Assassin of Curses: (The Coren Hart Chronicles Book 3) Jessie Eaker (best reads txt) 📖

my hands underneath my legs as if to restrain them. It was not my role to kill him, I told myself. I was only to gather information. And for some reason, I was exceedingly grateful.

He paused for a moment as if considering something. “What do you think of the emperor?” he asked.

Now that was a dangerous question. To the people, he was supposed to be their moon and stars. Almost their god. To say anything less out loud was to be branded a traitor and be immediately executed. But to me, he was a man who had bedded my mother and then cast her aside when she became inconvenient. The same man who had sent me to bathe in darkness every day.

I smiled and shrugged. “He is the emperor. The one and only. What more is there to say?”

He looked off into the distance. “I think something is wrong with him. The empire is falling apart, rotting from inside, and yet he does nothing about it. My father originally supported him, but came to distrust him. He said the emperor had changed.”

I shrugged again. “I do not know,” I said, looking down. He was talking treason. Anyone could turn him in for saying such.

He slowly turned to look at me. His expression neutral. But his eyes... they were bright with determination. “I plan to find out. I plan to overthrow him, if I must. But the empire can’t continue like it is.” He paused. “I thought you might want to know before you became more involved with me. I plan to challenge the world.”

We stared at each other, not saying a word. I didn’t know what to say. If I were to reveal his thoughts to the other nobles, he could easily deny it. There were no witnesses. So it was likely a test to see if I would cause him trouble in the future. Or...

He could really intend to overthrow the emperor. If that was the case, it would easily explain why he had become a target.

Thankfully the servant appeared behind me and cleared his throat. Lord Luoyangei was due back for a visitor.

The gentle breeze that had been playing with his hair paused, leaving the meadow silent. And then I heard it. A sound only one accustomed to weapons would understand. The creak of wood being bent and leather being stretched

Someone had a bow.

Then I heard it release.

Instinctively, I dived forward toward the young lord, but I was too late. A heartbeat before I could reach him, an arrow struck him solidly in the chest.

“No...” I wailed.

But he just sighed and pulled the arrow out of his clothes. “Damn. And I just got these too.”

The guards were already in pursuit.

I ran my hands over him in disbelief, and he chuckled at my panic. “No need to worry. It is a myst shield. Arrows and knives can’t get through it.”

And I could feel he was right. While I was touching him, I wasn’t actually touching his body. There was some kind of barrier around him, molding to his shape. No wonder the first attack hadn’t worked.

Then it occurred to me. The knife laid in plain sight had been no accident. It was to test me.

He was subdued as we rode back. I think he was embarrassed at me finding out. Or perhaps he was afraid he had pushed me away. But when we reached the stables, he quickly jumped down and came around to help me to dismount.

“Will you join me for dinner this evening? If you’re not afraid of me, that is.”

I smiled. “You do not frighten me.”

But as I turned away, I realized he did. I was terrified.

Just not for the reason he thought.

A week later, and after several more dinners, he finally took me for a stroll through his manor’s gardens. It was the last piece of intelligence I needed.

The evening was pleasant, with spring flowers in bloom and their fragrance lightly scenting the air. To my surprise, he took my hand. It was such an innocent and charming gesture, I blushed despite myself. We sat on a convenient bench, close to each other, and were quiet for a time, listening to the night insects.

“This garden was my mother’s,” he said, breaking the silence. “She loved flowers. And I’ve tried to keep it just as she would have wanted. I can remember coming here and playing while she sat on this bench and watched.”

I knew from our earlier conversations that he sorely missed his parents. Unlike mine, they had been kind and understanding people. “Your mother must have been a great lady,” I offered.

He nodded. “She was. I can remember when I was about nine or ten, sitting on this very bench and declaring I hated girls.” He smiled wistfully. “She brushed my hair out of my eyes and explained that one day, I likely wouldn’t feel that way. But when I chose, I had to choose someone that was not only beautiful but someone intelligent and wise.” He looked at me levelly. “Someone like you...”

And then it happened, most unexpectedly. An attack that took me completely unawares.

He kissed me.

I had expected him to try to seduce me. But a kiss? It was too intimate, too close... and totally disarming, especially since I liked it.

And I fled.

I immediately went back to my room and packed my few things. I then put on my travel clothes and sat down to wait for sunrise. I was too close to him. If I were asked to return with a more sinister objective—I’m not sure I could do it.

I had just sat down when there was a knock at my door. A servant entered with a tray, and on it was a small envelope. When I opened it, I saw it