Pirate Lord Page 6

  It was all far too much about showing off your wealth rather than things actually being useful – she cringed – or tasteful.

  After a moments consideration Lily grabbed the edge of the dresser, straining at its weight. She slid open one of the top drawers, adjusting her grip, then pulled again. It moved. Once it started she kept it going, turning it to the door. Then she ran round the other side and pushed. Lily kicked it into place, sliding shut the drawer.

  She stood back and surveyed her work. It would do. The dresser was completely blocking the door. Even if someone got past it she would be sure to hear the furniture grating against the wooden floor. She scuffed her foot on the boards; dragging the dresser had made some nasty marks. Good.

  Lily unarmed herself, unbuckling the leather straps and throwing the twin blades and her own sword onto the bed. The pistols followed. She left on her dagger belt as she patrolled around the room, investigating the nooks and crannies, opening a small box decorated with shells that stood on the dresser. She inspected the food and water she’d been left, but had no appetite whatsoever. Lily finally removed her daggers, tapped her fingernails against the bedpost, and sighed. She would not sleep well tonight. She could only hope that Merek would be as good as his word, and send a messenger to tell Tristan she was safe.

  Much as she hated to admit it, it seemed that Tristan was right, she should have taken some sort of escort. But that suggested she couldn’t handle herself – and it was not an impression she wished to give. Still, she missed Tristan.

  They hadn’t been separated for long since he’d rescued her from the slavers, through everything they had stayed at each other’s side. His absence was tangible, like a piece of her was missing. It made her feel off balance.

  And as for Merek, well he was everything Tristan had warned her of, and more. She’d been ready to deal with a leech, but Merek knew the power he held, revelled in it and wanted more. He was clever. Far too clever for his own good. Already she was certain he was the sort of person who would never be happy, no matter how much he gained it would never be enough. He was like a cat with a mouse, and she was not comfortable being the prey.

  She preferred to be the predator, but right now she felt like the one in the cage.

  Chapter 4

  Roselyn

  Lily opened her eyes. She’d fallen asleep after a time, a dreamless uneasy rest. But something had woken her. She didn’t sit up, didn’t change her breathing, just continued to listen. There it was again. She moved slowly, slipping her hand under her pillow. Her actions were slow, lazy, as if she was still deeply asleep and just adjusting her position. She clasped her fingers around the dagger she had stored there earlier. Then she sat up and threw it in the direction of the noise. The weapon hit the wall with a thud, beside the head of the figure that stood there. It was dark, but Lily was used to the dark, she could see quite clearly. The figure didn’t flinch, didn’t move, just watched Lily.

  Finally it spoke, “There’s not many who can tell when I’m in a room.” The voice was muffled, androgynous.

  “I’m a light sleeper.” Lily pulled out yet another dagger from beneath her pillow, throwing back the covers and standing up.

  The stranger still made no move, didn’t pull out any of their own weapons. In fact they chuckled slightly and leaned back against the wall, crossing their arms over their chest. Lily didn’t drop her gaze from the intruder, reaching for the lamp that was burning low at her bedside and turning the dial to raise the flame. Both of their shadows danced in the half light. Whoever it was wore all black, trousers, long boots, jacket and hood – no cloak. They were shorter than Lily had first thought. No sword at their side either, though Lily very much doubted they were unarmed.

  Lily narrowed her eyes at the newcomer, “Who are you?” They said nothing, so Lily took on the tone she had inherited, as all mothers do, that she used when the children misbehaved, “Well?”

  The stranger cocked their head to the side, then reached their hands up and pushed back the heavy cowl that obscured their features. A tight band of fabric was wrapped around the bottom half of their face; this too was pushed down, revealing a most definitely feminine face, with a swirling tattoo sweeping across her cheekbone.

  “That depends on your perspective.” Her almond shaped eyes were lined with kohl, and her lips were stained a dark red. Her black hair was tied back so it was impossible to tell its length.

  Lily narrowed her eyes. She recognised this face. Then she realised. “I know you – I saw you at Crescent Bay six years ago. You’re an assassin.”

  The assassin blinked slowly, but that was the only sign of surprise she let on. “You have a good memory for faces. My name is Roselyn.”

  Lily had met assassins before, though never had cause to employ one. Roselyn radiated an easy cockiness, she clearly thought she was the most powerful person in the room, she was used to that being true. From Lily’s experience they all tended to be a bit like that, using confidence as a coping mechanism for the job they did. Lily found herself itching to spar against her. Some people were just asking for a punch in the face. Lily had no doubt as to who Roselyn’s client was. “Merek sent you?”

  To her credit, she gave nothing away. “My clients are confidential.” Roselyn glanced at her fingers, then yanked Lily’s dagger from the wall, studied it, and used it to clean out some dirt from beneath her elegantly shaped nails.

  Perfectly manicured, of course. Lily snorted, “So you’ve been hired to kill me?”

  Roselyn paused, checked her nails, and threw the blade into her other hand, before cleaning out the rest of her nails. She seemed rather bored. “No, not yet. My services are rather more complicated than some of my peers. I am not a simple hired blade. My client just wishes me to keep an eye on you. For now.”

  Lily raised her eyebrow, gripping the hilt of the other dagger she had grabbed the instant she released its brother. “And sneaking into my room, watching while I sleep, is part of this?”

  Roselyn shrugged and nodded at the door, still blocked by the dresser Lily had dragged over before falling asleep. “Your actions forced me to do the sneaking, I had planned to use the door, but I didn’t want to wake you.”

  “What does your client want from me?”

  “They haven’t divulged that information to me I’m afraid. I am not their confidante. I am simply paid to do a job.”

  If Lily wasn’t imagining it, there was a note of disappointment to her voice. Clearly she wanted to be something more to this client than a tool. “I’ll pay you more to stay the hell away from me.”

  Roselyn chuckled “What good would I be as an assassin if I failed to see out contracts simply because I got higher offers?”

  “I thought that’s what assassins were all about?”

  “Some, perhaps. Not me.” She twirled the dagger in her hand for a moment, then placed it atop the bookshelf beside her, “I find that people respect me more if I actually see out the jobs I am given. It is why my particular talents are so called for – it is the route to my success.”

  “I’ve not heard of you.”

  “That’s the point of being a good assassin is it not?” she chuckled again, “You sure do ask a lot of questions for a person in your position. Most people being confronted by me are not so…probing. They’re too afraid.”

  “I’m not afraid of you.”

  “No, you’re not, are you.” Roselyn’s kohl lined eyes narrowed. “Perhaps you should be.”

  Lily smirked, gripping the dagger in her hand, “You know who I am – perhaps you should be the one afraid of me.”

  A grin played on Roselyn’s painted lips. “Oh I wish they were all as amusing as you, you make things a great deal more interesting. My client was right, he told me I’d have fun with you.”

  “Okay. I gather you’re here to test me out, to try find out a few things, maybe to try to intimidate me. You go tell your client, which I have no doubt is Merek, that he had better try harder than that. I have dealt w
ith assassins before – you think I got to where I am without making a few enemies? But I’m still here Roselyn, and I won’t go into detail with the things I did to those who threatened me and my family. I am bored of playing. Tomorrow he better tell me what it is he wants from me, or else I’m leaving – no matter what, or who, stands in my way.”

  “I’ll bear that in mind.”

  “Good. Now get out.” Lily nodded in the direction of the open window.

  Roselyn glanced over and smiled back at her, but didn’t move.

  Lily lost whatever patience she was clinging onto, and flicked the dagger at the assassin. This blade slammed into the wall as the other did, but this time she sliced off a lock of Roselyn’s hair. Again, she didn’t twitch. They both watched the dark curl fall to the floor.

  “Out.” Lily snarled.

  Roselyn stood up, unfolding her arms from across her chest. “I heard you the first time.”

  She sauntered over to the window, sat on the ledge while she pulled up the scarf over her chin, and the hood over her head, then leaned back and fell off the ledge.

  Lily didn’t bother to get up to check if she had managed to land the fall – it was obviously a controlled movement, Roselyn knew exactly what she was doing.

  Lily sat back on the bed, her heart hammering. It had not been her first encounter with an assassin, and it was unlikely to be her last – but this was the first one who had just wanted to chat. Her head snapped to a movement as the door to the bathing room stirred. She breathed a sigh of relief though she hoped he didn’t notice. She’d been wondering when he’d turn up. “You found me Eli.”

  He stepped out from behind the door, at least managing to look a bit guilty.

  Lily stared at the wall where Roselyn had stood. “I gather you heard all of that.”

  Eli nodded, his silver dreadlocks bouncing against his chest. They almost glowed in the moonlight, though most of his face remained in darkness. “I got in here just before her, and hid before she figured out it wasn’t just you in the room. When I realised she just wanted to talk I thought it would be better for me to remain hidden.”

  Lily narrowed her eyes, “Did Tristan send you?”

  “No, I’m here of my own accord. I know you told me not to follow you, but –.” Eli shrugged his shoulders, his brown eyes meeting Lily’s hazel ones.

  Lily smiled, “You never have been great at following orders like that.”

  “Sorry.”

  She waved his apology away, “No – I didn’t mean for you to be sorry.”

  He treated her as if she was his master sometimes, and she didn’t like that. His manners were that of a lost time, the sort you didn’t see much these days, especially amongst pirates. Lily liked that he was respectful of her, but she didn’t want to be a master, she had almost been a slave once after all. “Thank you for checking on me. But I’m okay – she won’t come back now, she’s got what she came for.”

  Eli grinned, his teeth catching the light. He had particularly sharp canines. With the combination of his silver hair and those soft brown eyes, he looked almost wolf-like. “Want me to keep an eye on her for you?”

  “Yes – please, that seems like a good idea. Don’t let her spot you though.”

  Eli’s lip quirked, as if amused at the very idea that someone could sense him if he didn’t want them to. “I won’t.” He strode over to the windowsill, crouching on it for a moment, and glancing back at Lily, “Be careful Lil.”

  “You too.”

  He launched himself out of the window after Roselyn.

  Lily had expected something like that, but Roselyn was not what she had been prepared for. How like Merek to employ a pretty girl like her to do such dirty jobs. She doubted this was the first time this particular assassin had worked for Merek either, there seemed to be something to the tone of her voice that spoke of her ‘client’ with something stronger than respect. Stronger and altogether more worrying. Lily was glad at least that Eli had heard their conversation, he would keep a close eye on Roselyn from now on. Surely that would prevent any other midnight visits from the painted lady.

  Lily was about to tuck herself back under the sheets and try to get back to sleep when the breeze from the open window caught the curtain. For a brief second she thought she saw someone, but they were gone the moment she blinked. She shook herself and muttered, punching the pillow back into shape before lying back and staring at the ceiling. Eventually sleep came, though it was broken and troubled by periods of wakefulness.

  ~

  Roselyn leapt from the rooftop, gripping the drainpipe and shimmying down it before jumping the last section. She landed in an easy jog, striding from shadow to shadow in the moonlight. This courtyard was her favourite place to be, shut off from the outside world, you could sit in the trees and watch countless windows, keeping track of most of the castle. The trees also provided good cover, especially at night. She never needed to worry that someone would spot her.

  He’d be happy at least that Tigerlily had remained in her quarters rather than leaving. Apparently doing as she was told was not one of her strongest points. From the sounds of it she’d already developed a keen hatred of Merek. Roselyn was still surprised that she’d sensed her presence, and of the completely unsurprised and unafraid way she had spoken to her. Maybe the stories really were true, maybe she was what they said she was, but Roselyn had found that hard to believe when she slipped through the window and found her asleep, looking for all the world like a harmless woman.

  Then again, she supposed her own first line of defence was similar. She always used makeup, accentuating her appealing face. Most female assassins didn’t bother; what was the point if most of the people you saw ended up dead? But Roselyn had always liked makeup, always liked putting on that mask, the kohl, the lip stain, it made her feel stronger, made her feel like she could do anything. And it made people underestimate her.

  She whipped out her pocket grappling hook and launched it at the wall before her, tugging at it to check it had stuck, before pulling herself up, vaulting to land on the top of the wall in a low crouch.

  Roselyn paused, she thought she’d heard movement. She glared down at the courtyard. Probably just a bird or something. Who else would be out at this time of night, save for the assassin?

  Roselyn smirked to herself and launched over the other side of the wall. He’d be wanting to know what had happened. He probably wouldn’t be surprised that Tigerlily had woken up, or that she had not been wary of Roselyn, but then he was very rarely surprised.

  Chapter 5

  Flames

  He didn’t call for her, so Lily kept to her rooms. She’d give him till midday, and then she would leave. Pirate Lord or not, she did not like being treated this way. Tristan would berate her for it, she knew that, but they’d deal with the aftermath. They always did, somehow or other. Tristan’s silver tongue saw to that – there wasn’t much he couldn’t talk his way out of. The Pirate Lord didn’t hold power over the whole ocean, if it came to it they could go somewhere beyond his reach. He’d grow tired of hunting them eventually, when another plaything came along. Maybe. Perhaps she’d been wrong to make herself so known to him, so tempting to challenge. But there was little she could do about that now.

  Lily sighed and picked up the twin blades from the bed. They were as sharp as ever – she saw to that – and they sang as they were pulled from the sheath, as if happy to be free, wanting to be used. She’d tried to use them, but found she couldn’t wield them as efficiently as Marco ever had. Besides, she liked to keep a hand free to throw her daggers.

  The daggers were still her favourite weapon, and the one she was most skilled with. There was something satisfying about flicking your wrist and seeing the blade slamming into your target. She also enjoyed that it was one of the few things she was better at than Tristan.

  She placed her palm flat on the blade and whirled on her toes, arching the sword. They really were amazing weapons, they felt like an extension of he
r arm. How Marco had managed to give them up, she never would be able to understand. He probably hadn’t been thinking straight, his twin brother had just died.

  It was so quiet; she wasn’t used to quiet, not with three children below the age of six. Not to mention around thirty men screaming for food, women or booze every hour of the day. They sometimes acted more like children than the twins and Irena. Lily found she missed every second of it – the smells, the banter, the bravado. To this day she couldn’t believe there had actually been a time when she was quite prepared to return to The Harbour, and slip back into the life of a barmaid again, to leave Tristan, The Shadow, her friends. But she had been afraid then, of the life ahead of her, of the voice within her. Not anymore.

  Lily wasn’t used to having time to herself, and now that she had it she wasn’t sure what to do. She’d called for water and taken her time having a long soak in the bath – a luxury that was rare on board a ship. She’d emptied every richly perfumed bottle of lotion on the shelf in the bathing room, loading the water with bubbles and aromas. Lily had stayed in the water until her skin began to wrinkle and her fingertips looked like the potatoes they’d forgotten about in the store room – they’d shrunk and aged, their skins no longer taut, instead becoming baggy and crumpled. She’d read, she’d explored her rooms, she’d eaten the pile of breakfast they’d brought for her, she’d polished her weapons, taking great care with Marco’s beautiful blades. Investigating the castle had been tempting, but she’d decided she’d rather be here for the messenger, be waiting instead of wandering around seemingly enjoying herself. She wanted to leave as soon as possible. Merek had had his audience, surely he was done with her now – what more did he want?