wish you long health and safety.”
She opened the door and closed it behind her before Saedra could fully comprehend. When she did, her breath whooshed out and her pulse leaped. Maybe she hadn’t been as careful concealing her intent to escape as she’d thought, or maybe Meka really did know Saedra.
Shaking her head, she would have to trust Meka wouldn’t reveal any hint of her plans. Saedra made her way to the small glass top table and chair in the corner of her room where she usually curled to read adventure tales on her device. Carefully, she pulled out the items she’d hid in her pockets—a confirmation slip for recent purchases she’d made. If discovered, the receipt would have been the final blow in her father’s already growing disregard for her.
***
“Not the great assassin everyone feared anymore, eh? One call, one promise and you’re exactly where I wanted you.”
Betrayal. It left a nasty bitter taste in the mouth. Garik eyed the man he’d trusted, a peer he’d called friend in as much as he’d considered anyone a friend.
“Put the plasti-cuffs on him,” another man with them said.
Garik didn’t struggle as his captors jerked his arms forward and locked him in skin pinching restraints.
“Too easy,” the infamous Lord Maurin Cressler sneered
Garik didn’t rise to the verbal taunt from the target he’d been assigned to take out. Rumors and records proved Maurin had bought the moon station, Quantoon, cheap because no one else had wanted the abandoned place. He’d purchased it with illegal credits he’d made running a surprisingly successful smuggling enterprise. The Dragonian had turned the station into a haven for his criminal minded crew amongst others and considered himself a ruler of some sort. It was one of many reasons the Assassin’s Guild had sent Garik.
His attention wasn’t focused on Maurin right now though. Vengeance was running through his mind for fellow assassin and peer or former peer, Dedrin. Dedrin and Garik were both members of the Galactic Assassins Guild and sworn to eliminate the targets presented by their organization. Targets who were usually identified as acting outside the legal jurisdiction of the Alliance.
“Nothing to say?” Maurin goaded from a far enough distance Garik couldn’t touch him.
Dedrin, however, was a step—two at the most from Garik—and his arrogant smirk drove another spike of rage through Garik. He’d trusted Dedrin. Or rather, he’d trusted that Dedrin’s call was legitimate.
Garik was ruthless and known for his killer instincts and ability to never fail when he was sent on a mission. He collected favors like some men collected credits. For Garik, having people owe him was much more valuable than monetary accumulation and gave him leverage over them for future use.
Usually, Garik completed his assignments alone. He’d earned his reputation as assazi, an assassin who didn’t work with others. There were the rare cases where Garik would reach out to another from the Guild. Usually a fellow assazi interested in a short term partnership. In this instance, Garik had contacted Dedrin to assist in the takedown of Maurin.
It should have been simple and easy once they got through Maurin’s extensive and pretty damn good security. Instead, Dedrin had revealed Garik’s plan to the target, lied and led Garik into a trap. One which found him now captured.
“Yes, Garik. What do you have to say now?” Dedrin asked with an arch of his blond brow.
“Was it worth it?” Garik countered, tipping his head to the side in genuine interest.
Dedrin snorted and smoothed back his already slicked down hair. His tan cheeks creased from his smug smile. “Yes. I would have done it without the incentive of the credits I received. You with your better than everyone attitude, your ace ratings and ninety-five percent successful completion. The Master of the Guild can’t help boasting to the rest of us on how we should seek to emulate your skill level.”
That was new. Garik had no idea the Master spoke of him so well. Huh. Guess this wasn’t a simple matter of betrayal for credits as he’d initially assumed. This was jealousy. Pure, petty jealousy. He and Dedrin had finished in the same training cycle, which meant he could have achieved similar status in the same time frame.
Garik nodded and adjusted his stance to brace his legs. “I can see how this would have been a problem for you since you’ve been reprimanded twice for poor performance and a third time will see your position in the Guild demoted.”
It wasn’t that Dedrin was a bad assassin. It