Masters of the Game (Sutherland Book 4)

XIV | Pieces

"The king has a request," Sasha told Gabrielle, smiling gently at the woman.

Gabrielle wore a dark cloak, her red hair tied at her nape. Sasha had always found her beautiful. With her pale green eyes and freckles, she could make one think they were facing an angel. But they both knew that was a lie. Gabrielle could kill Sasha now if she wanted to, but Gabrielle would never stray from the orders given to her. She was not ordered here to kill Sasha or anyone.

One thing Sasha learned about Arielle was that the woman was mad. She would want to witness the killing herself.

The Soldier stared at Sasha, eyes bare of emotion. "Which king?"

"Reginald."

"He is not a king."

"He will be—again. And he has a request." Sasha took one step closer, knowing her husband would kill her if he learned she had been in the same room as a Soldier. "He wants you to work for him."

"I work for no one but Belcourt."

"I told him the same, but he is insistent. Do you wish to die in this ship, Gabrielle? You are outnumbered."

Gabrielle scoffed, a knowing smile on her lips. "You do not know that."

"I know," Sasha said with the same knowing smile. "We have been watching you for weeks. Our dear fried Rider Fairborne is eager to get his hands on you and we both know he is not the most charming."

A hint of fury glinted in Gabrielle's eyes before she blinked it away. "Then tell him to come to me. He's very much welcome to try."

Sasha shook her head. "The king wants to meet you."

Gabrielle remained quiet, the corner of her mouth curling in a snarl. "They have poisoned your mind, Sasha. Do you also hope they will achieve the same thing to me?"

She shrugged. "You can do whatever you wish after your talk with him. He has quite an interesting story to tell you."

"Is this about my brother? How you poisoned his mind?"

Sasha nodded, eyes never leaving Gabrielle's. "That and more, Gabrielle." She looked around the small cabin. "Be here tomorrow. The king will come alone, I promise."

"I cannot trust you."

"You should not. I can even say my husband should not trust me as much. He does not know I'm doing this."

"And you expect me to believe that? Everything you did was because of him. You betrayed us because of a man."

With a shake of her head, Sasha decided it was not important what Gabrielle believed. What mattered was what she would believe before they reached Sutherland. "Tomorrow, same time, Gabrielle. We'll understand if you do not show up."

*****

The Marquess of Rothsker. Esther scoffed. She had heard stories about the man—why he disappeared. There were too many that circulated the palace, none of them seemed plausible.

Had she ever met this man? No, she had not. She met Lady Renee, of course, the aunt.

"You share the same name with my aunt, do you know that?" Rothsker asked.

She did not reply. What did this man want from her? Was he part of the Circus? How did Emory meet him? When did her bloody brother start working with the Royal Circus?

He turned to her with a charming smile, one that would have surely made some women swoon. But not her. She was a princess, and she had seen too many men pulling this trick.