FOREVER KNIGHTS: #7 King of Assassins
ALAZAR - The Nauvree's Cautioning

ALAZAR

“His games disgust me!” Dimurah was still railing the next morning.

Savage doesn’t play games. Of that, Alazareth was certain.

Savage had long since gone off to his tent.

Alone. Alazareth noted. Despite that he did as she asked.

Feeling somewhat annoyed with the girl, Alazareth rose early the following morning to speak to her. As he often did when staying in the Blue Lark. And to give her a piece of my mind.

“Why are you so angry with him?” He asked point blank.

“He cut off Joe’s hand!” She snapped as she slid him a plain wooden cup with a heated brew of herbs in it.

But there’s more to it then that.

“Yes…” Alazareth nursed the treasure Dimurah had brewed for him this morn-ing in a mesh tea bag.

Her Sleep Duster. Guaranteed to wash away a heavy night of drink.

“For no reason!” She added angrily.

You know that’s not true.

“He had reason.” Alazareth eyed her stomping back and forth behind the coun-ter. Despite her varying looks, she sometimes reminded him very much of Riaura in temperament.

Perhaps that’s why I get so irritated with her blindness.

“I am not his property!”

“He wasn’t marking you his property.”

She paused to arch a red brow. “Oh? Wasn’t he?” Her lip twitched in annoy-ance. “Isn’t he always declaring that I’m his?”

Only to protect you.

“He served the man a consequence for touching you disrespectfully. I fail to see why you’re so upset.”

“I didn’t ask him to!”

You didn’t have to.

“He does many things for you, you don’t ask him to.”

“What do you mean?” She paused. Confusion written over her face as she fisted a dirtied rag.

“Has it ever occurred to you, Dimurah, that did he not enforce the laws in this little guild that men would run amuck? That dear Joe’s crude touch wouldn’t have been the first nor the last you’d endure, were not every one of these assassin’s afraid of defying their King?”

“I miss your meaning, Nauvree?”

You just don’t want to hear it. There’s a difference.

“No. You do not. You just don’t wish to acknowledge what’s plain for every-one else to see.”

She scowled at him.

Confirmation enough.

“You may glare at me all you wish, Barter Queen. It doesn’t make what I say less true. You aren’t a stupid woman.”

Far from.

She snarled under her breath.

“If you were, you wouldn’t be such a vicious Barter Queen.” A lighter note en-tered his voice as he served her the compliment with a half-smile.

She tilted her head disapprovingly seeing the manipulation for what it was but her cheeks brightened at the kind words.

Pride assuaged.