Thief

by Jane Glatt

failing Brenna in every way. He hadn’t secured a meeting with Duke Ewart, nor was he able to follow her into the night to keep her safe. And he certainly hadn’t gotten her to trust him. No wonder she didn’t want to see him. But he missed her.

  He ran a hand over his stubbled chin. He’d been letting his beard grow. It helped him blend in when he went to pick up Lord Stobert’s message. This was the last time he’d do this, too. Either a meeting date had been set or he and Brenna would leave the city.

  He stepped out of the house and into the busy street, headed towards the market area. In his guise of a tradesman from Kingsreach, Kane had learned a lot about the price of wheat and lumber, but not much about the whereabouts of Duke Ewart. If the duke was in town, the tradesmen weren’t aware. The nobility did not seem to affect their lives enough for them to notice and Kane could only hope it stayed that way. If Thorold ended up controlling all of Soule, many of these people would suffer greatly. Often it was the folk in the middle who suffered the most. They were the ones who would be taxed until they lost homes and businesses to pay their debts.

  Kane quickened his steps as he got closer to his destination. The Blue Boot was the least welcoming tavern in the market area and it was where he’d been meeting Stobert’s contact since he’d arrived. Something else that made him uneasy. Better to meet someplace new each day, but the one time he’d tried to send a message, his contact had shaken his head and left it behind. So Kane was left with no choice - show up at the Blue Boot or not make contact.

  He took a seat at a table in back and ordered an ale. No doubt Brenna would feel right at home here. The tavern was dark and dingy and reminded him a little of the Crooked Dog, Eryl’s headquarters.

  Only a few patrons were here at this time of the day. Each one sat alone, desperately nursing their drinks. The barkeep wandered amongst them filling empty glasses. If any orders were given, or coin changed hands, Kane didn’t see it.

  After half an hour Kane’s contact came in and headed slowly towards him.

  “This be my regular table, mind if I sit?” He was of medium build with close-cropped black hair under a well-worn felt hat. His clothing was coarse but clean - a patched woolen shirt and dark, threadbare breeches that were tucked into scuffed boots.

  Kane nodded and the other man sat down. They’d done this exact same series of actions for the past four days. Kane couldn’t tell if any of the other patrons noticed anything, but it troubled him. It was too predictable, too contrived. Someone would notice, eventually.

  A short time later, Kane drained his mug and stood up to leave. He transferred a small piece of paper from his hand to his vest pocket and stepped out into the street. A few doors down he ducked into an alley and pulled out the note.

  Thank the gods - Lord Stobert had finally arranged the meeting. Kane would meet Stobert’s men tomorrow at dusk and then he would be taken to see Duke Ewart.

  Kane made his way back to the house. He had to talk to Brenna. The invitation did not include her and she would not be happy. Nor was he, for that matter.

  Kane slowed down and then stopped in front of a shop window. A man lounged across from the house. Head down, Kane pretended to eye the goods on display. When he started to saunter back the way he’d come, the man straightened and followed him.

  Had they been found? Kane wasn’t sure if his follower was friend or foe, but he had to assume the worst. Once he was sure no one was following him he’d find Brenna.

  It took an hour and a complicated route through the city but eventually Kane made it to the library. He just hoped Brenna was there, and safe.

  Brenna rubbed her eyes. The cheap lamp smoke made them water, but it was all she could find. The head librarian would have provided a better light source, but she’d snuck in today. The librarian liked to talk and Brenna wanted only peace and quiet. She was tired. She’d been out at night, looking for information about Lord Westley Stobert. Everything she’d uncovered painted him as an honourable, loyal man. A horse trader had even told her Stobert had angered Duke Thorold this past winter. It had been days and she’d not been able to read anything negative from Stobert through old steel. Kane trusted him. So why couldn’t she?

  She picked up a dust covered book and rubbed it with her sleeve. A Compendium of Plants from the Western Forest. She had high hopes for this book - surely the forest at the edge of Soule contained plants and herbs not found anywhere else?

  She opened the book to the first page but stopped when she felt the tingle of old steel. Kane was here. She was so attuned to him that she no longer had to consciously search him out, she just knew when he was close. She headed out of the room - he was somewhere ahead and to the left. She turned into a corridor, stopped and then backed up around the corner.

  She could hear the creaky voice of the librarian and she stifled a laugh. The librarian had Kane cornered. Brenna peered around the doorway and smiled. The librarian had a grip on Kane’s arm and looked like he had no plan to let go. Kane nodded politely, but a muscle in his check tensed. She waved and he nodded slightly. She quickly backed out of view and headed further down the hall. A few minutes later, Kane joined her.

  “By Jik, the master librarian can talk,” Kane said. “I thought librarian’s liked books more than people?”

  “I think he’s just lonely,” Brenna said. She took his arm and steered him into the room she’d been in. “He did the same to me until I started climbing in through the window. This library is not very well used. Nor kept.” She batted at a cobweb on a book shelf. “What news?”

  “I’ve just received word of an appointment with Ewart,” Kane said. “Tomorrow night.” He paused. “The invitation did not include you.”

  “Mmm,” Brenna said. She crossed her arms over her chest. “That’s what I expected.”

  “And you’re not angry? I am.”

  “Do you think I should meet with Duke Ewart?” Brenna asked. Kane nodded and she continued. “So do I. So that’s what will happen.”

  “Agreed,” Kane said. “We’ll come up with a plan that keeps you safe.”

  “I have a plan,” Brenna said. She’d been thinking about it since they arrived in Silverdale.

  “I’m sure you do,” Kane said. He crossed his arms over his chest. “But I need to approve it. I was followed earlier. Can you do a quick check for old steel?”

  She closed her eyes and looked. She was surrounded by old steel. Kane she saw as a bright glow beside her. The three pieces she kept in her pack - the mortar and pestle and the coronet - pulled at her as they always did. There was Lord Stobert and his faithful guard Kersey. Much further off she could sense Feiren and Dasid, and less clearly, the boys and girls she’d had weapons drill with.

  Close, though, there was a lot of unknown old steel. She sifted through it the way she would search through her herbs, identifying a specific note or flavour for each piece before she moved on to the next one. The old steel closest to them had the definite feel of Brothers.

  “There are two or three Brothers within the block,” Brenna said. “They’re not familiar, but the old steel matches the bearers.” She widened her search area. There, that was familiar. Yes, that was him.

  “Barton’s here in the city, but not too close to us. Now that I have him, I’ll be able to keep track of him.” She still didn’t understand why Barton’s weapon hadn’t responded to her the night of the fight. She opened her eyes and met Kane’s blue gaze.

  “Barton,” he said. “I didn’t think he’d give up easily. We need to be even more careful. I need to know where you’re going at all times.” She opened her mouth to protest, but he continued. “And I’ll tell you my whereabouts as well. I mean it Brenna. We’ll leave the city right after the meeting with Duke Ewart, but until then, I don’t want you going out at night alone. There can’t possibly be anything so important that we can risk you. Please.”

  “All right.” She didn’t like it, didn’t like being told what to do, but Kane had already agreed that she s
hould meet with Duke Ewart. She’d have to settle for that.

  For the rest of the afternoon, Brenna studied herbal lore in the library. Kane sat at a table beside the door, a book on military tactics open in front of him.

  She wasn’t sure how much reading he was doing. Every time she lifted her head and happened to glance his way, he looked away as though he’d been staring at her. It was unnerving. She tried to read him through old steel but was left with impressions of fear and hope and a fierce protectiveness.

  Finally she put all the books back on the shelves and blew out the lamp. It was time to go.

  “I’ll meet you outside,” she said to Kane. She hitched her pack onto her back and climbed out the window.

  A few minutes later Kane rounded the corner. She fell in step with him and they made their silent way back to the house. Brenna didn’t sense any unusual old steel along the way, but all night and into the next day she nervously tracked Barton’s sword. He never came close to the house, but that didn’t mean she felt safe. He hadn’t struck her as the type to give up. And she knew Duke Thorold wouldn’t, ever.

  Brenna barely tasted the food, but she’d eaten her dinner anyway - it would be a long time before they had a chance for another real meal. It was almost time to leave and they didn’t plan on coming back to this house. Kane was