Amaskan's Blood, Raven Oak [read me a book .TXT] 📗

I need to stop thinking of her as my sister. She knows nothing of who I am, and besides, anyone this spoiled could no more be related to me than the goat in the stables. Besides, I don’t remember her at all. Blood does not family make.

She leaned over Margaret, whose back pressed into the dresser’s hard wood. “I made it very plain that my role in your wedding was to remain a secret, something you just revealed to your handmaidens.”

“They’re nobility. And besides, I didn’t tell them what role. They won’t tell anyone—”

“Listen you stupid twit, servants—even ennobled ones—are the biggest gossips in the Little Dozen. Anything you say to them will spread across the land like a plague. Not even five minutes in, and you’ve told them that I’ll have a role in the wedding. Do you want to die, you fool?”

Margaret sputtered, but Adelei didn’t give her the chance to respond. She withdrew her dagger and held it against Margaret’s bosom with a grand smile. “Here—if you really wish to die, I can make it possible. Isn’t it what I’m best at? Murder? You said so yourself. So if you want to die, let’s make it fast. I have a home to return to.”

Princess Margaret tried to wriggle away from Adelei, but weak arms did little to move Adelei’s strong frame. Movement brought the dagger closer, so Margaret grappled with Adelei instead. Her fingers fought to find purchase in the silk tunic. When she failed, she tried to claw the dagger from Adelei’s grasp.

Margaret released Adelei’s hand. “So will you watch as my husband makes me a woman on my wedding night? Is that part of your duties, too? Or will you take my place in that role as well?”

The dagger inched closer to Margaret’s throat as Adelei’s patience wavered. The only way Margaret would follow her is if Margaret understood the risk as well. “No, Your Highness, that will be one of the few times you’ll be alone with your husband in these chambers. I hope for your sake he is not the assassin, for if so, you’ll be dead before the sun rises. Or maybe that would be a blessing if he’s the monster people say he is.”

She dropped the dagger in Margaret’s hands, which fell through the softened fingers and into her lap. The blade tore a small hole in the overskirt’s light layers. “Go ahead, princess. If you want me gone, save the assassin the trouble, and I’ll be gone by noon.”

“I don’t want to die. Stop it.” Margaret cried. She stared at the dagger as if it were a large spider, and she squirmed in place. When her fingers dared touch it again, Margaret swept it from her lap with shaking fingers. “Please. Please, get it away.”

Finally hearing the word she wished, Adelei returned her dagger to its place. Sweat glistened across Margaret’s brow, and when she tried to stand on shaky legs, she fell back against her stool.

“That’s better. You and I have no reason to like each other, and that’s fine. I’m not here to be your best friend. I’m here to save your life. You will do as I say, or I will have you bound and gagged. Whether or not you enjoy this experience is no concern of mine. I’m paid either way.”

Margaret frowned, her fingers clenching the laces of her corset. “You called him a monster.”

“Did I ruin your precious image of him?”

She shook her head. “It’s just… I’ve heard things. Never mind, you must be mistaken.” Margaret smoothed out her skirts and frowned at the tear. “You said you have a home to return to. I’ve never heard of an Amaskan having a home before, yet you speak as if you have family and friends.”

“I do, Your Majesty. Hard as it may be for you to understand, I have a father, too, and friends who miss me very much. If I die defending you, it is an honorable death, but if I die because of you, because you fail to follow my orders, they will not be happy. A blood feud may be declared.” Her sister paled at this. So she was at least aware of blood feuds. Good.

“So how does this work, then? You’re protecting me?”

“Most of the time, I’ll follow you, watching and listening for signs that someone is planning to harm you. At large events, such as your wedding, I will play you. If someone were to attack you, they’d really be attacking me.”

“Why can’t you just watch and listen at the wedding, and… and take them out if they attack? I don’t understand why my day has to be ruined.”

It was a petulant sob that escaped pouting lips, which Adelei ignored, much to the princess’s frustration. Good lord, if that normally works on Father, no wonder she’s so spoiled. To her sister though, Adelei said, “Large events have more people. More chance of attack. If someone came at you, you wouldn’t have the first idea how to fight off an attacker, but I would. If they assault me, I can diffuse the situation quickly and safely.”

“How do you know I couldn’t escape them? I’ve had some defense training—”

Adelei’s eyes rested on the unused candle beside her, its wax long dried from burning last night. She snatched the candle from its holder and tossed it at her sister’s head before Margaret had finished her sentence. Startled, Margaret saw it only after it was airborne. Too late to do anything about it. The hardened wax bounced off the side of her head with a thud before dropping to the floor.

“That’s going to bruise.”

“If I’d wanted that to hurt, I would have thrown it harder, and trust me, it would have left a mark. And that was just a candle.” Her fingers deftly moved and before Margaret could blink, Adelei held one of her throwing knives. “Imagine if that candle had been this.” Sunlight bounced off the knife, and sparkles danced along the wall.

Margaret swallowed