Star’s thug barreled though the woods. Not far from my perch, he stopped to listen, searching the treetops. My heart raced. I muffled my heavy breathing with my cloak. Sword raised, he hunted for me.
When he was below me, I threw off my cloak and launched myself, hitting his back with my feet. We fell hard. I rolled away and stood before he could recover, then kicked his sword from his hand. He was faster than I had anticipated. He grabbed my ankle, yanking me down.
Next thing I knew, his weight pressed on top of me and his hands were wrapped around my neck. Banging my head on the hard ground, he muttered, “That’s for giving me trouble.” Then he pressed his thumbs deep into my throat.
Dazed and choking, I plucked at his arms before I remembered my switchblade. I fumbled in my pockets as my vision blurred, turning to snow. The smooth feel of wood greeted my fingertips. I grasped the handle, pulled it out and triggered the button.
The snick of the blade caused fear to flicker in his eyes. For a moment he stared straight into my essence. Then I plunged the knife into his stomach. With a low growl, he increased the pressure on my neck. Blood, hot and sticky, ran down my arms, soaking my shirt. Through dizziness and pain, I jerked the weapon out and tried again. This time, I pointed the tip of the blade up toward his heart. The man hunched forward, driving the knife in farther, and finally collapsed.
The dead man’s weight impeded my starved lungs. Summoning my last bit of strength, I rolled his body off of me.
Dazed, I wiped my switchblade clean in the dirt, found my bow and went in search of Star.
Two men. I had just killed two men. A killing machine, I hadn’t even hesitated. Fear and rage settled deep in my chest, forming a layer of ice around my heart.
Star hadn’t gone far. She waited in the clearing. Her red hair blazed against the dark gray background of the forest dusk. Night would soon be on us.
She made a small noise of surprise when I stepped clear of the trees. Peering through the gloom, she studied the blood on my shirt. The wet material clung to my skin. When she saw I was unharmed, her sharp nose jerked her head around, searching for her goon.
“He’s dead,” I said.
The color drained from her face. “We can work this out.” A pleading note entered her voice.
“No, we can’t. If I let you walk away, you’ll only return with more men. If I take you to the Commander, I’d have to answer for killing your thugs. I’m out of options.” I stepped toward her, my body frozen with dread. The others I had killed in self-defense during the heat of battle; this would be difficult—this would be premeditated.
“Yelena, stop!” someone called from behind me. I spun. One of the Commander’s soldiers stood with a sword in his hand. As he moved closer, I judged the distance between us.
He must have recognized my battle stance because he stopped and sheathed his sword. Pulling the wool cap off his head, he let his black curls spring free.
“I thought you had orders to stay at the castle,” I said to Valek. “Won’t you be court-martialed?”
“And I thought your killing days were over,” he replied as he examined the prone form of Star’s thug. His crushed windpipe had suffocated him. “Tell you what. If you don’t tell, I won’t. That way we can both avoid the noose. Deal?”
I jerked my head at Star. “What about her?”
“There’s an arrest warrant out for her. Did you even consider taking her to the Commander?”
“No.”
“Why not?” Valek didn’t try to hide his disbelief. “Killing isn’t the only solution to a problem. Or has that been your formula?”
“ My formula! Excuse me, Mr. Assassin, while I laugh as I remember my history lessons on how to deal with a tyrannical monarch by killing him and his family.”
Valek flashed me a dangerous look.
I was on the edge. Changing tactics, I said, “My actions were based on what I thought you would do if you were ambushed.”
He considered my words in silence for an uncomfortable length of time.
Star seemed horrified by our discussion. She glanced around as if planning her escape.
“You really don’t know me at all,” Valek said.
“Think about it, Valek, if I took her to the Commander and explained the details, what would happen to me?”
The sad knowledge in his face said it all. I would be arrested for killing Star’s men, the food taster’s job would pass on to the next prisoner awaiting execution and I would spend my last few days in a dank dungeon.
“Well, then, it was fortunate for both of you that I arrived,” Valek said. He whistled a strange birdcall just as Star made her escape.
She dashed down the trail. I moved to follow, but Valek told me to wait. Two gray forms materialized from the dark forest on either side of the road. They grabbed Star. She yelped in surprise and anger.
“Take her back to the castle,” Valek ordered. “I’ll deal with her when I get back. Oh, and send a cleanup crew. I don’t want anyone stumbling onto this mess.”
They began to pull Star away.
“Wait,” she said. “I have information. If you release me, I’ll tell you who plotted to ruin the Sitian treaty.”
“Don’t worry.” Valek’s blue eyes held an icy glare. “You’ll tell me.” He was about to walk past her, when he paused. “However, if you want to reveal your patron now, then we can skip a painful interrogation later.”
Star’s nose twitched as she considered his offer. Even in this situation, she was still the shrewd businesswoman.