by Casey Lane
The thief removed the cloak from her face. A small part of him hoped she'd be ugly or homely. Instead, her full lips and light blue eyes made her stunning in the moonlight. It was like she was from a dream, but if she slit his throat, he figured it would be a little more like a nightmare.
She spoke softly. “I'm not hunting her."
The prince attempted to laugh, but it came out more like a wheeze. “The girl said your friend was chasing her or something. Whatever you're doing, it sure doesn't sound harmless."
The beautiful woman before him took out a knife and tossed it onto the ground. It sparked as it skidded across the stone.
"We're on the same team, Braedon. She's the captain's daughter and I have no intention of hurting her."
From his time at court, the prince had heard an incredible amount of lying and untruth. That's what made honesty stick out so much more.
He dropped his makeshift weapon. “Thank the gods."
As the adrenaline dissipated, his awareness of the pain doubled in an instant. His vision went from blurry to black, and he felt his good leg start to give out. He thought he heard the thief call out his name just as the dark filled everything.
Chapter 12
It didn't take Cinderella long to find the girl. She was cowering in the corner of an abandoned home, and once the thief disarmed the captain's daughter of the piece of glass she brandished, the little lady collapsed into her arms.
In her years working for the Godmother, Cinderella had learned where all the queen’s soldiers lived. She left the girl on the doorstep of the army's second-in-command, waiting just long enough to make sure she was inside before dashing off. She rushed back to make sure the prince was still where she left him. Sure enough, he remained unconscious but breathing.
Fortunately, the Godmother's place was only a few streets away. And while the prince was heavy, he wasn't even close to the heaviest man she'd ever carried.
To distract herself from his weight, she tried to put some of the puzzle pieces together. “How did the girl know Kiyara? The captain knew her, too. She hardly even leaves the house without being under her mother's thumb. It doesn't make any sense."
She looked down at the unconscious in her arms. “And how did he get so damn fast? If he'd been that quick on the rooftop, then it would've been at least a little tougher to punch him in the face."
Cinderella took the bruising on the side of Braedon's cheek as a sort of trophy.
"Never injured a prince before.”
He murmured in his unconsciousness.
"But I'm not against doing it again."
It felt like ages before she reached the Godmother's home, and laid the prince down just inside the front door. As she sat and rested off the exhausting walk, Braedon awoke and clutched at his knee.
"Do you have a healer?"
Cinderella scoffed. “Sure. I think he comes in about a half-hour after the massages, and the live-in musician."
He tried to smile. “The girl's safe?"
Cinderella nodded.
With pain covering his face, he moved himself into a sitting position against the wall. “Good. I think I've done my good deed for a lifetime, then. Where are we?"
"If I told you about this place, I'd have to kill you."
The prince grinned and grimaced. “Sounds nice.” He looked straight into her eyes. “Seems like as good a place as any for our second date."
He saved a little girl. Do not punch him in the nose.
Cinderella stood up and paced around. She could feel Braedon's gaze upon her.
"You know, I've seen so many women who are full of themselves in court, but you're the only one I've met who is truly confident in herself."
She sighed. “Uh-huh."
Cinderella wished the Godmother would just show up already. Then she could figure out what exactly happened to the captain. She could also get away from the eyes that followed her every move.
"How does one get to be that sure of oneself? Lots of stolen jewels?"
She glared at him. “More like dozens of slain princes.” She put her hand to her chin as if she were in deep thought. “Where should I bury the body this time? The north bank of the river is particularly nice for corpses, but the catacombs might be a better fit. Such difficult decisions to make."
Braedon laughed uncomfortably. “You're kidding.” A few beats of silence went by. “You are kidding, right?"
"She's kidding."
They both looked over to see the Godmother gracefully walking in with a medical bag of some kind. Nothing ever seemed to faze the woman, and now she could add broken-kneed prince to the list of situations she could easily handle.
Without introducing herself, Cinderella's mentor began rolling up Braedon's pants leg. He squirmed from the pain, and the Godmother quietly shushed him. She looked over the injury with gentle, soft hands and nodded to herself. The way she inspected the leg with such care was mesmerizing.
"Lay him down somewhere with light so I can get a better look."
"Carrying him all the way here wasn't enough?"
The Godmother returned an irritated glance that compelled Cinderella to take action.
She hoisted the prince up with ease.
His eyes widened. “You carried me here? What are you, three quarters goddess, one quarter elephant?"
"Call me part elephant again, and I might have to drop you on your head."
The prince kept his lips sealed as she moved him to a better location. She once again tried to ignore his constant stare. As soon as he was lying below the lantern, she turned and walked to the far end of the room.
The Godmother removed some sort of bandage from her bag and began wrapping it around the prince's knee. “I know she won't say it, but saving that girl and putting yourself at risk was very brave."
"How'd you know… thank you."
Cinderella piped up. “I was getting around to saying something. Just trying to get over his loathsome personality first."
Braedon gripped the ground beneath him as the Godmother tightened the bandage. “She's just mad I was faster than her."
"Oh, I know. I've learned all her tics by now."
Cinderella snorted. “I don't have tics. Besides, this isn't a friendly conversation. It's an interrogation. What were you doing listening at the captain's window?"
The prince flexed and unflexed his wrapped leg. “A guy can't just go around saving little girls and call it a night?"
When nobody laughed, he gulped a bit. “Tough crowd. I have a feeling I was doing the same thing you were. The captain isn't the first soldier to start acting… strangely. Dozens have had something horrible happen to them and then they decided to retire. But maybe that's because this one is threatening to slit their throats."
The Godmother rested her hands on her hips and trained her eyes on her protégé. “You threatened the captain?"
Cinderella seethed. “This is why I don't like eavesdroppers. Yes, I exchanged a few harsh words with him, but it was because he didn't even care about his missing wife and his devastated daughter. He'd just given up."
"The wife is dead. Her body just washed up in the river today."
Cinderella folded her arms and looked away. “Damn.” She sighed. “I kind of liked her."
The prince leaned up on his elbows. “I don't think he did it."
"No.” Cinderella chewed on her cheek. “He wouldn't have done that. But I also thought he wouldn't give up hope, and I was wrong there."
The Godmother looked up. “There's something deeper going on here. Few things are ever what they seem on the surface."
"And like always, I'm the one who has to figure it out."
The prince smirked. “Is she always this moody?"
"She's usually worse."
Cinderella threw up her hands. “You two are terrible. Feel free to solve the case on your own. I'm out."
With that, she stormed outside before the others could say a word. The cold breeze of the night sent a chill thro
ugh her. She wrapped her arms around herself and leaned back against the wall. She took deep breaths to slow her adrenaline.
It didn't take long for the Godmother to come out. She wore the smile of someone who had been through it all and made it to the other side. Her mentor put her hand on Cinderella's shoulder. It lingered there for several moments.
"I'm sorry this reminds you of your father."
The thief looked to the stars. “It's not fair. Losing someone is bad enough, but when the people left don't care anymore… it's pure torture. And now I'm supposed to help the captain? Who, I might add, never liked me much in the first place."
The Godmother rubbed the side of Cinderella's neck. “Don't think about helping him. Think about that little girl. If you can give her the peace that you never had, wouldn't it be worth it?"
She felt her chest open up. “You're very manipulative. You know that right?"
"I do."
"Let me sleep on it.” Cinderella looked back to the front door. “You'll keep him safe?"
Her mentor's mouth curled into a smile. “Are you asking because you care about him?"
Cinderella rubbed at the goose pimples that formed on her arm. “Of course not. He just saved someone's life. I think that earns him a free pass for the next 24 hours or so."
As the Godmother continued to smile, Cinderella grunted and walked off as the pitch black of night started to give way to dawn.
Chapter 13
Cinderella hadn't realized just how long it took her to carry the prince to safety, and as a result, she reached her stepmother's house later than usual. After scaling the side of the house, she could hear Armenia calling to her from the hallway. She stripped off her functional thieving clothes and changed back into the drab garb of a servant girl. Seeing the transformation from feared criminal of the night to forgettable maid in the mirror never failed to take her energy down about a dozen notches.
"Coming, Mother."
"You'd better be, because the day just started and you're already far behind."
It had been about four years since Cinderella first asked her mentor if she could kill her stepmother. She waited until she had a foolproof plan to present, with at least a dozen reasons why it would be beneficial to the village. After all, it wasn't as if she was the only person Armenia belittled throughout her day. The Godmother rejected the plan, and the 13 subsequent spins on an assassination Cinderella presented later. It wasn't until last year that she stopped asking altogether.
"Yes, Mother."
She closed her eyes and unpacked herself. Cinderella left the nighttime warrior behind and stepped out into the hallway as a meek mouse who was ready to serve.
Not only was Armenia standing there with fire in her eyes, but the woman's wicked daughter was also beside her like a younger, angrier twin.
Malina sneered. “We know what you did last night. We know you weren't in your room."
Cinderella wished she didn't have to play this part. “I'm sorry."
Her stepsister lurched forward as if she meant to get physical, but Armenia held her back.
"Tut-tut, daughter. Wouldn't want you to accidentally bruise before the tea. I'll make sure your sister is handled correctly."
Malina gritted her teeth but took a step back. For the first time, Cinderella noticed her other sister was hiding at the far end of the hall. The thief by night still had no idea how Kiyara factored into all of this. She wondered how difficult it would be to get answers out of her reticent sister.
Armenia lifted her chin. “My ugly little worm of an unwanted daughter, I know that you didn't just leave the grounds without permission. You encouraged my sweet, innocent flower to follow along with you."
I wonder how innocent she really is.
"Yes, Mother."
Her stepmother strode forward and took hold of Cinderella's cheek like she owned it. “There are dangerous people in the village at night. I don't expect you to be smart enough to know that."
There was a time when Armenia's words were the most painful weapons against her, but that time had long passed. Her armor was strong enough now.
Cinderella tried to nod, but her stepmother kept her face locked in position.
"When was the last time you washed the linens?"
The thief kept her eyes cold and dead, no matter how much she wanted to reveal her true fiery nature. “Two weeks ago. It took several days."
"I think it's time for a little freshening. Do them all again today, in addition to your regular chores."
Armenia was asking the impossible. It was torture not responding how she really felt.
"Yes, Mother. I'm sorry."
Malina had such a large smile on her face, Cinderella bet she could knock out half her teeth with one well-struck blow.
"You should make better choices, sister.” Malina glanced back at the shrinking violet that was Kiyara. “And you should know better than to hang out with the swine.” She stomped away in a manner that could hardly be called ladylike.
Armenia maintained control over Cinderella's face. “I don't have to worry about you causing trouble this week, do I? As you know, the next few days could change everything."
It would be so easy to snap her neck right now.
"I know how important it is. You don't have to worry."
Her stepmother finally let go and disappeared into her room without another word.
Cinderella had become an expert at letting the rage seep out of her in the quiet moments of the day. As she let the hidden anger and pain subside, Kiyara walked into the light.
Her sister looked at her own feet. “This is all my fault."
The thief removed her veil of subservience. “She's done and said worse. I'll be fine.” She tucked a strand of blonde hair behind Kiyara's ear. “But you need to tell me if there's something going on. I want to be able to help."
Kiyara kept from looking Cinderella straight on. “I don't know why the captain and his daughter recognized me. Sure, his house looked familiar, but Mother has taken us to lots of houses owned by important people in the village."
The thief knew Kiyara wasn't telling the full truth, but she wasn't quite up for using all of her interrogation techniques to get to the bottom of things.
"Okay. But if you remember anything, you'll definitely tell me?"
Her stepsister nodded without looking up, and walked away. Cinderella watched her as she went.
Why is she lying to me?
Before she could even fathom an answer, she heard a noise from behind the door that never opened. The shuffling of feet moved across the room. As much as she didn't want to listen, she stood there petrified. The man who used to play with her and hug her and love her still lived and breathed behind that door. Armenia never mentioned him, and her stepsisters must've been given some kind of warning to do the same. It was as if he never existed, but Cinderella's memories weren't lies.
"Did something do this to you? Or did you and the captain both just forget how to love?"
The movement on the other side of the door failed to answer the question as Cinderella stood there wishing she had the same ability to go numb and forget.
Chapter 14
Prince Braedon woke up free of pain. Without having to work a hangover out of his system, he actually felt better than he had in months. He looked down at his leg and flexed his wrapped knee. Aside from a little tightness, everything appeared to be in working order. He breathed in the perfume-free air of the village. He much preferred it to the overly sanitized ambience of the castle. It was like the air was freer out here.
"Looks like that healed nicely."
Braedon's body jumped from the shock of noticing the Godmother sitting in the darkness on the other side of the room. As his heart settled, he considered how many more secrets and surprises the strange woman had left.
He showed her his pain-free leg. “There's no way the healers at the castle could've fixed this so quickly. It's unbelievable."
"When you get to my age, y
ou realize that pretty much anything can happen."
The prince shrugged. “I guess. I still can hardly believe how skilled our mutual friend is. I've been training at the castle from the age of four, and she beat me like I was nothing."
The Godmother moved to the corner of the bed and slowly sat. “Whether or not she knows it, Cinderella fights with the passion of her dead mother."
“Cinderella.” He let the name sink into his every thought. “So she lost someone. I knew it!” As soon as he said it, he felt sheepish. “I'm sorry. I just get comfort out of understanding people."
"You can analyze someone correctly, but that doesn't mean you understand everything."
"I've lost a parent, too. People just deal with it in different ways."
A loud noise resembling a wild animal clomping into the house stole their attention. The sound of several items being knocked over preceded Falstone poking his head in through the door.
His eyes were red and bleary. “Braedon! I've been looking all over the place for you.” He glanced over to the Godmother sitting on the bed. “Oh man! I hope I didn't interrupt morning cuddle time."
The prince was mortified as the turned toward the Godmother. “I'm so sorry. I don't know how he found me."
Falstone barged his way in. “I've got eyes and ears everywhere, my boy. Never knew you were getting experience from an older woman in the bedroom."
While Braedon's cheeks turned red, he was surprised by just how calm the Godmother was at his drunken friend's presence.
She stood up. “You must be Falstone. The rumors of your personality hardly do you justice."
Falstone nearly tripped over himself to kiss her hand. “My lady. Don't believe everything the boy tells you, for he tends to exaggerate. Same with the rumors. Basically, don't trust anything you ever hear about me."
The Godmother relinquished her hand. “I'll keep an open mind."
Falstone crashed down on the bed next to the prince, sending the aroma of sweat and pure alcohol into Braedon's face.
"By the gods, Falstone. Where did you even come from?"
