The castle was monstrous. Like the wall, the stone was injected with glittering diamonds. The alcoves and speared turrets concealed toothy gargoyles, while long slits lined every side where arrowheads could be notched and poised ready to fly for an assailant.
Guards flanked the towering main doors, sabers dangling from their belts, the hilts carved from translucent gemstones. The pair at the door said nothing as I approached. Both women had their dark hair severed from their faces, tight cheeks drawn into identical superior expressions. I had no doubt they would impale me the moment I raised my hand to knock.
I continued walking the perimeter, eventually spotting the servant's entrance. Another guard had been posted here, closely scrutinizing the face of every person that scurried up to the small door.
I slotted in behind a woman carrying a basket stuffed with bread. My fingers twitched and saliva pooled in my mouth as the aroma wafted over to me. Perhaps she’d let me have the parchment they were wrapped in? I would lick the condensation off, rolling the flavors around in my mouth as I savored every drop. My stomach growled audibly, and the woman rolled her eyes at me and moving the basket out of reach before returning her attention to the guard. He ushered her through, and I stepped to the front.
“Business?” the guard barked.
Yes, what a great question. “I have come...” What had Siobhan said I was doing? I can’t say to assassinate the prince, to infiltrate his private quarters and to upend the entire queendom. “To see about...a job.” That sounded right.
The guard rested his hand upon the diamond hilt of his saber. His uniform was neatly pressed, all a rich, sapphire blue. It would probably make just about anyone look dashing and handsome. Who didn’t like a side of power with their latest exploit?
He cleared his throat, and I returned my eyes to his face.
“I have a job,” I said. “Here. To start, now.” Goddessdamnit what was wrong with me? I blamed Siobhan—the devil not the horse. She’d stolen my free time, forced me straight back into work when I needed to blow off steam and purge the previous hunt from my system.
I wished Candyman was here for a few hours. He’d be packing up and traveling to the next location, collecting whichever women or oddities he came across on the way. Oh, what I’d do to be back there, left to my own devices, blown like a will-o'-the-wisp whichever way the wind gusted. It would definitely not be this far north.
“Stay.” The guard held up his hand as if I were a dog.
I started, snapping from my musings. I glared at him, cursing the thrill of submission that shot through me.
He returned a few minutes later with a tall reedy woman. She wore a light blue pinafore with a classic white apron and matching cap. Surprisingly, her humble dress was complemented by a rather astonishing matching set of diamond-laced ruby earrings and necklace.
“You are the new lady’s maid?” Her nose twitched as she inhaled my musty horse-sweat-countryside odor. “Tam?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Maid. Maid! If it wasn’t degrading enough to be bound into this awful contract and forced to do Siobhan’s bidding, now she’d sent me to clean up shit and tuck little rich girls into bed at night. Maybe I should just give myself to her now. Would it be worse?
“You’re a little old for a maid, aren’t you?”
“I am only twenty-eight. I think experienced is a better word.”
Unimpressed, she continued scouring my body with her dark eyes as if she could magically clean me just by willing it. “Perhaps it is better this way.” She folded her arms and cocked her head.
“Why is that, ma’am?”
“You’re tough looking. Unapproachable.”
I was, in truth, quite flattered and so remained quiet in case more compliments came along.
“Also, forgettable. The prince won’t be interested in you, and the lady of the court won’t be jealous.”
Was that still good? Technically, I did need to blend in and disappear, so yes, I’d accept that as well. I smiled and waited for the conclusion to her musings.
“Are you armed?”
“Armed? I’m a maid.” She held my stare, and my body wilted. Siobhan would love this woman. “Yes, I am.”
“Good. Keep it hidden.”
She turned and pushed open the small side door. I followed quickly, cataloging the locations of my knives as I scanned the corners, ceiling, doorways, and anywhere that looked remotely secretive.
We passed through a bustling kitchen into an endless cramped corridor. As the kitchen doors swung shut behind us, life stilled, severing the illusion of a bustling, vibrant household. No people, no noise, just emptiness.
Small passageways flitted off at irregular intervals and a dark hole sporadically appeared in the wall. The feeling of being watched clung to my body like a shadow, but when I turned my attention to it, trying to make a set of eyes appear in the gloom, nothing happened. My fingers twitched toward the knife at my thigh.
“Your room is here, adjoined with the lady of the court.” She stopped outside a plain wooden door. “You have the lower area, and she has the upstairs suite. Inside, there are clothes and a bath, which you must take immediately.”
