“Absolutely not. I told you, I am done with your petty assignments. Haven’t I done enough alr—”
Eryx's deep laugh cut through Taryn’s refusal. The burn in Taryn’s tattooed arm flared. Taryn fought a wince, refusing to show Eryx the Oathmark affected him.
“You will do whatever I ask. You pledged your loyalty to the Guild, did you not? Are you not sworn by your Mark?”
The silence stretched between them as Taryn refused to reply. Eryx leaned back, a sly smile playing on his lips as he shook his head. “You think refusing this task cleanses you from all the blood on your hands?”
No, Taryn knew it didn’t. But he could start to try.
“Get over yourself, boy. Where was the male that was sworn to my cause?”
Right, hiscause. Eryx was fighting an uphill battle, attempting to reclaim the land as it was originally named: Mrkynia. He was the last living descendant of the old rulers, the most powerful criminal on the continent hellbent on taking his “rightful” place back on the throne after the Luciens usurped it. It was the original reason the Guild was created, but the organization had twisted over time into something unrecognizable.
Sometimes, Taryn didn’t even thinkEryxbelieved in his cause.
Taryn held Eryx’s stare, choosing his words carefully. “I no longer have any interest in carrying out your petty assassinations.”
“I’m not asking you toassassinatethe female. I’m asking you to bring her to me, unharmed. Perhaps I’ll consider moving you up in rank after your return. Wouldn’t you like to run your own task force? It once was a dream of yours to see this Guild’s mission come to fruition.”
Taryn creased his brows at the proposal, looking down at the ring Eryx had thrown at him. It was a simple silver ring, no engravings or gemstones. Its purpose wasn’t vanity. It was another method of control, just as Eryx’s proposition was. The mere fact that Eryx gave it to him was a subtle threat in itself.
Now, Eryx would use flattery and propositions to get his way, and if that didn’t work… Well, Taryn didn’t want to experience Eryx’s last resort to get him to conform.
“Fine.” Taryn gave in. Eryx’s smile grew, nodding at Taryn’s submission.
Taryn felt it then. Something within him was brewing, changing. He was teetering on the edge of a tightrope, a silver lining between good and evil. Right and wrong. All he needed was one more push.
As he left his office that night, Taryn vowed to himself he would never allow anyone else to ever control him ever again.
No matter the cost.
Chapter 2
Death is often thought to be the most lethal power in
the world, but that is a common misconception.
The strongest power of them all is the power of Mind.
— The Book of Tevye
Airess
The corset, she thought, was an ironic metaphor for her life.
Strong fingers yanked the ivory laces at her back, constricting her, squeezing Airess so tightly, that she had no choice but to relinquish all breath as she stared at the ceiling.
“Hold still, my Lady,” the seamstress ordered as Airess struggled for balance in the ridiculously high heels she had been told to wear. The lace on the shoes was so hardened, her feet had begun to blister. She sighed. It was the tenth dress she had tried on for the queen, and it was only morning.
“Tighter,” the Queen Melanth of Luciena commanded from across the room. The queen had brought her ladies in wait for Airess' dress fitting this time, all of them sitting and laughing at the table adorned with delicate gold rimmed teacups and frosted sugar cakes. Her ladies voiced their agreement with the queen.
After all, how could they express anythingbutagreement? Melanth was the queen of one of the last remaining God Houses, ruling in the name ofBas, the Death God. To disagree with herwas quiteliterally a death sentence.
The seamstress glanced at Airess through the mirror, a silent apology upon her features before yanking on the strings once more. Airess dug her nails into her palms and watched the females behind her make a spectacle of her dress fittings through the mirror. Melanth had Airess dressed and prepared as if she were a porcelain doll, a toy ready to be played with once Melanth was ready to make her move.
Shallow, Airess thought,all of them.
Airess clenched her teeth and seethed in silence. She imagined stepping off the podium and using her irrationally hard high heel as a weapon, bashing in Melanth’s cold sneer and fleeing this prison of a castle. She wished she could scream at them. She wished she coulddo something.
