Thief

by Jane Glatt

Once Duke Thorold sees who she is it will be close to impossible to get her back. We need to get her out right now.” Kane ran his hand through his hair in frustration - how could she have put herself at such risk?

  The door rattled and woke Brenna. She patted her pack where her knife lay and mumbled the concealing spell. Thanks to the old gods the spell had worked so far. She stood up with her back against the wall. The door opened and the guard from this morning entered, followed by Thorold’s pet scholar, the one she’d seen at the library - Fridrick. She kept her head lowered and watched him through downcast eyes.

  “Let’s see what you’ve caught here, Tobias,” Fridrick said to the guard. “You say she was not caught with anything on her? No stolen valuables or papers?” Tobias nodded. “How odd.” Fridrick continued to study her. “Girl, come closer, I want to look at you.”

  Brenna took a small step forward and briefly raised her head. She had to co-operate at least a little.

  “Hmm, brown hair, brown eyes. You have the look of Aruntun about you,” Fridrick said. “Could you be the thief who tried to steal the knife from the priest? It would mean that madman killed another girl by mistake.”

  Brenna kept her eyes fixed on the floor. Fridrick had figured that out much too easily. But he’d called Sabine Werrett’s death a mistake. Kane thought the church had been responsible for the death but if Fridrick knew, then Thorold was involved as well.

  “There’s something familiar about you,” Fridrick said. “I can’t place it. Not to worry, my dear, I’m sure Duke Thorold will be able to figure it out. I’ll leave any questions for him. I wouldn’t want to spoil his fun. Tobias.” The guard opened the door for Fridrick. The guard glanced her way before he followed the scholar out.

  Confused, Brenna took a step back. By the brothers, the guard had looked her straight in the eye and nodded. Just a tiny tilt to his head, but she hadn’t imagined it. She slid back down to a sitting position. Could he be part of the Brotherhood? Maybe Kane knew where she was and could get her out some how? She had no desire to end up in Thorold’s control again. But if the guard was a Brother …

  Brenna thumped her head against the wall. She was a fool. The Brotherhood had a spy in Duke Thorold’s household. If she’d asked Kane, he probably would have told her. No doubt he would have been able to get the information she sought as well; information that tied Duke Thorold to the King of Langemore, proof that he was committing treason against King Mattias. All the times he’d tried to get her to trust him and she never once thought that he might hold the key to her plans. As he’d told her, she tended to forget who and what he was. He was young to have risen to Captain of the Kingsguard, family legacy or no. It stood to reason he’d be smart enough to keep watch on his enemies.

  But why had he not told her about his spies? She’d handed her own contacts over to him quickly enough. But she’d never asked. Nor had she asked him how he’d known about the knife she’d tried to steal from the priest. She’d been too busy trying to figure everything out on her own, too caught up in keeping secrets from Kane that she’d never considered that he’d have a few secrets of his own. He would have told her, if she’d asked. He would have told her in order to gain her trust for both him and the Brotherhood. The Brotherhood, with their weapons of old steel. Weapons made of the exact same metal as her mother’s knife.

  Carefully she reached back and pulled the knife from her pack. How was her mother’s knife connected to the Brotherhood? It was - she could feel it. Hand on the knife, she searched for old steel. One piece was just outside her cell. That must be Tobias - he wore a sword that was not from his family. She widened her search. There was more old steel on Thorold’s property. This time the mismatch between bearer and weapon was even more jarring. And there, on the road, were half a dozen more pieces. And one was Kane’s sword.

  Thorold dabbed his mouth with a napkin and threw it onto the table before he fixed Fridrick with a glare. “I assume you’re interrupting my breakfast for a reason, scholar.” He knew about the thief of course, his personal guard had informed him first thing this morning. He also he knew that Fridrick had been to question the thief.

  “Yes, my Lord.” Fridrick’s voice quavered slightly.

  Thorold really wished the man was made of stronger stuff. He might need to find ways to toughen him up a bit. He hated having to coddle anyone.

  “As you no doubt are aware the guards captured a thief early this morning,” Fridrick said. “A female thief.”

  Thorold straightened. His guard hadn’t mentioned that fact.

  “This thief,” Fridrick said. “Is a match to the description of the one caught stealing the knife from the church. I have little doubt she is the one.”

  “Have you questioned her? Did she admit it?” Thorold almost laughed out loud. He’d never believed that the healer who’d been killed had been the thief. He would love to hand this one over to the High Bishop. He would not allow a lowly thief to escape his justice. Even if this girl wasn’t the same one she could still help him cement his hold over the High Bishop. People had a habit of dying when questioned by the High Bishop. One more death would be one more lever to keep the man loyal.

  “No, my Lord,” Fridrick said. “I thought you would prefer to question her yourself.”

  Thorold nodded. “Very good Fridrick. Have the thief brought to me in the salon.”

  “My Lord,” Fridrick said. “There is one more thing. The girl seems very familiar to me, but I can’t place why.”

  Fridrick left and Thorold puzzled over his last statement. The scholar had a very good memory for people. It was unusual for him to not be able to place the thief.

  Duke Thorold’s salon resembled an audience chamber more than a sitting room. A single imposing armchair faced the door that led from the main hallway. Small tables sat to either side of the chair with plenty of room beside them for guards. He chose not to be flanked by guards today - he was, after all, dealing with a simple thief. The two guards escorting the thief should be enough to manage her.

  He had just settled himself on his own chair when there was a knock at the door. Fridrick entered followed by a slim figure in black and two of his most trusted guards. He watched as the girl, head bent, slowly walked the length of the room. She stopped in front of him, raised her head and met his gaze. What was this? His mouth opened in shock and he saw the small smile of triumph on her face. He scowled. The brat had surprised him, like her mother had, but he’d make this one pay as well.

  “Well Fridrick,” Thorold said and turned his attention to the scholar. “I believe I know why our young guest looks familiar to you. I always thought my bastard daughter bore some resemblance to me, although her coloring is her mother’s.” Thorold smiled at the shock on not only Fridrick’s face but on the faces of his two guards.

  “So daughter,” Thorold said. “How proud your mother would be if she were alive.” He eyed her dirt-streaked clothing and tangled hair. “A common thief. I always knew you were worthless despite my blood. I suppose it was you who tried to steal the knife from the priest, was it not?”

  His bastard daughter simply shrugged. “My mother would be proud,” she said. “I’m free. As for the priest’s knife. I have nothing to hide on that score. I was caught and my bond was paid. Although I’m sure you’ve had other items go missing over the years, none would have matched the loss the knife would have been. Oh, forgive me, that knife was for the High Bishop, wasn’t it?”

  Thorold narrowed his gaze. Had she just admitted that she’d been behind a cluster of small thefts that had plagued him for years? And how did she know that the knife was destined for him?

  “That,” Thorold said. “Has no bearing on your current circumstance, does it? You, a known thief, found in my house.”

  “I’m sure the Kingsguard will deal with the charges in the manner they see fit,” she said.

  “I’m sure they would. If they had the chance.” He smiled as her face paled. “Do you think the Kingsgu
ard will care what happens to a thief caught on my property? And there’s still the little matter of you being a run away indentured servant. I’m sure that once all the accounts are added up, you’ll be quite in my debt for years to come.” Thorold laughed when her expression went from fear to anger. Oh, she was much more fun to goad than her mother had been.

  “When all accounts are added up you owe me for the death of my mother.”

  Before he could reply there was a noise from outside in the hallway. The sounds of muffled voices came from beyond the closed double doors, then they were flung open and Kane Rowse strode into the room, four men in the blue uniforms of the Kingsguard at his back.

  “Captain Rowse.” Thorold could barely contain his rage. How dare the man barge in to his home? “What is the meaning of this?”

  Kane Rowse stopped two paces in front of him and bowed slightly.

  “My question exactly, Duke Thorold,” Rowse said. “What is the meaning of this?” He gestured to the two guards and the prisoner. “As you know, anyone caught breaking the law must immediately be reported to the Kingsguard and prisoners handed over for questioning. I appreciate the efforts you and your men have gone through to apprehend this person, but we’ll take custody of the prisoner now. My men will take