Amanda Bonilla - Shaedes of Gray - A Shaede Assassin Novel

The thirteen Shaedes stood, and twelve bowed to their king. Everyone but Raif took their leave in a strange, single-file fashion. I got a couple of curious stares and a few admiring ones. I smiled sweetly, at least sweet for me. I looked every last one of them in the eye, refusing to be demure for anyone’s benefit. Xander dismissed Anya with a curt wave of his hand, and I gave her a little wave good-bye with my own sweeping gesture. Okay, so maybe giving her the finger was a bit uncalled for.

Raif’s eyebrow cocked. I think he was waiting for an act of violence from Anya. She was a good and loyal servant, though, and I wasn’t worried a bit as she turned and retreated up the stairs, her leather outfit squeaking with every rise of her knee.

I folded my arms at my chest and leveled my gaze on the two men left in the room. Neither one paid me much attention as they talked in hushed tones, their heads bent close to each other. My anger and annoyance quickly turned into a very real, very physical knot in the pit of my stomach. If I’d had something to chuck, I would have aimed right for Xander’s regal head. I was so sick of his games, I wanted to throw up.

As if he could read my thoughts, I noticed him look at me from the corner of his eye. He smiled and continued his conversation with Raif. Who knows what they talked about? They could have been discussing the declination of hygiene among middle school students for all I knew or cared. Raif finally bowed and stepped to the side to allow his king to move past him. He followed Xander around the table to where I stood, tapping my toe on the thickly carpeted floor.

“You look much better,” Xander said, pausing at my side.

“Whatever doesn’t kill me, right?” I said.

He reached up and cupped my cheek in his hand. Before I could physically or verbally retaliate, however, he pulled away and started up the stairs. Raif shook his head and fell in step behind Xander as I took up the rear.

Raif spoke low as we walked. “I need you to serve as the high king’s personal security. You’ll answer directly to me.”

Another ploy. Anya was more than capable, and I’m sure a dozen other Shaedes could have done the job. The King of Games and Deception was up to something—again. First, I’d been hired as an assassin, the only one of my kind fit for the job. And now? Now I was playing babysitter. “Why me? If Xander’s looking to keep danger at bay, asking me to tag along might not be the best decision.”

“His Royal Highness,” Raif stressed, “paid for your services. That’s all you need to concern yourself with.”

“Well, if you ask me, His Royal Highness is inviting danger rather than dispelling it.” I said. “Seriously, what’s going on here?”

“I didn’t give you the katana so it could go unused,” Xander interrupted. He wouldn’t waste an opportunity to hear his own voice.

We continued up a second flight of stairs, the ones that led to Xander’s suite. The place was locked down; he wasn’t in danger here. “I was under the impression you had a task laid out for the sword. You remember—I was hired to kill your enemy.”

“Raif will explain your duties,” Xander said, opening the door to his private suite. “I’ll speak with you soon.”

I stopped just short of the threshold, and Xander beamed at me before shutting the door in my face. I pulled back a booted foot, poised to kick right through the wooden planks, but halted before making contact. Raif chuckled under his breath, and I whipped around to face him.

I turned and leaned against the banister, staring at the wood-paneled wall. “What’s so funny?” I asked without a trace of humor.

“My brother certainly knows how to push your buttons.”

My jaw dropped and I promptly snapped it shut. Come again? “Your what?” Raif simply winked, and let me tell you, it wasn’t an expression that suited him. Think of an alligator winking just before he snaps his jaws down on your neck.

“What’s really going on here?” I asked.

Raif took a step closer and bent his face to mine. “War is coming, Darian. If you can’t get to Azriel before he gets to his father . . .” His voice was smooth and frigid. “Xander’s in danger, and we have no idea how far our enemies’ reach is. We don’t dare trust anyone.”

“Why trust me?” I couldn’t think of a reason. I was growing sick of Xander and his games. I might be more likely than his enemies to do him harm.

“I trust you,” Raif said. “And so does he.”

I raised a sarcastic brow. Sure, he trusts me .

“With his life.”

I didn’t argue with him. I was past the point of fighting in what was now a losing battle. I’d been drawn into the game that first night I’d entered the staged town house, dagger in my hand. “So, what am I supposed to do—sit outside his door all night?”

Raif laughed and turned toward the stairs. “Not exactly,” he said, and left.

“Darian, come in here,” Xander’s muffled voice called through the closed door.

My shoulders slumped. Shit.

I stormed into the room without a knock. Xander lounged in a chair, bare to the waist. He kicked off his shoes one at time.

“So,” I said, going for my best impression of casual disinterest. “You think there’s someone lurking around who’s even less trustworthy than me?”

He gave me a rather wan smile in response. For the first time, I noticed he looked tired. Exhausted, really. “Amazing, isn’t it?” At least he wasn’t too drained for a smart-ass remark. “I take it Raif filled you in?” He gave a wan chuckle. “You’d think he was the older brother, the way he watches over me.”

I didn’t exactly consider the small amount of information he’d provided as filling me in , but, to be honest, I was tired too. The Lyhtan venom had really kicked my ass, and no matter how much I wanted to, I just didn’t have it in me to pick a fight. “You two don’t look alike,” I said instead.

Xander’s brows inched up his forehead a bit. And then he smiled. “I’m better-looking, right?”

“I have a feeling you don’t need me to offer confirmation of that,” I said. “What’s the plan? What do you want me to do?”

“Just stay close,” he said. “For now, that’s all I need.”

He reached his arms high above his head and stretched his legs out toward the floor, showcasing each individual muscle on his well-built body. He closed his eyes and yawned, an almost exaggerated sound escaping his mouth before his body uncoiled and came to rest. He opened his eyes and looked me over from head to toe and back up again. An anxious shiver chased his gaze as it roamed over my body.

“Would you release your Jinn if I asked you to?” he asked out of the blue.

“Tyler is not mine,” I said, the ire rising with the tone of my voice. “And you need to stop talking about him like he’s some sort of stray I picked up on the corner.”

“Did you know that by binding himself to you, he has essentially forfeited his life?” Xander stood and carefully draped his shirt at the foot of his bed. He turned to look at me. “His life is now tied to yours. If you die, he dies.”

“Bullshit.” The word shot from my mouth.

The look on his face said, Do I look like I would bullshit you? He settled back down on his chair and crossed his legs at the ankles before stretching out again. I could have sworn I saw him peek through one eye, checking to see if I was watching him. “The Jinn are an ancient race—older than the oldest Shaede. I’m not sure, but I think they come from across the sea—Europe, or some speculate the Middle East, which would explain the genie legends. I also know they possess a very powerful magic and can change shape and form, but only when their charge is threatened.”