I lie in my bed with a pillow over my face, wondering if Tarryn would kill me if I suffocated myself right this instant. Kane is sitting on the chair beside my washbasin, staring at the wall. "So you are going to take the job? Or you're not?" He kicks my leg and I throw my pillow at his head. I groan and roll over to face the wall. "I don't know, Kane. It's good pay— it's amazing pay, actually— five hundred and fifty gold pieces would set me up for a long time." Kane nods and then says slowly, "...then take the job. Don't be an ass, Adrienne. You could retire tomorrow morning if you take the bloody job and bring back his head tonight." I cough, choking on a laugh. "You act like it would be easy. You're an assassin too, Kane— you know that getting into the palace without getting caught is the hard part. If I get found out I'm dead. Not arrested— dead."
I stand up impatiently, kicking my bedpost solidly and cursing when I bruise my foot. Kane laughs at me and I aim a slap at his face, but he dodges and runs out of the room. "You have to make up your mind!" He calls over his shoulder. I know, I think to myself. I'm trying.
I decide to take a walk to clear my head, so I throw on some clothes and slip out of the safe house, heading to the one place where I know I can think without being interrupted or someone else telling me what I should be thinking.
I stand on the roof, my cloak fluttering behind me in the wind. I come up to the roof of the clocktower sometimes to think, even though half the time I just want to jump off the edge. Clearly I haven't yet, but I'm pretty damn close this time. The breeze floats past me and I sit with my legs dangling over the edge of the building, watching the tiny people bustling around on the ground below. I wonder how many of them have the opportunity to get five hundred gold pieces in a single night, and I sigh. I know I'm going to do it— I've already decided— but I'm lacking conviction that it's the right thing to do. I toss a pebble off of the roof, crossing my fingers and hoping it hits somebody. I think I should finish the commission tonight so I can get it out of the way. I'll go home and do some planning, go to the palace after dark, then slit Prince Theodore's throat. What could go wrong? I'm confident in my abilities— I've never been caught, never even been witnessed, and I always make a clean kill.
I'll be fine.
I head back to the House of Rubies, Stopping by the dining room when I see Tarryn with his feet on the table and a book in hand. I lean on the doorframe and wait for him to look up. When he does, I nod at him briefly, determination lighting in my eyes.
"You decided?" He asks.
I reply quietly, and I barely even hear myself when I say,"I'll do it."
YOU ARE READING
The Beauty In Love And Murder
Fantasy{ "Who are you?" He asks in that smooth, chocolatey voice that I'd been admiring not half an hour earlier. I curl my lip scornfully. "I'm not obligated to tell you that." The dagger increases in pressure against my throat, sending more blood trickli...
