Empire of Shadows

26.

When he was truly alive, he had gained enough experience and notoriety in the trade. Turns out his abilities were particularly suited to taking out the...undesirables of the lower nobility and surrounding class. It was simple enough for him to slip into the shadows of a bedchamber and thrust a knife deep within the ribcage of a sleeping man, or carefully smother them to death with their own pillow. It was far easier than contracting an actual assassin without riesun abilities or noble birth. And Lio was efficient. Dangerously efficient.

And eventually that's what got him killed.

Lio's dark eyes met hers, and for a moment something in them scared her enough that she turned away. She huddled closer to Jameson.

Vasco shook his head, scratching at the thick growth of hair on his jaw. "So what do we do after she's been assassinated?"

"That's assuming we live long enough to see the job done." Raziel rolled up the map, placing it into a tube so nothing could soil it. "We could die from hypothermia, the townsfolk could kill us for being Rajsend, we could be discovered by royal guards, or if we even get to Kampsden, Aslaug could be waiting for us."

"And then if I do manage to assassinate her," Lio said, leaning forward in his chair. "Then there's no telling how this place will react. The guards might attempt to kill us. There might be an heir in the picture that will try to take the throne. We might be paraded as heroes. There is no telling what will happen."

Anubis nodded, "that's why we get out of the place as soon as the deed is over. We let it cool down for a few days and then we claim it."

Lio shook his head, "but there is another problem. I can't figure out for the life of me, how we're going to get inside the palace walls. The walls are unscalable, you can't dig under them, traffic is heavily inspected, and security in general is the tightest in the Empire. Of course, I'll find a way in, but first, we'll have to figure out what we're doing exactly."

Anubis unrolled another map, this one bearing Ketil's handwriting. He had drawn an arial view of the palace, notes in his hand pointing to various outcroppings and precipices. Raziel examined this one, shaking his head.

"I don't know how we're going to do this."

"We can formulate a plan on the way, don't you think?" Anubis said, taking the map back and replacing it in her bag. "If Ketil was here, we could figure out some route, but as Ketil is missing—"

Not dead, Dante thought, just missing.

"—we will collect as much information as we can on our own and then move from there."

The rest of the Order was silent.

"Unless anyone else has a better idea."

Lio stood, "well, we better move on then. We have to be in Kväfjord by sundown. That's a good twenty miles?"

"More than that," Raziel said carefully, slipping a pack on his shoulders. "If we want to get to the Empress in good time we'll have to travel the distance."

Dante stepped back, grabbing her coat and hat. She wrapped her own scarf around Jameson's neck and he pulled his hat down over his ears.

Anubis, adjusted her boots, pulling her dark hair into a single thick braid. She pulled her cowl over her head, looking to Lio. "Go on then, we'll meet you there."

He rested a hand on her shoulder before grabbing his gear and leaving.

"The rest of you," Anubis said softly. "I know this day has already been a disappointment in many ways and Ketil will be missed greatly. We first will complete this mission and then we will find the truth about him. I give my word."