Reign of Darkness (The Prince's Assassin #2) - Ariana Nash Page 0,13

of the bed and lay back, not caring he lay on Vasili’s bed for the night. The prince could sleep on the floor. He just needed to rest a while, just think… just… close his eyes and go somewhere the Cavilles couldn’t reach him.

If only they didn’t chase him in his dreams too.

Chapter 6

Niko woke in the morning still sprawled across the bed, fully clothed and stinking of horse and blood. A clattering sounded in the room. He winced into the daylight.

A serving girl curtsied beside a tin bath. “Paid for by your companion, sir. Leave your clothes by the door, and we’ll see they’re cleaned and dried.”

She left, and Niko stared at the steam swirling off the bath. He staggered to his feet and crossed the room, half expecting to see snakes slithering beneath the water. It seemed the sort of thing Vasili would tease him with. Although, Vasili had, in the past, proven he could think of others as well as himself. After whipping Julian, he’d made sure the soldier had enjoyed a bountiful breakfast and day off. Payment for pleasures rendered. If Vasili couldn’t pay by coin, he’d buy loyalty another way. Was that what this bath was? Payment for joining him?

Niko had half a mind to ignore the bath, but the stench of blood, smoke, and sweat wafting off his clothes overrode his pride. He stripped to his undergarments, left the clothes outside the door—nobody was going to steal that ragged mess—and once naked, stepped into the steaming water. Filth flaked off his skin.

By the three, he needed this more than he’d realized. Blood had dried inside the cracks in his hands and ash fell from his hair. He dunked his head and ran his fingers through the wet locks.

The cottage hadn’t been much, but it had been his. Bastard Cavilles. He’d make that weaselly prick Amir pay, but not like he was, with no resources, just a horse and a blade, and a prince he hated.

He could get Vasili away. Go south, to Seran, where they’d both regroup. He’d figure out the rest on the way there.

After climbing from the tub, he wrapped himself in a towel and used the shaving implements to take off the rough beard. The road ahead would be hard. Not least because he had to share the month-long journey with Vasili. It’d be a miracle if he didn’t kill him himself. There were coaches, but those large, fast wagons were routinely looted. Better to travel alone and take to the old tracks where their passing would go unnoticed.

A knock came around lunchtime. His clothes were delivered, cleaned and dried. The efficient service must have cost Vasili one of his many rings. Niko hastily dressed and headed down to the bar. They’d lingered long enough. It was time to move on.

He found Vasili seated at the bar, casually tucking into a lunch of bread and sausage alongside a man draped in a heavy but colorful, multilayered riding cloak. Vasili said something through a smirk, the man laughed, deep and smooth, and the gem in the rider’s ear twinkled.

Having lunch with strangers on the road was the last thing Vasili should have been doing. The mistake was unlike Vasili, as was the grin on the prince’s lips. What was this then? Some game to get a rise out of Niko?

The stranger leaned in, muttered something under his breath, and carelessly touched Vasili’s hand. Vasili’s pale lashes fluttered at the touch. His throat moved, but his smile stayed, albeit more wooden than before.

“Ah, Lycus.” Vasili pulled his hand free and grinned at Niko like he’d had a pleasant personality transplanted into him while Niko bathed. “Come, meet Yasir Lajani. He’s traveling south and offered us a place on his wagon as we’re heading the same way.”

It took a moment for Niko to understand Vasili was talking to him. Lycus?

Yasir lifted dark eyes, his grin inexplicably widening as Niko drew closer. He offered his hand. Niko shook, noting several sparkling rings. He had small golden loops dangling from his ears too, as was the custom in the south. If Vasili was a viper, this man was surely a fox. What a wonderful pair they made.

“Well met, Lycus,” Yasir said, his voice heavily accented, making some words roll. “I had a disagreement with my traveling partner,” he grinned like the disagreement was entirely deliberate, “and find myself without companions. You’ll be doing me a favor, just so long as you can ride alongside and keep