Reign of Darkness (The Prince's Assassin #2) - Ariana Nash Page 0,108

life had been one long string of lies and betrayal.

“I can’t deal with this shit…”

Yasir slid a glass of bronze liquid across the table. “Breakfast.”

Lady Maria cleared her throat. “Names have weight, so don’t be too quick to discard it. I’ve discreetly taken care of the necessary legalities for you—the Manor house is in a bad way and boarded up, but it’s there—for when you’re ready.”

He nodded but quickly pushed the revelation aside. There were far more important problems to deal with.

A thin book lay open between them, its edges singed.

“Vasili doesn’t know I have it,” Maria said, turning the book toward Niko.

“You’ve seen Vasili?” Niko ran his fingers down the thick paper, over beautifully scribed words, keeping Maria from seeing any emotion on his face.

“He’s furious. Amir is demanding you’re found. If you aren’t, he’s not quiet about what he’ll do to Vasili. They’re avoiding each other, for now, but one will eventually attack the other. I fear it’s never been worse. Amir is…” She waved a hand. “Well, he is what he is. I’ve mostly managed to avoid him since his return. Helped by the fact he’s largely forgotten I exist and much of the palace has collapsed. Easy to disappear in.”

“Thank you,” Niko said, forgetting if he’d already thanked her. “You’re taking a great risk in helping us.” If Amir were to discover her treachery, the best she could hope for was a quick death.

“I’m not the sort to sit back and let events unfold around me.”

It took someone far braver and more intelligent than he to survive the palace for as long as she had. Someone like Vasili. The prince would despise being back and being alone, but this time with the flame simmering in his veins and with only his murderous brother as company. It was only a matter of time before he or Amir let loose.

“My capture kept Amir controlled,” Niko said absently, half his thoughts on the book, the other half inside the palace.

The page lying open detailed some kind of sorcerer’s ritual for binding, the act of pulling a creature from the shadows and giving it form. Like the shadow beasts both Amir and Vasili had summoned.

Yasir had tilted his head and was snatching a few glances at the pages.

“Can you bind these creatures?” Niko asked him, tapping the roughly drawn image of a beast.

Yasir snorted. “I tried with Vasili when we docked up the coast. I’d have more luck pulling a parrot out of my ass.”

“Good to know.” Niko huffed a laugh.

“Colorful,” Lady Maria commented.

“Apologies, milady.” Yasir reached over and captured her hand, then lifted her fingers to his lips for a chaste kiss. “I’ve spent so long in Niko’s company, I’ve forgotten what it means to be civil.”

She laughed, and it was clear Yasir hadn’t lost his ability to flirt with anything that moved. “How did you both come to find each other?” Niko asked, flicking through the book’s many pages. There was more than enough potent information in there to hopefully find the flame’s weakness. It had to have one.

Yasir cleared his throat in the way he did when he was about to dive into a long tale.

“The short version, Yasir.”

“Once Liam was safe and Seran was lost, I performed our little wax trick,” he glanced at Maria’s curious expression, “and when the damned line went up a wall, I realized I had no idea what I was doing, so I came to Loreen asking after you. I was making my way north anyway and there can’t be that many Yazdans in Loreen.”

“The captain is not subtle,” Lady Maria said.

“No, he’s not.”

“With all of this to work with,” Yasir gestured at himself, “it would be a shame to stay quiet, no?”

Gods, it was good to have him back. “You’re lucky Amir didn’t find you first,” Niko said.

“Amir’s mind is elsewhere,” Maria added. “I have a few spies left in the city. They alerted me to a flamboyant southern man throwing the Yazdan name around.”

Niko smiled fondly. “You are a woman of infinite surprises.”

“I’ve had to be.”

“I’m glad to see you’re safe.”

“Likewise, darling. I am, however, sorry to see Vasili back again. Did I not tell you to take him away?”

“Vasili listens to nobody.” Niko closed the book and frowned at the insignia on the front. A black flame on a gold background. Yazdan. Of course. And this was likely the book Vasili had salvaged from the fire. Had he deliberately dropped it in the grass that night, hoping Niko