Rise Read Online Free Page B

tend to him.”
    Why were these strangers willing to help me? Could I entrust them with Papa?
    “Excellent,” the assassin said. “Let’s go.” He grabbed my arm and dragged me to the door.
    “Not until you tell me where we’re going and why you’re helping me.” I tried yanking free.
    The assassin cursed. “I need to get you out of the capital and physically away from Morlet. Once you’re safe, we can talk.”
    “But my father—”
    “These are good men.” The assassin’s face hardened. “They will see to his safety.” There was a sharp edge to his voice, his patience wearing thin. “We must leave before you’re discovered.” He threw open the door and hauled me out into a dark hallway. At the end of the corridor, he opened another door and shoved me inside. Clothes littered the ground, and the bed was unmade.
    “What’s your name?” he asked.
    “What’s yours?” I countered. Why had he brought me to this bedchamber?
    He sighed, staring at the ceiling. “Anders,” he replied, not looking at me.
    The door flew open, causing me to jump. A well-endowed woman entered. “There are half a dozen soldats downstairs rifling through the place,” she informed us. “They’re searching for a girl with long, brown hair who is wearing pants.” She looked pointedly at me.
    Anders’s eyes raked over my body, making me feel uncomfortable. I took a step back, hitting the bed. “Can you cut her hair?” he asked. “And put her in a dress?”
    “It won’t be pretty since we’re rushing, but I can do it.”
    “I don’t care whether she looks pretty or not,” he said. “Just make her look different.” He turned and left.
    The woman, whose breasts were barely contained in her dress, opened a drawer and pulled out a short knife. “Don’t move,” she said.
    “What are you doing?” I demanded, dashing to the other side of the bed.
    “Chopping off your hair,” she replied, exasperated. A loud bang came from below. “We need to hurry.”
    Reluctantly, I scurried over to the woman, and she began sawing off my long strands. Hair dropped to the floor, scattering around my feet while I bit my thumbnail, wishing she would move faster.
    “There,” she said, examining her work. “Not bad.” She went to the large armoire in the corner of the room. “Now for your clothing.” She rummaged around inside. “Here we go.” The woman pulled out a dark green dress made of lamb’s wool and threw it to me.
    After quickly changing, I glanced at the only mirror in the room, praying the disguise would work. My choppy, shorn hair hit my shoulders, making me look even younger than before. The dress was laughably large since I didn’t have a chest to fill it out. When was the last time I’d worn something so … feminine?
    “Stop scowling,” the woman chided. She cinched up the back of the dress, but it still hung loose on me. “That’s the best that can be done,” she mumbled. “You need to be on your way.”
    Anders opened the door and poked his head in. “Let’s go.” He now wore a gray knit cap and a black sweater that complemented his eyes. I hurried down the hallway after him. He paused before a door. “I sincerely hope you’re a good actress,” he said, “because if you’re not, we’re both dead.”
    What had I gotten myself into now? He opened the door, and we stepped onto the landing of the second floor. On the level below, a soldat stood guard by the door while half a dozen others roamed about the room. It was easy to pick them out since they wore the standard red uniform of the army. Several tables were occupied by men drinking, while a dozen women meandered around, all scantily clad and not at all bothered by the presence of the king’s men.
    My eyes bulged. “Is this a brothel?” I asked, horrified.
    Anders leaned down close to me. “It is,” he whispered in my ear, sending shivers down my spine. “And we just bedded. So I suggest you start playing the part, and lead me downstairs,