Free Two-Faced (Assassin at Court Series Book 1) by Nia Davenport

cheeks heated. I was not used to being the center of attention. I tried to usher Charlize and Rosemary out and Emily to bed, but none of them would hear of it. They kept me up for hours with talk of Princes and weddings. I was not used to having girlfriends. I admit it felt sort of nice. The three of them were an endless, perky collection of excited chatter. I grew tired long before they did. I convinced them to disperse by finally agreeing to them being my ladies-in-waiting if I married the Prince. It is not lost on me that I lied for the second time that night. The Prince and I were not getting married. Common girls turned assassins did not marry royalty.

Chapter 20
     
    B reakfast the next morning consisted of an assortment of fruits, breads, and juices. I almost groaned when I bit into the warm loaf of freshly baked, honey-glazed bread. Delicious food had come to be like frilly dresses were to me. A luxury I overindulged in to make up for years of going without it. I suspected Zander had picked up on my love of food.
    Every morning we met for breakfast, the crystal and gold inlaid table in the garden was decorated with a plethora of delicious treats. It was admittedly more than two people could eat. I sometimes wondered where it went after the servants cleared it away. Did they dispose of it or give it away? I guiltily thought about all of the food that was cleared from our table. It would be such a shame if they simply threw it out with the trash. There were thousands of Common People in the cities that neighbored Pleith who would appreciate it. I told Zander as much over breakfast. He admitted not knowing what the servants did with it, but vowed that he would direct them to package it up and deliver it to the nearby cities. The Common People in Pleith probably did not need it as much. Most of them served in the royal army or worked directly for the palace. Thus, they earned better wages than their counterparts across Anthame.
    “Are you going to tell me where you learned to bring a grown man to his knees?” Zander eyed me curiously once we finished our breakfast.
    His expression was approving rather than condemning, which spoke volumes about how evolved his thinking was compared to most men in Anthame. Learning to fight, even in self-defense, was not proper behavior for a lady.
    “My brother,” I half lied, half told him the truth. My brother had taught me basic self-defense skills in addition to our archery lessons as a young girl. But even he would be appalled by my actions in the tavern the previous night. The Assassin’s Guild was responsible for the weight of my skills. From the moment I agreed to Samael’s offer, he brutally trained me day and night until I was a well-honed lethal blade. He kicked my ass and left all sorts of bruises littering my body, but it was a welcomed assault. I was willing to do whatever it took to make sure I would never be vulnerable at the hands of a man again. Now, I could take out a group twice as large as the trio that attacked me with one hand tied behind my back.
    Our conversation steered toward the competition. Zander warned me that the next trial would be a confirmation hearing. Each of the remaining thirty girls would be called before the High Council, made up of the King, the High Nobles that directly advised him and Zander himself. The Queen would also be in attendance to judge the girls. From what he explained, it was basically one large bully session. We would be attacked with questions about secrets and scandals they had dug up relating to our Houses. Zander told me about the trial so that I would be prepared for it ahead of time. Anthame law required that the High Council confirm any bride the Heir of the House of Roth selected as a suitable future Queen. Zander could marry whomever he chose, but unless she was confirmed by the High Council, she would never be Queen.
    Our conversation had steered into deep waters. He was making his intentions to select me as