“Okay, everyone, we’re coming in to land.” Zayn tapped the controls and the shuttle zoomed downward.
He approached the bustling spaceport just north of the Assassin’s Guild. Lucifa wasn’t big and was covered entirely by rambling city. The poorer sections were crooked streets of wooden shacks. The wealthier areas boasted cobbled streets and grand stone buildings.
The spaceport wasn’t exactly organized. Ships of all shapes, sizes, and quality were parked at haphazard angles. “BEll, you’re in charge of monitoring the shuttle. Anyone gets too close, zap ’em with a pulse.” The security system would send out an energy pulse that would stun and incapacitate any would-be intruders. It was extremely painful.
“You got it, Zayn,” the computer responded.
He set down in the space assigned to them, narrowly avoiding clipping a dented deep-space starfreighter parked beside them. He unstrapped his harness. “Okay, let’s get this show on the road.”
Lala was up first, bouncing on her feet. “This is going to be so cool!”
Zayn rolled his eyes. “You listen to Dath and Nik, okay?”
She nodded and dragged a finger over her chest. “Cross my heart.”
He looked at his brothers. “You guys take care. If you have any trouble, just get out.”
Dath clapped a hand on Zayn’s shoulder. “Same goes, little bro. No heroics, got it?”
His brothers exited the shuttle with Lala between them. They disappeared among the ships, headed for Balthazar plaza. Zayn turned back to Ria.
She stood, solemn and quiet, her dark robes cascading around her. She looked like the perfect assassin: cool features, blonde hair pulled back in a tight bun, her hands calm at her sides but ready for action.
He couldn’t help but remember what he’d done to her in those robes.
She smiled. “I know what you’re thinking.”
“Wish we had time to do it again.”
She laughed this time and the perfect assassin was gone, leaving the woman who was rapidly captivating him. “After. I promise we’ll celebrate in style. Here.”
She held out his robe. He pulled it on and let her fuss over him, adjusting the collar and the fastening.
“Time to go,” he said.
She pulled the hood up over his head and did the same with hers. “Keep your gaze down. Let me do any talking. Move slowly but fluidly. Assassins don’t swagger like space jocks.”
“Yes, master.”
She whacked his shoulder. “Let’s go.”
They left the ship, moved through the spaceport, then into the city streets. Zayn noticed that locals moved out of their wayor crossed the street to avoid them. Smart, in his opinion. The assassins had earned their deadly reputation.
“This way,” she murmured, waving a hand to the left.
They crossed a cobblestone street, barely avoiding a hovercar and a horse and cart. That was Lucifa, a mishmash of old and new, legal and illegal, high tech and low.
Suddenly, an old woman stepped in front of them. Her shoulders were hunched, her face covered in lines, but her dark eyes were lit with an unholy fire. “Murderers.”
People walking nearby gasped. Most hurried away.
“You killed my boy. Slaughtered him in his sleep like the cowards you are.” The woman’s hands curled into fists. “You skulk in the shadows to do your dirty work but here you walk around like you’re gods.” She spat on the ground.
Ria moved forward. “Calm yourself and go home.” She lowered her voice. “If you cause a scene the Guild will want retribution. Go now.”
“Your Guild is filled with murderers.”
Zayn shifted to confront the woman, but Ria blocked him.
