The Prince Deceiver (The Silk & Steel Saga Book 6) by Karen Azinger
Authors: Karen Azinger
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cellar."
The boy
shrugged, but his face betrayed the lie. "Some people hide jewels in their
wine cellar."
"So you sought
to steal?"
The boy remained
sullen.
"Bring him
to me."
His guards
lifted the boy between them. Carrying him up the dais, they forced him to kneel
just below the Mordant.
"Look in my
eyes, boy."
Compelled, the
lad lifted his gaze.
Unleashing his
inner Darkness, the Mordant trapped the boy's stare. Breathing deep, he caught
the scent of petty Darkness clinging to the lad's soul. A lowly pickpocket, yet minor sins were all he needed to gain access. The Mordant followed the
thread of Darkness, burrowing into the lad's mind, delving into his very soul. A
thief, a sneak, a snitch...a spy, the Mordant delved deeper till he found
the image of a dapper, red-haired lord. The boy was bound to the lord, sworn to
serve for food and coin. The Mordant plucked a name from the lad's mind.
"Who is the Lord Sheriff?"
The boy
stiffened.
Released from
the Mordant's stare, the boy cringed backwards but the guards held him firm.
"He ain't
no one."
The Mordant
smiled. "Too late for lies." He gestured to the guards. "Take
him to the dungeon and show him what he came to see. He'll make a tasty
offering to the Dark God."
" No!
I'll..."
The guards
shoved the gag back into the lad's mouth, stifling his screams. Lifting the boy
between them, they carried him away to the wine cellar.
"Bring Dolf
to me."
One of his
servants rushed to obey.
So the queen
seeks to defeat the oldest harlequin with a mere pawn. Such a clumsy move,
the woman knew not whom she played against.
Clad in black
clothing, his master assassin glided into the chamber like a liquid shadow.
"You summoned me, my lord?"
"I've
discovered a fresh enemy, a dapper, red-haired lord who goes by the name of
'the lord sheriff'. He's enlisting street urchins to spy on us. We suspect he
serves the queen. Such a resourceful lord deserves to be eliminated. Find this
red-haired lord and make him disappear. Kidnap him and then chain him to the
pentacle in the sanctum. I wish to peel the motives from his mind."
"Yes, my
lord."
"And, Dolf,
I want this done quietly, as if the man disappeared into smoke. I want his
sudden absence to add another layer of unease to the queen."
The assassin
flashed a feral smile. "It will be as you command."
Plots within
plots, he'd bring the queen to a slow boil. And then he'd see what choice her
soul would take.
14
Master Numar
Springtime
brought a bounty of green to Pellanor's markets. Master Numar rose at first
light, donning the modest robes of an apothecary. The brown robes were only
half a disguise, for in truth he was a skilled herbalist. Nestling his focus
deep in his pocket, he took up his quarterstaff and made his way to the nearest
market. Business at his apothecary shop was brisk. He needed to replenish his
ingredients, but, more importantly, he sought a harvest of rumors, a way to
measure the health of the queen's city.
The heady scent
of fresh-grown greens greeted him well before he reached the market. Turning
the corner, he was not surprised to find the cobblestone square already
crowded, everyone keen to make their purchases before the sun's heat ravaged
the leafy produce. Brightly colored stalls turned the square into a maze, the
farmers selling everything from honey and eggs, to herbs and vegetables and
fresh-churned butter. Sniffing deeply, he caught the fragrant scent of thyme
and followed it to a farmer's stall. Thyme was such a delightful herb with so
many medicinal uses. Indulging in the sport of the market, he dickered fiercely
for two bundles. For him, the dickering was not so much about the coins spent
as it was about the respect earned. Friendship and respect bought him more
secrets than parsimony, so he played the dickering game, always letting the
farmers feel as if their extra coins were hard won. Handing over six coppers
with a wink and a gracious smile, he snapped off a fresh sprig and wound
The boy
shrugged, but his face betrayed the lie. "Some people hide jewels in their
wine cellar."
"So you sought
to steal?"
The boy remained
sullen.
"Bring him
to me."
His guards
lifted the boy between them. Carrying him up the dais, they forced him to kneel
just below the Mordant.
"Look in my
eyes, boy."
Compelled, the
lad lifted his gaze.
Unleashing his
inner Darkness, the Mordant trapped the boy's stare. Breathing deep, he caught
the scent of petty Darkness clinging to the lad's soul. A lowly pickpocket, yet minor sins were all he needed to gain access. The Mordant followed the
thread of Darkness, burrowing into the lad's mind, delving into his very soul. A
thief, a sneak, a snitch...a spy, the Mordant delved deeper till he found
the image of a dapper, red-haired lord. The boy was bound to the lord, sworn to
serve for food and coin. The Mordant plucked a name from the lad's mind.
"Who is the Lord Sheriff?"
The boy
stiffened.
Released from
the Mordant's stare, the boy cringed backwards but the guards held him firm.
"He ain't
no one."
The Mordant
smiled. "Too late for lies." He gestured to the guards. "Take
him to the dungeon and show him what he came to see. He'll make a tasty
offering to the Dark God."
" No!
I'll..."
The guards
shoved the gag back into the lad's mouth, stifling his screams. Lifting the boy
between them, they carried him away to the wine cellar.
"Bring Dolf
to me."
One of his
servants rushed to obey.
So the queen
seeks to defeat the oldest harlequin with a mere pawn. Such a clumsy move,
the woman knew not whom she played against.
Clad in black
clothing, his master assassin glided into the chamber like a liquid shadow.
"You summoned me, my lord?"
"I've
discovered a fresh enemy, a dapper, red-haired lord who goes by the name of
'the lord sheriff'. He's enlisting street urchins to spy on us. We suspect he
serves the queen. Such a resourceful lord deserves to be eliminated. Find this
red-haired lord and make him disappear. Kidnap him and then chain him to the
pentacle in the sanctum. I wish to peel the motives from his mind."
"Yes, my
lord."
"And, Dolf,
I want this done quietly, as if the man disappeared into smoke. I want his
sudden absence to add another layer of unease to the queen."
The assassin
flashed a feral smile. "It will be as you command."
Plots within
plots, he'd bring the queen to a slow boil. And then he'd see what choice her
soul would take.
14
Master Numar
Springtime
brought a bounty of green to Pellanor's markets. Master Numar rose at first
light, donning the modest robes of an apothecary. The brown robes were only
half a disguise, for in truth he was a skilled herbalist. Nestling his focus
deep in his pocket, he took up his quarterstaff and made his way to the nearest
market. Business at his apothecary shop was brisk. He needed to replenish his
ingredients, but, more importantly, he sought a harvest of rumors, a way to
measure the health of the queen's city.
The heady scent
of fresh-grown greens greeted him well before he reached the market. Turning
the corner, he was not surprised to find the cobblestone square already
crowded, everyone keen to make their purchases before the sun's heat ravaged
the leafy produce. Brightly colored stalls turned the square into a maze, the
farmers selling everything from honey and eggs, to herbs and vegetables and
fresh-churned butter. Sniffing deeply, he caught the fragrant scent of thyme
and followed it to a farmer's stall. Thyme was such a delightful herb with so
many medicinal uses. Indulging in the sport of the market, he dickered fiercely
for two bundles. For him, the dickering was not so much about the coins spent
as it was about the respect earned. Friendship and respect bought him more
secrets than parsimony, so he played the dickering game, always letting the
farmers feel as if their extra coins were hard won. Handing over six coppers
with a wink and a gracious smile, he snapped off a fresh sprig and wound
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