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Chapter 13
Bree
Even though PrinceTaveon had only hours before admitted to ordering an arrow shot at Bree’s chest, he showed up outside of her cell the following morning with a dress and the wrist braces and a scowl. Just likeclockwork.
Bree glowered at the wall while she changed into the silky material. He’d chosen a bright yellow material this time, one that felt so soft and luxurious against her skin. It was such a sunny and cheerful color, the total opposite to how Bree felt inside. But, she couldn’t help but think, little did he know that soon Bree would not be living in this cell atall.
A delicious smile spread across her lips at the thought of the look on his face when he found out. He would be positivelyenraged.
She couldn’twait.
First step, find out something that could help Lord Dagen with his cause. Truthfully, she didn’t trust the Lord any more than she trusted the Prince. He had his own agenda, and her life didn’t matter to him other than what she could do for him. He wouldn’t necessarily be a good ruler either, and he probably had no interest in getting rid of theTithe.
But he also hadn’t ordered for Bree to be shot by an arrow just to make an example out ofher.
“What is the matter with you?” the Prince asked when she stepped out of the cell and held up her wrists withoutargument.
She raised an eyebrow. “Nothing’s wrong with me. In fact, that wound you inflicted on me has completely healed now, no thanks toyou.”
He let out a frustrated sigh. “I was going to say that you do not seem nearly as angry as you normally do, but then you opened yourmouth.”
She shot him a mock smile. “Maybe I’ve been looking forward to our little walk this morning. Maybe I enjoy our little time spent together in themornings.”
“Hmm.” He eyed hersuspiciously.
Whoops. Maybe she was laying it on a bit thick. She needed to be careful. It was only her first day as a spy, and she hadn’t even moved into her new room yet. Tipping off the enemy before she’d even started her new job probably wasn’t the best way to earn herfreedom.
“Because our walks mean that it isn’t long until I can finally change into my fighting leathers and go train with Rafferty,” she said. “You know, the fae who helped heal me when his friend ordered a guard to shoot me with anarrow.”
“If you keep complaining about it, then I will have someone shoot you again,” he said, raising his voice when two guards entered thehallway.
Frowning, Bree crossed her arms over her chest, the metal clinking against metal. “Youwouldn’t.”
But he very much would. He had made that very clear. For all his talk about being better than his father, he was falling right in line. Hell, after that little spectacle, he probably didn’t even need to go through with the Battle for the Crown. He’d proven to the Court he was hard with just that single arrow to herchest.
“I very much would, and now you know it.” He ground his teeth together as several members of the Court strode by them, all casting furtive glances in Bree’s direction. Heat spread through her cheeks, and her footsteps faltered for once. She hated this. She felt like some sort of prize on display, some kind of zoo animal that the Prince was parading around. And there was absolutely nothing she could do about it. Nothing, not unless she wanted to be shot again. And next time, the arrow might find a different kind of mark. One that was much morefatal.
“Why do you even bother with this?” she hissed as she took several quick steps to catch up with the Prince, who had continued on walking when she’d paused. “Why take me for these walks? Why talk to me? You hate me. You’d rather I was dead, even if you do want to use me to be yourchampion.”
The Prince’s shoulders tensed, and he kept his eyes forward on the ground. Bree huffed. He couldn’t even bother looking ather!
“You need the exercise and the fresh air,” he merely said. “After a long night in that cell, you need this stroll to start yourday.”
“The cell you put mein.”
“Yes, after you tried to killme.”
Bree let out an irritated sigh. This conversation was goingnowhere.
* * *
Several days passedwith more of the same. At dawn, Prince Taveon would collect Bree from her cell before taking her to Rafferty for training. And then he’d drop her right back into that dimly-lit square of filth again, leaving her there to rot until the nextdawn.
“I don’t think I can truly work as your assassin unless you give me some more insight into this realm.” Bree walked side-by-side with Prince Taveon down the dimly-lit hallway. He’d taken her on their morning walk through the castle grounds once again, though they had never stepped one foot outside the stone walls into the fresh night air. She was beginning to realize that this was a bit of a ritual for him. He liked going on this walk, and she had a feeling he had done it alone before she’d comealong.
He would never admit that he wanted her company, of course. He would say this was all part of her training.A chance to stretch your legs, he’d said.Need to make sure you stayhealthy.
He cut his eyes her way, though he didn’t truly face her. “Once Rafferty has finished his work with you, I have a couple of other instructors in mind to work on your physical combat skills. Then, we shall train you on what you need to know in terms of poisons, creatures, and powers you might come into contact with in thisrealm.”
