Clockwork Thief Box Set

by Katherine Bogle

  There had to be something she could do.

  “Narra. Are you all right?” Khlara asked. She tilted her head to one side. Her eyebrows were furrowed, and her lips turned down in a frown. It was the look of genuine concern she remembered Erik having every time he asked her the same question.

  And that’s when Narra decided: she was not giving her mother up without a fight.

  “I don’t want you to go,” Narra said.

  Khlara’s eyes softened and her lips twisted in a rueful smile. “I’m sorry, Narra. I didn’t mean to come back into your life like this only to leave.”

  Narra’s fists clenched in her lap. “Then don’t.”

  Khlara shook her head. “You know I have to leave. You won’t be safe with me here. ”

  Erik and Alden both stopped eating. Their faces turned sad as they looked between mother and daughter.

  “I can protect you,” Narra said. “You don’t have to go.”

  “If I let my daughter protect me, I’d be a terrible mother.”

  Narra bit back a growl. “No, you wouldn’t. There’s a lot you don’t know about me. I can protect you. I’ve fought off assassins before.”

  Khlara’s eyes grew hard. “What do you mean?”

  Erik shot Narra a startled look. He’d just put it together as well.

  “A few weeks ago, Erik and I were in Tallis Library searching for information. When we went to leave I was trapped inside a research room by who I believe was a Talcotta assassin. I fought him off, injured him even, and he took off,” Narra explained. Her heart raced at the memory. “I never saw him again.”

  Khlara gripped her butter knife until her knuckles went whiter than even her pale skin. “This only proves my point, Narra. You aren’t safe.” She looked Narra over from head to toe. “You should dye your hair. You look too much like me.”

  Narra scoffed. “No. You aren’t understanding my point.”

  Khlara stood. “I understand your point, Daughter. You think because you narrowly escaped one assassin that you can fend off half a dozen when they come for me. But you’re wrong. You might be strong, you might be trained, but I can’t endanger you like this.”

  Narra stood as well, the legs of her chair screeching across the wooden floor. Fire lashed through her chest, not at her mother for being so stubborn, but at the assassins who dare come between her and her family. “You won’t be endangering me. I can handle myself.”

  “Yourself, certainly. But I won’t let you risk your life for mine.”

  Heat poured through every inch of her. Narra ground her teeth as she slapped her palms down on the table. “It is mine to risk. I can protect you. It isn’t just me. I can ask the Daughters for their aid as well.”

  The whole kitchen went silent. Erik stared at Narra in stunned silence while Khlara and Alden regarded her with confusion.

  “The Daughters?” Khlara asked after a long, tense moment. “What are you saying? ”

  Narra snapped her teeth shut with an audible click. She hadn’t meant to say it. Giving herself up as a Daughter of Ashra had already angered the Goddess of Death. She shouldn’t be telling more people, especially the mother that she barely knew. What if Khlara rejected Narra for this? What if she thought her daughter disgusting?

  “Narra?” Khlara said.

  Narra squeezed her eyes shut. Damn. She should have been more careful.

  “The Daughters of Ashra,” Erik said, his voice strained. “Narra has been working with them.”

  Alden and Khlara gasped in unison.

  “What?” Khlara snapped. “What do you think you’re doing with them? You’re a thief !”

  Shame squeezed Narra’s heart. “I know.”

  Erik reached over and squeezed Narra’s hand. “She had no other choice.”

  Khlara looked between them both. “What do you mean?”

  Narra sighed and looked at her mother. “They gave me two options. Agree to join the Daughters… or die.”

  Alden snorted. “That sounds like one option to me.”

  Narra smile ruefully. She couldn’t disagree.

  “Those monsters,” Khlara growled. She breathed hard, staring at the table. But she wasn’t arguing anymore. She wasn’t trying to convince Narra that she had to go. She was thinking it over.

  Narra’s heart fluttered with hope. “You see now… you can stay. I can protect you, and I’ll ask the Daughters for their help too. We can kill the assassins after you, and then you’ll be free.”

  Khlara looked up. Her eyebrows were furrowed and her eyes glazed with both tears and hope.

  Narra could only imagine the life her mother had lived: constantly on the run, never able to settle down for too long for fear that assassins lurked in every shadow. But it was time that came to an end. Narra would put a stop to it if it was the last thing she did.

  “You really think they’ll help?” Khlara asked tentatively. “They won’t ask more of you for this? You won’t be punished? ”

  Narra kept her face carefully neutral. For all she knew, she’d be killed for telling another person of her allegiance to the Daughters. But she had to hold onto hope that Ashra would understand. This was her family , and she would do anything for them.

  “No,” Narra said. “I’ll be fine. I’ll go ask for their help as soon as I’m able.”

  Khlara stared at her daughter for a long moment. She reached across the table and squeezed Narra’s hand. “All right. But promise me you won’t endanger yourself in any way.”

  “I won’t,” Narra lied.

  Khlara smiled and nodded before both women returned to their seats. Alden still looked between them all like he’d seen a ghost. Erik shrugged when her uncle’s gaze landed upon him. This was just another day in their messed up lives.

  Narra looked at the remaining sausage and small pile of hash browns on her plate. She’d nearly finished when her thoughts had driven her into an outburst. Now, she was no longer hungry. She sighed. She hated letting good food go to waste.

  “You gonna eat that?” Erik grinned.

  Narra chuckled and pushed her plate across the table. It was as if he read her mind. “It’s all yours.”

  Erik took her plate and greedily dug into what was left. His enthusiasm at having more breakfast seemed to break the tension, and the crushing silence relaxed somewhat.

  She knew she’d have to talk to Alden more about what had happened with the Daughters later, but for now, she wanted to catch up on the news.

  Narra took the newspaper back in hand, flicking it out to spread the front page between her hands. The headline of the Rova Chronicle was one she expected, and a sly smile curved her lips at the very sight of it.

  MURDEROUS PRINCESSES RESCUED BY UNKNOWN DUO.

  She scanned the article, which had the bare minimum amount of information on the actual kidnapping of the princesses. Instead, it mostly went on and on about the trial, and tried desperately to link the scene with other reports of Ashra’s wrath. It also mentioned Marina’s coming coronation and what this meant for the country.

  Her heart stopped as she realized what day it was. The coronation was tomorrow . How had she let it sneak up on her?

  Narra’s fingers squeezed the paper as she scanned the rest of the front page. When she didn’t find what she wanted, she flipped to the next, and then the next. By the time she reached the end of the paper, her fingers clutched the edges until it crumpled beneath her fierce grip.

  No matter what she tried to do to incite a rebellion, it wasn’t happening. Were Rova’s people really that docile? It was sickening to think they’d allow all of this to happen—the killings, the religious imposition, the tax hikes—without rising up to try and stop it. Did what was left of the Revolution no longer care because their leader was going to be on the throne?

  This couldn’t be what they wanted for their country, and yet she hadn’t heard a peep from them in weeks.

  Not to mention, one of the many articles revealed to the public that the military was not
going to aid in Bordertown, even though several skirmishes had already broken out. Their country was about to be at war, and the military wasn’t obeying their next empress.

  Yet still, the public and the church were allied with Marina. The Church of Srah was doing much more for Marina’s standing that Narra had ever expected.

  Tomorrow was Marina’s coronation and Narra’s revenge was crumbling around her.

  Narra sighed.

  “What does it say?” Erik asked. He looked at her expectantly as he shovelled another forkful of eggs into his mouth.

  “Our plan isn’t working,” she said.

  Erik swallowed audibly. “That’s unfortunate.”

  Khlara and Alden looked between them both, confusion all over their faces .

  “What’s going on?” Alden asked.

  Narra exchanged a look with Erik. “We’re trying to bring down the princess before she’s crowned empress, but no matter what we do, the public hasn’t risen up to fight back against her.”

  Alden looked at the headline on the front page of the Rova Chronicle. “That was you two?”

  “Yep,” Erik said.

  Khlara sipped on her mug of coffee before setting it back down. “Why don’t you just steal the crown?” She can’t very well be crowned empress without it.”

  Narra looked wide eyed at her mother. A spark lit inside her mind and she had to take a deep breath to calm her heartbeat and her racing thoughts. Why hadn’t she thought of it before? She didn’t need to incite a rebellion to stop Marina. All they had to do was stop her coronation.

  Without the public backing her wishes, they could very well steal the imperial crown. It was written in the bylaws since the empire was formed. Even during the Time of Kings, it had been the same way. The ruler could not be crowned without the crown. The one. The only crown. It was hundreds of years old, created by the Last King to ever rule the continent.

  Narra stood suddenly and pushed away from the table. “I’ve got to go.”

  Erik looked wildly between Narra and her mother. “What?” He swallowed his mouthful of food and quickly stood. “Where are we going?”

  Narra grabbed her cloak from where it laid across the back of her chair. “I’ll explain on the way.”

  Erik grabbed his cloak too and took a large swig of coffee before following her to the door.

  “Be careful!” Khlara called after them.

  Narra smiled. It was strange having a mother tell her that. She couldn’t remember when Quinn had ever wished her a safe trip. “See you later,” Narra called back.

  Because there would be a later. Khlara wasn’t going anywhere. First, Narra would stop the coronation of Marina Kolarova. And then, she’d take on a group of assassins.

  “Let’s go,” Narra said as she flung the locks of the vault-like door to her apartment. She opened the door wide and stepped into the hall, Erik fast on her heels.

  “Yes, ma’am.” Erik smiled sheepishly as Narra shot him a glare.

  This could work. They were going to bring down a princess.

  “ H ow can you expect us to remain down there in that filth all day?” a shrill voice cried from the deck of Avalon’s pirate ship.

  Narra raised her eyebrows at Erik, who grinned like a devil. They walked up the plank leaning against the pirate ship to find a dishevelled Derrick dealing with not one, but two of the princesses.

  He breathed heavily as he glanced between Elena and Raeleen with wide eyes. Elena stood in front of her sister, glaring at the pirate with her hands on her hips. Narra realized it was her they’d heard from the docks.

  “It stinks below deck,” Elena raged on. “We are princesses . Tell your captain that she needs to find somewhere else for us to stay at once .”

  A smile pulled at the corners of Narra’s lips. She didn’t dare step on deck to ruin the moment. Every time she arrived on Avalon’s ship, Derrick accosted her. This was only karma seeking sweet revenge.

  “Please ,” Raeleen added for her sister.

  Elena rolled her eyes. “Yes, please . If that’s what it’ll take. Please with all the gold you could ever desire on top. ”

  Derrick took a step back. Elena’s sarcasm was so thick it could cut. “Please, your Highnesses… there is nowhere else. The Captain has left me in charge of—”

  “Enough of your ineptitude!” Elena snapped. “Allow us to speak to your captain this instant.” She slammed the heel of her boot against the deck for good measure.

  Erik whistled low enough it was almost drowned by the breeze. “Damn. I’m glad we didn’t try and take them back to your apartment.”

  Narra shot him a look. “Don’t even think about it.”

  Erik grinned. “Doesn’t look like too much fun, does it?”

  “Not at all,” Narra said dryly.

  “What’s going on?” a strong female voice bellowed from the hall at the back of the deck. Avalon appeared with pursed lips and a glare that silenced even the princesses. Her heeled boots clacked on the wooden surface as she stepped from the hall onto the deck. The wind tossed her tight black curls and the red feather on her hat. “All I’ve heard is yelling for the last twenty—”

  Avalon stopped a few paces from the hall. Her eyes went wide and her face slack with surprise as she looked at Narra and Erik. “Oh. Hello. When did you get here?”

  The two princesses and Derrick spun around to face the thieves. Derrick’s eyes flew wide, and guilt twisted his expression. He’d been so engrossed by the princesses that he hadn’t even noticed Narra and Erik. He was lucky it was just them, and not an assassin or someone bent on robbing them blind.

  “Good afternoon,” Narra said. She stepped off the plank onto the deck. Erik quickly followed, a toothy grin still plastered on his face. “I hope we’re not interrupting.” She glanced at the princesses.

  Elena and Raeleen only appeared shocked for a moment before they schooled their expressions into twin looks of indifference.

  “Not at all,” Avalon said. She sighed, taking one look at the princesses before she motioned for Narra and Erik to approach. “A welcome reprieve. I hope you’ve come to take this pair off of my ship. ”

  Narra fought the guilty twitch of her lips. “Apologies. Not yet.”

  Avalon narrowed her eyes. “I know I am repaying my debt to you in doing this, but once this is over, that’s it.”

  Narra nodded. “Of course.” She couldn’t even imagine putting up with the two princesses invading her home like this.

  “All right, what are you here for if not these two?” Avalon motioned at the princesses who had begun to bicker with Derrick more quietly.

  Narra glanced back at Erik. “We should speak privately.”

  “Fine.” Avalon spun on her heels and motioned for them to follow. She led the way back down the hallway to her chambers.

  Inside was dark as usual, the dim afternoon sky shielded by thick curtains. Several lamps and candles were lit around the large room, illuminating Avalon’s desk, dining table, and bed, occupied as usual by Kaja. The tiger grumbled and looked up from the bed, narrowing her eyes in displeasure at having her nap interrupted.

  “Come in,” Avalon said. She closed the door behind Narra and Erik before walking around them to sit at the desk at the center of the room. She went about organizing papers and maps, but as usual the mess was untameable, and the pirate gave up after a moment or two. “What can I do for you?”

  Narra approached the table while Avalon took a seat behind it. She took off her captain’s hat and tossed it onto the mound of papers and maps. Normally, Narra would get right down to business. But someone was missing in the captain’s chambers. She glanced around the space, but Caroline was nowhere to be found. She hoped the girl was okay and not taken away by religious zealots again.

  “Is Caroline all right?” Narra asked.

  Avalon raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. “Yes. Caroline went home on another ship.”

  Narra raised her eyebrows. “Another ship?” She’d alway
s assumed the other had been sent home after Caroline arrived.

  “Yes,” Avalon said, confused.

  “Why do you have more than one?” The question had bothered Narra since Avalon had first mentioned the second ship. She didn’t understand why Caroline had come on another ship, or how this pirate even had more than one. It seemed like a waste to have more than one ship when she could only captain one at a time.

  “I’m the Captain of the Orillian Armada,” Avalon said, as if that explained everything.

  Narra’s eyebrows furrowed. “What is that?”

  Avalon’s lips parted in a surprised ‘O’. “You really are Rovan through and through.” She shook her head and smiled. “Years ago, I enlisted all of the remaining pirates left from the tyranny of the Fallen who’d plagued our shores for hundreds of years. I created the Orillian Armada, named after Orillia, the pirate city my mother helped restore.”

  “That sounds impressive,” Narra said. She had no idea what the Fallen were, though she’d heard rumors of beasts who controlled Rupa’s seas for many years.

  Avalon shrugged nonchalantly. “Let’s get back on track.”

  Narra nodded. “Right. We’ve come to get you to meet with Asher again. I have an idea how we can stop the princess’ coronation, but it’s going to be difficult.”

  Erik snorted. “Yeah. And it’s gonna take us right into the belly of the beast.”

  Narra glared at him over her shoulder. She was supposed to be handling this. Erik snapped his mouth shut and raised his brows apologetically.

  Avalon worked her jaw. “I hope this plan is better than the last.” She narrowed her eyes at the chamber door, where Narra could still hear the princesses arguing with Avalon’s first mate.

  “It is,” Narra said as confidently as she could. In truth, it was just like all of her other plans. It was dangerous as hell, but it was all they had.

  Avalon looked back at Narra, inspecting her face. She was silent for a long time, her eyes shifting all over the thief.