King of the Seditious
Dangerous Ground

“No business of yours.” Savage said. Giving him an icy blue study.

“No, it’s not.” The Nauvree admitted. “But, as I said, I’m curious. Are you giving it to the peasants?”

Not your affair. Savage tossed him a quick look. Surprised by the assassin’s determination on this subject.

“Because it involves your brother?”

“My twin.” The Nauvree straightened. Sighing in a way that said they weren’t close. “You were watching us.”

“I see most things.” Savage shifted against the counter to face Nauvree. “What precisely is this about?”

“Are you giving them away?”

“What of it?” Savage tipped his head up to stare down his nose threateningly.

Don’t push me. I’m looking for a fight tonight. Savage was sizing up the Nauvree as it was. The assassin was one of the few men that Savage actually respected. But just now, with Dimurah in the wind and him overwhelmed with frustration at being unable to replace her. Wondering if her body, even now, was being crushed against the rocks somewhere along the land bridge made standing in one place right now, feel nearly impossible.

But where else could I go?

Where could I possibly replace her? He had no one else to ask for help. Though he had a massive network of spies and assassins at his disposal, he couldn’t risk sending a single one after her right now.

For fear those crowns might be worth betraying me. That thought made a muscle in his hard jaw tick as he mentally vowed that if one of them did, he’d spend the rest of his days hunting the man down.

He had the only man he could trust scouring all of Ardae for her.

With no word from him yet.

“Why do you do it?” The Nauvree blurted.

Why so many bloody questions!

“Why does your brother?”

Nauvree was silent. Clearly unwilling to discuss anything about his twin’s motives.

Which did make Savage more curious, despite that he was generally not one to nose into others’ business he found himself wanting to know more.

Savage twisted back to the bar. “Come now. You know exactly why. You go with him every year.”

“How do you know that!” He was startled.

Savage was quiet. Lifting the tankard for the drink.

“Because you seem to know every bloody thing in these lands.” Nauvree answered his own question. Staring at Savage in wonder.

“Why do you do it?” Alazar probed the stoic King of Assassins.

Avoiding answering my question.

Nauvree was wondering how Savage had even discovered he had a brother. Much less, their doings.

Savage gave him a sideways look as he took another drink. Because I wish to.

“You’re asking a lot of questions to avoid answering mine tonight.” His tone turned dark as he hissed through clenched teeth.

“You’re in a poor mood.” Nauvree noted.

Savage caught the strange note in his voice and glanced at him.

“Because the Barter Queen has been missing since she escaped Sanctuary Island?” Nauvree probed.

Obvious.

I haven’t seen her since the day we dropped her off. And I lost track of her after I was told there was a sighting of her in Sourthern Vale. She’d made it across the land bridge. He hoped that sighting was true.

But how could one even tell for sure with the damnable fog hovering over that land.

“RedBayne mentioned he hadn’t had a chance to get word to you...” Nauvree said slowly. Watching Savage carefully.

“About what?”

“He found her. So, I came.”

Savage knocked over a stool as he closed the short distance to the other man. Staring heatedly at him. He didn’t have to say a word.

“Easy...” Nauvree put a hand up between them.

Perilously close to having it torn off.

“If you indulge my curiosity, I’ll tell you where to replace her.”

“If you don’t tell me now. I’ll snap your hand off at the wrist.”

Nauvree eyed him without blinking. It was clear he sensed his mistake. He leaned back. Look turning wary. “I’ll tell you. Just tell me why you’re giving what you have to the people.”

Pushing your luck.

“I have too many goods here. No need for more.”

Partially true.

“Pure practicality then?”

Savage’s jaw ticked as he waited. Losing patience every second that ticked by. Already he was leaning forward toward Nauvree his hand fisting as he strained not to strangle the other man.

“She is with a friend of ours.”

Where?

“She’s been staying in his house.” Nauvree added slowly.

“In a man’s house?” Savage’s tone turned brutal.

“He won’t touch her!” Nauvree put up his hands in surrender. “I know him well.”

“Take me to her.”

Nauvree gave a single nod. “I figured you’d want to see her. I know she’s been wanting to see you.”

For a mere micro-second, Savage felt his mask slip.

Rhyers House, Mane Country

THE NAUVREE

“I came to see you, to warn you.” The Nauvree was never one for beating around the bush. And he didn’t have much time to get his words out.

“To warn me?” The pretty redhead leapt to her feet. For the first time The Nauvree realized how lovely she looked in finery. She wore a pale blue dress made of some fine fabric. A matching ribbon wove through hair piled loosely atop her head with a few loose twirls tracing her sun-kissed cheeks.

She already knows of what or she wouldn’t be this upset. Well perhaps the appealing sight of her in finery will tamper whatever temper Savage Jack is in.

The man had said nothing the whole horse ride to Rhyers House, buried deep in Mane Country. Several days’ ride from the Blue Lark Assassin’s Guild in Dread Hideout.

“About what?” Rhyers asked protectively.

He mentioned she’d become like a little sister to him. Wait until he sees the creature that calls her mate. The Nauvree was half amused at the shock he’d see in Rhyers’ at the discovery.

“He’s here.”

Her blue eyes rounded. “I thought you said he wouldn’t replace me?” She gave Rhyers a betrayed look.

He sputtered.

It’s not his fault.

“He didn’t. I’m showing him.”

“When?” She cried. Horrified.

Didn’t I already answer that?

“Now.”