Assassin's Creed: The Golden City

He who increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow. This article contains spoilers, meaning it has information and facts concerning recent or upcoming releases from the Assassin's Creed series. If you do not want to know about these events, it is recommended to read on with caution, or not at all. This template should be removed from the article 2 August 2023.

Assassin's Creed: The Golden City is a novel by Jaleigh Johnson. It was published by Aconyte Books in May 2023.

Publisher's summary

A young emperor's life hangs in the balance, and only the Brotherhood of Assassins can save him, in this action-packed historical adventure from the award-winning Assassin's Creed universe.

Constantinople, 867 – A murderous plot is afoot. Assisted by the Order of the Ancients, the emperor schemes to assassinate his son and throw the city into chaos. In response, the Hidden Ones have dispatched Assassin acolyte Hytham to join his mentor, Basim Ibn Ishaq, to infiltrate the palace and foil the emperor's plan. But that is not his only mission... Hytham's brotherhood have entrusted him with uncovering where Basim's true loyalties lie and whether the master Assassin's personal obsessions outweigh his sense of duty. For Hytham to succeed, he must tread carefully, for Constantinople is a city of shadows, and danger hides in all of them.

Summary

Chapter One

Hytham takes in a peaceful sight of a sunrise illuminating the city of Constantinople as the Master Assassin Basim comes towards his apprentice. Basim and Hytham talk about how the city's security is an illusion. Instantly, Basim begins their training, hiding in the mist while Hytham carefully acknowledges his surroundings. Within seconds, Hytham dodges Basim's attack but is later knocked down. Their sparring leads Hytham to an inclined muddy hill, right where Basim wants him. Fighting in the mud, Basim immediately stops the lesson and talks about the city's walls.

Lecturing about the Attila the Hun's impending attack on the city during Emperor Theodosius II's reign, Basim details how both the emperor and his prefect Constantine Flavius were unimpressed by the workers' lack of desire to rebuild their damaged walls. Basim recalls how both men offered teams a section of wall and a grand prize, which led to the walls build over tens of years being reconstructed in a matter of months. Back to sparring, Hytham recalls his other mission of spying on Basim's true intentions within the Hidden Ones. However, his loss of focus leads Basim to win their match. Afterwards, they both discuss the information of the recently crowned Emperor Basil I being aided by the Order of the Ancients, who worked to control the city from the inside. Together, Basim and Hytham are tasked to root them out by any means possible.

Chapter Two

Touring the Golden City, Basim and Hytham walk across the streets and enter a wine bar to observe the people. Seeing the literal fruits of the city's agricultural system, Hytham notes that Constantinople stands tall against any external invasion, but Basim reiterates the Order's influence over the emperor as their tactic. They discuss the emperor's Varangian guards, comprised of former Vikings who used to raid coastal settlements but were offered wealthy jobs by the emperor. Although Hytham wondered about the Varangian guards, Basim stopped the conversation and wanted to go elsewhere. Meanwhile, Hytham continued to investigate Basim's true motives.

Chapter Three

Venturing the markets of Constantinople, Hytham walks through the flow and eventually stops a young thief. Continuing through the markets, Basim shows Hytham a female buyer and her two warriors, surmising they are Norse. Basim reveals that he had made his presence and name known to both the Order, in hopes to draw them out, and to the Norse warriors before them. While Hytham looks around for any issues, Basim notes two more warriors are waiting for them further ahead. Hytham climbs to the roofs while Basim engages the warriors. Another warrior on the roofs watches his comrades and does not notice Hytham.

Hytham waits as his target comes closer and readies his Hidden Blade. Seeing the man's neck and its faint scar, Hytham lunges and stabs the man, but the warrior fights back despite his fatal wound. Pushing the man off, Hytham tries to help Basim but is stopped when arrows fly at him. More warriors arrive and Hytham is pinned down, but he looks back and sees one archer killed by a hand-axe. Below, Basim is aided by the female Varangian guard from earlier as she kills the warriors. After hiding the bodies, she introduced herself as Thyra, leader of the Eagle Clan and a Varangian guard.

Thyra asks if they can meet elsewhere away from prying eyes and Basim advises to meet at his ally Demetrios Hestiun's house. She agrees as they all accompany each other to the house. Hytham and Basim talk about their newfound ally while Hytham wonders why Thyra wants their help.

Chapter Four

At Hestiun's house, all arrive as Demetrios tends to his guests and ensures the courtyard's privacy. Thyra asks Basim to confirm if he is the fool from Baghdad intent moving against the emperor. Basim explains his duties and their creed while Hytham informs them of their knowledge of Basil's murder of his former co-emperor, Michael III. In the midst of their conversation, Empress Eudocia Ingerina enters the courtyard, stunning everyone with her presence except Basim. As they all sit, tensions fluctuate but Eudocia explains that she is not well-liked in her palace and wishes to serve the prosperity of her city. Hytham wonders why she has come here while the empress explains that she believes the emperor intends to kill his son, Leo VI.

Chapter Five

Empress Eudocia explains that although Leo is a boy, he is technically co-emperor with his father. Basim surmises that the Varangian guard are then split between their loyalties to both emperors. Thyra then asks Basim and Hytham to be the boy's protectors as the empress promises an alliance between the Hidden Ones and the future emperor. Basim asks if there are other incidents and the empress admits to other attempts on Leo's life. The Master Assassin asks if the palace has anyone else against Leo, but Thyra admits to not knowing much of who else is after Leo.

Basim offers that Hytham portray a new Varangian guard as Thyra helps by having him address himself as an adopted member of the Eagle Clan. The empress agrees to approve his position while the emperor is busy. Basim later asks from both women the promise of an alliance with the Hidden Ones and the Eagle Clan. Thyra and Eudocia speak privately before Thyra agrees to the alliance if Leo is kept safe. Basim agrees as Eudocia takes her leave. Before leaving, Thyra informs Hytham of the arrangement plans while Basim promises to investigate the accidents that almost befell Leo.

Hytham and Basim later discuss how the emperor's thoughts changed about Leo's parentage once the Order began to aid him. Hytham questions why Basim wants to partner with Thyra and her clan and cautiously ponders on whether Basim senses something amiss. He directly asks Basim for the quick alliances and believes the Vikings could be strong allies and to learn their culture. They also agree on playing the long game rather than a quick assassination of the emperor. Basim tells Hytham to plan some regular meetups and to ready himself to be a Varangian guard.

Chapter Six

Basim and Hytham talk about their plan and learning Leo's routine before Hytham starts his day in the palace. Hytham blurts out that he knew he could not be a father due to the world and path he chose. He later asks Basim about his choice. Basim states that he knew a long time ago of what he could have and not have. Basim vanishes within the palace's ground while Hytham is escorted to the empress' throne room. There, he meets with Eudocia and Thyra as planned. However, the young boy Leo enters alongside Justin, another Varangian guard and former head of Leo's security detail.

Being pushed forward by Justin, Leo faces Hytham, who introduces himself to the young boy. Impressed, Eudocia takes her son to his room as Thyra follows them. Justin starts to show Hytham around and patronizes him about needing help around the palace. Passing the emperor's chambers, Hytham notices the change in noise as the numerous guards around the chamber add to the silence. They soon find a training ground, to which Hytham invites Justin to spar. Hytham starts to interview Justin and even enrages him about the change in leadership. Justin relays his dislike of the boy and how Leo may die due to his frailness. Knowing Justin was done talking, Hytham ends the sparring match while Justin realizes he was played. Hytham compliments Justin's skill as Justin shows Hytham to his first post.

Chapter Seven

At the children's wing of the palace, Hytham and Justin walk into a reading room, where Thyra and Leo are. Besides Leo, his tutor Theodore stands besides him over their agricultural lesson. Wanting to show Justin his book, Leo is dismissed disrespectfully by him while Hytham thanks them for their conversation and training from earlier, aggravating Justin. Thyra smiles from the tension of their power while Hytham asks Leo to show him his book. Leo shows his book and then asks Hytham to question him about what he has learned. Hytham asks him a question about how he would feed a city low on food supply. Stuck, Leo freezes but Theodore advises that it is a fair question.

Pivoting, Hytham reminds Leo that it is time for dinner and asks Leo to show him how to go to the dining hall from here. With Theodore's permission, Leo begins to show Hytham the path and nearly holds his hand, but retracts his own hand. At night, Hytham watches how the palace servants move while he watches Leo at a different dining room along with his nurse Anna. Not knowing much about Anna, Hytham considers her a prime suspect due to Anna spending most time with Leo. Soon, Hytham catches Anna off-guard while Basim appears behind him in the shadows. Together, they discuss their days as Basim advises Hytham to make contact with Anna.

Wanting more questions, Hytham tries to talk about them spending the night but Basim is already gone. With dinner almost over, Hytham sees Anna coming towards him and compliments her work. However, she warns that if Leo is harmed, Hytham will suffer the consequences. Impressed, Hytham states he does not intend to harm or abandon the boy. Nevertheless, Anna reveals her disgust of Leo's lack of security. Intrigued, Hytham asks about Justin's work. Anna details how people notice him leaving the palace on odd nights before taking Leo from dinner.

Chapter Eight

TBC

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