Reign of Darkness (The Prince's Assassin #2) - Ariana Nash Page 0,31

into some righteous corner, a place he was never going to fit. Because Vasili was not some distant prince atop a white charger, who could wield the power of the Cavilles. He was a man, full of weakness and fear and vulnerabilities, and he’d been battling the impossible alone for a long time. Even on the front line, facing elves, Niko had never been as alone as Vasili had been for years.

He didn’t understand Vasili, his methods, or his way of life. Probably never would. But he was beginning to understand the weight of the responsibility resting on his shoulders.

“What happened at the beach, I—” Vasili began.

Niko’s heart lurched. “When we reach Seran, will you seek out the shirdals Yasir spoke of?”

Vasili hesitated, and his face, usually so guarded, revealed thin lines of concern at the corners of his mouth. “I know where they are. I—we will need to tread carefully.”

“Who are these shirdal people? They’re dangerous?”

He rubbed a hand over his face. “In some of the old books, the shirdals were protectors, part of the old families, like the Cavilles, but they were charged with guarding what they call the nasdas—our dark flame. In other works, however, their motivations were not so honest. The shirdals fought for control of the dark flame. They… used it, instead of guarding it.”

“There’s a surprise,” Niko drawled.

“They have influence and power. Both of which I am sorely lacking.”

“Jumping into bed with the enemy, however tempting, is rarely a good idea.” Niko realized how pointed his words were too late to take them back.

Vasili swallowed hard. He plucked a twig from the ground and snapped it in two, then tossed both pieces into the fire. “Whatever awaits us in Seran, the shirdals cannot know who I am until we’re ready. I have someone there. She’ll help.”

“And you trust her?”

“As much as I trust anyone.”

That wasn’t comforting. But if he already had someone in the city, that would suggest this was no impromptu journey south. “How long have you been planning this?”

He looked up, like he was innocent. “Planning what exactly?”

“Going to Seran, finding the shirdals?”

“Since I learned of their existence—long ago, but I was a boy then and couldn’t leave the palace without Talos’s permission, and, of course, then the elves and the war came, and Julian…”

If the shirdals considered Vasili a threat or saw power within him, they’d use him. It would be best to tread lightly in the new city and quietly learn all they could before revealing too much. Perhaps, as Vasili had already said, Yasir could help with that. If he stayed. Niko was beginning to hope he did, even though he shouldn’t. They needed help, and it was just a matter of time before Vasili snapped, or Niko did. As the beach had revealed, they could not continue as they were.

“Where is he?” Niko got to his feet, grabbed the shortsword—easier to swing in dense undergrowth—and headed toward the patch of undergrowth Yasir had vanished through. “Stay by the fire.”

Thick leaves barred his way. He batted them aside and took a natural curve left around a wall of giant ferns. Yasir had said he wouldn’t go far, but it would be easy to get turned around. Huge fronds and leaves blocked the light from the fire, allowing just glimpses here and there.

Hands grabbed at him. Niko almost jolted back, bringing his blade up, only diverting the swing at the last second when he recognized Yasir’s stricken face.

“Something’s here,” he hissed, clutching at Niko’s arm. “Something big.”

Niko froze. Water dropped from fat leaves above, some animal called far away, but there was no other noise to suggest they weren’t alone.

“Come back to camp.”

“But I heard it. Something breathing…” In the dark, Yasir’s eyes glistened. He clearly believed he’d heard something, or maybe it was the Caville madness beginning to grip his mind.

“Beside the fire is the best place for us.” Niko sheathed his blade, grabbed the man’s reaching hand, and drew him back along their trampled path. Dancing firelight warmed the overgrown foliage, lighting the way. The sounds of the fire crackling spoke of safety.

Soon, they’d be in Seran and this wretched journey would be done with.

He pushed a huge banana leaf aside and jolted to a halt. Beside the fire, a huge, four-legged beast loomed over the prince, like a wolf, only bigger. Firelight shone through the wisps of dark making up the creature’s mass, like a nightmare come to life. Beneath it, Vasili arched off the ground, arms