Page 114 of The Barbarian King's Assassin (Magic and Kings 1)

My new home was nicer than expected. Much bigger, too. I’d pounced and beaten on Konstantin when I got my first glimpse. I should have known better than to believe him when he’d downplayed the size and complexity of his country’s capital.

It rivalled even the emperor’s city. It sat in a bowl of land ringed by the highest mountains with only some scary tunnels to travel through since the peaks were sheer. The protected valley was the lushest thing I’d ever seen. The melting glacier tops created waterfalls that led to fresh lakes and creeks. The land appeared ridiculously fertile with everything overly large: plants, bugs, animals, even people.

As for our home? The largest castle you could ever imagine. A veritable treasure for someone like me with secret passages that led all over, hidden rooms, and on the outside, rocky walls that deft fingers and toes could climb—to Konstantin’s bellowing annoyance. He didn’t like it when he found me sprinting along the many roofs.

He forgave me quickly though, probably because we usually had sex after the fight. A different room each time. Our goal was to do them all at least once. It might take a while, but I had time because it turned out wealth wasn’t what I really wanted out of life, and for him, revenge didn’t give him what he needed.

We found everything in each other. Love. Friendship. And a partner not afraid to get dirty, or violent. Even better, while he might think me delicate, in almost everything, even battle, he treated me as his equal.

He sent word to meet him by the stables ready to travel. I showed up to find our mounts saddled.

I cocked my head. “Going somewhere?”

“I’ve got something for you.”

My lips curved. “I’ll bet you do.” I assumed he wanted us to go somewhere private to have sex. An hour later, we stopped in a wild cherry orchard.

He slid off his horse and then reached for me. I kissed him as our lips drew even, but he broke the kiss to murmur, “Wait here. I’ll get the surprise.”

Surprise? Was it a new knife? Maybe a mountain cat? Some lady in the city kept one as a pet. Apparently it had been known to attack people who wished her harm. I wanted one.

What I didn’t expect to see was Jrijori stepping out from behind a boulder.

“Hello, Ilyana.”

“You!” The dagger left my hand without me realizing I’d even drawn it. Jrijori leaned to the side, and it sailed past.

I readied the next, and he held up his hands. “I didn’t come here to fight.”

Tell that to my heart, which still hurt to know he’d never told me the truth. “You’re supposed to be guarding Majya.” Needing time to process the betrayal, I’d left him a note asking him to stay behind and protect my sister.

“She’s the one who sent me.”

“Why?”

“Because I miss you.”

I wanted to be mad. I really did, but the truth was, I missed him, too.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I hated that my voice had a tremor.

“Because why we met wasn’t as important as what happened after. I saw you in that cell, and I knew I couldn’t kill you. Could never hurt you, daughter of my heart.” Probably the most honest and raw thing ever said by him.

Our hug was awkward and then full of screeching as Konstantin grabbed us both and squeezed.

“About time,” he exclaimed.

I could have killed him for what he’d done, except he knew what I needed. It took a Barbarian King to make this assassin realize real wealth came from family and love.

That didn’t make not killing his mother easy, though, especially when she hinted about children. I didn’t feel bad one bit about slipping her that special chocolate-flavored laxative.

And when I started puking a week later, I assumed she’d retaliated.

But no. Nine months later, the unthinkable happened. I birthed, with much cursing because of the giant head, a daughter, whom the king immediately doted on. With a grandfather who literally would kill for her. Giants who would give her the moon and stars.

As for me? As I stared down into her face, a princess of one country, a zariina of another, I whispered, “One day mama’s little blade will rule the world.”