This was shaping up to be the longest night in Nikolai’s life.

The ice prince dragged a tired hand across his face. “You really take me for a fool.” His eyes were cool as they regarded Faye. “Did you think a false love confession would distract me?” As he moved, part of his tunic lowered, revealing the bandages wrapping his injured shoulder.

Faye frowned.

It was a harsh reminder of the other battle Nikolai had fought with his bother, only a few hours ago.

“It was not false,” Faye’s expression fell. She wanted to slap herself silly. The confession had bubbled out of her and it was too late to rescind her words. “I am not trying to deceive you.”

“Before I may even have believed you. But after tonight, I see the truth.” Nikolai looked disappointed. It was as if she had insulted him rather than bare her heart. Faye crossed her arms.

“Who are you to dictate if my feelings are true or false!” Faye had never been in love before but she found Nikolai’s doubt insulting. Was this not how the bards’ songs wrote it to be? It was certainly unlike any of the raunchier love stories her brothers had whispered or the scrolls she had seen hidden in her soldiers’ belongings. Even if it was different, it did not make it untrue. Faye had never done things the normal way.

Nikolai shook his head. “Enough.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Please leave, Faye. I cannot deal with this tonight.” The ice prince did not have any fight left within him. Anger was an ugly emotion. The mention of love had irritation bubbling in his guts. As he moved, his injured shoulder stung at the movement.

Love was sacred, his mother had whispered into his young ears. As a boy, he had thought love was his family, and then he thought, it might be Asinara. You must try the many before you find the one, his elder brother would jest. But love meant nothing, he had learned. His father loved the first queen, but that did not stop him from falling for another. Love did not save his mother or brother. Love had not saved the orphans and widows in Feldgrau after the Great War. Even if her words were true, Faye’s love guaranteed nothing.

Nikolai wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it. The gods were mocking him. He never wished for love. Marriage was a duty and weapon. A vow he intended to honor and serve his house with, but never expected much more from.

He shut his eyes.

What use was love if all it seemed to bring was pain?

Faye stared at him expectantly.

“What do you know of love, Faye?” asked Nikolai.

The Raven General was sure to have many admirers. Men who would fall to their feet just to be in her presence. Faye was a princess of Wenge. She should have had her pick of suitors to find one that truly adored her, gifting her anything she desired. One who was able to support her ambitions, proudly standing by her side.

Nikolai would never be that. He was sorry to disappoint her.

Blue eyes hardened. “Love is not something to be proud of.”

Faye opened her mouth to retort, anger twisting her bright features.

Suddenly, her face paled. The general winced. A hand flew up to clutch at her injured soldier. The bleeding had only slowed but not stopped.

Nikolai froze as he realized why. The dual blades the assassin had wielded… they were poisoned. He stepped forward, hand outstretched.

Faye’s brows furrowed as she came to the same conclusion. “The blades,” she murmured. Then, her eyes rolled back, fluttering closed. The young woman’s sword clattered to the ground as she pitched forward.

Before she could hit the ground, a figure dropped down from the ceiling. The form caught the Raven General gently into their arms.

The unconscious general’s tan skin was pale and sweaty. The figure lowered themselves, cradling the young woman’s head. Faye’s eyelids fluttered, but she did not wake.

“Unhand her,” warned a cold voice. Ice blue eyes glared at the figure. “Who are you?”

Nikolai tensed, trying to think of his next move. Another assassin? The Lord of Feldgrau hesitated. Calling for guards might provoke the mystery person.

But when the figure lifted their head, Nikolai stilled. It was a face he recognized.

“Bian,” he breathed. Realization struck him. He stared at the careful way the boy held the Raven General. That was not how someone would hug their enemy. It was a hold of reverence and respect. “Faye is your master. You were her spy all along.”

Bian nodded, acknowledging the claim. The boy straightened easily despite the weight in his arms. His usual stoic brows were pinched with worry.

Nikolai studied the boy. “That time you told me to protect,” he shook his head as it came together. “It was never for me.” The ice prince nodded toward the unconscious Raven General. “But for her.”

The boy’s protective hold tightened.

Bian stared at the Lord of Feldgrau. In the time he had served him, the Belge heir had come to a slight understanding of the ice prince.

Still carrying, Faye, Bian knelt in front of the man. He cleared his throat painfully. “Please,” he croaked, voice raspy with disuse. It was an unnatural sound, forced out through desperation. Bian continued, despite the pain. It felt like his throat was being ripped to shreds as he willed himself to make out the words. “Hi-Help, her.”

---

Dark eyes snapped open. Rewanna grimaced as the maid squeezed too hard.

At the queen’s glare, the girl murmured apologies but continued massaging the woman’s tense shoulders. She had since learned better than to stop.

The queen scowled. Finally, she addressed the bearded man kneeling before her.

“Well, what news do you have?” She sniffed, “Any updates on the Lord of Feldgrau?”

The bearded man reluctantly shook his head. “I’m afraid not, my queen.”

Rewanna rolled her eyes. “So much for the King’s Hounds. I thought I would be dealing with professionals,” she brushed her long hair back. “Yet I spend all my time explaining how you should do your jobs.”

The bearded man kept his head lowered and said nothing. It was not in his nature to argue such things.

The King’s Hounds were Eburean’s royal secret weapons. They were the shadows that collected information in the dark and committed the less moral acts of keeping the kingdom’s peace. But most importantly, they were steadfastly loyal to the reigning monarch.

Although the people knew of the King’s Hounds, few could recognize them. They were made up of men and women of many talents, all used in service to the crown. Selected as children, they were taken in and taught the many arts.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Throughout Eburean’s history, the Hounds had been used as the royal family’s first and last retort.

The bearded man was the current captain of the King’s Hounds. He knew their code better than most having proved his skills throughout his years of service. “Well, Hound?” The loyal servants were never referred to by name. Their titles were stripped away when they entered the service. The anonymity was both an insurance in case of capture and a harsh reminder of their vows to live celibately as servants for the crown.

However, unknown to the royal family, that did not stop the Hounds from picking their own names and forming secret families outside the castle walls. They were only human after all. And the current captain, having his own family, was more than happy to turn a blind eye so long as it did not affect their work. Although it would never be acknowledged publicly, the bearded man referred to himself as Eryck, the name his lovely partner had picked for him.

“My queen, I do have some good news,” announced the bearded man. “Your shipment of supplies were delivered and struck from the revenue records.” Under his facade of everlasting loyalty, Eryck scowled. This was the part of his job he hated the most. He could only cry in his heart as the queen and her allies greedily stole from the castle and people for their own goals, then demanded higher taxes to make up for the loss.

Rewanna sat up. The massaging maid backed away. She exited the room silently, closing the doors behind herself.

The queen smiled wide. “Now that is good news.” She tapped her finger against her chair. “And what have they offered in return for my gracious gift?”

The captain lifted his head. “They have not responded yet, my queen.” Sensing her shift as a displeased frown grew on her face, Eyrck hurried to add. “But there is another good news.”

“Well hurry and spit it out. Do you think I have all day to waste with you?” snapped Rewanna.

Eryck sighed in his heart and apologized to the poor prince. “We have found the lady that Lord Nikolai has been visiting, my queen.” He pulled a scroll with the image of a beautiful maiden and offered it to the queen. “She is an artist courtesan at the Lucky Charm.”

The queen snatched the scroll for herself. Her dark eyes studied the image with great interest. The maiden was indeed beautiful. Glee filled her heart. The people laughed at her son but their precious ice prince was no better. Not even the haughty bastard was able to resist charm and beauty.

It was time to see what the Lord of Feldgrau was up to.

“Perfect,” she smiled. “Set up a meeting. I would like to meet this courtesan my son has been seeing.”

The Hound lowered his head and pressed a hand to his heart. “Of course, my queen.”

—

At Bian’s request, Nikolai was silent. Suddenly, their positions were reversed. The tables had turned.

Now, it was Faye’s life on the line. With evidence of the assassin’s blade and the soup that used poison from Wenge, Nikolai would not face much scrutiny in the investigations if the Raven General passed from her wounds.

The greatest fear was retaliation from Wenge, but Faye herself had admitted that Fadye did not seek war. The chieftain had many sons who could still inherit his chiefdom. With clear evidence that it was not Nikolai who caused her death, would Wenge really attack Eburean?

Bian’s heart thundered for his savior’s fate. He worried while the Raven General could not.

“Help her?” asked Nikolai. With the passing of the Raven General, the Lord of Feldgrau would be allowed to take on another wife, particularly one with a better standing at court. His proverbial leash from Rewanna would be cut off and their plans would be able to resume without delay.

The boy nodded. Despite his prowress in espionage, Bian was only one person. He would not be able to fight his way out of the Prince’s Residence with the Raven General unconscious and unable to defend herself.

The boy stared at the ice prince’s cold eyes.

There was no reason for Nikolai to help them.

Bian lowered his beloved general onto the floor gently. The boy knelt and pressed his head to the floor. He kept still, holding the position.

There was an exhale. “What are you doing, Bian?”

The boy did not dare lift his head.

Nikolai yanked the boy up. “We do not have much time.”

Bian stared up at the lord in shock.

Nikolai scooped up the Raven General. Faye was lighter than expected. She turned her face towards him, nestling into the warmth. The lord glanced down at her. He noted the spasms in her muscles and eyed the green bruises surrounding the wound. “You have my permission to gather what you must and heal her.”

Pale and sweaty, the vibrant woman suddenly looked fragile. He tried to keep a steady hold so as not to jostle her. The look did not suit the young woman at all. “There is a healer named Jonathan down the hall from here, you may ask of him what you must. Have him assist you.”

Bian stiffened. He dared not to move for fear that the ice prince might rescind his help.

Nikolai approached his bed. Part of him wondered if this was an act. He half-expected her to bounce up and laugh at him before bounding away. He lowered Faye onto the soft mattress. Despite their animosity, Nikolai would summon Cristin and ask for his expertise as well.

Faye had saved him twice tonight while he had only saved Wenge once. Now, they would be even.

The Lord of Feldgrau got up to his feet, leaving the two. He reached for the door.

Bian stared wide-eyed at the ice prince, glancing between him and the Raven General.

“When Faye wakes,” Nikolai’s voice was emotionless. “Tell her that my debts have been paid.”

The doors closed softly behind him.

---

As a man walked down the streets, face half-covered, many of the commoners walking by pointed and whispered to one another.

One girl patted her mother excitedly. “It’s the ice prince!”

The mother hushed her, but sneaked a glance and blushed. Was it really royalty?

Similar sentiments echoed in the conversation of other passerby’s.

A small smile lifted on the man’s face. This was the best job ever! He basked in the whispers and sneaky glances.

Smirking, he approached the infamous Lucky Charm with the lazy swagger of a familiar patron. The lantern’s red glow washed over him and he shivered in delight and anticipation. As the man entered the foyer, beautiful women gathered and delicious scents and music filled his senses.

Lady Athena herself, the matron of the infamous establishment, approached. Her walk was elegant and dainty, but a wide smile graced her lips.

The other patrons looked up curiously. The matron only ever greeted the most esteemed of guests. Lady Athen smiled daintily, greeting the man. “My lord, Lady Elody awaits you.”

“Wonderful!” smiled the man. He held out a hand and the different courtesans began flocking to him. They eagerly held onto his arm, leading him to his private room. The man always tipped well.

With a face that looked eerily similar to the second prince, but with a lecherous smile that would never be found on the aforementioned man’s face, the stranger laughed, “Who’s ready for some fun?”

—

Nikolai’s brows furrowed. Throughout the halls, he thought he could smell the faint scent of smoke. The lord’s eyes narrowed. Where were all his guards? Even the extra guards that Abby had stationed were missing from their posts. He hastened his pace as the scent grew stronger. This was not a faint memory of a dream but a very real smell.

The Lord of Feldgrau hurried down the hall to reach Darcy and Cristin’s rooms.

“My lord!”

Cristin turned the hall and ran towards the ice prince, eyes wide. He held a cloth to his face. Ash marred his face. “What are you doing here?”

Nikolai studied the other’s disheveled form. “What is happening?”

“How did you sleep through all of this, my liege?” Cristin coughed and gestured for his lord to follow him towards the opened balcony with fresh air.

The open terrace blew in the smell of smoke.

With a shared look, the two ran towards the balcony. Nikolai’s eyes widened.

Below, the guards ran around like ants. Some servants drew buckets of water from the well while others hurried to hand it off to those attempting to douse the fire. Darcy led the charge, directing his men back and forth.

Smoke rose into the night sky and the amber glow could be seen from far away.

A wing of the residence was on fire!

Cristin sighed, exhausted. He leaned against the banister. “I really do not understand how you slept through this.”

He only received a slap to the back of his head for his troubles.

Nikolai watched. The flames began to die and the fire seemed to weaken. “Cristin, I need you to catch me an assassin.”

Cristin’s head snapped over.

“A what?”