Warlord & Huntress: A Fantasy Romance Novella

Warlord & Huntress A FANTASY ROMANCE NOVELLA ANNA CARVEN Copyright © 2023 by Anna Carven All rights reserved. Cover by Artscandare Proofread by Dominique Martind http://www.dominiquemartind.com/ No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. Contents 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 Excerpt: The Edge of Dawn Author’s Note Also by Anna Carven Introduction This fantasy romance novella is one from the archives; a book I wrote years ago when I was first starting out. I recently found it when I was looking through some of my older works, and I thought it was worth resurrecting. Be aware, it was previously published under a different pen name, so if you’ve seen it in some iteration before (although I doubt you have), it isn’t plagiarized, as that was me (IYKYK). Chapter One The chirp of a lone cricket pierced the cool night air as Rina clung to the wooden beam, peering down at the sleeping figure. Moving carefully, she lowered herself on a silken rope until she reached the floor, her lightly shod feet soundless on the cold stone. She’d scaled the high walls of the fortress and evaded dozens of guards. She’d entered the room through the roof, removing several ceramic tiles. In the deep of night, she was in her element, all but invisible to the naked eye. She crept toward her target, reaching for the long, slender dagger that was sheathed at her back. It slid noiselessly from its sheath. Stealth was her specialty. In her village, there was no-one as agile and silent as her. That’s why she’d been chosen for this job. The man she’d been sent to kill lay asleep in his bed, entangled in the silken sheets. Rina drew closer, taking time to study her victim. The full moon cast pale light through a high window, illuminating him. Even in sleep, he looked every bit as formidable as the stories made him out to be. His chest rose and fell in the deep, steady rhythm of sleep. She couldn’t help but admire his hard, elegant features. The only trace of softness in his face was his full, sensual lips; slightly parted. His torso was bare. Her eyes danced across the outline of hard muscle; of strong arms, tanned skin, sinew, and muscle. Of broad shoulders. Even in sleep, he radiated power. He looked fierce and slightly terrifying, but also beautiful. And in that instant, she almost regretted having to kill him. But this was the infamous Darthan Chul, the ruthless Akuna warlord who’d singlehandedly reclaimed the Western Borderlands from the Eratean Empire. His skill in battle and his ruthlessness were legend. His hands were stained with the blood of thousands. He was as cruel as the cold stone cliffs of the snow-capped mountains. On silent feet, Rina reached his side, her dagger raised. In the clutches of deep sleep, Darthan Chul did not stir. She gave him no reason to. She was a wraith; a silent assassin. Rina knew how to conceal her qwi, her life force, so that even the most hardened warrior would never sense her coming. She was Inue, born of the tribe that were known for their stealth and prowess in the art of assassination. And she was one of the best. The warlord’s long black hair framed his face like a dark halo. Bathed in faint moonlight, there was something almost otherworldly about his appearance. She blinked, having almost become mesmerized. She told herself not to be stupid or superstitious. There was nothing different about this man. He was flesh and blood, just like everyone else. He breathed, ate and bled, just like any other human. And just like any other human, he could be killed. She took a slow, deep breath and summoned her resolve. Gripping the dagger in both hands, she brought it down in a vicious arc, aiming for the warlord’s heart. Her downwards stroke was swift and decisive, and always true. But all of a sudden, her blade stopped. She met hard resistance. And pain. A vise-like grip clamped around both her wrists. Dark eyes snapped open, staring right through her. For a moment, she almost thought she caught a flash of crimson in that terrible gaze. As if a demon were staring back at her. The man was awake. Impossible. How had he sensed her? Rina hissed in pain as his grip tightened. The dagger fell from her hands. He angled his body to avoid it, allowing it to drop and clatter across the wooden floor. The warlord held her still, staring at her with deadly intent. For the first time, she caught the full force of his aura. It washed over her like a malevolent wave, threatening to engulf her. Clenching her teeth, Rina tried to wrench herself out of Darthan’s grasp, but he was too strong. For the first time, her concentration wavered, and she lost control of her qwi, allowing her killing intent to spill forth. She couldn’t remember the last time an opponent had shaken her this much. And nobody had ever caught her before. “What glorious killing intent.” Darthan’s voice was low and deep, his words rounded with a slight Akunese accent. But he spoke in Eratean, the universal tongue. “You must be exceptional, woman, to evade my guards.” Rina wasn’t sure, but she thought she detected amusement in his tone. “How did you