Assassin (Book 1)

TEN

Lance was waiting for me by the time I returned to my chambers. "What made you do that?"

I froze, my hand still rested on the doorknob. His arms were crossed over his chest. He kept me under his steady gaze.

"What?"

"I don't know anything about you," he narrowed his eyes. "The way you spoke out today makes it look like you might not be a lowly servant after all."

"Well, we all have our secrets, don't we?" I said bluntly, still standing there, my heart pace quickening.

"Secrets?" he repeated. Lance stood up, brushing his brown bangs out of his eyes and walking towards me. He stopped barely inches from my face. "What secrets do you hold?"

Holding my ground under his gaze, I stared back into his green eyes, unmoving. "Don't tell me you don't have any."

His dark green eyes were looking for something. A sign or a hint that I wasn't who I said I was. He'd suspected me before, and there was no reason for him not to suspect me now.

"You're right. We do," was all he said, trying to get me to speak. "But it depends on the weight of the secret. Big or small? Important or unworthy?"

"It depends on the person," I said, my eyes narrowing.

"True," he nodded, "but it also depends on the people that can be affected by it."

"That makes sense," I agreed, gripping the doorknob with such force my knuckles turned white. I glanced down at my fingers and my brain started coming up with escape routes. Window. Door. One blow to the head could knock him out.

Finally, he backed away, and I sagged against the door, letting out a deep breath I realized I'd been holding.

"I know Clarice is wrong about you," he said with a smile that almost made me fall to my knees in relief.

My hand slipped off the doorknob as I relaxed.

"Lorelle's mother?"

He pursed his lips and nodded. "You acted quite senseless." I was about to snap at him, but he grinned and I paused, waiting for him to finish. "And brave for standing up to her like that today. You know," he added, his shoulders relaxing as he watched me, "We don't always agree with what she decides. Usually Lorelle doesn't like it either, but what can she really say?"

"Well I'm glad I brought some sense into everyone's thick heads," I said with a nod, and Lance laughed.

"I'm glad you did too." I made my way to my bed and sat down, untying my boots. "You're wearing a dress today?" he said, surprise in him voice.

I raised an eyebrow. "Did you not know I was a girl?"

Color flooded his cheeks. "Never realized it." I frowned. "You know what I did realize?" he asked, coming to sit beside me, "You keep to yourself a lot—unlike other girls who have half of themselves here and half on the other side of town. I mean. . ." He looked flustered. "Everyone knows about them. But you're different."

"Well I'm not like other girls, am I?" I said with a shrug, kicking off my shoes. "Say whatever you need to say. I won't scream at you or throw you out of my chambers if you offend me."

His shoulders sagged with relief. "Right. Because you're not like other girls." A smile tugged at the corners of his lips. We were quiet for a few seconds, before Lance spoke up again. "You seem to be bored here." suddenly, a wicked smile spread across his perfect face.

"What?" I felt myself inching back, unaware of the thoughts that had just crossed his mind.

"Would you like a job?"