“Whether they loved her or not is of no consequence to me. But they need not worry about vengeance. I’ll take responsibility for it,” James said.
Alvie believed him, the way he spoke. “You’ll strike against Hamel?” said Alvie. “There will be consequences, if I understand how your city functions.”
“I know the risks.”
It was on Alvie’s tongue to ask why only now, after the girl’s death, was James finally willing to go against the nobleman. But one look at the assassin’s face convinced him to keep the question to himself. “Why did you help her?” Alvie asked instead. “If you knew she’d likely fail?” He was careful not to inject any anger into his voice. The time for anger was past, and Alvie simply wanted to know.
James looked warily at Alvie, but seemed to sense that the trader meant no harm. “Risk is everywhere. Only the nobles have the luxury of a long easy life. Justice, vengeance, the ability to carve out your own fate instead of being herded like an animal. Sometimes it’s worth dying for.”
“I take it that you were close to Thalia, then?” Alvie asked.
“It doesn’t matter now.” That was probably as close a man like him would ever come to admitting love.
One of the horses neighed and they both looked to the sound, but there was no one else nearby. When the assassin turned back to their conversation, his tone was matter-of-fact.
“I’m afraid the city is too unstable now for our old plan,” said James. “If you can wait. . .”
Alvie waved away James’s concerns. “I’ve waited years. A few months won’t hurt.”
“I appreciate it. Though I do want some goods from you today.”
“Certainly.” Alvie turned to his wagons. “What’ll it be?”
“Lizard skin venom. Three vials.” Perhaps Alvie’s surprise showed, because James continued, “I understand you were bringing some for her.”
Alvie swung back toward the assassin, regarding him now with interest. “I do have a few vials, but it’s expensive.”
James palmed something from his belt pouch. “I trust this will be enough.”
There was just the slightest hesitation, a possessive last clench of the assassin’s fist before he opened his hand to reveal an exquisite gold chain. The craftsmanship was undeniable in the delicacy of the leaf-shaped links. James looked away as Alvie inspected it.
“This will be more than enough,” Alvie said. “And I can supply you with more, should you run out. Do you have much need for venoms?”
And suddenly there was a glint in James’s eye. “I do.”
Epilogue
IT happened quickly. The magistrates barely investigated the deaths because they involved the city’s lowlifes, violent criminals whose deaths were not widely mourned. But there were many. One night, eleven bodies were left by the river. Their faces were purple, their extremities gray. Poison.
When Lord Hamel heard the news, he flew into a rage. But then Hamel disappeared too. His bodyguards were discovered a few days later, throats cleanly slit. Hamel’s body, when it finally turned up, showed signs of a more lingering death, as drawn out as his bodyguards’ had been quick. A silver hairpin was carefully wedged under each of the nobleman’s fingernails.
Though Hamel was the only wallhugger to be harmed, other nobles also seemed out of sorts. More astute servants noted that these noblemen’s enemies were no longer terrorized by thugs. Whoever had been doing their dirty work was no longer in their employ.
After a few weeks, the violence died down, and the city returned to normal. Better than normal, in fact. Crime in the city plummeted. Red Shields were no longer called on as often to enforce the law. And as the Palace officials each tried to take the credit for this turn of fortune, they were unaware of the rumors circling in the taverns that a new leader had taken over the Assassins Guild, who had defeated his rivals so soundly that none remained. Those whispers circulated in the city, unnoticed by the Palace, for a very long time.
Note from Livia
THANK you for taking the time to read Poison Dance! I hope you enjoyed it. If you did, I hope you will:
1. Write an online review. They really help get the word out about the book!
2. Check out Midnight Thief. James was originally conceived as a key character in my young adult novel Midnight Thief. You can read the first chapter on the next page.
3. Join my mailing list. I keep a low volume mailing list to let people know about new releases and special sales. You can sign up at http://liviablackburne.com.
For more Poison Dance related tidbits, I’ve posted some deleted scenes (including James getting his revenge on Hamel and Gerred) and behind-the-scenes blog posts at http://liviablackburne.com. Or, if you’re reading the paperback version, just go to the end of the book.
Midnight Thief Excerpt