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“I don’t mean to be insensitive,” interjects the thief, “but you don’t need to follow; they will make their demands known soon enough.”
Lady Margaret glowers at her briefly before attempting to cool her features. “I agree. Which is why I will be staying back and waiting for a demand. You both,” she states, pointing at the two of us, “will find her and bring her home.”
Shock, then annoyance clings to me as I look from the thief, then back to Lady Margaret. “With all due respect, I don’t need any help. This thief will only slow me down. Give me three days, and I will catch up to this scum and bring Princess Lena home safely.”
The girl rolls her eyes at me. “First of all, I have a name, and it’s notthief. And second of all, I’ve bested you twice in less than a day. If anything, you’ll slowmedown.” Her top lip curls back as her eyes flick to mine.
“You don’t even know the princess. Why would you risk anything to try and save her? I would give my life for hers without a second thought.” My voice rises with each word.
“Which is why Marg has asked me to find her. I won’t let my emotions get the better of me,” the girl says.
“I would never do anything to compromise Princess Adalena’s safety,thief,” I exclaim, anger continuing to move up my spine, one vertebrae at a time. Who does she think she is? I would never let my family get hurt. Never again.
“Then you better sheath your pride and get ready to be schooled by the thief youalmostcaptured,captain,” she replies. We are standing toe to toe, anger radiating off us both.
When I open my mouth to retort I am abruptly cut off— “You are the best tracker I know,” Lady Margaret says to me, holding a hand up to silence us both. “But Ari can steal the fur right off a bear’s hind legs. So if you can both shut your mouths for two seconds and pause whatever this is,” she waves a hand between the girl and myself, “there may actually be a shot of bringing Lena home safely, without suspicion or fanfare to blast around our incompetence.” She leans against the wall as she finishes. “I will stay back with the king and queen and attempt to assuage their panic at her disappearance while continuing to maintain the kingdom as best I can— waiting for any word or ransom to come to the palace. Otherwise, believe me. I would be coming alongside you.”
I have heard rumors of Lady Margaret’s glory days. Normally a princess would find an advantageous marriage for the good of her country and crown. However, being the king’s favored sister, she was apparently allowed to represent the Crown all across the continent, learning many colloquial trades and skills as she went. Some slightly more scandalous for a princess than others, if the rumors are to be believed.
Lady Margaret continues, “Silence is of the utmost importance. Everyone already knows, to some extent, that the kingdom is on rocky ground since the prince died. The king and queen all but abdicating their responsibilities. But even without that knowledge, people can tell things are different, and not in a good way. If they learn that the princess has been taken it will leave the doors open for rioting and mayhem, allowing anyone to invade and attempt a takeover during the upheaval. From the outside,” she pauses, a wave of fatigue clearly running through her, “or the inside.”
As much as I wish she were completely mistaken, the truth of her words ring true. The guards have had to move in twos everywhere they go just to watch each other’s backs. And not from foreigners, but from our own people. It’s no secret that things have fallen into disrepair both in spirit and tangibility in the last few years. The discontent is palpable.
“You know I will go. Lena is my family. I will be ready within the hour, and I give you my word that I will bring her home.” A calm washes over me once the promise locks into place.
Lady Margaret turns to the thief. “If you aid in bringing her home, I will consider all debts paid. You will be free of this, Ari. You can have your horse, and a sizable donation for settling down, or traveling Felshan, or traveling all of Haythen if that’s what you want.” The girl’s eyes go wide before quickly composing herself again.
Ari. I say the name over in my mind.
The girl hesitates before speaking. “Of course. I will go.” She eyes me sidelong, straightening her posture and clearing her throat so her next words will be devoid of her obvious disdain for me. “I will aid Captain Montgomery in bringing home the princess.”
“Good.” Lady Margaret visibly slumps, the weight of responsibility released and passed to another.
“I would like to bring Aiden and Bowden,” I quickly interject. “I promise you they will be an asset to our journey. Ari,” her name feels strange on my tongue, “may be the best thief in town. But Aiden has a sixth sense for direction and geography and is more than proficient with a bow. And Bowden is the one of best swordsman in the entire Guard.”
Ari scoffs at the mention of these men. “Oh, come on Marg. It’s bad enough you’re going to make me work with one guard, their leader of all people. But three?”
“There’s a chance they aren’t going to Thenstra. It could be a ploy to have us searching in the wrong direction. They could’ve gone to the Western Seaport, south to Venes, or northeast to Jadeya. It would be helpful to have a pair to split off on another trail should we find one,” I counter. I understand the girl’s dislike of me after last night, but why disapprove of Aiden or Bowden?
“Done,” replies Lady Margaret, not even taking a second to mull over our words. “Tell them to keep quiet and ready themselves to leave immediately. I will grab a few supplies from the palace and meet you in the yard before the breakfast bell.” The thief—the girl—Ari— takes a deep breath, the scowl never leaving her face. But I don’t care. Not now. Not after everything I’ve just heard.
Lena is gone. I’m still struggling to fully comprehend it.
I will bring her home, Evander. I will bring Lena home safely.
The promise rings through me like the unwavering rise and fall of the sun.
13
The Thief
Icanleave,orstay, or do whatever I please— as soon as I find this princess and bring her home. Marg will give me Prue free and clear and erase any debt to her I still carry for her generosity and training.
Before, my freedom wasyearsinto the future. I hadn’t given much thought to what I would do with it. It has been so long since I've seen and hunted the men who took my mother. Maybe I could devote my time to permanently free the world of those men who would hurt an innocent woman.
Or maybe all I would find is dust as I did before.
I feel my heartthump, thump, thump. The metal bars of my cage are groaning in preparation. My true desires have been imprisoned for so long, and I feel my body stretching with the promise of being set free. All I will need is the slightest scent of my enemy, and I will finally be able to devour them instead of searching the city from behind a locked enclosure— Marg's wishes always taking precedence over my own.
