The Guild of Assassins Read Online Free PDF Page A

than, oh, three seconds?”
    Mai shrugged. “Perhaps you can persuade Aghat Raishan to help?”
    “I will not take sides in this one,” Raishan repeated. “This is between you and Kara, Aghat Mai.”
    Mai’s face became stern. “Fine.” He turned to Evan. “I’ll need my token back, Your Majesty. If I may, I suggest we go back into the throne room so that you can give it to me and accept Xandel’s, or things might get out of hand.”
    Evan ran his gaze around the silent faces.
    “I hate to lose you, Aghat Mai,” he said. “But if you insist there’s no other way, let’s go back to the audience chamber and finish the show, shall we?”

3
ARCHERY
    Kyth followed Kara all the way to her room and paused in the doorway, looking inside.
    “Come in,” she said. “And close the door before somebody else sees me.”
    The room was small and bare. Light finding its way through a small window did little to illuminate simple furnishings that consisted of the bare necessities with no embellishments of any kind. A sleeping cot stood by the wall next to a large trunk, two chairs, and a weapon stand in the corner. Kyth had been to this room before, and like before he couldn’t stop wondering how Kara could possibly find such a place acceptable for living.
    He sat in the indicated chair, watching her sweep through the room, collecting things into her travel pack. Her face was drawn and composed, showing deep concentration on her task. She looked so distant that his heart ached. He knew that their relationship, while it had lasted, was too good to be true, but it still hurt to see how quickly she retreated back into her Majat world at the first signs of trouble. As she darted around the room gathering her scarce belongings, she looked worlds away.
    “Do you really have to go with him?” Kyth asked.
    “Yes.”
    “Why?”
    She paused and turned to face him. She seemed calm, but knowing her well, Kyth recognized the air of detachment that spoke of turmoil within.
    “I owe him my life,” she said. “It’s a debt I must repay.”
    “By getting yourself killed?”
    She lowered the shirt she had been folding. “I won’t get killed. Mai needs my help, that’s all.”
    “Your Guild has issued a death warrant against you. What do you think will happen when you go back there?”
    She shook her head. “If Mai goes there alone, it will be worse.”
    “But what if he’s telling the truth? What if this has nothing to do with you?”
    She walked over and stopped directly in front of him.
    “Do you believe that yourself, Kyth?”
    He rose from his seat so that their faces were level. He ached to put his arms around her, to hold her. He hoped there was a way to make it all go away. But deep inside he knew she was right. Mai was being punished for sparing her life. And she was about to commit herself to sharing this punishment.
    He swallowed, holding her gaze. “No.”
    She nodded and turned away, but he reached forward and caught her by the arm. She slowly turned back to him, their faces so close that he felt her warmth and the barely perceptible smell of wild flowers emanated by her skin.
    Her closeness made his head spin. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing her.
    “Is there anything I can do to make you stay?” he asked quietly.
    She ran her hand along the side of his face. His arms responded on their own accord, enfolding her, pulling her close. She rested her face against his shoulder, cradled in his embrace. For a brief instant it seemed as if everything were all right, again. Then she drew back.
    “Remember when I told you I’m different, Kyth?”
    He nodded. She had told him early on, when he made his first advances and she had tried to warn him off. He knew she believed it, but it never made sense to him.
    “Of course you are different. You are the most amazing woman in existence.”
    She shook her head. “I’m a trained killer, Kyth. I may look to you like a normal woman, but I’m not. For a brief moment