Read Online Shattered Assassin by Wendy Knight - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Wendy Knight
Ads: Link
Highness.” Benjamin laughed.
“Change the subject. Go back to complaining about the lack of pretty girls,” Kazia snapped.
Benjamin took her stick and threw it hard, watching as Nakomi went after it. The big wolf carried it back as proudly as if she’d just saved a treasure. Kazia giggled
“She doesn’t get to play much, does she?” Heath asked, attempting to wrestle away the stick.
“No, not lately,” Kazia murmured.
“Who would have imagined playing fetch with a wolf?” Benjamin stole the stick from Heath’s hand and threw it again, his face lighting as Nakomi turned and ran hard for it.
Kazia settled on a fallen log and watched as her two guards played fetch with her giant wolf. It wasn’t something one saw every day, and she felt her heart heal, just a bit.
It was nearing dark when they started back. “Captain is gonna kill us,” Heath muttered.
Kazia looked up at the sky. Deep black clouds were closing in; they would be lucky if they made it home before the storm hit. “If you promise not to tell a soul, I’ll race you to the edge of the forest.”
Both of them looked at her like she had grown another head. Princesses did not run. Especially sickly, weak princesses. “I—?” Benjamin looked at Heath, pale green eyes wide.
Kazia interrupted, “Do you promise?”
“Of course, your Highness, but—”
“Then…” Kazia grabbed up her skirts and took off running as fast as her legs would carry her, “Go!” It took both her startled guards several seconds before they realized what had happened, and then she heard their laughter as they chased after her. She lengthened her stride, relishing the freedom, the cold wind blowing through her hair. Her braid came loose, the ribbon falling to the ground behind her, and she giggled like she’d lost her mind as she heard their footsteps pounding closer. Nakomi leaped along at their side, unsure what was going on but excited, nonetheless. “You know — it’s against the law — to pass the prin—princess!” she gasped as they drew even with her.
“You cheat!” Heath howled and she giggled harder, so that she could barely breathe by the time they reached the forest’s edge and slowed to a stop.
“Well. For a little thing you’re faster than you look,” Benjamin said, his eyes sparkling. She grinned as she panted. Above, thunder rumbled.
“Let’s get moving.” Heath took her arm and they hurried through the village.
They were almost across the village when a little girl with dirty blonde hair and a gray dress stopped them. She held up a hand while she stood in the middle of the dusty road, the other pudgy fist on her hip. Heath and Benjamin both stepped closer to Kazia, looking warily around the houses for a trap.
“Are you an angel?” The girl tipped a dirty little face up to Kazia.
Kazia smiled, stooping down so they were face to face. “No, I’m not an angel.”
“You’re beautiful like an angel. And your skin is white like an angel.”
Kazia started to laugh, but the little girl’s impish grin turned to terror and her eyes got big and round.
“Yes, she looks like an angel, but she has the common sense of a goat.”
Kazia stood and turned, a little too quickly, and half-fell over before Heath caught her and uprighted her. Luke was storming down the center of the village path, his face as dark and angry as the incoming clouds above. “You two are relieved of your duties. Pack up and go home immediately.”
Benjamin and Heath both paled simultaneously. Snapping their heels together, they saluted him. “Yes sir.”
“Oh no they aren’t!” Kazia snapped. She rose to her full height — all five feet six of her, and glared right back at Luke.
“You have no say in whom I relieve of their duties in my unit, your Highness .” He snarled the last word and Kazia wanted to flinch. But she did not.
Inside, her heart was screaming please don’t hurt me, please don’t hurt me , but she hid it well. “You forget,
“Change the subject. Go back to complaining about the lack of pretty girls,” Kazia snapped.
Benjamin took her stick and threw it hard, watching as Nakomi went after it. The big wolf carried it back as proudly as if she’d just saved a treasure. Kazia giggled
“She doesn’t get to play much, does she?” Heath asked, attempting to wrestle away the stick.
“No, not lately,” Kazia murmured.
“Who would have imagined playing fetch with a wolf?” Benjamin stole the stick from Heath’s hand and threw it again, his face lighting as Nakomi turned and ran hard for it.
Kazia settled on a fallen log and watched as her two guards played fetch with her giant wolf. It wasn’t something one saw every day, and she felt her heart heal, just a bit.
It was nearing dark when they started back. “Captain is gonna kill us,” Heath muttered.
Kazia looked up at the sky. Deep black clouds were closing in; they would be lucky if they made it home before the storm hit. “If you promise not to tell a soul, I’ll race you to the edge of the forest.”
Both of them looked at her like she had grown another head. Princesses did not run. Especially sickly, weak princesses. “I—?” Benjamin looked at Heath, pale green eyes wide.
Kazia interrupted, “Do you promise?”
“Of course, your Highness, but—”
“Then…” Kazia grabbed up her skirts and took off running as fast as her legs would carry her, “Go!” It took both her startled guards several seconds before they realized what had happened, and then she heard their laughter as they chased after her. She lengthened her stride, relishing the freedom, the cold wind blowing through her hair. Her braid came loose, the ribbon falling to the ground behind her, and she giggled like she’d lost her mind as she heard their footsteps pounding closer. Nakomi leaped along at their side, unsure what was going on but excited, nonetheless. “You know — it’s against the law — to pass the prin—princess!” she gasped as they drew even with her.
“You cheat!” Heath howled and she giggled harder, so that she could barely breathe by the time they reached the forest’s edge and slowed to a stop.
“Well. For a little thing you’re faster than you look,” Benjamin said, his eyes sparkling. She grinned as she panted. Above, thunder rumbled.
“Let’s get moving.” Heath took her arm and they hurried through the village.
They were almost across the village when a little girl with dirty blonde hair and a gray dress stopped them. She held up a hand while she stood in the middle of the dusty road, the other pudgy fist on her hip. Heath and Benjamin both stepped closer to Kazia, looking warily around the houses for a trap.
“Are you an angel?” The girl tipped a dirty little face up to Kazia.
Kazia smiled, stooping down so they were face to face. “No, I’m not an angel.”
“You’re beautiful like an angel. And your skin is white like an angel.”
Kazia started to laugh, but the little girl’s impish grin turned to terror and her eyes got big and round.
“Yes, she looks like an angel, but she has the common sense of a goat.”
Kazia stood and turned, a little too quickly, and half-fell over before Heath caught her and uprighted her. Luke was storming down the center of the village path, his face as dark and angry as the incoming clouds above. “You two are relieved of your duties. Pack up and go home immediately.”
Benjamin and Heath both paled simultaneously. Snapping their heels together, they saluted him. “Yes sir.”
“Oh no they aren’t!” Kazia snapped. She rose to her full height — all five feet six of her, and glared right back at Luke.
“You have no say in whom I relieve of their duties in my unit, your Highness .” He snarled the last word and Kazia wanted to flinch. But she did not.
Inside, her heart was screaming please don’t hurt me, please don’t hurt me , but she hid it well. “You forget,
Similar Books
