Page 58 of The Assassin's Dancer
Wait. No…
“Meera, tell me this is not what I think it means.” Fury darkens my gaze.
“It wasn’t her idea. I told her I wanted to help with the whorehouse!” Ruby pipes up, but I don’t dare look at her again. I can’t trust myself to think rationally if I do.
Meera shrugs. “Like she said, I didn’t make her. She wouldn’t stop begging, and honestly using her to steal it will be much simpler than bribing one of the girls there.”
“We are not using her for anything!” I snap.
“Why aren’t you letting me help?” Ruby charges towards me. “Please, Kasimir. I know I can do it. Meera made it sound easy. Why don’t you trust me?”
I shoot Meera another seething look before finally turning to Ruby.
My gaze softens. She’s always been so beautiful. But like this, with black lining her eyes and her red hair spilling over her shoulders…
“I do trust you,” I rasp. “But this is just too dangerous. You’ll have to go into his office alone. What if something goes wrong?” My jaw tenses. “What if someone figures out what you’re doing and I can’t reach you in time?”
“Then teach me to defend myself,” Ruby cries. “I can take one of your daggers. You can teach me how to use it!”
My breath catches. I almost want to laugh. That’s absurd. Just the thought of my fragile princess walking around with a concealed blade is…
“Actually that’s not a bad idea,” Meera finishes the thought for me.
Ruby steps forward, placing both hands on my chest. “Please, Kasimir,” she begs with glossy eyes.
“Fine,” I huff. “I’ll teach you. We’ll use my bedchamber. It’s bigger so there’s more space to train.”
Ruby grins, squealing excitedly.
“You better impress me,” I add. “And don’t think just because I’m training you that I’m willing to let you go to Andrick’s. It’d take a lot more than seeing you with a blade to convince me that you can?—”
But she’s already racing up the stairs. Moments later, I hear her sprint across the landing and then my door being thrown open.
“Good luck, Kaz.” Meera steps forward, slapping my shoulder with a laugh. “I’d tell you to go easy on her, but clearly she’s already got you on your knees.”
I scoff. But like always, I know she’s right.
Fucking hell.
21
AMARYLLIS
Kasimir’s bedchamber is nothing like how I imagined. In my dreams, I’d pictured black paint on the walls, blood-red tapestries, skulls on his dressers – perhaps even a prisoner or two chained up in the corner. But instead of anything nightmarish, I’m met with a lavish room not too dissimilar to my own.
Soft, cream carpets cover the floors while elegant bookshelves and dressers stand against the dark-panelled walls. The centrepiece of the room is a grand four-poster bed, the deep red sheets basking in the light of the afternoon sun from a large window nearby.
Most surprisingly, there’s not a single weapon in sight. And with the little fireplace – the coals still smouldering from last night – his room could almost be considered… cosy.
Stepping further inside, my gaze continues exploring until it catches on a small mirror, and my lips part.
It’s funny. With all the make-up and another stolen gown hugging my figure, I hardly recognise myself. It’s not as if I had a choice, though. Meera said, if I wanted to make it into Andrick’s office, I’d have to fit in with the other women there. And while it’s clear to see she did a good job, I’ll have to work on hidingthe fear that tugs at my features. Kasimir’s reaction downstairs certainly didn’t help. A small naive part of me hoped he’d like my disguise, but he barely looked at me in the hallway.
Swishing my dress, I marvel at the fabric. It doesn’t matter what Kasimir thinks. As long as he lets me steal that letter and help more people, that’s all I need to care about.
Footsteps force my attention from the mirror.
Kasimir, dressed in all black, marches into the room with two wooden daggers in his hands. After kicking the door shut, he spies me by the mirror only to quickly avert his gaze, clearing his throat.
