Assassin's Shadow (Veiled Dagger Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page A

eyes were wide open with a look of ecstasy and his hands still clutched the half-empty pouch.
    Rothar sighed. Suddenly, the man gasped and sat up, only to collapse back again, spine rigid. Again, he lurched forward and blinked, then the life went out of him and he lowered to the ground.
    Rothar shook his head and rolled the man over, shaking him. The dried Quietus fell out of the man’s mouth and he finally fell eternally still.
    A queer thing, thought Rothar. Something so deadly, that fights death so effectively.
    He propped the dirty old man up against a tree and searched his pockets. There was nothing to indicate from where the man came or who his people were. Only a dull knife, two small coins and an odd, round piece of parchment with a star on it. In the center of the star was a white representation of an eye. It did not look like any symbol that Rothar had ever run across in all of his travels. He tucked the note into his pocket. Perhaps the parchment would help someone find his family.
    Rothar heaved the man onto Stormbringer’s back, took the horse by the reins and began walking into the King’s City.
    ***
    King Heldar fiddled with his beard and shifted his weight in the throne. It was not a day when his subjects came to give adoration and plead for aid, so he was restless, sitting in the empty throne room. He would rather be in his chambers with his Queen, or in the dining hall, sampling dishes, but he had been summoned.
    Finally, Rothar made his entrance and approached the throne.
    “Stop bowing, Rothar! I’ve told you!” he barked, albeit in a rather good natured manner. “What brings you to me? I hear you have brought a dead man into my City, yet I do not remember dispatching you for any such cause. So, what is the meaning of that?”
    “Your highness,” Rothar began, “I did not kill the man, but rather he killed himself, by accident it seems.”
    King Heldar tried to hide his annoyance, for he held a deep regard and affection for his assassin.
    “Since when do you come to me with accidents?”
    Rothar took advantage of the empty throne room and climbed the stairs to sit on the small throne to the right of King Heldar. No principal advisor had been appointed since the death of Feril, at the hands of Harwin. The King said he would be in no great rush to fill the position, and was more than willing to leave the seat empty until someone proved their wisdom and trustworthiness tenfold.
    “It is the nature of the accident, and the anonymity of the man, that gave me cause to call on you,” he said. Rothar recounted the incident with the man in the Banewood, and how he willingly tried to eat the Quietus. He finished his story by telling the King about the odd paper card in the man’s pocket.
    “I know nothing of this star,” King Heldar said, handing the piece of parchment back to Rothar. “But I will say, this man’s behavior is quite odd. Perhaps he was from Blackwater?”
    Rothar stifled a laugh. It was not surprising to envision that a man of such bizarre acts may be from the backwards fishing village where the self proclaimed “King” Sleeth had lived before Rothar fed him to the sea.
    “I cannot imagine that a man in his state could travel so far,” Rothar explained. “I am sure he is from your City, I only wish to know why he attacked me in such a way, and then ended his life in an even more peculiar fashion.”
    King Heldar waved a hand in the air. “It is true that we would all like to know what causes madness, so that we can avoid it at all costs,” he said. “But this is not a task for your talents, Rothar. Go home and rest. You have not seen a proper night’s sleep in longer than I care to think. I will call for you if there is any real danger facing my people. Until then, do not worry yourself with the affairs of madmen.”
    Rothar looked at him wearily. “The affairs of madmen are my meat and bread, you know so much is true.”
    King Heldar sighed. “Perhaps, perhaps. However, I