Page 104 of Façade

“You won’t lay a hand on her!” Ryland raised his sword while his other hand fumbled to cling to mine, an attempted reassurance that did little to lessen the determination filling the assassin’s eyes.

“Only because circumstances have altered in your favor. You’re fortunate; survivors of the Shadow are as rare as the magic you possess.”

If it was a conversation my threat wanted, it’d be in my best interest to give it to him. “I’ll accept your invitation to converse, but I have questions of my own.”

I expected him to reject my proposal, but he merely lazily motioned for me to proceed.

“Are you the man my parents sent me away to protect me from?”

He had no reason to answer truthfully, but to my surprise, he nodded. “Yes, at least one of them, and certainly the most dangerous, especially compared to the one responsible for the myriad of attacks against you.”

He indifferently nudged the body of the assassin with his foot.

“They demonstrated an embarrassing lack of what an assassin is truly capable of, understandable considering the nearly impoverished man responsible used the last of his resources to hire such riffraff for one final desperate attempt for the throne. Being the heir of a magical throne is truly an undesirable place to be; I do not envy your position.”

In that sense it would have been far preferable if I’d truly been the fake princess, which made it all the more imperative I return to Estoria before the decoy’s blood stained my hands…but I wouldn’t be going anywhere if this assassin—or the other threat he claimed still lurked at the palace—barred my way.

“What of the second threat?” I asked.

He waved his finger at me in a dismissive motion. “I’ve already told you I shan’t divulge that secret. I suppose the others vying for the prize your life offers, including me, are just lucky bonuses. And to think I believed I had an exclusive motive to kill you.” He heaved an exaggerated sigh, theatrics which like the others he’d displayed throughout our interaction seemed to give him great entertainment but which only set my heart pounding.

“Areyou going to kill me?” With all his talk of his mission, I remained unconvinced he wouldn’t.

He tilted his head thoughtfully. “I’m still debating. Though I hate the thought of ruining a surprise, I will promise that if I’m to do it, it won’t be in such a remote place; there’s no challenge in killing you when I have you trapped in my clutches, nor any thrill to stealing your life when you’re expecting it; after all, I have a reputation to uphold. So consider this a warning: if you recede from the bargain I hope to strike with you, there’s no guarantee I’ll allow you to live should you return to Estoria.”

“I suspect there are very specific conditions to fulfilling an assassin’s coveted offer in allowing me a chance to live, otherwise I have no incentive to gamble against such odds.”

He nodded. “As I told you before, assassins only deviate from their target when there’s something they want more instead.”

Undoubtedly…else I’d be dead. As if to affirm my fears, all amusement at his toying with his prey within his captured web vanished, leaving me no doubt how much of our interaction had been merely a game. It appeared our real conversation started now.

“The last threat to your life other than myself remains at the palace and is the one Blair is charged to find…and she’s done an admirable job. By the time you return, they’ll likely be near capture, leaving me as the only remaining threat against you. Again, you will have to decide whether or not to take that chance, but I will tell you exactly what you need to do to increase your odds.” His composure faltered slightly as he took a wavering breath. “I wish to discuss the terms for which Blair was cajoled into being your decoy.”

I blinked in shock, unsure whether I’d heard him correctly. He didn’t want to negotiate for laws that might make his future missions easier, jewels, or even magic; in the end, this was about the decoy? “I’m afraid I don’t understand.”

“Then listen well, Princess: I fear the advisor who forced Blair to the chopping block to masquerade as the real princess won’t keep his word that she’ll be granted her freedom by uncovering the threat against the crown. She’s a criminal convicted of attempting to steal something they’ll go to great lengths to protect. As such, I have no doubt they’ll send her back to the noose this scheme plucked her from…unless she receives a pardon from a royal. That is my condition: you pardon her, and I will let you live. You don’t…well, you can be assured I’ll find another way to achieve my goal, only you won’t be alive to witness it.”

My heart pounded as I struggled to process his ultimatum. At my hesitation his eyes narrowed, and in only a few strides he suddenly stood before me, his blade lifted to my neck. Ryland and Silas lurched forward but froze at the Shadow’s dark look of warning.

“Careful, else my hand might just…slip.” The dagger tauntingly grazed my skin.

The icy feel of the blade against my throat sent tendrils of fear up my spine. Terror seized my breath as my entire attention remained fixed on the sinister warning filling the Shadow’s masked expression.

“Death is frightening, isn’t it, princess? Imagine Blair feeling that every day since she took your place. Who deemed your pathetic life of greater value than hers? My profession has forced me to evaluate the worth of life, and let me tell you: yours is entirely inconsequential in comparison and definitely not worth such a sacrifice.”

With every word he caressed the dagger’s blade across my neck in toying movements, directly above where the noose would smother Blair’s life should her execution go through.

“I can kill you now…or you can return to Estoria and pardon Blair. The choice is yours.”

“How do I know you’ll keep your word?” I stuttered.

He shrugged. “You don’t, but you have no choice but to keep yours. And you will; I can see it in your eyes that you hate the thought of anyone dying in your place, meaning that despite the risks, you won’t remain away from Estoria for long. It’d be a shame for my blade to permanently extinguish such feistiness, so carefully consider my terms, Princess. You have very little reason to reject such an offer with the promise of your life as a reward; I can think of no better trade.”

His seductive words silenced the last of my doubts to illuminate the only path forward. Though it was undoubtedly a gamble, I had a better chance of winning if I played the game according to his rules…which left me with only one remaining curiosity.

“Why would you go to such lengths for her? You must have had a motive to initially seek my life. Am I to believe you’ll simply disregard it for her sake?”

I sensed his smirk. “You shall see shortly, won’t you?” And with that, he withdrew his dagger, leapt into the branches of the nearest tree…and was gone.

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