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    The Assassin's Curse
    The Assassin's Curse
    The Assassin's Curse
    Ebook48 pages48 minutes

    The Assassin's Curse

    By Lindsay Buroker

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    About this ebook

    When outlaws Amaranthe and Sicarius chance upon imperial spies stealing military prototypes, they immediately give chase. Well, immediately after Amaranthe talks Sicarius, former assassin and all-around non-altruistic type, into the mission. After all, they both want imperial pardons, and what better way to attract the emperor’s favor than by looking after the empire’s interests?

    What seems like a straightforward mission develops a hitch when the spies flee to Darkcrest Isle, a forbidding chunk of land reputed to be haunted. Amaranthe isn’t quick to believe in tales of malevolent spirits, so she’s startled when the ever-pragmatic and unflappable Sicarius shows reluctance at setting foot on the island. Only when it may be too late to escape does Amaranthe come to understand why.

    The Assassin’s Curse is a 12,000-word short story.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherLindsay Buroker
    Release dateJan 16, 2012
    ISBN9781465925947
    The Assassin's Curse
    Author

    Lindsay Buroker

    Lindsay Buroker war Rettungsschwimmerin, Soldatin bei der U.S. Army und hat als IT-Administratorin gearbeitet. Sie hat eine Menge Geschichten zu erzählen. Seit 2011 tut sie das hauptberuflich und veröffentlicht ihre Steampunk-Fantasy-Romane im Self-Publishing. Die erfolgreiche Indie-Autorin und begeisterte Bloggerin lebt in Arizona und hat inzwischen zahlreiche Romanserien und Kurzgeschichten geschrieben. Der erste Band der Emperor’s-Edge-Serie „Die Klinge des Kaisers“ ist jetzt ins Deutsche übersetzt.

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    Reviews for The Assassin's Curse

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    • 5/5
      Warriors of the Cross is definitely the book of the series that sets the foundation. It was actually a welcome reprieve from the first-in-series that bombard me with information and make it more complex to read than it should be. The characters were one of a kind and I still can't quite figure them out. Allie seems to be a strong female lead, but sometimes she lets little things get to her and I just couldn't understand why. She definitely created some unbreakable bonds in the story, but they were a far cry from the 'insta-love' that usually makes a story very corny. I liked how Mrs. Graves allows us to get to know Allie, Brody, and Clark at the same time that they're getting to know each other. It didn't bother me that the really juicy part of the story was towards the end because I loved reading how Allie dealt with her powers while ignorant of everything surrounding the mystery of them. I did get confused when a character mentioned in the beginning of the story showed up towards the end (because I didn't get their significance at first), but I think maybe it'll all be cleared up in the second book, Guardians of the Cross, based on the very cryptic ending. Can't wait!
    • 5/5
      This is a fun short story for fans of the Emperor’s Edge series - well worth the .99 cents. If you’re interested in the adventures of Amaranthe and Sicarius, you’ll definite enjoy this one.
    • 3/5
      A short story set in the Emperor's Edge series. Amaranthe and Sicarius on haunted Darkcrest Isle, a place Sicarius is curiously reluctant to go.

    Book preview

    The Assassin's Curse - Lindsay Buroker

    The Assassin’s Curse

    by Lindsay Buroker

    Smashwords Edition

    Copyright 2012 Lindsay Buroker

    Part I

    The afternoon sun beat onto ducks floating in the lake shallows and turtles basking on logs. Amaranthe Lokdon would have turned herself over to bounty hunters for a chance to float or bask. Instead, out in the middle of an inlet, she struggled to keep her head from going under as waves sloshed into her mouth and eyes.

    Using both hands, she held a ten-pound brick in front of her face while her burning thighs rotated beneath the surface, kicking furiously to keep her afloat. Barely. Despite the cold lake water, sweat dribbled down her face. Her leaden arms ached and threatened to let the brick dip below the surface.

    A few feet to her side, Sicarius, notorious assassin and fellow outlaw, held a heavier brick higher out of the water. No hint of strain flushed his cheeks, and a calm, expressionless facade masked his thoughts. He didn’t disturb the water with his kicks, and neither his face nor his short blond hair were damp. The summer heat might be enough to wilt normal men’s ambitions toward physical activity, but apparently this miniscule workout wasn’t enough to make him sweat.

    Though Amaranthe appreciated his fitness and dedication to his training, there were times when she wished he were less perfect. More... human.

    Feeling all too human herself, she groaned and ducked her head beneath the water to cool her face. The brief reprieve felt good, but she was careful not to let the brick dip below the surface. If she failed to keep it up there for long enough, he would make her start over. For the third time.

    Amaranthe was in charge of their group of mercenaries, but she bowed to him in matters of training. She wasn’t sure whose idea that had been, but she was beginning to regret it.

    How much... longer? she asked when she came up.

    You grow weary? Sicarius asked.

    Of course not. Amaranthe tried not to pant or gasp as she spoke, or at least not to sound as if she were panting or gasping. I’m just... concerned that... if we’re out here too long... we’ll get sunburnt. A bad burn... could inhibit our... ability to train tomorrow. There, he wouldn’t see right through that. Of course not.

    It’s been three minutes.

    Dear ancestors, was that all? Three minutes already? This isn’t... a very challenging exercise, is it? A wave shoveled water down Amaranthe’s throat, and she sputtered, almost letting the brick drop before she recovered.

    Shall we switch weights? Sicarius held his brick out toward her.

    Why she always insisted on bravado with him, she didn’t know. Some deluded feeling that he would be more impressed with her that way, she supposed. "I wouldn’t want to deprive you of your training. It’s—"

    A great crash boomed, drowning out Amaranthe’s words. At first, she thought it sounded like metal ramming against metal, but then a thunderous crack of wood echoed, like a tree snapping in two during an ice storm.

    She lowered the brick and scanned the nearby shoreline. This far south of the city, rocks and trees dominated the coast with the land being too craggy for farming or building. Roads and the main railway to the capital did cut through the terrain, and she wondered if there might have been a train crash, or perhaps someone had run a steam lorry into a tree.

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