Page 34 of The Barbarian King's Assassin (Magic and Kings 1)

His expression might have been etched in stone, but his gaze, how it smoldered. “How do you want to do this? Upright or tied over the saddle?”

“Are any of the options in your lap?” I purred, using my feminine wiles. Access to his neck would solve my small dagger dilemma. A jugular didn’t take much to sever and proved quick to bleed out.

He snorted. “You’re cute, my little Yanna, but I’m not stupid.”

“Yet you left me my knife.”

“To defend yourself. These roads are dangerous.”

“Aren’t you the Barbarian King? You should be all the protection I need,” I mocked, sheathing the blade.

“A mighty assassin such as yourself wouldn’t need my protection.”

My lips quirked. “True. But then you’d see I wasn’t a lady.”

“I’ve known that for a while. However, I do wonder, why would a woman as beautiful and poised as you become a killer?”

He thought me beautiful? I wasn’t yet at an age where vanity had died. “Why not an assassin? The pay is excellent.”

“It’s dangerous,” he pointed out.

“I’m good at it.”

“Says the woman who can’t seem to kill me.”

“I’ve never killed a giant before,” I grumbled.

“What would you say if I admitted I’m not the biggest?”

“I’d pity the poor mothers that had to birth your enormous heads.”

He laughed, a hard chuckle that took me off guard. He grabbed me around the waist without warning. The man moved entirely too fast. He hoisted me onto the horse I’d earlier been riding upside down.

I grabbed at the pommel to steady myself and grumbled, “I can get on a horse myself.”

“Not without help. You’re short,” he retorted as he mounted his stallion easily.

I’d look stupid if I’d told him I’d planned to climb the saddle. “Where are we going?”

“West.”

Before I could get annoyed at his useless non-answer, someone whistled and my horse took off. I’d ridden before, beasts much shorter in stature and stride. It didn’t compare to a Weztroga mount.

We covered a ridiculous amount of distance, each mile a reminder I’d been unable to complete my job. At this point, I knew I’d have to call quits. I’d escape and make my way back to the city, where Jrijori would mock me mercilessly. Then again, the Barbarian King turned out to be a mighty opponent. He’d kidnapped me right out from under my master’s nose. Foiled my attempts to stab him.

At the same time, I’d not tried overly hard. For once, I’d met a target I didn’t want to kill. A dilemma.

The man plaguing me dropped back to ride alongside me. “You haven’t escaped,” he remarked.

“You’d probably hunt me down and drag me back.”

“I would.” He didn’t even deny it. “Who hired you to kill me?”

The sudden shift in conversation had me eyeing him. “According to my father, the person who put out the contract did it anonymously. The better question is, doyouhave any idea who?”

Those big shoulders rolled. “It could be anyone. I have many enemies.”

“Surely there’s someone who stands out.”