Reign of Darkness (The Prince's Assassin #2) - Ariana Nash Page 0,89
disappeared under a door. He tugged open the door and followed the trail down the hallway, through another door, and into the kitchen.
Liam squealed, almost dropping the mixing bowl cradled in the crook of his arm.
The trail stopped abruptly in the middle of the floor.
Yasir stepped into the room behind Niko and stared at where the trail had terminated. “It worked?”
“What is that?” Liam grimaced. He grabbed a cloth off to the side and threw it at Yasir. “You clean that up. I’m not touching your magical yudu shit.”
Niko glanced back, along the wax line, and leaned out, visually following it through the hallway and back into the other room, where the trail had begun. The line was almost perfectly straight. “It worked.”
“So where’s that supposed to be?”
“North. Look…” Niko returned to the previous room and showed Yasir the compass mark in the corner of the map. The wax had tracked northward.
“Loreen?” Yasir asked.
Alissand is taking him home. “If we take the horses, we can track them down.” The Yazdans would have a cart or carriage, something secure to keep Vasili restrained. That would make their progress slow. Adamo was ten times as fast.
Niko made for the door.
“Horses? Niko… Wait!”
Niko turned to find Yasir grabbing his coat and hat while Liam stood back, his expression breaking into concern. “You should stay,” Niko said.
It was Liam who shook his head. “Don’t worry, Nikolas. I’ve tried to keep him here in the past. He’s not made that way. Nothing will keep the fool from seeing whatever this is through to the end. Just damn well make sure he comes back to me?”
Yasir whirled and scooped Liam into his arms, planting a passionate kiss on his lips. “Don’t wait for me.” Yasir grinned, almost earning himself a second slap. Instead, Liam smudged baking flour across Yasir’s cheek and shoved him off.
“I always do. Go. But you’d better write me, you jendeh.”
Yasir winked, donned his hat, and scooped up his cloak. “Let’s go rescue a prince.”
Chapter 27
Adamo trotted over to the stable, snorting derisively at Niko, clearly not impressed with being abandoned at a stranger’s yard.
Niko threw a saddle on him, while Yasir did the same with the smaller chestnut Niko had ridden to Seran months ago.
Niko swiftly mounted Adamo and gathered the reins, keeping the flighty charger under control. The animal already felt like it was ready to gallop off the edge of the map.
Trotting out of the stables into the dusty, heat-scorched field gave them a panoramic view of the city’s bay and Seran’s glistening harbor. The city looked like paradise, and it was a wrench to leave it now. They’d be back, but with Vasili.
“Some hard riding and we’ll catch them. They can’t have gotten too far with a wagon.”
Yasir adjusted himself in the saddle. The supply packs hung equally on either side. They’d tried to load them onto Adamo. He’d refused in a haughty fit. Yasir shielded his eyes and scanned the distant bay. “I’m going to miss home.”
“Home or Liam?”
The captain blushed. “Both.”
Niko turned Adamo toward the field gate. “We’ll be back.”
“Wait… Niko, look.” Yasir stood in his stirrups and stared down at the bay in the distance. “Those ships?”
Niko scanned the view again, gaze lingering on the tightly formed group of ships approaching the docks. Eight, all with irregularly shaped dark sails. What was it Yasir had said, something about seeing a flotilla?
The city bells chimed, the alarm spreading on the wind.
“Oh gods… elves! Those are the ships we saw.”
A boom sounded, and the horses shied. Adamo threw his head, twitching to break free. Black smoke rose from the harbor, staining the blue sky.
“Liam…” Yasir breathed. “I have to get down there!”
“Go.” Niko scooped one of the traveling packs from Yasir’s horse and hooked it onto his saddle. “Go get your man.” Niko couldn’t fight the elves, not this time. Vasili’s safety was too important.
Yasir held his gaze, and there was something raw in that stare. Fear, for himself, for Liam, and for the city he loved, his home. Niko ached to go with him, to defend against the elves, but this fight wasn’t his. “I have to find Vasili.”
“I should go with you.” Yasir looked at the city again, his heart in a small house in the backstreets of Seran.
“Get Liam to safety, then come.”
A second boom sounded. More black smoke billowed from the dockside. Niko offered his hand, and Yasir grasped his wrist, gripping fiercely.