FOREVER KNIGHTS: #7 King of Assassins
Lucien in the Bull's Eye

Stevie drew a small dagger, but Alazareth didn’t so much as wince when he used the tip to scoop the leather throng and pull it from his shirt. A small ring dangled on it.

Riaura gasped. Recognizing the winking pink and green stones. “You kept that?” She tugged at Alazar’s shoulder, but his focus was the man before him.

“Only the Nauvree carries that. Everyone knows it. It’s been the last thing many a man sees after his throat is cut.” The one across the room leisurely enjoyed his drink.

“Is it true, Alazar?” Riaura demanded. “Are you the Nauvree?”

Dammit. Yes.

“No.” He tossed over his shoulder impatiently.

“He says he ain’t.” Stevie gestured. “I’m gonna kill him.”

The hell you are. He watched Stevie emotionlessly.

“Stevie…Hold!” The other one called, kicking over his bench as he hurriedly walked over.

“Lucien?”

“Pay me.” The dark haired one held his hand out for a purse.

Alazareth’s eyes rolled to the side to glimpse Lucien. “You’re a dog.” He muttered under his breath.

“As are you. As are you, My Friend.” Lucien tossed Riaura a purposeful glance before heading back to the corner. He lifted the purse over his head and gave it a jolly bounce as he sipped his ale mug with the other hand. Returning to right the bench with his foot. Settling on it, to watch the scene unfold.

“What was that about?” Stevie demanded angrily from Lucien watching intently from the corner.

“In a minute you’ll be dead.” Alazareth explained in a level voice. “And it’d be uncouth of him to gather his earnings from a dead man.”

Lucien grunted in agreement.

Stevie scoffed. “From you, wee man, and your snippet?”

“Oh, the snippet I know nothing about.” Lucien sounded bored, eying the little blonde clinging to Alazareth’s back. “But he” He gestured with his head. “Is going to kill you. Probably all three of you.” Lucien put his feet up on the bench and began whistling as he moved a finger around in the little leather purse, counting his coin.

No help from that quarter.

As I’d thought.

Stevie swung.

Alazareth ducked, shoved Riaura back into the corner and hit Stevie twice. Once shattering his block jaw. The second low to the gut making him piss himself.

Stevie whimpered and fell to the ground in a heap.

When Alazareth again caught Riaura’s hand and tried to lead her around the man, Stevie, the angry giant revived to reach up and catch her calf with one hand, winding the other up the length of her leg.

Squawking she jumped and skittered out of reach. Alazareth turned around and kicked him in the face so hard his neck snapped. Vertebrae crushing.

The other two men had positioned to remove Riaura from Alazar’s grip, but now cleared a path.

“Thanks for the help Lucien.” Alazareth called sarcastically.

“You are, welcome!” Lucien responded cheerfully. Eyes never leaving the coin he’d earned.

Bastard.

“Who was that?” Riaura asked.

“An old friend.”

Until tonight.

“He didn’t behave as a friend.” She commented as if perceiving his thoughts.

“No. He tends not to.”

“He’s one of your brothers, isn’t he?”

“I’ve only one actual brother. My twin.”

“Yes. He annoys you.” She recalled thoughtfully. “But I mean the others.”

“My Brethren. Yes. He is one.”

“So, he’s a wolf too?”

“He’s a black wolf.”

“Not silver like you?”

In an effort to change the subject, he averted his attention to bolting the door.

“Are you okay?” He took her blue cloak from her trembling grip and set it on the bed. Turning her face side to side he gave it a check before inspecting her neck and shoulders. Moving the thin strap so he could verify her pretty skin hadn’t hooked on anything when he’d unceremoniously tossed her away.

She’s okay.

“I feel dirty. He touched me. He wanted-He was going-He touched me.” She deflated. Shuddering as she remembered how the villain had ran a hand to her mid-thigh before she’d leapt from his reach. “Why’d he do that?”

“Do what?” Alazar was pulling coin from a pouch. Unbolting the door, he hollered down the short hall to summon a busty woman. He ordered a tub and hot water brought.

She whispered to him the cost.

He handed over the coin without hesitation.

“He was broken. Bleeding. Spittle everywhere and still, he wanted to touch me. Why?”

“Because you’re beautiful, Ri. Men turn to fools around beautiful women.” Annoyance tinged his voice. “They’ll complete all manner of foolery in the name of having one.”

“But he didn’t love me.”

“Of course not. He lusted after you. Men don’t put the price on love women do. Men put that value to the chance to-to…” He was glancing around the room for something to dry with when they were done and finally settled on a small coverlet folded on a chair near the window. He grunted in frustration.

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