When his hand strokes the underside of my breast, I gasp, but Kasimir uses my open mouth as another opportunity to fill it with his tongue.
The warmth in my belly turns to fire. I want this. I want him,I think.
Even if just one touch is all it takes to steal every breath from my lungs. He can have them. He can take them all, and me – every last drop. But then a flash of gold slices through my mind.
I was expecting to have to break you.
My rushing blood turns to ice.
I’ll drag the name of every man you’d ever bedded from your lips.
My chest seizes. Suddenly, I’m no longer in Kaz’s bedchamber. The wall behind me turns to hedgerows and there’s grass beneath my feet. Except I’m not touching the ground. My legs are wrapped around the waist of a golden-haired prince – one whose foul tongue is once again invading every corner of my mouth.
“Stop!” I scream.
My eyes fly open.
“Ruby?” Kasimir stands before me, wide-eyed, as the green hedgerows morph back into walls. Carefully, he lowers me onto the grass – no, the wooden floor. I’m here again, in Night Alley, safe in the bedroom of an assassin.
The thought makes me want to laugh.
“Is everything alright?” Kaz asks, his voice low.
A tear rolls down my cheek. “Sorry,” I stutter, “I don’t know what that was, I…” My voice trails off.
“Hey, it’s alright,” Kaz says. He places a hand on my arm, squeezing it gently. “Was I too rough with you? You can tell me if I was. I never want to hurt you.”
I shake my head. “No, you were wonderful. More than wonderful, perfect. It’s just—” My voice cracks. “It’s something else. Something bad happened at the palace, and I?—”
“Was it Orion?”
Just hearing the name makes me shiver. “I’m sorry,” I swallow down a sob. “I can’t talk about this any more.”
Kasimir watches me with murder in his eyes.
“It’s why I came here, why I want so badly to help you get that letter,” I continue, tears blurring my vision. “I need a distraction, a job, anything to take my mind away from the palace. And I know I’ll have to go back soon…” My breath shudders. “But just for now, I want to forget. I want to be useful.” My heavy eyes meet his. “So please let me help you. I know I can do it.”
Kasimir scowls, but after a heavy sigh his gaze softens. “Fine,” he grumbles. “But we’re practising more with that dagger first. I’m not letting you out of my sight again until you actually learn how to use that thing.”
My heart glows as a smile pushes through my tears. “I’d like that.”
22
AMARYLLIS
“Still sure you want to do this?” Meera hisses into my ear. The two of us linger near the staff entrance to Andrick’s whorehouse, waiting in the shadows as young women come and go through the black door.
The building is much bigger than I was expecting. Its multiple storeys stretch up into the night sky, each window casting a red glow onto the street below. And it’s loud too. Blaring music and laughter, along with the occasional moan, streams out every time someone pushes the door open.
I certainly don’t want to be here, especially not while dressed in this revealing gown with my hair spilling over my shoulders. But I do want to make sure that no more helpless women or children get snatched up by traffickers. That, I am certain of.
“I’m sure.” I nod confidently.
“Alright,” Meera sighs. “Good luck in there. I’d go in your place but…” – she winces, grabbing the back of her neck – “...I actually have some history with some of Andrick’s girls. Probably best I don’t bump into any of them again. Kaz will be watching though. You might not see him, but I’m sure he’ll help you out if something goes wrong.”
My racing heart settles a little. The feel of Kaz’s hidden dagger sheathed inside my bodice helps too. He gave me it after our training session and insisted I take more, but I told him that one would be enough.
At least I could explain my way out of one dagger if Father’s guards caught me with it.
