AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Isaiah cleared his throat. “It's true. This one here's a real killer. Killer instincts, killer smile. The culprit didn't stand a chance.”
Nicola might have given him a warning look, but he was too busy meeting the king’s gaze and second assessment. Neither relented. For a fleeting moment, it crossed his mind that it probably wasn’t a good idea to offend the most powerful man of Ostrov Krov. But then the moment was gone, and the king was nodding.
“I suppose the important thing here is you have achieved your goal with the least amount of death and knowledge of our involvement.”
“About that…”
Isaiah bit back a chuckle when the king sighed.
“Before we get into that, I want to tell you now that I appreciate you and Maddox for taking care of this. You are the best advisor a king could ask for.”
“I’m your only advisor,” she pointed out.
“For now.”
“For now. And about that…”
The king held up a hand and turned to Isaiah again. At the third assessment, Isaiah’s shoulders straightened.
“Isaiah the Great.”
“Yes…your Highness?” he added for good measure.
“I also appreciate what you did to help.”
He waited for the reprimand of his involvement, then realized there was none. He nodded at the king, then changed it into a bow at the last second.
“It’s always a pleasure. Your kingdom’s good standing is beneficial to me and our relationship.”
“I would like to continue that relationship and our dealings with you.”
“Yes, of course.”
“Good. You are dismissed for now.”
Isaiah blinked, but the king had moved on, addressing Nicola now. He tried to catch her eye, but she was answering the king in murmured tones and already embroiled in the politics of whatever they were discussing next. A pinched feeling entered his chest, but he ignored it and left the vicinity. He kept going when the guards ushered him out of the hall but couldn’t help glancing back and waiting for her to appear.
“Keep walking, sir. Your business here is done.”
The door to the room he had left behind remained closed. Isaiah nodded at the guard and walked away. He observed his surroundings and tried not to shiver at how cold everything felt, even with laughter ringing in some parts of the castle. He heaved a sigh the moment he stepped out and was hurrying toward the dock, but it still didn’t feel like a relief.
“That was fast,” Marko remarked, spotting him first. “Yer good with the houses?”
“With the king’s house, yes.”
“That’s good for us, right?”
“Hmm.”
“Good.”
“I should have waited,” Isaiah mumbled.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
He left Marko and went to Moon, who was loading boxes into a large, wooden platform. At Isaiah’s approach, the teenage boy stiffened and tried to avoid his gaze.
