Ivar's Escape (Assassins of Gravas #2) - N.J. Walters Page 0,38

is what it is. We’re all alive. Sass is settled, but Zaxe and I are still trying to find our way.”

“Sass, that’s your sister’s name.” He thought for a second. “Sass. Sass. Assassin, right?” Who in their right mind stuck a kid with a name like that?

“Yes.”

“And Zaxe is a war axe from the planet Zaxus.”

“Yes.”

They were named for their profession. “I’m not sure I understand Delphi.”

Her sigh was filled with sadness and tinged with bitterness. “It’s short for Delphinium. It’s a flower from Terra before the collapse of their ecological system. The young plants and seeds were poisonous.”

“I see.” He didn’t, not really, but talking about this was hurting her.

“It doesn’t matter. Not anymore. We’re free now.”

Unlike him. He turned his back and stared at the wall. Maybe it was better he didn’t remember his past. There was no real anguish, wondering if anyone was looking for him or missing him. Or worse, the knowledge that they might have betrayed him.

The image of the young boys from his dream came back full force. The taller one was scowling. No, these two would not betray him.

That brought with it some comfort. Closing his eyes, he slept. And this time it was free of dreams.

****

Delphi glanced at Ivar for the hundredth time since the rising sun had awakened her earlier. Streams of light flowed down from the slits in the ceiling, heating the entire room, but she still felt the chill.

He was quiet, sitting with his back to the wall, seemingly uninterested in anything. Not like last night when he’d been full of questions.

Why did I tell him anything?

The need for secrecy had been beaten into her from the time she was a child. Artemis, the woman who’d taken them in and trained them, had done everything in her power to create assassins who obeyed without question.

Delphi didn’t like to think about her life before—the death of her parents while they’d been visiting another planet, being frightened and alone with Zaxe, two orphaned children with no way home and no one to help them. They’d survived by their wits, barely. They’d been hungry and desperate when Artemis had appeared, offering them a better life.

All too soon, they learned they’d traded one hell for another.

Don’t think about it.

“You’re free now,” she muttered. She was on edge, having walked to the entrance of the cave several times this morning. There was still no sign of Spear or Sass or any Gravasians. And there should have been by now.

Her gaze was drawn back to Ivar. His head was tilted back, his eyes closed, but he wasn’t sleeping. The muscles in his arms and shoulders were tense.

He turned his head slowly, opened his eyes, and stared. “What is it?”

The closeness from yesterday was gone, replaced by a stiltedness that bothered her more than it should. She’d opened herself up to him and he’d closed himself off.

Because you’re keeping things from him and he knows it.

“Something is wrong.” She’d figure out how to deal with Ivar later. They had bigger problems right now.

He shrugged and closed his eyes again.

Stalking over to him, she crossed her arms over her chest and peered down. “Aren’t you the least bit concerned?”

“No.” His eyes blazed with anger as he surged to his feet. “What are they going to do if they catch me? Toss me in prison? Beat me? That’s nothing new. Maybe they’ll kill me. At this point, it might be a relief.”

She grabbed his arm when he started to walk away and yanked him back around. “Don’t say that.”

He pointedly stared at where her hand touched him. She slowly released him.

“My contacts should have arrived by now.”

Ivar picked up one of the water bottles and took a drink. “Forgive me if I’m not upset my new jailers haven’t arrived yet.”

“You’re not going to be harmed, I promise.”

“You can’t know that.” He tossed the bottle down. Even though he was still far too pale, his body nowhere near his full weight, he was an impressive and intimidating sight to behold. Her blood thickened and her skin tingled in the most intimate places.

Not now.

“I do know.”

“Why should I believe you?”

She hadn’t expected that. What had she thought? That he’d trust her because they slept together?

Spinning around, she walked back to the opening of the cave, being careful to stay just out of sight of anyone who might happen by, and peered out over the thick, lush vegetation covering the side of the mountain. Colorful birds with plumage of bright green,