King of the Seditious

“I hate that he’s back!” Murah whined to Markus.

“Me too.” He agreed. “It’s just a question of who’s going to die not ‘if’ or ‘when’.”

“Is he really so bad?” Thomas, the other bodyguard, asked from next to them.

“Worse.” She and Markus said in unison.

She sighed. “Hire some extra barmaids tonight for…sanitizing. Did we get whoever that was last night, cleaned up?” She asked nearly as an afterthought.

“In the hole out back.” Markus nodded. “Barely a stain left.”

“Have Dale widen the hole.”

“I hate when he’s back.” Markus grumbled as he left Murah’s hut.

“Me too.” She whined.

Thomas sat in the wooden chair near the door. Lifting his wooden cup of water to sip as he sat sentry.

She watched the young man forlornly.

“Yes?” He glanced at her. Smiling proudly to be taking care of his family working for her. Her coin helped put food in his little brother and mother’s bellies.

“Be careful.”

“I always am, mum.”

“No, Thomas. I mean exceptionally careful.”

His brow knitted as he looked at her.

“He’s like a feral animal. Do not challenge him. Especially if he is coming at me.”

“I’m charged with protecting you!” He argued, leaping to his feet.

“Yes. But going against him would be foolish. Your job now is to keep anyone fool enough to challenge him, from doing so and dying in my establishment.”

The young man looked at her aghast.

“And Thomas?”

“Yes?” He stared at her in shock. Brows lifted nearly to his hairline.

“Never, never, pull a weapon on him.”

He gaped at her in confusion.

“Besides, honestly, I may be the only one in this Guild he’s not likely to kill.” She reassured.

“Not likely?” The boy’s voice rose.

“I’d never put it past him to kill anyone.” She said dismissively. Turning to sweep her floor. “That’d be foolish.”

Alazar, known as the assassin the Nauvree, put an arrow through a deer for dinner for he and his lover, Riaura. By then evening descended.

“Are you certain you don’t have to go back?” He asked her.

“Not tonight, Alazar and don’t talk to me about duty. I’ve no tolerance for it.”

“As a Princess, ’tis-”

“Alazar. I wish to share this fine meal. And then curl up on that warm hide with you.” She nodded in the direction of the deerskin drying near the fire. “With your arms about me and your body hot to mine.”

That made his eyes widen.

“Don’t ruin my wishes with bickering.”

Fair.

He snapped his jaw shut and forced his gaze from her. There’s little arguing with that.

Suddenly that hide looked more appealing as he pictured her body there. Firelight dancing over her bared skin. Mouth drying, his body tightened.

“What are you staring at it for?” She whispered so near his ear her lips brushed the shell of it. Making him throw his head back for better access. She pressed warm lips to his chorded throat.

“Riaura!” He spun to lift her and drag her over the log to sit next to him atop it. “Woman if you don’t cease, this meat will be dammed. I’ll let it burn!”

She smiled mischievously and lifted a brow.

“Choose wisely.” He warned. “I won’t stop you again.”

A huff behind them made Alazar’s heart drop. Realizing he’d been so relaxed he’d failed to hear someone sneak up on them. He turned in time to see a man lurch from the tree behind Riaura. Holding a glinting dagger aloft.

She gasped and twisted. Alazar read the trajectory of the dagger as aimed for her heart.

“Don’t!” He shouted. Moving inhumanly fast, he caught the man’s arm and turned so the arm was twisted across Alazar’s middle. Turning it until it crunched.

The assassin shouted in pain and dropped the blade. Catching it in his other hand and plunging it downward at her again.

Riaura only had time to throw her hands up to protect herself. Hands which luminesced in a defensive green glow.

Alazar slid between them, facing the attacker. Shielding her behind him.

The stranger plunged the dagger deep. Sinking it into Alazar’s chest just below his collar.

Alazareth grunted in pain. Snapping the man’s wrist before his hand shot to clutch the man’s neck. Alazar lurched forward with animal strength. Forcing the assassin, screaming and cradling his flopping wrist, back. Alazar struck him in the chest, and he stumbled back and hit a trunk, slumping against it.

Alazar returned to his throat. Descending with the righteous fury of a storm lord to hiss near the man’s ear. “Why kill her?”

“She’s the killer!” The would-be assassin strained to speak past Alazar’s crushing grip.

Alazar eased enough he could talk.

“Kill me. I came after her, knowing I’d die. But more will come.”

Alazar studied him a moment before crushing his windpipe. Then elbowing the assassin in the face so hard it collapsed inward.

Riaura gasped behind him.

Alazar turned to her. Touching his collar and examining his hand to see how badly he bled. He returned to the log and found himself weakening. Slipping to the ground to put his back against it as he blinked dizzily.

“My God…” She said breathlessly. Hand over her mouth.

Alazar collected the blade from the ground next to him. Turning the blade between his fingers. Well made. Not for show.

She immediately caught at the laces on his tunic. Pushing them open to see the gaping wound in the firelight. “Alazareth!”

“There truly is nothing you won’t do for me…” Her eyes were huge.

At his silence she persisted. “You really would protect me…No matter what?”

“Riaura.” He chastised in a whisper. Pleading. “Do not.”

“Igonox has hired an assassin to kill me. There’s not just this one.” She gestured to the man across the clearing.

“You’re asking me to betray the King of Assassins. And that’s a dangerous game.”

Something Savage Jack won’t take kindly.

She lifted her skirt to expose beautiful calves as she stepped over his legs to straddle him. She lowered over his lap. Slowly dropping onto his thighs. “You’ll do it. Because if you protect me, you get to keep me…”

Making him moan right before he pressed a kiss to her palm, savoring her touch.

“Riaura…” He pleaded. Knowing full well he was lost.

I’ll do it. I’ll kill for her…To keep her from being killed. His face hardened.