Page 6 of Poisoned Kingdom
‘Oh yes, but she won’t enjoy the family reunion for long,’ he replied with a smirk. ‘A servant who betrays her master must die. My men are handling it—I gave the order the moment I realised the scrawny healer Mlot intended to punish was you. Seeing your face has reminded me just how much I missed you.’
I rolled my eyes. ‘Of course you did. Who wouldn’t miss the foolish girl who’d eliminate your enemies while you stood by, leering behind her back? And you callthishelp? If you wanted to see me broken and miserable, then here I am. Take your fill and get lost. Gods, why did you even come?’ I asked, looking him straight in the eye.
‘You’re breaking my heart, Roksana. But fine. I came here on business. Now, imagine my surprise at seeing my best apprentice accused of being a mage . . . How could I stand idly by? It was like fate’s touch, especially since I have a task that seemed impossible until I realised someone with your unique skills could easily complete it.’
I tilted my head, studying my former mentor. Jagon had always enjoyed manipulating me, but the slight twitch of his fingers gave away his unease.
‘I’m not the Deadly Nightshade anymore. If your task requires a poison master, you can do it yourself. Or did you forget how?’
‘My charms are not quite suited to giving a man the kiss of death, my dear,’ he said. I froze. Noticing my frown, Jagon smirked. ‘Did you think I didn’t know about your little hobby? I know you killed Ignac Tivala, but I’ve kept your secret. A small jar of lip gloss, red as your lips, and so poisonous that it’d kill anyone who touches it . . . How inventive. I saved it as a memento, thinking I’d never see you again, yet here we are.’
‘He was a killer who deserved to die. I did what the Brotherhood should have done if they’d had the guts.’ I didn’t have an ounce of regret in me for killing the man who only got hard when he made women suffer and bleed. I didn’t even care that he was the only male heir of the most powerful noble in Dagome.
‘Oh, I’m not judging, but you know the creed: the heart does not steer the knife.’ Jagon’s condescending tone made me wonder why I’d ever considered him my superior.
‘And you wonder why I left. But go on, tell me. Who is it that even the master of the Brotherhood’s poison chapter cannot kill?’ I shouldn’t have asked, but my curiosity betrayed me.
‘No oneyet. . . but the time might come, and you would be the perfect tool for eliminating the king of Dagome.’
‘Are you out of your mind?’ My voice echoed down the empty corridor before I could stop myself. ‘The War King?Why? Has Boyan authorised this? And what about the covenant with the Crown? You will destroy us, meddling in political affairs.’
‘I’m trying tosaveus. Dagome’s changing; alliances are shifting now that there’s no Lich King forcing the kingdoms to work together. We’ll die off if we continue to adhere to old agreements in the face of emerging unknown forces. Reynard won’t be sitting on his throne for long, and the Brotherhood has a history of siding with the winner. But just in case he clings to his position . . . Well, we can always send you.’
‘You’re delusional if you think the man who outmanoeuvred the Lich King will be easy to depose. And why would you even want to kill the person who granted the Brotherhood its freedom?’
I didn’t know the new king, but if Jagon hated him, I already liked him. I’d left Truso before the uprising that had placed him on the throne, but I’d heard he was ruthless and calculating. I doubted many could outsmart him.
‘I’ve been honest with you for a reason. Your choice is simple: work for me or die. Return to the Brotherhood, and I will free you, no matter the consequences. Refuse me and . . . well, you know how Mlot likes to execute those he thinks wronged him. I don’t want to see you dead, Roksana,’ he said.
I huffed in response. ‘It wouldn’t be a problem if you hadn’t tattled about my past. And how would you stop me from killingyouat my earliest convenience?’
‘I misjudged Mlot’s anger, a mistake I can easily rectify. As for that other matter, I have a way to guarantee your loyalty.’ His smirk widened as he trailed long slender fingers over the cell’s bars. ‘Tivala’s family is still looking for the killer; if you betray me, I may accidentally insinuate it was a certain courtesan who ordered the assassination. I’m curious as to what the old duke would do if he found out a whore had been behind the demise of his heir . . .’
I threw myself at the bars, fists reaching out to pulverise that smug grin. ‘Leave Liliana out of this, you treacherous bastard.’
‘How predictable.’ Jagon stepped away with a knowing smirk. ‘Hate me all you want, but if you want to live—if you wantherto live—be ready at dawn. I’ll send my men to fetch you then.’ He turned away, doing nothing to hide his triumphant smile.
He’d won, and we both knew it.
Between serving him again and certain death, what choice did I have?
I waited until my tormentor had left, then fell back against the wall, sliding down until I was sitting on the rough stone. I didn’t fight back the tears. No one could see me anyway, so I cried, maybe for the first time since I’d signed my contract with the Dark Brotherhood. The illusion of freedom I’d had here was utterly shattered. I’d bought myself out, but now I understood that the only way to leave Jagon Vir’s service would be in a coffin.
‘No. As long as I live, I won’t give up. He will regret forcing my hand.’
I curled up in the corner, swearing to the gods above and below that I would find a way to destroy Jagon before his malice killed what good was left in me.
Chapter 3
Roksana
Iwasn’t sure how long I sat there, tears falling silently, until a rustle in the darkness startled me.
‘Drah’sa?’
I gasped, scrambling to the iron bars. ‘Here,’ I answered. A moment later, I saw a pair of familiar bright blue eyes staring at me with concern. ‘How . . .? Why? I thought you’d left me,’ I babbled, grasping the rusty metal so hard my knuckles were white.
‘Tch, I’d never leave you in danger. But if I’d defended you, Mlot would’ve locked me up too. I danced to his beat, and it paid off. I am, however, mad as hell that you didn’t tell me. I don’t care about your past, woman. We’ve all made mistakes, but fuck,finding out that way? It hurt,’ he grumbled as he reached down into his bag.
