Born of Ice

Defiant.

There was something about the woman in the picture that seemed cold and deadly. Even though she was leaning against a younger Devyn and smiling, there was something about her that wasn’t right. She looked too calculating and icy. As if she were only interested in what she could take from the world.

Alix handed the photo back to Zarina. “Who is she?”

“Clotilde Renier.”

“She’s beautiful.”

“And you’re a dead ringer for her.”

Alix shook her head in denial. “Not quite. I’ve never looked like that. For one thing, I’m pretty sure I was born in more clothes than she’s wearing in that picture.” She returned to eating her dessert. “Is she Devyn’s girlfriend?”

“She was his fiancée.”

She paused at the way Zarina had said that. “Was?”

“He killed her.”

Alix felt the color fade from her face at the deadly note in Zarina’s voice. She’d known Devyn was lethal, but to kill his own fiancée?

He’s going to rip you to shreds . . .

“He did what?”

Zarina waved her fear away. “Relax. It was justified.”

Only an assassin’s daughter could think that. “How is killing your fiancée justified?”

Zarina returned the MVM player to her bag. “She tried to kill him first and almost succeeded. In the beginning of her attack, Devyn refused to fight her, but she gave him no choice. Had he not killed her, she would have killed him.”

Alix couldn’t breathe as that reality slammed into her. Had Merjack known that? What the hell had he been thinking by sending her in to frame Devyn when he’d killed the woman she resembled?

You are so screwed . . .

And Merjack was a first-rank troll to do something so cruel.

Zarina patted her hand. “Don’t look so scared.”

If the woman only knew why she was so terrified.

“It really is all right. I just wanted you to see what you could look like if you wanted to.”

“Yeah, well, I think I’d rather look like me and not have Captain Kell go bended and slaughter me during some psychotic episode where he thinks I’m her.”

Was Zarina nuts trying to put them together? It was a wonder Devyn had even let her near his ship, never mind his body.

She shook her head. “Alix, you are hopeless.”

“Not hopeless. I just know the rules, and men like Captain Kell don’t involve themselves with women like me.” On many, many levels.

“And renowned dancers don’t marry outlawed League assassins. Yet here I am, the daughter of the most unlikely couple in the universe. Second only to maybe Dev’s parents.” She gave her a hard stare. “I believe in the impossible. It happens every day.”

“And I believe in reality.”

“Reality is boring.”

No, it wasn’t. It was dangerous and scary. But Alix didn’t try to contradict her as she finished up her ice cream. Honestly, she just wanted to get back and finish this so that she could see her mother and sister again.

Zarina gave her a reprieve while she waved at someone sitting at another table.

Alix frowned as she turned to see two big, burly men not far from them. “What are you doing?”

“Acknowledging my bodyguards.”

Now she was completely confused. “I thought Sphinx was your bodyguard?”

“You mean Strife. And no . . . he was tailing me per my brother’s orders to keep me out of trouble.”

“Isn’t that what bodyguards do?”

“No. My bodyguards don’t interfere with what I want to do. They just make sure no one bothers me. The appropriately named Strife, on the other hand, is a major buzz kill since he’s always terminating whatever fun I find. In turn, I abuse him for it.”

“That’s really messed up.”

“Tell me about it.” Zarina pushed her chair back. “I have to go to the ladies’ room. I’ll be right back.”

Alix didn’t move as she saw the two men fall in line to follow after Zarina.

Wow. How had she missed them? But then, she didn’t normally pay attention to things like that.

Maybe she should.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

She jumped at the deep, unfamiliar voice in her ear. “Excuse me?”

Even though the man was at least twenty years older than her, he was unbelievably handsome with sharp features and a lean build. His dark hair fell across a pair of icy hazel eyes. “Merjack put you on orders that didn’t include lunching with a spoiled princess and living a life well above your putrid station.”

Her blood ran cold at his angry words. How did he know about that? “Who are you?”

He flashed a Ritadarion investigator’s shield at her. “Lieutenant Paden Whelms. And I’m your contact until you finish your mission.”

She scowled at him as he tucked the badge away. “I don’t understand.”

He leaned down to snarl at her. “Merjack can’t leave his post, nor can he be seen communicating with a slave. But as his agent, I’m able to keep my sights on you. Have you found anything we can use?”