The Royal Assassin by Kate Parker Page A

the door ahead of the guard.
    She made it inside, but I collided with the guard. He shoved me back, knocking me off my feet. I would have fallen if Blackford hadn’t grabbed me. Before I could run into the store, he said, “What’s going on?”
    I righted myself, hanging on to Blackford’s arm longer than strictly necessary. Opportunities like this didn’t happen every day. “She’s meeting that mystery girl in the alley behind the shops.”
    â€œCome on.” He grabbed my arm and hurried me down the sidewalk past the carriage and the puzzled-looking driver, ignoring irate passersby who’d been struck by flying parcels. He hauled me down an alley next to a music shop. I tripped over uneven bricks and stubbed my toes more than once.
    I cried out, but Blackford dragged me along at a pace that left me panting. My corset dug into my ribs. We reached the back alley and Blackford stopped. I collapsed against a grimy brick wall and closed my eyes, gasping for breath. My feet throbbed. I wished I’d dressed for active pursuits.
    â€œThis way,” Blackford said.
    I opened my eyes to see him gesture to the princess and the other young woman to enter the music shop. They murmured a few words between them. Then the princess came toward us and the unknown young woman ran the other way down the alley.
    Several shops down, I saw Emma and Sumner lingering by the back of a milliner’s.
    Hurrying past us, the princess rushed down the alley, Blackford and I following. “Who was that?” I managed to gasp out in French.
    â€œWho was who?” came her reply.
    â€œDon’t play that game,” Blackford said. “You have to trust someone.”
    â€œI trust no one. It is the only way to survive,” she snapped back. Then, looking slightly breathless, the princess stepped onto the sidewalk and slowed her pace as she reached the carriage.
    She only had time to adjust her hat before Sussex came out of Hatchards bookshop and saw her. With a smile, he called back into the shop and then walked toward her. I doubt he even noticed Blackford and me. That was good. Blackford didn’t have a mark on him or a hair out of place, but I was brushing dirt off my skirt and tucking stray curls into my hairdo.
    Princess Kira turned to look at me and clucked her tongue. “You look like a slut,” she said in French before she straightened my hat.
    I beat my gloves together to shake off the slime from the alley wall as Sussex and then Lady Raminoff joined us. The princess looked at them and then at her art supplies. “
Mon Dieu.
Why did he make such a mess of my paints? Please help me.”
    The two dukes began picking up her purchases while Lady Raminoff let off a blast of Russian. Princess Kira responded in kind.
    I looked around. “Where is Ivanov?”
    â€œHe went into the alley looking for the princess. He should return soon,” Sussex said.
    Blackford and I glanced at each other. Had he captured the young Russian woman?
    A moment later, the guard marched out of Hatchards. He immediately barked at both Princess Kira and Lady Raminoff in Russian. He didn’t appear out of breath or any sweatier than usual; it must be all that marching soldiers do. Lady Raminoff cringed, but the princess stared at him, completely unmoved.
    At least the Russian guard was alone. I hoped Emma and Sumner had better luck following the girl after she escaped.
    The princess pointed at the art supplies the two dukes were collecting and snapped out a Russian command.
    Ivanov curled his upper lip and snatched up the few remaining packages. Then he held the door open while we climbed inside. We were still trying to organize the princess’s purchases in the tight space when Ivanov slammed the door, climbed up on the back of the carriage, and told the driver to return home.
    Sussex and I were both standing as the carriage jerked into motion. He flew onto Lady Raminoff as frames