Page 104 of The Barbarian King's Assassin (Magic and Kings 1)

“My father had many enemies, including his only son. How ironic that the little girl he failed to kill was the one to finally take him out.”

“Glad you’re happy about it. If you’ll excuse me, I’ve somewhere else to be.” I eyed him blocking my path out the door. A pointed stare didn’t move him.

“I have to say, I am delighted I didn’t have to hunt you down, Ilyana.”

“How do you know my name?”

“Because my father told me about you recently when he thought you died. Gloated about it, as a matter of fact. I’m impressed you survived.”

“I’m not easy to kill.”

“You don’t say. I’m glad I didn’t accidentally end your life trying to eliminate the barbarian king.”

The confession widened my eyes. “You were the one behind the attempts?”

“At the time, I was determined to stop the alliance between Zasha and the barbarian.”

“Why?”

“Because she was supposed to marry me. But then my father got in her ear, and she became difficult. She left me no choice.” His lips twisted.

“You’re the one who killed her!” I declared as I measured the distance between us. He didn’t appear armed, but his calmness shook me. Especially as I recalled one of the attempts on Konstantin involved those mud golems and the other the tub water.

“Her own fault, really. But fear not, all is not lost. With Zasha gone, the emperor will be upset. All his heirs gone. So imagine his delight when I present his long-lost bastard daughter.”

“Not happening.”

“As if you had a choice. You’re coming with me.”

“You and what army?” I snorted.

“I don’t need an army. Just this.” His hand suddenly shot out faster than expected, and he mumbled something.

I froze. Limbs. Voice. Eyes stuck open, desperate to blink, yet I couldn’t. With no idea how to fight his magic, I became a living statue that he approached with a smirk.

“So much better when you’re quiet.” He lifted his arms and showed me the cracked bracelets making me wonder if his father had to die for his freedom. “I’ll have these manacles repaired to ensure you’re biddable. After all, you’ll need to provide an heir or two for the empire before I can rid myself of you.”

I wanted to speak, but my numb tongue and lips wouldn’t budge.

“At least you’re attractive. Not as pretty as Zasha, but you do have the advantage of not being my sister. Another thing my father saw fit to tell me only recently. Apparently, the emperor didn’t beget his last child. My father knew Zasha and I were brother and sister when he encouraged us to become lovers.”

Ew. I could see why he’d be angry.

“Given that was problematic, and with her refusing to break off with the barbarian, she of course had to die. What a stroke of luck that, right after, I found out about you from my father.” He gripped my face and turned it side to side. “I should have seen the resemblance.”

I wanted to gag, but even that was denied me.

“Hopefully the children take after me.”

Did my promise to eviscerate him slowly while feeding him his entrails show in my glare? His slap indicated it did. Not that I felt it.

There was a distant boom that turned his head. He wrapped a fist in my hair and dragged me along, a puppet with no will and no strings.

He stuck his head out the door, where the booming intensified. “Time to go, bastard daughter. The barbarians are at the gate.”

He kicked the unconscious soldiers on the floor, ignoring their groans to snap out orders. “We’re moving out. Now.” He snapped his fingers and got vomit on his boots for the effort. The man I’d kneed in the testicles still felt the blow apparently.

“Come.” He dragged me, and I hated this helplessness. How could he take away control of my body?