Read Online Shattered Assassin by Wendy Knight - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Wendy Knight
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Captain , who you answer to — the one who wears the crown.” Luke’s jaw dropped in disbelief, and Heath and Benjamin both froze in their tracks. “They protected me and they did it well. There is absolutely no reason for you to reprimand them.”
“They disobeyed a direct order.” Luke crossed his arms over his chest, clenching and unclenching his fists.
“Yes, by obeying my direct order, which takes precedence over yours, does it not?” she growled. Nakomi, now at her side, bared her teeth. Luke stared, first at Kazia and then at Nakomi, and then back at Kazia in bewilderment. Kazia sucked in a breath, trying to level her voice. No need to let Nakomi eat the captain of her guard right here in front of the adorable little girl. “They were only doing what I asked. If you’re going to be angry at someone, be angry at me, but leave them alone.”
“If I may speak, Captain?” Benjamin asked, stepping up to her side. Luke glared at him, but he spoke anyway. “She was protecting you, sir. She was afraid you were too tired and wanted you to get your rest.”
Luke’s eyes softened and he looked back at Kazia. “Is this true?”
“Of course it’s true, you idiot. Why else do you think I didn’t wake you?” She crossed her arms over her chest and stared back.
He sighed and ran a hand over his face. “We’ve been scouring the estate looking for you. I thought I’d lost—” He trailed off, shaking his head.
“You thought what?” Kazia asked quietly.
“I thought I’d failed in my duties as Captain of the Royal Guard,” he snapped, the gentleness in his eyes hidden, but barely. Kazia could still see it.
A fat raindrop smacked the ground between them, and the sky opened up. They were drenched in seconds. “Your Highness, wait here and I’ll get the carriage!” Luke yelled over the storm, but Kazia shook her head.
“Come, Nakomi!” She patted her thigh for Nakomi and took off running. She slipped in the mud but kept her footing, and her guards soon flanked her, Luke running on the right, grabbing her elbow every time she nearly fell, thanks to her blasted kidskin slippers. Her own hands were tangled in her skirts, trying to keep them above her feet.
By the time they reached the estate gates, Crystali and Jeffery’s valet both waited with shades, protecting them from the onslaught as they sprinted up the drive. Kazia collapsed on the steps under the portico, just out of the rain, breathing rapidly and seeing red spots every time she tried to focus. “Kazia? Are you okay?”
“Yes, Captain. I’m fine. Just winded,” she gasped. The longer she sat there the colder she got, and before she could summon the will to stand again, she was shivering violently.
“I’ll draw you a warm bath,” Crystali said, hurrying away. Luke helped Kazia to her feet and escorted her inside.
“Good heavens! Look at the mess you’ve made on my rugs!” Kristina screamed as they walked in.
“We were caught in the storm.” Kazia glanced down. Most of the mud had been washed off on the steps outside, and only rain water soaked her rugs, but Kristina looked ready to faint.
“You must excuse me.” In a whirl of silk skirts, she swept from the room, fanning herself the entire way. As soon as everyone else had left them alone, Luke took her arm and steered her toward her room. “If you ever pull a stunt like this again…”
“What stunt was that, Captain?” She yawned, suddenly very, very tired. And so cold.
“I had no idea where you were.”
“You were sleeping. You weren’t supposed to know where I was.” She stopped outside her door, tipping her head back in order to meet his gaze. “You have to have faith in me, Captain. I’m not going to take careless chances. I’m not stupid and I don’t have a death wish.” He opened his mouth to object but she shook her head. “Good night, Captain.”
Before he could get another word in, she escaped into her room and shut the door behind her. Her heart
“They disobeyed a direct order.” Luke crossed his arms over his chest, clenching and unclenching his fists.
“Yes, by obeying my direct order, which takes precedence over yours, does it not?” she growled. Nakomi, now at her side, bared her teeth. Luke stared, first at Kazia and then at Nakomi, and then back at Kazia in bewilderment. Kazia sucked in a breath, trying to level her voice. No need to let Nakomi eat the captain of her guard right here in front of the adorable little girl. “They were only doing what I asked. If you’re going to be angry at someone, be angry at me, but leave them alone.”
“If I may speak, Captain?” Benjamin asked, stepping up to her side. Luke glared at him, but he spoke anyway. “She was protecting you, sir. She was afraid you were too tired and wanted you to get your rest.”
Luke’s eyes softened and he looked back at Kazia. “Is this true?”
“Of course it’s true, you idiot. Why else do you think I didn’t wake you?” She crossed her arms over her chest and stared back.
He sighed and ran a hand over his face. “We’ve been scouring the estate looking for you. I thought I’d lost—” He trailed off, shaking his head.
“You thought what?” Kazia asked quietly.
“I thought I’d failed in my duties as Captain of the Royal Guard,” he snapped, the gentleness in his eyes hidden, but barely. Kazia could still see it.
A fat raindrop smacked the ground between them, and the sky opened up. They were drenched in seconds. “Your Highness, wait here and I’ll get the carriage!” Luke yelled over the storm, but Kazia shook her head.
“Come, Nakomi!” She patted her thigh for Nakomi and took off running. She slipped in the mud but kept her footing, and her guards soon flanked her, Luke running on the right, grabbing her elbow every time she nearly fell, thanks to her blasted kidskin slippers. Her own hands were tangled in her skirts, trying to keep them above her feet.
By the time they reached the estate gates, Crystali and Jeffery’s valet both waited with shades, protecting them from the onslaught as they sprinted up the drive. Kazia collapsed on the steps under the portico, just out of the rain, breathing rapidly and seeing red spots every time she tried to focus. “Kazia? Are you okay?”
“Yes, Captain. I’m fine. Just winded,” she gasped. The longer she sat there the colder she got, and before she could summon the will to stand again, she was shivering violently.
“I’ll draw you a warm bath,” Crystali said, hurrying away. Luke helped Kazia to her feet and escorted her inside.
“Good heavens! Look at the mess you’ve made on my rugs!” Kristina screamed as they walked in.
“We were caught in the storm.” Kazia glanced down. Most of the mud had been washed off on the steps outside, and only rain water soaked her rugs, but Kristina looked ready to faint.
“You must excuse me.” In a whirl of silk skirts, she swept from the room, fanning herself the entire way. As soon as everyone else had left them alone, Luke took her arm and steered her toward her room. “If you ever pull a stunt like this again…”
“What stunt was that, Captain?” She yawned, suddenly very, very tired. And so cold.
“I had no idea where you were.”
“You were sleeping. You weren’t supposed to know where I was.” She stopped outside her door, tipping her head back in order to meet his gaze. “You have to have faith in me, Captain. I’m not going to take careless chances. I’m not stupid and I don’t have a death wish.” He opened his mouth to object but she shook her head. “Good night, Captain.”
Before he could get another word in, she escaped into her room and shut the door behind her. Her heart
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