Reign of Darkness (The Prince's Assassin #2) - Ariana Nash Page 0,47
firm. “You can’t march back into the Yazdan house all bluster and no evidence.”
“The hell I can’t.”
“You don’t even know they have him!”
“Who else would?” He stepped around him and opened the door.
“If Vasili were here, he’d tell you to stop!”
Niko stopped. He was right. Vasili would tell him not to be a fool, not to rush into something he didn’t understand. Which right now, was everything.
Yasir’s stricken face dampened some of Niko’s frustration. If Niko were wrong, and he went charging into the Yazdan house, he’d expose Vasili. There still could be another explanation.
Niko slammed the door and braced both hands against it. “Fine. We do it your way.”
“We need to think,” Yasir said. “If we’re going to go up against the Yazdans, we need to be smart. We need to be certain. So let’s backtrack…”
Niko turned and watched Yasir fall into his habit of pacing when he was worried. “Did Vasili say anything to you before you left?”
“Nothing.”
Yasir frowned. “I find that unlikely.”
Niko thumped his head back against the door and briefly closed his eyes. “It was trivial. He and I… we argued. He was glad I was going out, and I was a prick about it.”
“Was he glad you were going out because he had plans? Was he meeting someone?”
Niko opened his eyes and lowered his gaze to Yasir. “You think he planned this?”
“No, but—”
“There’s blood on the broken bottle.”
Yasir lifted a finger. “It may not be his.”
Niko walked his thoughts back. His instinct had been that Vasili was taken, but that was because he’d assumed Vasili’s innocence in this. The prince had never been innocent. “You think he attacked someone?”
“I saw him ruthlessly cut the throat of a marauder, so I’d prefer to eliminate the possibility before we go charging after him in some rescue he doesn’t need.”
It was more than possible Vasili had attacked someone. Even likely. Vasili was ruthless. He’d told Niko time and time again that he’d do anything to protect Loreen, including kill.
Niko considered the mess in the room again—since tidied away by Yasir. They only knew for certain that there had been a struggle and someone was hurt. Vasili could have entertained someone while Niko was out—taken advantage of being alone—and attacked them.
“He said nothing about guests?” Yasir asked.
“We haven’t spoken in… a while.” As Yasir’s gaze grew more interested, Niko waved him off. Telling him how things had gotten physically heated before Vasili had dumped ice water on that a week ago wasn’t going to help now. “It’s not relevant.” Besides, did they ever speak? Vasili barked orders and Niko obeyed.
“Has he been meeting with anyone? Visiting anywhere? If we know who he’s been with, we can ask around—”
“He said he knew someone in Seran.”
“Good. That’s a start. Who?”
Niko spread his hands. “I didn’t ask.”
“Why not?”
“Because…” Because Vasili was Vasili, and Niko never got a straight answer anyway, so he hadn’t asked, knowing Vasili wouldn’t tell him. It seemed stupid now.
Yasir’s frown darkened. “Do you two speak at all or is it just grunts and snarls the whole time?”
“Vasili and I aren’t friends, Yasir. I’m here to protect him because of the curse, and he’s in Seran to find sanctuary and allies, if any exist. We don’t talk, we don’t share tales. He doesn’t answer my questions. We aren’t close, like he is with you. I’m here to keep him safe, and I’ve failed. This is wasting time. We need to go to the Yazdans.”
“Look, I agree… I do. I just think we need to be prepared. What if it’s not them, what if it’s his brother?”
Niko’s heart fluttered. Could it be Amir already? They’d never discussed the shadow beast that had attacked Vasili, what if it had been Amir’s? But if this were Amir, he’d gloat. He’d make sure Niko knew it was him. The prick would have left a note. As much as he’d changed with the flame alive in him, he was still the self-centered attention-seeking asshole he’d always been.
Niko shuddered a sigh. The truth was, he had no idea if Vasili had been taken or if the prince had done the taking. Vasili might walk back in at any moment, his steps light, his face blank, and he’d snarl at Niko for being foolish enough to think anyone could overpower him. But Vasili wasn’t invulnerable, like most everyone believed, including Yasir. The prince was riddled with insecurities and fear, and if he were taken, then right now, he’d be reliving everything he went through with the