My eyes met the shard of glass that lay forgotten on the floor, still calling to me. Perhaps my story was a fabrication, but in that moment I’d held the broken remnant with its memories…I’d felt a profound connection, as though I trulydidknow the prince. What was meant as a lie felt strangely true.
Garrett shifted, his grip on my arm loosening just slightly. Tomas exhaled through his nose, a sound half scoff, half uncertainty. The third guard—whose name I hadn’t yet learned—looked torn, as though inclined to believe me against his will.
“Close,” he echoed, as if testing the word on his tongue.
I kept my eyes lowered, letting the silence work for me. A well-placed pause could be more persuasive than a dozen words. But when the silence stretched, even I grew uneasy.
The weight of my own words slowly settled over me at his skepticism. Years of thievery had sharpened many of my skills—but lying relied upon the gullibility of my victim. The thrill I found in waltzing with danger had a tendency to favor the fantastical over the plausible while weaving falsehoods, spinning elaborate tales when a simple lie would do…a bad habit that had likely just betrayed me in a moment far too treacherous for missteps.
I inwardly cursed myself. This time, I might have gone too far.
It took enormous effort not to allow my panic at how far I’d pushed my luck to seep through my carefully schooled expression, caution urging my silence before I further entangled myself in the predicament I’d created. In my earliest days of stealing I’d learned that when there appeared to be no escape, the only way through was forward.
I swallowed hard, curling my trembling fingers as if trying to hold onto the made-up memory itself. “He always said he wished things were different; the fewer who knew, the safer we’d both be.” I hesitated, letting the ache fill the silence. “But before he disappeared, he made me promise—if anything ever happened to him, I’d know where to find what he left behind.”
Tomas growled and brought his sword’s deadly point back to my throat. “Enough. That silver tongue of yours might have worked on the streets, but it’s not enough to escape punishment in the royal court. You truly expect us to believe you’re the missing prince’s significant other?”
I smiled sweetly. “Only if it helps.” I forced myself not to shrink back from the blade.
He snorted in disgust. “You dishonor his memory. The prince was a serious, studious sort who kept to himself. He would never bring dishonor to the crown by consorting with the likes ofyou.”
Further dishonesty wouldn’t be enough to persuade this threat. But though it made escape more difficult, being arrested by a group had its advantages. More minds meant more opinions to exploit. The sword-wielder remained resolute in his doubt, but my lie had taken root in the others—threading through their resolve like a finely spun spell, subtle and persuasive.
“I don’t think she’s lying,” Garrett muttered, though his voice lacked conviction.
Tomas turned towards him, incredulous. “You think this common thief was hislover?And that she’s just now coming forward, after all these years?” The scorn in his voice belied the very imagination that had conjured the notion to begin with.
Garrett held his ground, meeting the taller man’s eyes. “The prince was always secretive, and seemed to be hiding something in the days leading to his disappearance. Her outrageous claim would at least explain why she risked stealing something of such value.”
The guards’ gazes all flickered towards the crystal shard pulsing faintly from where I’d dropped it on the floor. Whatever its invisible powers, they were effective enough for the sword to lower a few inches. I held my breath, calculating the time it would take me to reach the still-unlatched window.
“Are you suggesting we let her go?” For all his incredulity, Tomas’ tone had lost its edge.
“I’m only reminding you that we don’t know what the prince was hiding. Until we do, we don’t make any rash decisions. I’m suggesting it’s a possibility we explore.”
Their uncertainty thickened. I didn’t dare breathe too deeply, lest I shatter the illusion I’d so carefully begun to weave. A moment’s doubt, an opportunity created through hesitation…that was all I needed.
Though even the most careful planning couldn’t account for their reaction to the object I’d stolen, one that appeared far more valuable than I’d initially assumed. My pride in having successfully chosen the perfect object to take was eclipsed only by my unquenched curiosity.
I found myself staring at the unassuming shard glistening in the slants of silvery moonlight in hopes of peeling back to discover its mysteries…but without touching it, I couldn’t explore its quiet whispers that tantalized me from a distance. Mypowers tingled at my fingertips, yearning to reach for the object again.
It appeared its secrets went deeper than the quick perusal my magic had investigated.
Tomas squinted through the gloom and followed my gaze to the shard now faintly thrumming, a pale pulse of light shimmering beneath its surface like a heartbeat. His eyes widened in sudden recognition, as if only now just recognizing its worth.
“That shard…” In a single movement, he sheathed his sword and dropped into a crouch beside the object, eyes narrowing as he studied it without making any motion to touch it. “This isn’t just any object, but…”
Whatever conclusion he’d reached died on his lips. He beckoned sharply to his comrades. They both obeyed, Garrett keeping a firm grip on my arm as he dragged me forward. The moment he caught sight of the shard up close, his entire body went rigid and a curse slipped past his clenched teeth.
“No…it can’t be. That’s impossible. I thought she’d stolen a trinket, not—” He couldn’t seem to finish.
The third guard crouched, slowly reaching for the shard. Before his fingers could brush it, he drew back. “Its protective magic won’t allow me to touch it, but I’m certain she was holding it just before we apprehended her. None of the others…” He paused, shaking his head in disbelief.
“Then does that mean?—”
Garrett’s voice fell away as a faint glow pulsed from within the fragment’s broken edge—so faint it could almost be imagined, causing the warmth in my palm that still lingered from when I’d held it to tingle…as if wasrespondingto me.
As if they’d arrived at the same conclusion, the guards all looked at me. My heart stuttered, but I forced a slow, dangerous smile. “I told you. I’m not just anyone.”
