Free The Assassin Princess (The Legacy Novels Book 1) by Blake Rivers Page A

wanted to be here, to be dangerous . The dark corners of the room began to vibrate and shake, slips of light appearing behind the scenes of Adam’s control.
    Far away, a melody passed beneath a storm.
    Adam reached up and touched her chin, his finger icy cold. “Why do I want you? Why haven’t I killed you?” His eyes flashed, and within them Ami saw tiny green flames in the dark pupils, flames that lit and burned like fields of fire. “It would be easy, you know. It would be so easy for me. I have the power and the strength, and let’s face it, you haven’t been a very good sister to me—you never write, you never call—I could destroy you in an instant.”
    Ami wasn’t so sure, though her confidence was a mystery to her.
    “But I have a reason, dear sister,” he continued, whispering gently and caressing her cheek, “and it’s simply this: I know you want to help me. I know you want to help me take Legacy.” Ami flinched as more green flame passed from him. “Once you’ve helped me? You can go back home, because we both know that you’re no leader of people , you’re no Princess of Legacy , no.” Another wave of flame licked her skin. He stroked it across her cheek, down her neck, where it burned cool as it penetrated her. She felt ill with it.
    “I am the princess,” she said, her voice weak and slurred, her eyes blurring as they stared into his. “I was told I was.”
    “Oh you are,” he said, smoothing he hair behind her ear. “You are the princess, but you don’t want to be.” Ami felt more flames dance through her hair, tumbling down her back. “You only want to help me . Don’t worry, I’ll show you how you can help. I’ll teach you, train you, and then you can enter Legacy as its princess, and then you can let me back in.”
    Dangerous writhed beneath the surface, though her cries and calls were mute as Ami’s strength left her. Things seemed so clear now. She’d never wanted any of this anyway, so why not go home? It’s what she wanted. To wake up.
    A call, a push, a struggle deep within. Dangerous .
    Adam took her hands in his, the green flames burning high and without pain. “You want to help me, don’t you, Ami?”
    And she did, yes. She nodded. Why not do as he wished? Then she could go home where she’d be safe again, normal again; she could forget paintings of dreams she couldn’t remember, and give up those wild ideas of other worlds and magical beings and—
    A flicker of purple flashed behind her eyes as Dangerous found her footing again, though she was trapped in Adam’s swoon still, and feeling weaker by the second.
    “You’ll battle through the gates,” he said, “and kill everyone you meet. You’ll climb the shadows and enter the castle that would be your home and prison. You’ll take the land and claim it as your own, and who could stop you? No one.” Adam sneered, his hands clasping her wrists, bolts of fire shooting up her arms. Her veins burned. “Then open the way for me through the layers, and I shall rule in your stead! I shall rule those that should be under me, those that our father loved more than me!”
    “Yes,” she heard herself say. “I will, I want that.” And Ami knew that she did. She wanted to take the land, yes, kill everyone, yes, and break them all, leaving Adam to rule.
    He slid his hands up her arms, the fire spreading all over her body. She felt dizzy, sick, her eyes burning in his, eyes that were fiery emeralds. What was happening to her? The sickness spread and her limbs became weak and compliant.
    Dangerous closed her fist on the rose in her palm and the thorns slid into her flesh. Blood dripped down her fingers and the pain shot through her, feeling good and clean—she felt awake, the haze lifting, the scales tipping.
    She pushed Adam’s chest and purple fire shot from her palms, throwing him back against the wall that billowed out and tore like paper. The stage was beginning to fall, the room moving, phasing. Ami watched