Oath of Deception: Reign of Secrets, Book Four Read online

  Oath of Deception

  Reign of Secrets, Book Four

  Jennifer Anne Davis

  Contents

  Title Page

  Also by Jennifer Anne Davis

  Praise for Cage of Deceit

  Map

  Greenwood Island’s Family History

  Emperion’s Family History

  Telmena’s Family History

  Foreword

  Introduction

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  About the Author

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and events in this book are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  Published by Reign Publishing

  Copyright © 2018 by Jennifer Anne Davis

  All rights reserved. Neither this book, nor any parts within it may be sold or reproduced in any form without permission.

  Cover Design by KimG-Design

  Editing by Mary C. Weller

  * * *

  ISBN (paperback): 978-1-7323661-0-7

  ISBN (hardback): 978-1-7323661-1-4

  eISBN: 978-0-9992395-9-9

  Library of Congress Control Number: 1-6583408741

  Also by Jennifer Anne Davis

  The True Reign Series

  THE KEY

  RED

  WAR

  Reign of Secrets Series

  CAGE OF DECEIT

  CAGE OF DARKNESS

  CAGE OF DESTINY

  OATH OF DECEPTION

  The Order of the Krigers Series

  RISE

  BURNING SHADOWS

  CONQUERING FATE

  THE VOICE

  Praise for Cage of Deceit

  Mundie Moms

  “Jennifer Anne Davis’s CAGE OF DECEIT has a new home on my coveted all-time favorite bookshelves. Not many books make the cut; this is a book I want more of. I need this book’s sequel like now!”

  Cameo Renae, Bestselling Author of the Hidden Wings Series and After Light Saga

  “I was completely captured by this story. An outstanding and riveting read.”

  Damaris Delgado from Good Choice Reading

  “I thought Jennifer Anne Davis's True Reign series was one to rave about, but Cage of Deceit has topped it, and has completely blown me away! I love this book! I cannot wait for the sequel! Davis will forever be on my MUST-READ list.”

  Liza Wiemer, author of Hello?

  “Cage of Deceit is a wonderful blend of fairy tale and fast-paced, thrilling adventure. With a kick-ass heroine princess, this novel will not only get your heart racing, but leave you clamoring for book two.”

  Grace from Books of Love

  “An amazing fantasy that is a thrilling adventure from start to finish. I totally found myself loving the world that Jennifer Anne Davis has written in Cage of Deceit. This was a real gem to read.”

  Melanie Newton from Nerd Girl Official

  “Twists and turns, danger and drama—this book has it all! Heart-dropping moments that literally had me holding my breath and an ending that demands book two be available NOW!”

  Angelle LeBlanc from Cajun Book Lover

  “This is an edge of your seat start to a great series and will keep you begging for more once you close the book. I am anxiously awaiting the follow-up. Ms. Davis's writing has turned me into a forever fan!”

  Jan Farnworth from J.R.’s Book Reviews

  “Jennifer Anne Davis knows how to weave a story that pulls at your heartstrings. She makes you want to take the sword and run it through the evil characters. Davis is an outstanding storyteller and on my must read right now list.”

  Leah Alvord from Vitality Reviews

  “We have flawed, judgmental characters who feel truly human. There's political intrigue and deceit so thick you can disappear inside of it. And threats that gleam like a blade in the night. Welcome to the Cage of Deceit, where even a princess isn't all she's cracked up to be.”

  Rebecca van Kaam from GotToReadThoseBooks

  “In this enchanting spin-off Jennifer Anne Davis brings the world she created in the True Reign series to a whole new level. There’s plot turns and twists, action and suspense. And a dash of romance, as expected from Jennifer Anne Davis's previous books.”

  For the Pasties

  Foreword

  Oath of Deception is the fourth book in a series

  of an undisclosed number of books.

  Therefore, if you expect a happily ever after

  and a neat, tidy wrap-up at the end of this book,

  you may be disappointed.

  I enjoy leaving people hanging from cliffs.

  If you have the spirit of an adventurer, flip this page.

  I DARE YOU!

  After all, embarking on a tumultuous journey

  is far more rewarding in the end.

  By turning the page, you understand that you are entering book four of the series

  REIGN OF SECRETS

  and anything can happen.

  Oath of the Brotherhood:

  From birth to death, we are linked by blood.

  Huddled beneath his moth-eaten cape, Savenek counted the ships on the left side of Dock M until he came to the eighth one. It was nondescript, no different from the hundreds of ships docked in this harbor. He scanned the area. The night was cool, the wind blowing steadily. Only a few clouds shone in the star-filled sky. At this late hour, no one strolled along the pier or nearby beach. That gave Savenek two options. He could either swim out to the ship and climb on board, or he could take the dock and hope no one saw him.

  He didn’t care to go for a swim this late at night, so the dock it was. Pulling the hood over his head, he slunk out of the shadows of the storage facility that housed the Great Bay’s records. A ship couldn’t enter the port without filing the proper paperwork. Which led to the reason for Savenek’s visit tonight. His assignment was simple: get a copy of the paperwork for the vessel in slip eight. But after searching through the storage facility, he hadn’t found a copy.

  Technically, this meant Savenek’s assignment was over. He should return to his handler and report his findings. However, he knew there was a captain’s log aboard the ship in question. The log would provide the information the Brotherhood of the Crown sought. Might as well go straight to the source.

  Feeling beneath his cape, Savenek counted his weapons. A dagger on each arm; four knives strapped to his waist, and two daggers on his thighs. More than enough to complete this job. Now that he was sixteen and about to graduate from the academy and take his vows to enter the Brotherhood of the Crown, he hoped his missions would become a little more challenging. Usually he was given simple jobs like the one tonight: break in to a facility where nobody was to steal something easy to obtain. Sneaking aboard a ship was definitely next level stuff. When he pulled this off, the Brotherhood would have to give him better assignments.

  He headed for slip twenty-three—the shi
p on the right side of the dock, catty-corner to his target. The records indicated that this ship was from Lanek. It had arrived early this morning with a load of fish. The fish had already been delivered, the crew was staying in Emperor’s City for the night, and it was due to set sail tomorrow morning. No one should be on board. When he reached the ship, Savenek climbed onto the deck and headed to the bow. There, he squatted and observed the area. No one was about.

  Savenek turned his attention to the ship in slip eight. It was dark, the deck empty, the sails furled. The entrance to the hold was toward the back of the ship. The crew was probably sleeping at some inn in the city. All Savenek had to do was sneak into the main cabin, steal the log, and exit without anyone seeing him. It seemed simple enough.

  After scanning the area one last time, he disembarked. He quickly removed his cape and rolled it up, shoving it behind a nearby barrel. Crouching low, he slunk across the dock. He sprinted up the gangplank and hopped onto the deck. The only sound was water lapping against the nearby vessels and the whistling of the wind. Savenek moved toward the back of the ship where the hatch to the hold was located. Pulling out a knife, he held it in his right hand while his left hand slowly opened the hatch. He could just make out a steep set of stairs. Closing the hatch, he went below deck. Everything remained eerily quiet.

  At the bottom of the stairs, he paused to let his eyes adjust. Three doors on either side of a thirty-foot corridor, one door at the end. Most likely, the door straight ahead led to the captain’s cabin where the log would be kept. Savenek made his way down the corridor, his senses on high alert. As he passed the second door on his right, he noticed that a putrid smell engulfed the area. Holding his breath, he continued onward. When he reached the door at the end, he realized it was partially open. Pressing against the wall, he peered inside.

  There was a small desk and a cot in the corner. Someone was sleeping on the cot. The man’s chest slowly rose and fell as he emitted a low snore. Bullocks. Savenek could have sworn no one was on board. It was too late to turn back now.

  He slipped into the small room, his eyes on the sleeping man. Two steps and he reached the desk. Several papers were strewn about, but there was no book in sight. Savenek scanned the room. Lying on the floor, next to the cot, was a small book. That was probably the log. It would require four steps to reach it. Four steps, squat, grab the log, turn, six steps to the room’s exit. Simple. But, instead of moving, Savenek remained still. Something felt wrong.

  He looked at the man on the cot. His tousled hair was dark, his skin pasty white instead of sun tanned. His arms were large and beefy, and his toes hung off the end of the cot. He had the look of a Russek warrior, not a fisherman or sailor. In the corner of the room, several fur blankets were piled high. Russek was known for having a frigid climate. The man’s arm flopped over the side of the cot, his fingers only inches from the floor. Something caught Savenek’s eye—a longsword. A string of curse words built in his head.

  He weighed the consequences of trying to approach the book. Did the Brotherhood need the captain’s log now that Savenek could report that a Russek warrior was on board? Probably not. The log was meant to provide that information. There was no need to go within arm’s reach of the man. Savenek turned and exited the room. He needed to get off this ship and report his findings.

  As he made his way along the corridor, the putrid smell once again assaulted him. It reminded him of the smell of death. While he wanted to get off this ship as soon as possible, preferably before the Russek warrior woke up, he couldn’t go anywhere until he knew what was behind the door from which the smell came.

  Savenek lifted his tunic up and over his mouth and nose, took a deep breath, and opened the door.

  Flies buzzed around a man sitting awkwardly on a chair, his head hanging to the side, his tongue protruding from his face. The man was dead. On the floor next to his feet was a wooden crate, the top open.

  Glancing about the storage room, Savenek saw that it was filled with similar crates. He needed to take a breath but was afraid to. Instead, he took another step into the room, peering in the crate. There were several small glass containers each filled with some sort of red powder. Examining the dead body again, Savenek saw the man had one of the glass containers opened on his lap. The man’s fingertips were red.

  Poison.

  Savenek hastily exited the room. He made his way back up the stairs and onto the deck. Out in the fresh air, he pulled his tunic down and heaved in a deep breath. What the hell was a ship doing here from Russek? He knew from his studies that Emperion’s relationship with Russek was tense. The Russek king, Drenton, ruled with an iron fist and had a large army that was known for being unnecessarily brutal, vicious, and bloodthirsty.

  Savenek mentally recalled the storage room on the ship. There had to be fifteen crates. If they were all filled with those containers of poison, the Brotherhood needed to know immediately. He jumped onto the gangplank and traversed it to the dock. Not seeing anyone nearby, he retrieved his cape, draped it over his shoulders, and took off running toward the shore.

  When he reached the city streets, he slowed so he wouldn’t attract attention. After two blocks, he hid in a dark alcove, leaning against the wall while listening for any indication he was being followed. Not hearing anything of concern, he slunk out of the shadows and headed toward the tavern where he was supposed to meet his handler. He was the only one at the academy whose handler was also his father. Of course, no one knew that. His father thought it best if their connection remained a secret so other trainees wouldn’t feel like Savenek received special treatment.

  The sign for Shipwreck Tavern blew in the soft wind, squeaking as it swayed back and forth. Crossing the street, Savenek ran his hands through his shaggy light-brown hair, trying to tame it. He pushed the door open and quickly surveyed the room, checking for anything unusual or out of place. One woman stood behind the bar, her low-cut dress revealing most of her chest as she leaned forward, wiping the bar with a rag. One man sat at a table to the left, head slumped forward as he snored over an empty cup of ale. To Savenek’s right, another man balanced precariously on the back legs of his chair, hands clasped behind his head, feet on the table, and eyes closed. But the man’s calm demeanor didn’t fool Savenek. He knew Nathenek was a man of legendary skills. The best assassin in Emperion. He was responsible for killing the previous imposter emperor and putting the current empress and rightful heir on the throne. People often called him brutal, lethal, and unfailingly loyal. Savenek simply called him Father. Walking over, he slid onto the empty chair across from Nathenek.

  “You’re late,” Nathenek commented, opening his eyes. He leaned forward, and the chair’s front two legs landed with a bang.

  “I have vital information.”

  Nathenek raised his eyebrows. “I didn’t ask for information. I asked for the ship’s paperwork. Do you have it?”

  “No. But we don’t need it. There are two Russek men aboard that ship. One is dead.”

  “How do you know they’re from Russek?”

  “They have the look of Russek men—large, pale skin, dark hair. But that’s not all. The one man appeared to have died from exposure to poison.”

  “Poison?”

  “Yes. There were fifteen crates filled with some kind of red powder.”

  “How do you know it’s poison?”

  “The dead man was holding a bottle of it and had it on his skin.” Savenek hadn’t wanted to get too close to the substance. He’d been trained to detect various poisons. However, he’d never seen anything powdery red like that before.

  “Go home. I’ll take care of it.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “I’ll take a look. And if it’s what you say, I’ll destroy it.”

  It was a dangerous task and he didn’t want his father anywhere near the stuff. “How do you plan on doing that?”

  “I’ll sink the ship. The poison should be ruined once it hits the water.”

&nbs
p; “Let me help you.” Other students at the academy were traveling with their handlers to different kingdoms and returning with exciting stories of spying, infiltrating armies, and stealing documents. Savenek had never been on a mission with anyone other than his father, had never been on a mission to another kingdom, and had never been sent on anything considered remotely dangerous.

  “No. Go home. That’s an order.”

  Savenek sighed.

  “Is something wrong?”

  “No.” He put his elbows on the table and knotted his fingers in his hair. He wanted to go with his father to sink the ship.

  Nathenek leaned back on his chair. “It’s too dangerous for you to be there. Something could go wrong.”

  Savenek nodded. He understood that; however, he wasn’t some whelp that didn’t know what he was doing. For the past nine years, he’d trained with complete devotion. He deserved a real assignment, not to be sheltered when he could be of use.

  Nathenek suddenly leaned forward, placing his hand on Savenek’s forearm. “If what you say is on that ship, I need to get over there as soon as possible.”