Chosen : Assassin Book 1

Chosen- Chapter Nine

"I've thought about it."

"Stop thinking. Do it. The more weapons you have the better prepared you will be."

"I'm not going to stop thinking, Jonathan. My parents would love if I quit using my brain and just went along with things I was told."

"Joselyn, I'm not getting in the middle of the battle with your parents. Carry more weapons."

"They want me to marry the king."

He cocked his head to the side and sighed heavily. "That's not possible."

"I know that, Jonathan. How am I supposed to tell my parents I can't marry Cassius?"

"He must know the rules?"

I shook my head and walked further down the drive. "He doesn't care. He thinks it'll be fine having his assassin as his wife. How am I supposed to do my job? What will the Guild do?"

"They'll kill you. This hasn't been an issue for a long time. King's always knew their assassins were there to protect, not to become wives."

"Cassius doesn't care."

He grabbed my arm and spun me to face him. I reached up, removed his hat, and stared into his worn, tired face. The image of seeing him walk from that room with Anastasia was still fresh in mind as though it had just happened. My chest heaved under the tight bodice.

"Do you remember that night six months ago?" I asked.

"Why dwell on the past?"

I shrugged my shoulders and looked away from him. "Because I had feelings for you, Jonathan. You betrayed me."

Jonathan turned my head back and tilted it up with his free hand and pressed his lips to mine. He tasted salty and his lips were dry. I pushed him away, shaking my head.

"Don't touch me. Ever."

"Why, Joselyn?"

"Why? Anastasia. That's why."

"You're still talking about that?" he asked.

"You are a filthy, two-timing worm!"

"Focus on your task at hand."

I closed my eyes, breathing heavily for a few moments until I was able to swallow my pride.

"I have a contact that may be able to help with my problem of who's trying to kill Cassius."

"A contact?"

"I've been busy around the kingdom," I said.

"Why has it taken six months to get an audience with the king then?" he asked.

"I'm not his keeper. He's been away campaigning. I wish he wouldn't have, but he left the day after I returned."

He pushed me away in disgust. He wasn't the same man I'd left in France. He wasn't even the same man while I was there.

Jonathan walked to a black horse that tied off near a tree. It seemed so out of place with all the extravagant carriages around. I found my family's sitting near the king's barn. The horses untied from it rested inside. My favorite pawed at the ground a few stalls away. He knew I was coming. He was ready for our mission. Sable was another gift from the king and queen of France. Not a usual gift. He came with a saddle especially made for the women of the guild. Plenty of space to hide weapons. Unfortunately, my saddle was in my family's barn on our estate. I doubted the king had pouches full of knives and other weaponry.

"Your horse?"

"Yes. Please fetch a saddle for me."

"You're going to just mount him and ride away from the king's palace?" Jonathan asked.

"That was my plan unless you have a better one."

He shook his head and searched for a proper saddle. When Jonathan returned he carried leather as black as Sable.

"Will this do?"

"Of course."

I watched as he threw it on my horse's back and had him ready with such ease. We mounted our steads and rode off into the black of night. The next town was thirty miles away. It would take a few hours to get there as long as the horses weren't exhausted. We rode on with only the moonlight to guide us. I hoped the highway robbers weren't out. I didn't want to waste any time or energy on them. Time was a cruel mistress who was not being kind to us.

"How much further?" Jonathan asked.

"It's over that ridge," I shouted over the pounding horses' hooves.