Eight: What I Am Owed

I didn’t go back to the inn right away. Isabel was there, and though I didn’t spot anyone following me this time, I knew there had to be at least a couple of the prince’s people on my tail. I couldn’t risk leading them to her.

But I had to figure out how to shake them, and the only way I could do that was if ‘Darren’ miraculously disappeared into thin air.

So, after strolling around for a bit, I found myself in a quiet residential area right by a small river – the same river I had been planning to drown Ewan’s men in before.

I slipped between a couple houses, looked over my shoulder for prying eyes, and when I didn’t find any, I dove into the river, swimming with the current.

I was exceptionally good at holding my breath, and it was a solid five minutes before I resurfaced. With the river’s current pushing me along faster, I made it two or three miles away and only lifted my head above the surface a couple times. Unless any pursuers were on horseback, there was no chance they could keep up.

Before I left that morning, I had also made sure to steal Isabel’s magic dye remover. It was small enough to secret away into my pocket, and it was conveniently in a waterproof glass jar.

After quickly scrubbing the dye out of my eyebrows and hair in the river along with all the makeup, I slicked my wet hair back, wandered into a patch of woods near the riverside, and swiftly located a large flat rock surrounded by brush, pulling out a brown satchel with my usual clothes inside. I changed, stuffed ‘Darren’s’ clothes in the bag, hefted it over my shoulder, and strolled back into the city.

It felt good to be myself again. Luckily, I was naturally endowed with a very average looking face. Due to that, I was not only very good at blending in, I was also the perfect canvas for Isabel to work her magic.

I arrived at the inn half an hour later, and the moment I opened the door to my room, I was pounced upon.

“You idiot! You took so long, I thought I was really going to have to come get you,” Isabel scolded in my ear, tightly enveloping me in her arms. I sighed and patted her back.

“Have a little more faith in me. You know I’m good at getting myself out of sticky situations.”

She pulled back only to rabbit punch me in the stomach. It didn’t hurt, but it did surprise me, and I let out a puff of air and doubled over as if I’d really felt it to make her feel better.

“Ow! Is this how you treat a friend?”

“Only the stupid ones. Now tell me what happened – did they believe you?”

“I think so,” I said, tossing my satchel on the bed. “But I do have to switch inns, so you’ll have to go back home until I contact you with the new location. Oh – you’ll never guess who I met today.”

Isabel didn’t comment on switching inns – I did it every time I finished with another client, for both our safety. This time it was especially imperative that I vacate as soon as possible. Valentin had more than enough manpower to scour the city looking for ‘Darren’ and I couldn’t guarantee that no one had seen me in my disguise coming here.

“Who, the king?” Isabel snorted, moving to help me gather up my things. I didn’t have much, and very little of it was particularly personal to me. I never knew when I’d have to drop everything and run.

“Close! The prince.”

I kept packing, but I could hear that Isabel had stopped moving behind me. A second later, there was a harsh slap on my shoulder. I made a shocked face at her, like I couldn’t believe why she would hit me, but she was unfazed.

“What did you just say?” she said incredulously. “The prince? Prince Valentin? The vicious prince?” She hit me once for each moniker.

“That’s the one.”

“You met him? And you’re still alive?”

“I know. Miraculous, right? I guess I’m just that good.”

I quickly recounted everything that had happened. “I kind of wish I could see his face when ‘Darren’ doesn’t show up at the palace tomorrow. Even better if the princess fesses up and tells him it was her who paid me.”

Isabel slowly sank onto the bed, still processing it all and looking a little pale. “Why would anyone else pay you to do that?”

I shrugged, tossing a sachet of coins into my bags and closing them up, finally finished packing. “A real jealous suitor that didn’t want to get his hands dirty. Someone with political motivations that doesn’t want Ewan to marry into the royal family. There are a whole host of possible suspects. And Valentin didn’t really talk to his sister at all. Their relationship might not be great, so he’ll probably point the finger at anyone else before asking her if she really wanted to marry that pig. The only issue is that she cooperated with my act, so they’ll find out eventually, but that’s not my problem.”

“And the payment? Is she really going to pay you?”

“Only time will tell. If she is, I expect a letter with instructions tonight or early tomorrow. If not, I’ll lay low for a while and get my revenge somehow.”

Isabel shot me a warning look. “I swear to the gods if you – ”

“I’ll be careful. Honestly, I’ll probably just pay someone to leave a dead lizard in her bed or something. Nothing that can be traced back to me. Not with my master of disguises by my side,” I said, reaching over with one of her makeup brushes from the vanity and tickling the side of her face. She slapped it away and got up to chase me with her own brush.

As we were rough housing, there was a faint knock on the door. A quick glance through the peephole revealed Jeremy, one of my many messengers.

I had a network of people that delivered messages for me. Most of them only remained in my employ for a month or two at a time. I told them I was a businessman and paid them a few coins to deliver my correspondence, but to keep any of them from catching on to who I was, I let them go as soon as I could, usually after two or three clients. There were two faithful messengers who had been with me for years and knew who I was. Those two made first contact with clients who were searching for me, but all the rest were none the wiser. After this job, I would have to let them all go and start fresh with new messengers, including my loyal ones, which was a pain.

Although…if the princess really paid me, I wouldn’t have to do this anymore.

Ah, what bliss.

Jeremy handed me a sealed envelope with a smile, and I made sure to give him a few extra gold coins for the trouble before sending him off.

I quickly scanned the letter.

Match breaker, I haven’t forgotten what I owe you. There is a small forest path two miles outside the palace. My servant will be there with your fee at dawn.

The specific location is detailed below.

…Thank you.

-B

I waved the letter at Isabel triumphantly. “Ready to be rich?”

She snatched it and read it quickly. “Yes, but…are you sure it’s safe? If the prince really suspects you…”

“He doesn’t trust me, but that doesn’t mean he thinks I’m the match breaker. And besides, I know what to do if it’s a trap. Don’t worry so much.”

Isabel bit her lip, clearly still worrying about it.

I clasped her shoulder. “I’ll be fine,” I said softly. “One way or another.”

“Or you’ll be dead,” she whispered.

“Death is nothing to fear. Not for me. But regardless, it won’t come to that. Now head home, I’ll contact you tomorrow with your half.”

Still looking reluctant, Isabel gathered up her makeup and tools, casting me one last worried glance before leaving.

I was left alone in a silent room, my few possessions neatly packed in a bag on the bed. I’d even straightened everything up, so the room looked almost the same as when I’d first started renting it.

As if a ghost had been living here.

It wasn’t too far off.

I hefted my bag over my shoulder and left to find a new inn and wait for dawn.