soldier."
They walked past, but the sentry followed. "You should stay in the camp, Highness, it's not safe -"
"I shall do as I please," Kerrion asserted.
"But My Prince..."
Blade stopped the Prince and turned to smile at the soldier. "Would you spoil our fun, sir?"
The sentry shot him a confused glance, then addressed the Prince. "You must take a guard, My Lord."
Blade laid a hand on Kerrion's chest, making him shudder. "I have persuaded his Highness to experience the joys of making love in the sand, under the silvery moon. We would enjoy it more, I think, without any prying eyes."
The soldier scowled, his concern for his Prince clearly warring with the seductive innocence of Blade's smile. "The safety of the Prince is more important -"
"Soldier," Kerrion interrupted, "I wish to be left alone. The desert is empty for miles, and I shall be no more than a few hundred paces away. You are not to follow us, understand?"
The sentry saluted and stepped back. Blade silently congratulated Prince Kerrion, and twisted the dagger a little to remind him of who was in charge. The Prince nodded to the guard, and they walked on, leaving the man gazing after them.
Blade walked parallel to the mountains, leading the Prince into the gentle swells of the dunes, a moon-silvered sea of sharp-edged, undulating shadows. The sentry stood at the edge of the camp and watched them with a deep frown of uncertainty and concern. Blade wondered if he would have the initiative to call an officer, and glanced back several times to ensure that the soldier was not following, but he stayed where he was, gazing after them. When a dune hid them from the watchful sentry, Blade turned towards the mountains.
"You will not get away with this," the Prince snarled.
"Be quiet."
"The men know I do not lie with whores."
Blade jabbed the dagger a little deeper into the wound, making Kerrion grunt.
The Prince said, "Within a time-glass, they will come to search for me."
"They will not find you." Blade stopped and released his captive, turning to face him. He pulled two leather thongs from his bodice and used one to tie Kerrion's hands behind his back, the other as a leash around the Prince's neck. Tugging him forward, Blade set off at a trot, holding the skirt up to free his legs. Kerrion cursed vilely as he was dragged along, the thong digging into his neck. The deep sand dragged at Blade's feet, invaded the flimsy woman's sandals and made the straps cut into his ankles. The Prince stumbled after him, his bound arms and the constant tugging of the leash throwing him off balance.
Much as he enjoyed Kerrion's discomfort, Blade was glad to reach the stony ground at the foothills of the looming grey Endine Mountains. After a pause to find his bearings, he dragged the Prince up the sloping rocks to the cave. Inside, he pushed Kerrion ahead, sending him reeling into the darkness, where he flopped down. The Prince was right that Cotti soldiers would soon give chase, and since there was no way to hide their tracks, Blade knew he must take the Prince over the mountains with all haste. The Cotti would lose the trail in the stony foothills, so it was unlikely that they would find the cave. Nevertheless, the assassin wanted to be far away before they reached the mountains. Blade groped for the packs and struck flint to light a torch, then removed the sandals and stripped off the woman's clothes and baubles. His careful disguise, which had taken him time-glasses to don, was almost gone in a few moments. Kerrion stared at him with wide, incredulous eyes.
"You are a man!"
"Surely you jest?" Blade said. "Did you really still think me a woman?"
"You certainly…” The Prince shook his head. "My father will hunt you down, no matter where you go."
"Your father is dead."
Kerrion gaped at him. "You killed him."
"With a great deal of pleasure. As for being hunted down, will your men find you in the Queen's palace, do you think?"
"My brother will send men to rescue
They walked past, but the sentry followed. "You should stay in the camp, Highness, it's not safe -"
"I shall do as I please," Kerrion asserted.
"But My Prince..."
Blade stopped the Prince and turned to smile at the soldier. "Would you spoil our fun, sir?"
The sentry shot him a confused glance, then addressed the Prince. "You must take a guard, My Lord."
Blade laid a hand on Kerrion's chest, making him shudder. "I have persuaded his Highness to experience the joys of making love in the sand, under the silvery moon. We would enjoy it more, I think, without any prying eyes."
The soldier scowled, his concern for his Prince clearly warring with the seductive innocence of Blade's smile. "The safety of the Prince is more important -"
"Soldier," Kerrion interrupted, "I wish to be left alone. The desert is empty for miles, and I shall be no more than a few hundred paces away. You are not to follow us, understand?"
The sentry saluted and stepped back. Blade silently congratulated Prince Kerrion, and twisted the dagger a little to remind him of who was in charge. The Prince nodded to the guard, and they walked on, leaving the man gazing after them.
Blade walked parallel to the mountains, leading the Prince into the gentle swells of the dunes, a moon-silvered sea of sharp-edged, undulating shadows. The sentry stood at the edge of the camp and watched them with a deep frown of uncertainty and concern. Blade wondered if he would have the initiative to call an officer, and glanced back several times to ensure that the soldier was not following, but he stayed where he was, gazing after them. When a dune hid them from the watchful sentry, Blade turned towards the mountains.
"You will not get away with this," the Prince snarled.
"Be quiet."
"The men know I do not lie with whores."
Blade jabbed the dagger a little deeper into the wound, making Kerrion grunt.
The Prince said, "Within a time-glass, they will come to search for me."
"They will not find you." Blade stopped and released his captive, turning to face him. He pulled two leather thongs from his bodice and used one to tie Kerrion's hands behind his back, the other as a leash around the Prince's neck. Tugging him forward, Blade set off at a trot, holding the skirt up to free his legs. Kerrion cursed vilely as he was dragged along, the thong digging into his neck. The deep sand dragged at Blade's feet, invaded the flimsy woman's sandals and made the straps cut into his ankles. The Prince stumbled after him, his bound arms and the constant tugging of the leash throwing him off balance.
Much as he enjoyed Kerrion's discomfort, Blade was glad to reach the stony ground at the foothills of the looming grey Endine Mountains. After a pause to find his bearings, he dragged the Prince up the sloping rocks to the cave. Inside, he pushed Kerrion ahead, sending him reeling into the darkness, where he flopped down. The Prince was right that Cotti soldiers would soon give chase, and since there was no way to hide their tracks, Blade knew he must take the Prince over the mountains with all haste. The Cotti would lose the trail in the stony foothills, so it was unlikely that they would find the cave. Nevertheless, the assassin wanted to be far away before they reached the mountains. Blade groped for the packs and struck flint to light a torch, then removed the sandals and stripped off the woman's clothes and baubles. His careful disguise, which had taken him time-glasses to don, was almost gone in a few moments. Kerrion stared at him with wide, incredulous eyes.
"You are a man!"
"Surely you jest?" Blade said. "Did you really still think me a woman?"
"You certainly…” The Prince shook his head. "My father will hunt you down, no matter where you go."
"Your father is dead."
Kerrion gaped at him. "You killed him."
"With a great deal of pleasure. As for being hunted down, will your men find you in the Queen's palace, do you think?"
"My brother will send men to rescue
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