Shaedes of Gray: A Shaede Assassin Novel

“Work clothes.” Raif’s voice drifted up through the shaft.

“Work clothes,” I muttered under my breath as I stalked up the winding drive to Xander’s estate. Since I was fairly certain I wasn’t being asked to Xander’s to help with the gardening, I dressed in my usual ensemble: black pants, long-sleeve black V-neck shirt, and, of course, black boots.

I looked warily at a grouping of bushes, a rustling sound causing a burst of anxiety to rush through my bloodstream. Traveling in the gray hours of twilight had left me vulnerable. I’d been considerably shaken by the Lyhtan attack, and I didn’t like being at a disadvantage. Not one tiny bit. I’d lived almost a century believing I was invincible. And now . . . now I was no more immortal than any other creature that roamed the earth.

An unusual amount of activity surrounded Xander’s house. Guards had been placed strategically at every door, balcony, and gate. The glint of steel winked from each post, reflecting the artificial glow of the floodlights that had clicked on with the last trace of gray evening. I stood by the front door, observing the many Shaedes around me, feeling the weight of their glowing stares.

“You’re late,” a bitchy voice said from behind me.

I wondered what she was wearing tonight. Black studded leather with a whip to match? “Anya,” I said, turning toward the open door. “Does PETA know about you? I mean, seriously. How many innocent cows had to die to complete your god-awful wardrobe?”

It wasn’t black studded, but it was lime green. I don’t know how she walked, let alone fought, bound up like that. She sneered and turned her back to me, leading the way. Every movement of her body resulted in a squeak or squawk of some sort, and even her gait was a little stiff. Did she realize how impractical she looked? Maybe she was planning on killing her enemies with bad fashion sense.

I wasn’t taken upstairs to Xander’s suite, but instead led into the bowels of the mansion, down a dark, wide staircase, into a vast room that looked like the type of place where war councils were held. The king sat at a long rectangular table, and to his right sat Raif. He was accompanied by eleven other Shaedes, all talking among themselves while Xander bent over a stack of papers, pen in hand.

“You’re late,” he grumbled without looking up.

Raif shot me a warning glare as if he’d already heard the sarcastic comeback I was prepared to deliver. I rolled my eyes, and in an unabashedly petulant manner, blew a strand of hair from my face.

“Your Highness,” I said, feeling utterly foolish. “My apologies.” If Xander thought I’d get down on a knee, he had another thing coming. But I did incline my head—a little.

The King of Shaedes paused in his work and looked up. A corner of his mouth tugged upward, and his eyes sparkled with a mischievous light. For that one moment he was simply Xander. But the moment was fleeting, and he returned to his stack of papers.

“Do not let it happen again,” he said, scrawling something and then setting the paper to one side.

It took a real physical effort not to roll my eyes. He was good at playing the king. I opened my mouth to speak, but caught Raif from the corner of my eye, and the slight shake of his head was good enough reason to keep silent.

Anya stood beside me like she was trying to keep me from bolting with something valuable. I so wanted to reach back and catch her in the face with my elbow, but from the looks of the seated council, they wouldn’t appreciate the show. I rocked back on my heels, inspecting the toes of my boots as if I’d never noticed them before. The only sound in the room was the scratching of Xander’s pen against the paper.

I stood there for what seemed like forever, wondering what Raif planned on using me for. A quick wish could’ve gotten me out of here in a snap, but as the thought entered my mind, I banished it. Tyler wasn’t some convenience I could use as my own personal get-out-of-jail-free card. I sighed, and it drew the attention of a couple of disdainful Shaedes. Straightening from the slumping position I’d assumed, I watched Xander with as much enthusiasm as I could muster.

“You’re to stay here in an official capacity tonight,” Xander said, still scratching away on his parchment. “We have several meetings throughout the week, including a Summit for the governing bodies of the Pacific Northwest Territories, and I’ll need you for that as well. As soon as we’re done here, Raif will explain your detail.”

Huh. I guess every governing body had to call itself something. It definitely had a ring to it. “Detail?” I asked.

“Yes. Security detail.” Xander set the last paper on the discarded stack and flipped them faceup before tapping them on the table to straighten them out. He handed the stack to the Shaede at his left, a dark and brooding man with a somber expression. “I think I’ve paid enough to request your services.”

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.”