Page 24 of The Barbarian King's Assassin (Magic and Kings 1)
“It’s time I went home.” I stood. “Enjoy your purchase.”
I whirled and left, only to realize he’d followed. Him and his horde, who stayed several paces back.
“What are you doing?” I muttered as I stepped outside, swirling my cape around my shoulders.
“I am walking you home.”
“I don’t need an escort. I can handle myself.” The quicker the slime on the street knew to leave me alone, the better.
“I insist.”
Misplaced misogynistic chivalry. Then again, why did I argue? Let him accompany me. Here was my chance to get the job done. I could make his death look like a mugging. People would be shocked it happened under their noses in the precious city, but these things occurred more often than they liked to admit. Soon after, they would be saying it was his fault for wandering around by himself.
To stay in the clear, I’d have to give myself some bruises to make it appear as if I were also attacked.
“Where did you live before moving here?” he asked.
“By the sea. What about you? What’s your home like?”
We might have continued on in this boring vein, completely ruining my impression of the Barbarian from the West, had the shadows not jumped at us.
CHAPTERSEVEN
The attack camefrom several directions. Someone leapt down from above. A pair of assailants surged out of an alley, and the drunks from the tavern rushed us from behind.
Correction, they rushedhim. The attackers had no interest in me. They didn’t see me as a threat, which worked to my advantage. I stood back. Why not? No one expected me to get involved or fight.
At the same time, if these thugs killed the king, I’d lose the bounty. The dilemma resolved itself in the most interesting fashion.
The Barbarian King faced terrible odds. Six miscreants against one man. They should have sent more.
Being a spectator to a fight proved a novelty. Usually, violence in the vicinity involved me. Not this time. I got a front row seat as Konstantin grabbed the nearest rushing man and literally tossed him. He spun and proceeded to fling yet another away. For the next pair, he knocked theirs heads together, hard enough I could hear the thunk. He threw some hooks and jabs that almost had me cheering.
No more doubting the rumors of his prowess. He certainly could fight. Even more impressive, he embarrassed the hired crew of mercenaries by taking them out with his bare hands. He never once pulled a weapon. The attackers were armed with daggers that never once met their mark. When the fight ended, Konstantin stood unharmed and unimpressed.
I accidentally clapped.
He eyed me and arched a brow.
I tucked my hands behind my back as I managed to utter a trite, “Bravo, Your Majesty. And so sorry you had to deal with that. Robbers these days are getting so brazen.”
“Those weren’t thieves,” he grumbled.
No, they weren’t, but a lady wouldn’t know that. I batted my lashes and purred, “Thank you for saving my life against such impressive odds.”
He snorted. “Your life was never in danger. As you saw, they were easy to beat.”
Made me wonder what he considered a challenge.
My hand slid to the knife hidden in a pocket. Now was my chance. People would assume the thugs on the ground were the ones to succeed; meanwhile, I’d be the weapon that actually killed him.
He outmatched me in size and strength. I’d have to take him by surprise and not miss.
Before I could follow through with a probably futile frontal attack, a whistle blew.
His lips compressed. “Someone has called for the city soldiers. Which means questions.”
“You’re a king accosted while enjoying the city of his host. You don’t answer questions. You berate whoever shows up for not ensuring the city was safe enough for a guest.” I couldn’t have said why I gave him that advice.