Spy to Die For (Assassins Guild) by Kris DeLake Read Free Book Online Page A

mistakes would cost too much—either she would lose her life or she would lose her freedom, at least for another few years. She worried about that more than dying; she’d either be imprisoned, or demoted within the Guild and forced to stay there.
    Jack had stopped just outside the Starcatcher. He looked a little lost. Was he searching for her?
    She took a deep breath and made herself look away from him. What he thought no longer mattered. She was done with him. She had to be.
    She focused on Liora. A beer sat in front of her, untouched. Then a man put his hand on her back in a familiar way as he sat across from her. He grinned as if he knew her—and he must have, because Liora hadn’t jumped when he touched her. Nor had she reacted in any other way.
    He was slight with scruffy brown hair, and a jacket that he kept pulled around him. Among the shady characters who made their way around Krell, he looked shadier than usual. Or maybe Skye just thought that because he was with Liora.
    Skye hoped Liora would continue to disregard protocol. Because if she did, then Skye could find out what was happening. She had an enhancement that allowed her to focus her hearing the way she could focus her vision. But the Assassins Guild had jammers that blocked such equipment.
    Apparently Liora wasn’t using her jammer, because her voice became stronger as Skye focused on it.
    “You’re late,” Liora said to the man.
    He shrugged. “I didn’t think you cared.”
    “My time is precious,” she said.
    Skye frowned. She’d never heard an assassin have a conversation like this, but then, maybe Liora was playing a role to get close to this guy. Although why she would need role-playing was beyond Skye. If this guy was the target, he’d be pretty easy to take out.
    Maybe he was supposed to lead her to the target.
    “There are things about this job that make it difficult,” Liora said.
    Skye twirled the straw in her fizzy drink, keeping her head down, but listening closely. She had no idea what was going on, but she didn’t like it.
    “You are the third in line,” Liora said. “I’ll reserve your time, but there’s a good chance that we won’t need your services at all.”
    “I find it ironic that you’re even talking to me,” the guy said.
    “If you don’t want the work—”
    “Oh, it’s interesting,” he said. “I’m all in. My team is all in. Just let us know when you need us.”
    “ If we need you,” Liora said. “Give me an account to send the information. I’d rather not discuss the rest of this in person.”
    The man chuckled. “And here I thought sending it would be dicier.”
    “No one will know who the job came from except you,” Liora said. “And the payment will go through so many accounts that even the best accountant couldn’t track it.”
    Skye felt cold. What was going on? She wanted to turn around and just ask, but knew better. In fact, she really had to make sure Liora didn’t see her at all, because there was something very, very wrong here.
    “It’s not my neck,” the guy said. “Everyone already thinks I’m a criminal. But you, you’re Assassins Guild. You have light and right on your side.”
    “Or I will when this is done,” Liora said. “I’ll send everything to you.”
    “I’ll be waiting with bated breath,” he said.
    “Whatever that means.”
    A movement caught Skye’s eye, and she bowed her head. Liora was leaving the table. Skye leaned forward just a little so she could see around the obese man.
    Liora didn’t look back. She headed out of the bar as if nothing had happened.
    Skye resisted the urge to glance at the guy Liora had met. Skye already had a good image of him, and would track down who he was when she had a private net connection. She didn’t want to try looking up anything in a place this public.
    She sat for just a moment, wondering if she should follow Liora. Skye had other work she needed to do—an entire list of people she should be vetting for the