Did you read my recent release Assassin’s Kiss? If you enjoyed that book, good news—book two is live on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited! Scroll down for an excerpt from the first chapter.

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Assassin’s Dilemma: Chapter One

Kanoni stands at the edge of the enclosure, leaning against a wooden post. Her pink mavazi, a long cloth wrap resembling a dress, looks beautiful against her dark skin. She and her little sister, Nia, wearing an orange mavazi and a bright smile, watch their oldest sister, Zalika, train a kongamato.

These giant red creatures have dry, scaly skin; huge, leathery wings; four thin limbs; and long, sharp beaks with tiny, pointed teeth inside. They are housed in a large clay building and trained in a structure of wooden posts surrounded by rope netting. Zalika, captain of the queen’s guard, uses a long pole to guide a young kongamato through the air while she runs along the dusty ground. It lands on command; she tosses the animal a large chunk of raw fish.

These are rare animals, dangerous for anyone who is not experienced with them. The royal family’s efforts to breed and train the creatures, normally found only in small numbers in the wildest parts of Sahil, are going well.

I look away from Zalika and the animal to watch Kanoni. Her dark-brown eyes study the kongamato’s movements carefully. The training staff members have avoided accidents and injuries so far, but the program is too new to trust its safety yet.

Kanoni must feel me watching her; she turns and catches my gaze. I smile. The darkly painted lips of my current face make a striking contrast to my comparably light skin. This disguise is not as pale as my true face, but it is leagues lighter than anyone native to Sahil. I look like ivory compared to any of Kanoni’s family. My true face would seem a corpse to them.

“How was your evening with the ambassador?” I ask.

Her smile is gentle, but I notice the sparkle in her eyes. She glances at her little sister; Nia stands far enough away not to hear our quiet voices. The child’s attention is completely focused on the winged reptile on the other side of the net.

“I had a lovely time,” Kanoni replies.

“It was a productive evening?” I raise one eyebrow to match my suggestive tone.

She laughs. “Diplomacy can be quite enjoyable, with the right person.”

“Was an agreement reached, or will we need future visits to secure the trade deal?”

Kanoni’s voice matches my tone now. “She’ll be back. I hope to develop a very close relationship with her moving forward.”

I laugh. Kanoni isn’t as casual with her sexual dalliances as I am, but I’m glad to hear things went well last night. Seeing Kanoni happy warms me in a way little else does.

There was someone else who made me this happy, once. Months ago. I put them out of my mind now.

“I hope we might have some fun of our own tonight, Mila,” Kanoni says. She steps toward me and places a soft hand on my arm.

I lean into the touch. “Has the ambassador left already? Didn’t she just arrive a few days ago?”

“Her visit was brief, but she hopes to return soon.”

“Then I can certainly entertain you in her absence, my queen.”

A sharp, high laugh from Nia breaks into our conversation. We look up to see her clapping at one of the kongamato’s new tricks. Zalika glances briefly to her sister, a rare half smile betraying the pride in her work.

A warm sensation emanates from the leather bag against my hip. I adjust the strap over the shoulder of my mavazi before sliding my hand in. I brush my open palm against the back of the bag; the heat confirms I’ve received a message.

“Excuse me,” I say to Kanoni. “I’ll see you later tonight.” We nod to each other before I leave the kongamato training enclosure and walk toward the palace.

I enter the white stone building through a large arch, cross an open-air passageway, and enter ornate wooden interior doors. I walk up three flights of stairs. In the royal living quarters, down a long hallway and to the left, I find my room. It’s located in the wing for Kanoni’s partners and their families. Mine is the only occupied room, but with Kanoni’s age, it won’t be long before that changes. Technically, I should be housed in the wing for unmarried and temporary companions, but Kanoni prefers to keep me here. I’ve never pushed her on it.

Once alone in my room, I sit on my bed, a woven plant mat covered with linen and raised on a flat, four-legged platform. I set my bag on the bed and flip it to lie with the back side facing me. I run my fingers across an invisible seam, feeling the heat emanate from the hidden pocket.

“Otkryt,” I murmur. Open.

The seam parts, prompted by my command and the touch of blood magic. I pull a small piece of folded paper from inside then run my finger over the opening.

“Zakryt,” I whisper, and the seam disappears.

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