Thief

by Jane Glatt

Eryl. “We have business to discuss.”

  “Ah, I see you did not receive my message. We’ve had an unfortunate setback in regards to our efforts to make a certain delivery to you.”

  “Hah!” The drunk lifted his head off the table as he spoke. “Like as not she’ll give us all up to the Guard. Never did understand why ye fancied that witch.”

  Eryl sent the man a stern look. “That’s enough Millen. We have company. As I said, Master Arlott,” the thief turned back to Kane. “We’ve suffered an unfortunate set back.”

  “Which is why I’m here,” Kane said. And what exactly had the drunk meant by his comment about Eryl fancying Brenna? “My patron is aware of the circumstances you and your, er, associate find yourselves in. He’s asked that I come on his behalf to make amends.” What if Eryl and Brenna were coupled up?

  “Despite the fact that the delivery was never made,” Kane continued, “the recent turn of events has been of some value to my patron,”

  “Has it now?” Eryl’s dark eyes glittered and he sat up straighter. “That is good news. Mayhap he’d want to be appreciative about that.”

  “So he has told me,” Kane assured him. “No doubt others would look to take advantage of the situation, but as I told you before, my patron is looking for dependable contacts for now and the future. He feels the least he can do his pay the girl’s bond price.” Kane had the attention of all four men in the room now and he watched warily as the two ‘drunks’ straightened up and eyed him soberly. Interesting. Eryl and his gang weren’t as undisciplined as they wanted him to believe.

  “He’d do that?” Eryl asked. “Pay her bond? Why? And don’t give me none of your fancy speeches about your patron’s honour. We both know that powerful men don’t do nothin’ without some payback for themselves.”

  Kane leaned back in his chair. He’d obviously hit a nerve. Eryl had slipped into street talk. “Let’s just say that my patron does not want the girl to fall into the wrong hands.”

  Eryl nodded slowly at this.

  “And be very clear that my patron means for her to remain free.” Kane hardened his voice. “So if he hears you have used his coin to indenture her to you, he will not be pleased.” Although if Brenna and Eryl were a couple, Kane didn’t need to worry about that. But what if there were children? He looked around at the squalid room. No, not possible. The Brotherhood could accept a woman as the Caller, but one with a child? That might be more than even his uncle could manage. Kane pulled a purse out from beneath his vest and tossed it to Eryl.

  “That will cover her bond price,” Kane said. He pulled a second, smaller purse out and hefted it in his hand, the noise of the coins muffled by cloth. “There is more business to discuss. My patron feels quite responsible for this girl and would like to be kept advised of her whereabouts.”

  Eryl eyed the second purse speculatively. “I’m not sure I can do that to Brenna. Spying on her wouldn’t sit right.”

  The drunk, Millen snorted. “She’d skin ye if she found out,” he said.

  “I’m not asking you to do more than let me know if she finds herself in trouble.” Kane swept his gaze from Eryl to Millen before he settled it on Eryl. He placed the second purse on the table in front of Eryl. “My patron is concerned for her safety, as well as mine, and recent events may bring unwelcome attention to her. We can’t allow her actions to be traced back through you, to me.” Eryl wouldn’t even consider spying on Brenna if they were a couple. Unless he was simply angling for the extra coin?

  Eryl exchanged glances with his men and then nodded to Kane.

  “Agreed,” Eryl said. He reached out and dragged the purse towards him. “We’ll keep a look out on Brenna in case some trouble’s been stirred up by this whole mess.”

  “I will also be watching her at times,” Kane said. “I ask that you keep my presence a secret from her.” He held his breath, not knowing if they would agree to this last request. He needed to know if the church was after her. On behalf of the Brotherhood, he was now responsible for her safety.

  “We’ll keep quiet about you,” Eryl said as he leaned across the table. “But only if we see no harm to Brenna in this. If we think you’ve brought her danger we’ll make you wish you’d never heard of us.”

  “That’s acceptable.” Kane stood up, not wanting to give them time to reconsider. He didn’t doubt Eryl’s sincerity. Brenna obviously meant a lot to him. He hoped it didn’t become a problem for the Brotherhood. In all the years he’d been a Brother, he’d never once thought about the Caller as a real person, leading a real life. Kane felt foolish that he’d overlooked something so basic. Of course the Caller would have a past - of course the Caller would have people in their life. But what that would mean to the Brotherhood?

  At the door he turned back to Eryl.

  “The bond should be paid at dawn,” Kane said. “And I warn you not to barter the bond down. My patron has his own reasons for this request and it’s more important that Brenna be out as soon as possible. Remember, this is not your coin. If my patron wishes to pay the bond in full it’s none of your concern.”

  “I ain’t gonna take any chances with Brenna,” Eryl said.

  Kane met Eryl’s brown-eyed gaze before he turned and left. He thought the thief could be trusted, in this anyway; Eryl seemed to want Brenna out and safe as much as he did. With a sigh Kane headed out through the pub and into the night. It was very late and he still needed to report to his uncle and change into his uniform before he could finally head back to the castle. He planned on being on hand at dawn; he just hoped Eryl did too.

  four

  Brenna hugged the worn blanket tighter to try to ward off the chill of the cell. At least she had the extra blanket. She was being given special treatment because of this Brotherhood the captain had spoken about and she wasn’t sure she liked it. The fine stew and extra blanket were welcome but she didn’t trust any of this. Everything had a cost, she thought. She’d learned that hard lesson when her mother had sacrificed her life for Brenna’s freedom. What could the Brotherhood possibly want with a thief?

  But the knife and sword had lit up when she’d touched them. She idly rubbed her hand, the one Kane had placed on his own, his sword underneath. What had happened? She’d felt a tingle, a warmth and then the weapon had lit up. And afterward she’d been keenly aware of Kane Rowse and his sword. In some odd way she’d felt connected to them. Oh not that she knew his thoughts, not anything like that. But she was sure she’d felt … something … when he’d sheathed his sword, and then again when he’d left the cell. But it had happened so quickly and what he’d told her had surprised her so completely that it might just be her imagination.

  At least the two guards on watch now pretended not to be studying her. The other one, the one who’d seen the sword glow, had openly stared at her. He’d only looked away when she’d asked him questions about this Brotherhood. And when her dinner had been delivered and the guard had apologized because the stew wasn’t better, Brenna had almost dropped the bowl. That had frightened her almost as much as anything else. She was his prisoner and yet he was apologizing to her. She did not need the Guard in her life like that. Brothers! And that stew had been better than what was served in most inns in the Quarter. Much better than the swill they served at the Crooked Dog - this stew had actual pieces of meat in it, not just the memory of it.

  At the thought of the Dog, Brenna frowned. She hoped Eryl would come through for her. By now he’d know what had happened to her - not much went on in the Quarter that Eryl didn’t find out about. She’d made him promise years ago that if the Kingsguard ever caught her he’d buy her bond. But that was back when they’d been bedmates. Now all she could do is hope he kept his word.

  He’d want to, but Eryl had a hard time keeping coin in his pocket. If he showed up she’d tell him where she’d hidden her own coin. She wasn’t sure it would be enough, though. For stealing from a One-God favored priest, no doubt her bond price would be high. But Eryl had to show. S
he would not be indentured to anyone ever again. She’d rather be dead, like her mother.

  Brenna felt her grief rise at the thought of her mother. Six years and the pain felt as raw as the day of her death. She brushed a tear from her eye and grabbed a pebble, scraping furiously at the stone wall of the cell, trying to do something, anything, to push back her grief and anger.

  Her mother had not deserved the mean life she’d been forced into. Sold into Duke Thorold’s household and forced into his bed, Brenna’s mother had never had much happiness, except for her daughter. And even then Brenna knew there was always fear. Fear of Duke Thorold’s anger, fear for Brenna’s future, fear that as bad as things were he would make their lives so much worse if he found out their secret - that Brenna wasn’t his child. Wynne had used her healing and herb knowledge to ensure she bore the child of the man she loved, Thorold’s eldest son. But Alastair had died in a hunting accident before he learned he was to be a father, leaving Wynne with no hope for her child unless everyone assumed Brenna was Thorold’s bastard. Luckily, Wynne had said, Brenna had her grandfather’s jaw. It had been obvious, even when she was a baby that she was of Duke Thorold’s bloodline.

  Brenna sucked in a breath as her knuckle scraped along the stone and a bead