The Agent by Brock E. Deskins Read Free Book Online

strong will our alliances be after that?”
    Gregor nodded. “Very well, I will order my men to bring him in alive. Once he is in our control, I see no reason to fear him. You must understand that all of this has been underway for several days now. I will send a special courier to deliver my orders not to harm him, but I cannot guarantee he will reach them in time.”
    “You had better pray he does, because if anything happens to my brother, I will bide my time and slit your throats in your sleep.”
    Gregor gave her a patronizing smile. “I think we both know you don’t have that kind of cold resolve.”
    “You knew me when I had parents and a baby brother. I was a silly little princess with nothing more to worry about than what dress I would wear to dinner. Now you face a queen with nothing left to lose.” Evelyn turned her cold, baleful eyes to Dragoslav. “I assume you will keep me under close watch. You may take me to my rooms now. I can no longer tolerate the stench in this chamber.”
    Gregor and Gordon watched the bitter young woman storm off. “Do you think she is really capable of it?” Gordon asked.
    “A few days ago I would have said not a chance.”
    “And now?”
    “I would sleep with a locking cod piece if I were you.”
    ***
    Adam knelt next to his bed and performed his prayers while he waited for the evening’s dinner bell to sound. He had performed the same ritual thousands of times over the past decade. No one observing him would ever assume that he was the heir to the throne of one of the most powerful kingdoms in the land. No one here certainly gave him any deferential treatment. Here, he was just another monk, one amongst dozens who came to study and seek enlightenment. The premise was moot anyway. He could never become king ever since it was discovered that he was…different.
    Adam rose to his feet when the bell sounded but stopped and listened. There was something erratic in the bell’s clangor. Instead of the controlled three tolls, it continued to chime as if in alarm. Within moments, he heard excited voices in the hall and a disturbance farther off. If he did not know better, he would swear there was fighting. Such was impossible. His was a pacifist sect.
    He opened his door and stuck his head outside. Several of his brothers hastened through the hall, darted into rooms, and locked the doors. Brother Marshal spotted him and bustled over.
    “Get inside and lock your door. Try to find somewhere to hide if you can. Perhaps under your bed or in your wardrobe.”
    “What is happening?”
    “Armed men are running amok within the abbey.” He leaned closer and whispered. “I heard some of them ask about you.”
    “Why would armed men be seeking me?”
    “I do not know, but it cannot be good. Go and hide. None of us will give you up.”
    Marshal darted down the hall and disappeared into one of the other rooms. Adam closed and locked the door as his mind raced for an answer as to what was happening. His thoughts were a jumble, thrown into chaos by the mounting panic in his heart as the sound of the intruders drew near. He looked around the room for somewhere to hide. His eyes set upon the standing wardrobe in the corner. It was narrow and simply designed, but no better options presented itself.
    Pushing aside his two spare robes, Adam stepped inside and closed the door. He could see a small slice of the room through the crack in the door. The sound of splintering wood assaulted his ears as whoever was looking for him battered down the doors to the other rooms. Each crash and cry brought the intruders closer until someone began pounding on his door. There was a pause just before a heavy boot sundered the door and its owner and two other men stepped inside.
    “Come out, Adam. There’s no use hiding. Let’s get this done with quickly and painlessly so we can all be on our way,” one of the men said.
    Adam fought to control his breathing, which sounded like a pair of bellows to his ears.