Page 7 of Courting the Tiger King

Sword-play was clearly where he was comfortable, and so she batted his blade away and used the opportunity to move in closer and stun him with a blow to his sternum before snapping up her knee and catching him in the jaw. Swords were a gentleman’s weapon, for the most part, but Neah had found that bending the rules could be just as useful as learning them in the first place.

Her borrowed sword slid cleanly through the assassin’s chest, the shocked widening of his eyes visible as she pulled the sword out just as swiftly as it had entered.

Zennon cried out, the daggered-assassin having slashed across her chest. It was a nick, barely a scratch, but the sound of Zennon’s pain plus the scent of all the blood in the room had her more animalistic side clamouring for revenge, to protect.

She whirled, sword flashing, and Zennon shrieked at the flash of blood that hit her skin as the assassin’s head tumbled to the floor.

The part of Neah that wasn’t human scanned the room, taking in the gore dispassionately as she searched for further threats.

“Stay here,” she demanded, the growl in her voice a dead give away that she was losing control, and Zennon nodded, her olive skin looking pale beneath the blood spatter as Neah marched out of the room with the sword in hand.

The hall was empty and Neah opened each door on the landing in turn to check for further intruders.

In the third bedroom she found the guards, all dead. Then she turned to face the bannister that overlooked the grand entrance to the house. Neah would have used it herself if her senses hadn’t alerted her to danger. It looked untouched, no signs of a struggle, so the assassins must have taken the guards by surprise.

Neah put the bedrooms to her back as she walked down the stairs, noting a smudge of blood on the white marble floor thatshe hadn’t been able to see from up high. The drawing room was directly to her right, so Neah checked inside and found it empty before moving on to the adjoining lounge.

She focused, standing still and tasting the air with the tip of her tongue as she listened for heartbeats and movement but found none. Still, she checked the rest of the rooms opposite and ventured down into the kitchens and wine cellar and found no trace of further intruders.

Adrenaline fading, she made her way back to Zennon and found her dragging the assassins into a tidy pile in the center of the room and glaring at the large bloody stain on an otherwise pristine rug.

“No sign of anyone.”

“The guards?”

“Dead.”

Zennon nodded, like she’d expected as much, and Neah stretched out her tired muscles. “How did you know they were coming?”

She sat down on the ruined coverlet and shook her head. “I didn’t. I was on the way to see the king but decided to stop in to give you a message for my father in case I didn’t make it.”

Zennon’s eyes widened. “I?—”

“I’ll tell you all about it, but first—why would someone send four assassins after you?”

“They didn’t follow you?”

Neah shook her head. “They were here before me.”

“I honestly don’t know, then. Nothing new has happened, it's been surprisingly quiet. I haven’t heard anything from Jamison in weeks.”

It didn’t make sense.

“Neah—”

A faint noise tickled her senses and Neah pressed a finger to her lips. Zennon fell silent, her face still paler than usual as blood dried in the long lengths of her dark hair.

“Someone’s coming,” she murmured and Zennon stood. They walked to the window where Neah had entered and she relaxed minutely as she recognised the crest on the silver uniform below. “The king’s guards. Why would they be here for you?”

Zennon bit her lip. “I don’t know. Something is definitely—What are you doing?”

“Hiding,” she said, peering into the walk-in closet space. “I don’t want anyone to know I was here. Not before my father does.”

“But—”

Neah doubled back and squeezed Zennon. “I’m glad you’re okay.” The guards below knocked at the door and voices called out when there was no response. “Do whatever they ask of you and I’ll find you later.”

She hesitated but nodded and Neah darted into the closet, closing the door behind her and crouching down to peer through the slats in the bottom of the door as the first of the king’s guard reached the top of the stairs.

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