways. She was also my mother’s creature through and through and disliked anything that contradicted the traditional Halmarish way of life.

Astrid, on the other hand, was young and the daughter of a minor noble in my father’s court and was training under Hilde’s tutelage. She was a shy, sweet girl with pale blonde hair whom I had liked instantly upon being introduced at the start of our voyage. I hoped Hilde didn’t brow-beat the poor girl too much. I would step in where I could, but Hilde had always been a force of nature, one who acted more like a disapproving governess than a maid.

As they began unlacing me from my gown and unwinding my hair from its many braids, I mentally braced myself. Up until now, I had been able to keep Astrid from seeing my back—having made do with sponge baths while on the ship—but I supposed now it could no longer be avoided. As I stood beside the tub and let my chemise fall to the floor, a faint gasp sounded from behind me.

“My lady, what—”

“Hush, girl!” Hilde snapped. “It is not your place to—”

“It’s fine, Hilde,” I murmured before stepping into the tub and sinking down into the water.

I sighed and leaned back before giving Astrid a reassuring smile. “The scars are from an accident when I was young. They don’t bother me anymore.”Well, mostly, I thought as I shifted position against the metal surface.

Astrid’s blonde curls bounced as she bowed her head with a burning blush. “My apologies, Your Highness. I should not have spoken out of turn.”

“I took no offense,” I assured her. “You both may go. I can manage the rest and get myself to bed.”

They left me without a word. I closed my eyes, trying to focus on the delicious luxury of the bath rather than contemplating what I would soon have to do.

An hour later I sat on the bed, my hair still slightly wet, waiting for true night to fall.That unseemly hair really is most impractical.Silvanus’ words played in my mind as I braided back the damp strands. Silvanus had often lamented the fact that I couldn’t just cut my long hair, like most women in our order did. But thankfully my mother and father would never allow it. It would not do for a princess of Halmar to have shortened hair. And even though I had spent most of my childhood wishing for my sister’s more common blonde hair, I had grown to love my darker locks.

Eventually, the sounds of the bustling establishment finally quieted below me. Still, I waited. I waited until I guessed most of the patrons—and hopefully Leif and his dragon—had gone to bed.

Finally standing, I slipped silently out the second-story window. My climbing suit—which I had pulled from the false bottom hidden in one of my trunks—was made from selkie skin, an incredibly rare material due to the dangerous magical creature it came from. It made my movements soundless as I dangled for a moment and dropped quietly to the ground. The dark, pliable leather was smooth and surprisingly light against my skin. I had been scandalized the first time I had worn it as it clung to every dip and curve of my body, but it was necessary for what I was doing tonight. I had fashioned a hood and mask aswell, which I had pulled on before exiting through the window, leaving only the slit of my eyes visible.

Hardly anyone was about, and the street was mostly dark, with only a few lanterns still lit in windows. I passed quietly through the night as I made my way to the wealthier part of the city. My nerves were itching under my skin. I didn’t like this. Carrying out an assassination in an unfamiliar city was unsettling. I was usually only given jobs in Nevgard or the surrounding towns and villages. Nothing so far away that it couldn’t be carried out in a night, and I could return safely to my bed before morning with no one the wiser.

I’d had to pretend an interest in the city on our way to the inn and beg a tour of our carriage driver so as to find out where the Minsari Villa was even located. It all felt sloppy and the whole thing put me on edge.

What if someone connected my visit with the death? I dismissed that thought as soon as it came. Who would ever suspectThe Forgotten Princessof being an assassin? No one. But I would rather avoid even the hint of suspicion coming back on me. I also typically studied my target for several days before deciding when and where to strike. I had also never killed a dragon rider before, let alone someone as important as a princess.

But it wasn’t like I could ask Silvanus or the dark god himself what changed, or why this assignment felt so different.Who are you to question the will of a god?Silvanus’ words kept playing through my mind.

I had begun to question though. That was the issue, especially since being given this assignment.

I knew—or had always believed that Silvanus was The Assassin’s mouthpiece in Halmar, but was he really being directed by our god in this? It felt blasphemous even having the thought. Everyone knew that if you wanted someone dead,you could enter The Assassin’s temple and leave a name along with an offering, anonymously of course, and your wish might or might not be fulfilled. But few knew that if you left more information than just a name, The Order might actually carry out the deed, after Silvanus conferred with the god first to see if it was his will.

But what if he was merely choosing the targets himself? The thought was terrifying. Because of my position, I knew Silvanus saved me for assignments that only I could do. Targets that only I would have access to. So then why was I being sent on this assignment? Why now? Was it merely because I would be here in Viraj at the right time? And how had Silvanus known the princess would even be here in the first place? Whoever had requested this must have told him, but . . . surely there was more to it? This felt different. Killing a princess felt more political than personal. She was Prince Malik’s sister . . .

Again, I knew it wasn’t my place to question. But even as guilt assailed me, I wondered if—just by thinking all this—whether the dark god would strike me down?

Shaking off the confusing, conflicting thoughts, I tried to focus on the task at hand. Regardless of how I felt about it, I was here now, and it had to be done. I had made a vow, and I would follow through.

The Minsari Villa was the home of a Zehvitian nobleman and was located at the end of a long street. Thankfully he wasn’t a rider, and no one else in his household was either. Dealing with the princess’s dragon would be nearly impossible as it was. I always drank a scent-canceling potion before each job because the last thing I needed was a dragon scenting my presence or catching a whiff of my trail as I fled. I hoped it would be enough.

Even if no one else in the villa was a rider, that didn’t mean I was safe. I still had to avoid the riders that were assigned to thecity itself for its protection and security. I knew at least one had to be patrolling the skies tonight.

Luckily for me, the rider and dragon appeared to be occupied elsewhere at the moment. At least I couldn’t see them in the sky overhead, though that wasn’t to say they weren’t there. So I stuck to the shadows as much as I could as I slipped down the street.

Once I reached the villa, I made my way around to the far side and took a running leap at the high stone walls surrounding it. My smaller stature meant I had to grip my fingers into a crevice about halfway up and then push off with my legs to reach the top of the wall. Then it was only the work of a moment to pull myself over. Dropping to the other side, I tucked and rolled, popping up onto my feet and staying low as I dashed to the side of the house itself. When I had seen the tall vines winding their way up the side of the stone on the carriage ride earlier, I had known I had a way in.

For now, though, I waited. The details in my assignment had been clear. Princess Zara’s dragon usually only left her at night to go hunting. I would need to wait for the dragon to leave before entering. Of course, there was also a chance that her dragon had already left, and I was even now missing my window of opportunity, but it couldn’t be helped. I hadn’t dared leave the inn any sooner.

So I waited.

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