his morbid thoughts that he had not noticed the time-glasses passing, or the wine warming in his cup. Only the arrival of servants to light the lamps and torches alerted him to the fact that night had fallen. He waved away the offer of supper, lacking an appetite and wishing only to be left alone to think. The servants filed out, leaving him to his solitary gloom, the newly lighted torches hissing and spluttering.
A movement amongst the curtains caught his eye, and he frowned at it, annoyed. His mother had visited him several times over the tendays, voicing her concern and offering advice that he did not want. Her visits irritated him, breaking his solitude and quiet reveries. She often waited behind the curtains for the optimum moment to show herself, usually just when he had managed to relax.
'Come out, mother.'
A man dressed in black strolled from behind the curtains, the fine silver mail that clad his chest glinting in the torchlight. A faint smile curled his sensuous mouth, and his grey eyes pinned the prince with an arctic stare.
'Mother? I did not know you were so fond of me, Kerrion.'
Kerrion's jaw dropped. 'Blade!'
'The one and only.'
The Prince jumped up, slopping his wine. 'What are you doing here? How did you get in? What do you want?'
Blade cocked his head, considering. 'To the first, I am here to save your worthless hide from the gallows. To the second, up the wall and through the balcony doors, and to the third, nothing really.'
Kerrion reached for the bell pull that would summon a servant, but Blade raised a hand. A dagger glinted in it, held by the blade.
'Do not touch that.'
Kerrion hesitated, then lowered his hand. He was unarmed, defenceless against the assassin. 'What do you want? Were you sent to kill me?'
'No, unfortunately. And as I have said, I do not want anything, but you do.'
'What?'
Blade lowered the dagger and strolled closer. 'You need me to save you from the gallows, do you not?'
Kerrion glared at him, hating to admit to needing the assassin's help. 'Why would you want to help me?'
'I do not.' Blade smiled. 'But the Queen does.'
'Why?'
The assassin shrugged, picked up a paper from the prince's desk and studied it. 'Probably because she does not want Lerton on the throne.'
'So she sent you here to testify?'
'That is right.'
'But you would rather kill me.'
Blade raised his eyes to meet the prince's. 'Of course. But if I had been sent to kill you, you would already be dead. I have no client, Kerrion, remember my code.'
The Prince did not doubt that he only lived now at the Jashimari Queen's behest, but still found the situation hard to believe. 'So you came all this way just to testify? To save me?'
Blade's lip curled. 'No. She asked me to, but I would not. I am an assassin, not an informant.'
'So you came to kill someone.'
'Yes.'
'Who?'
Blade dropped the paper and glared at the prince. 'In return for saving your worthless life, you will see to it that I am unharmed.'
Kerrion stepped back, stunned by this demand. 'How? The moment you admit that you killed my father, you will be sentenced to death.'
'I know, but the moment I clear you of the charge, you will be the King.'
'If I set you free, I will be guilty of treason.'
'No, you will not, because by testifying, I shall be saving your life.' Blade wandered away to study a woodland tapestry. 'I realised this on the way here. You see, they are just about to lynch you for murdering your father, a crime you did not commit. That would make them the murderers of their king. You tell them I am testifying under total amnesty. In return for clearing you, I get a pardon.'
Kerrion pondered this, then nodded. 'It may work.'
Blade turned, looking scornful. 'It had better, because if they try to arrest me, you will die.'
'You will not get close to me, assassin.'
Blade's hand jerked up, and the dagger imbedded itself in the picture frame behind Kerrion's head. The prince stared at it, then turned back to the assassin. Blade smiled, another dagger in his hand. 'I kill in many ways, I just have my favourites. Cross me, and you will pay the price.'
'What about your code?'
'I am allowed to kill in my defence.'
'It will not save you,' Kerrion pointed out.
'No, but it will give me a great deal of satisfaction. I am sure I will manage to take a few others with me, too.'
'What about the wishes of your queen?'
Blade shrugged. 'They will not concern me, once I am dead.'
'I had no intention of breaking my word.'
'Good.'
'Who were you sent to kill?'
'Someone you will not miss at all.'
Kerrion sank back into his chair. 'Lerton.'
'Indeed.'
'He is my brother.'
'How touching. He is trying to send you to the gallows.'
Kerrion frowned as he watched Blade walk behind him to retrieve the dagger. 'What does your Queen want in return for this help?'
Blade shrugged, studying the portrait of King Shandor. 'An end to the war.'
'I cannot do that.'
Blade leant over the prince's shoulder, making Kerrion stiffen at his proximity. 'Try,' he whispered, then straightened and sauntered to the front of the desk again. 'It will end soon anyway. Shamsara has predicted it, and even now, the Queen has the solution.'
'What is that?'
'In the spring, she will give birth to the next Jashimari Queen.' Kerrion looked down, frowning, and Blade continued, 'That is, of course, if the Contara have not overrun and murdered us.'
'Why would that end the Eternal War?'
'Because, Prince Kerrion…' Blade paused to test the dagger's edge, making Kerrion fume with impatience. 'Because the next Jashimari Queen will be your daughter.'
Kerrion's jaw dropped, and he stared at the assassin, speechless.
Blade smiled at the Prince's shock. 'Amazing, is it not? Shamsara says that you will not wage war on your own flesh and blood, even your people will not wish it. Is that true?'
'That is not possible! I never…'
'You did. Remember the red-haired handmaiden who came to your room one night?'
'That was…?' The Prince was stunned, then wondering, and finally joy stole into his heart. 'I thought -'
'You were meant to. You refused to be her consort, so she was forced to make other plans. I should know, I helped her.'
'You!' Kerrion glowered at him. 'How do I know that you are not lying? You are very good at it, I have heard.'
Blade flipped the dagger in the air and caught it by the hilt. 'Ask the Queen.'
The Prince could still hardly believe that the Jashimari assassin stood in his room, so relaxed and confident, as if he belonged there. 'That will be difficult. How did Minna know about my trial? She has a spy in my
