Reign of Darkness (The Prince's Assassin #2) - Ariana Nash Page 0,66

the king’s soul.

“Niko! Vasili?” Roksana yelled. “Where’s Vasili?!” She kicked another possessed guest aside but more swept in. Not all in the crowd were turned. Some had freed their weapons and joined the fight.

Niko swung around at Roksana’s warning. Vasili wasn’t where he’d left him. He searched for white and gold among the heaving bodies and clashing swords.

“Poor dog, lost his master?”

That voice he knew.

Niko snarled and slammed a fist into Amir’s cheek. Bone crumpled, but the king grinned through blood bubbling between his lips. He spat in Niko’s face, and cool blood splattered across his cheek. Its coppery taint sizzled on Niko’s lips. Caville blood. Poison.

Niko scrabbled backward and wiped the blood and spittle from his lips.

“Do you believe you know my brother, dog?” Amir climbed to his feet, chuckling. His eyes were clear again; he was back in control. “Do you believe he doesn’t want this power? He’s a Caville. Power is in our veins.” He lifted his arms, and his sleeves slipped down, revealing ladder-like scars where he’d bled himself to feed his army. “He’s always desired it. He’s not the man you believe him to be.” Amir’s gaze locked with Niko’s. “You already know this… you know inside, Nikolas Yazdan. Vasili is the worst Caville of all.”

No, it was lies. Vasili was bad, yes, but not like Amir, not like Talos. He was different. From the prince pretending to be a farm boy to the man who’d saved Niko from the elves. Vasili Caville wasn’t like the others. He couldn’t be, because for all his faults, Niko cared for him.

The sounds of metal clashing and people crying out filled the night. Sounds of war that stalked Niko in his dreams. So like the front line, where the ground had turned to bloody mud and bodies piled up. He looked down now, expecting the paths to run red. This wasn’t the front, but he tasted blood and heard the cries. Sweat broke out across his skin. His heart raced too fast.

“He’s always known who you are.” Amir cocked his head. “He’s used you from the day you met, and so masterful is his lie, he even told you the truth, and still you protect him.”

His approach stumbled Niko backward.

The possessed were all around, emerging from shadows and cutting down innocent people. Heat flushed through Niko, making his head throb. He had to stop Amir, to disable him, but Vasili was missing, and what if… what if Amir was right? “You’re the damned liar, Amir!”

For all the darkness in his eyes, when he spoke, he still sounded like the prick who’d taunted Niko in the palace bedchamber—the wretched middle prince who had tried to fuck Niko and failed. “I was the one who told you about your whore mother, about your bastard blood. Me! Vasili has revealed nothing to you. I’ve only ever told you the truth.” Amir laughed softly and stopped with just a few strides between them. “He has you on the end of his leash, Nikolas Yazdan, and you’re too dumb to see it.”

Niko’s grip tightened on the sword handle. He had to raise his blade and cut the king down, but… “Did you kill the Yazdans in their home? Was it you, Amir?”

Amir’s lips twitched. “Who hated the Caville palace enough to burn it to ash? Who used you and Julian and everyone he’s ever met for his own nefarious means? Whose blade killed Talos? Vasili has made a fool of you, like he makes fools of us all. I’m here to stop him.”

By the three, Niko couldn’t listen, but he couldn’t bring himself to cut Amir down either. Everything he’d been told about the burning palace, the possessed guards, it had all come from Vasili. Vasili was more than capable of lying to twist the facts. Every breath was a game to the prince. He did nothing without a motive. He lived to stop the elves, whatever the cost, and if that meant possessing all the flame, there was no doubt in Niko’s mind: he’d do it.

Gods, he didn’t know what was true anymore.

Too many possessed carved through the crowd. Too many to fight. And Vasili was missing, after telling Niko he should not leave his side.

Amir laughed. “Run, dog. Run back to your master.”

Niko turned and plunged through the scrabbling battles.

“He’ll kill you!” Amir called. “He’ll kill us all!”

Where was Vasili?

A flash of white and gold, that was all Niko needed to find. He had to be here. Niko had only turned