Mage Slayer: Book Four of the Empress Saga

CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE

Josy leaned against the wall and stared out the window. She tried to look relaxed. Royal assassins were always relaxed. At least, Jin made it seem that way. Dashar had always been especially relaxed. Even when he was fighting, particularly when he was fighting, Dashar looked relaxed.

I can relax, too, Josy thought. It wasn't a complete lie. True, her heart was hammering in her chest like a manic cobbler mending an ogre's boot, but that didn't mean anything. It was completely normal to be a little nervous before a...

Winds take me, I'm going on a date!

Josy bit her lip and tried not to be so giddy about it. She liked Reyn. Winds, but she liked her a lot. Reyn was pretty and everything, but more than that, it was such a relief to think that someone out there might actually get how she felt. If anyone in the world could understand Josy, it was a girl who went through some of the same things. That was probably most of the reason why Josy had stuck around Reyn's part of camp.

There were only a few things Josy felt like she needed to wrap her head around. Reyn was with Starra, but Starra didn't mind Reyn stepping out on her. Actively encouraged it, even. Josy didn't pretend to understand this polyamory business, but it sounded too good to be true.

Two people treated Josy like something other than a berserker imprisoned on the edge of violence. Outsiders recognized their own, and they made her feel welcome among them. A part of her wondered what it meant that the acceptance she craved came from women who weren't entirely human.

I guess I'm not really entirely human, either, she thought. You don't get to do the things I've done and still consider yourself a part of humanity.

The sun was getting close to the horizon. Reyn had promised she'd take Josy into the city after nightfall. They'd see the sights, sneak about in disguise, pretend they belonged, and maybe— just maybe— break into the menagerie and ride an elephant. Josy had been planning it since she first laid eyes on one. Those big snoot-cows were just begging to be ridden.

Josy held her breath and got wide-eyed. Maybe weird western animals wouldn't be the only thing Reyn would want to ride. Winds, but Josy was nervous.

One step at a time, Duchess. She'll want to kiss you before a rendezvous.

She covered her face with her hands. Why? Why did the thought of kissing Reyn make Josy more nervous than going to bed with her?

Taking a deep breath, she ran her hands over the top of her head. As usual, Josy was momentarily surprised to find less hair than she was used to. It hadn't been her reason for doing it, but Josy believed she'd be grateful for ditching the mane when summer came around.

From behind her, a sniveling excuse of a man snickered. "Anxious, pet?"

A sudden and powerful anger burst into being within Josy's chest. She spun around to face Garret. "Call me that again, and you'll never see the Five Kingdoms again."

"Call you what?" His mouth widened into a vile grin. "Pet?"

He sat on his cot. This room, Garret's prison, was a dormitory adjacent to the suites used by the Aleesh delegation. Normally, Josy imagined this room was intended to serve as the quarters for some official's master servant. It was spartan with a minimum of fine ornamentation. There were only two rooms, the sitting room and this bedchamber. The only entrance was in the sitting room and led into the palace hallways.

Josy was alone with him. The two Amethyst crewmen they brought along were in the other room. One asleep, the other keeping watch on the door. At this hour, it fell to Josy to guard over the prisoner.