"Get up." Minna glared past him at the dirty man who had not so much as inclined his head.
The assassin rose in a fluid motion and turned to his prisoner. With a swift movement that defied the eye to follow it, he forced the chained man to his knees and pushed his head down until his forehead touched the floor, ignoring his struggles.
"You will bow to the Queen, Cotti."
Minna watched the Prince struggle, then nodded. "Let him up."
Blade stepped back, and Kerrion jumped up, his face flushed with anger. "This is an outrage! I am no common criminal to be treated in such a fashion!"
Blade punched the Prince in the solar plexus, making him double over with a grunt.
Minna wound a string of pearls around her finger as she studied the captive. Kerrion glared first at the assassin, then at her with equal ferocity. He was taller and more heavily built than Blade. His pale hair hung in dirty locks around his furious, bearded visage, and his once fine clothes were torn and smeared with mud.
"That is enough, Blade," Minna remonstrated. "He is a prince, though he does not look, nor smell like one." She wrinkled her nose.
Kerrion glowered at the assassin. "I should have been treated better than this. I should have been allowed to wash before meeting you, Queen Minna-Satu. I have not been accorded the right of my rank."
Blade snarled, "You have no permission to speak, prisoner."
"And rightly so," Minna assured the Prince. "You are my prisoner, and subject to my whims. Do you think I would have been content to wait while you bathed? Do you have no idea of protocol?"
"Then I make no apology for my state. I have been kidnapped from my father's camp and dragged through your land for three tendays without once being offered a bath or clean clothes. Even though we are enemies and I your prisoner, I deserve to be treated according to my rank. If it was you who were my prisoner, rest assured, I would not insult you in this fashion."
The ferocity of his outburst surprised Queen Minna-Satu, and she glanced around as Shista stood up and wandered over. She rubbed against Blade's legs and purred, then sniffed Kerrion, her purr fading. Wrinkling her nose, she gave a huge sneeze, then studied him with her tail twitching before returning to her cushions and flopping down amongst them.
Minna beckoned to Chiana, who came forward. "Take the prisoner away and have him washed and given clean clothes. I will speak to the assassin alone."
Chiana went to the doors and ordered two guards to bring the Prince, then followed the men as they marched Kerrion away. As soon as the double doors had closed behind them, the Queen sank down on her cushions and signalled for Blade to do the same. A maiden entered with a tray of aromatic tea and sweet cakes, leaving the moment she had deposited her burden.
Minna leant forward to take a cup. "Have some."
The assassin took a cup and sipped it. Although he hid his dislike behind a bland expression, she had the impression that he was not partial to this variety of tea, or perhaps tea in general.
The Queen considered him through the steam that rose from her cup. "You have done well. I am extremely pleased."
The assassin inclined his head.
"Was the task a challenge, or not?"
He shrugged. "It was not beyond my abilities."
"King Shandor is dead?"
"As you wished."
She nodded, taking a sticky cake. "Good. You are unharmed?"
"Not a scratch."
"And the Prince?"
He smiled wryly. "A few bruises and cuts, nothing serious."
"I cannot imagine how you succeeded when all my men failed. They were the best I had, seasoned warriors who had distinguished themselves in battle many times to earn a place in the palace guard. Yet you…" She shook her head. "But no, I will not berate you, for you have done me a great service and I am most grateful."
"Killing King Shandor gave me a great deal of satisfaction. I am well compensated already."
"And yet, you did not need my sanction to assassinate the King. Had you truly wished it, you could have done so at any time, for you did not need my help either."
Blade's lips curved in a gentle smile. "The Guild of Assassins forbids me to kill without a client, otherwise we would be nothing more than common murderers."
She nodded, nibbling the cake. "I see. A sensible rule, for you are right, that is the only difference between assassins and murderers. Your profession places the blame on your client, not you. So, how many did I murder, other than the King?"
"Only two soldiers."
She eyed him. "I enquired about you, as you advised. Your reputation is certainly unequalled, it would appear. Four hundred is an impressive tally."
"It is a gross exaggeration. I do not keep count, but I have not killed that many men." He sipped his tea, keeping his gaze lowered.
"You have my sympathy for the loss of your family, Conash."
He glanced at her in surprise. "It seems your enquiries were quite thorough."
"They usually are. I found the details interesting, but full of mystery. Is it true that you were once beaten and left for dead in the streets?"
He frowned at his tea. "Yes."
"And will you tell me how you survived?"
He raised his eyes in a bold glance that warned her of his dislike of the topic. "A whore from a nearby brothel took me in and nursed me back to health."
The Queen smiled. "A kind lady."
"Yes." Blade looked away, his face expressionless.
Minna knew that his rescue had little to do with kindness, and wondered if the unfortunate woman had ever discovered the futility of her hopes. Aware of his discomfiture, she changed the subject.
"Your reward shall be as I stated. Your elevation of rank will take place at a ceremony tomorrow in the audience chamber. It must, of necessity, take place before the entire court. The witnesses make it official."
"Then I would rather forgo the title. The lands and riches will be sufficient reward."
The Queen shook her head, smiling at his reaction, which she had predicted. Blade, like all assassins, had learnt to shun publicity, and being the centre of attention in the royal court did not appeal to him. "I am afraid you must take the title. I insist."
He shot her an accusing look. "Would you turn my reward into an ordeal?"
"Come now, you are to retire soon. You need not hide from the public any longer. If you are afraid of retribution, your new rank will protect you, and having the Queen's favour will ensure your safety."
"I have your favour?"
"But of course." She laughed. "As well as my ear and high regard."
"Then will you tell me what you intend for the Prince?"
"Alas, I cannot just yet. But he is not destined for the gallows."
Blade snorted, scowling. "A pity. I would volunteer to kill him for nothing."
"You have grown to dislike him?"
"No. He is a far better man than his father was, but he is Cotti."
Minna-Satu regarded him sadly. "You have more to hate them for than the deaths of your family, do you not?"
"Yes." Blade put down his empty cup and rose to his feet, startling her.
She jumped up, annoyed. "Your manners have not improved. It is customary to wait for my permission to leave before doing so."
The assassin cast her a hard glance. "I will try to remember. For the moment, I am tired and hungry."
She sighed, waving a languid hand. "Very well, you may go."
He dropped to one knee and bowed his head. "My Queen."
Minna watched him walk to the doors and open them, revealing Chiana standing outside. As he passed her, she glanced at Minna, and at the Queen's nod, turned to show him to his quarters.
The rooms Chiana led Blade to did not resemble the one in which he had stayed for the first tenday. Whereas that had been a servant's room, these boasted all the comforts the palace could provide, including a trained manservant. Hangings woven by master craftsmen graced the walls, some of which were panelled with polished bloodwood whose fine-grained veneer glowed deep crimson in the lamplight, seamed and knotted with black. Embroidered black velvet curtains framed lead-paned windows that gave a view of the palace's side garden, where a grove of smoke trees' gauzy foliage blended with the mist.