Noble Thief

by M. Lynn

  Amalie shook her head. “Anders doesn’t know who the child’s father is. He only knows her mother is the Hood. If he knew my identity, he wouldn’t bother going after the child. He’d come for me.”

  She stepped into the stirrup and swung her leg over her horse. “I don’t know what the captain is planning. All I know is we’ll be walking into a trap. I want to say I can’t ask any of you to venture into the trap with me, but I’m too selfish. I’m not any kind of mother, but I have to save her. I need to.” She glanced to Tuck, remembering his words. She wasn’t made of the missions she undertook, but the people she loved. “My daughter is part of me.”

  Tuck placed a hand on her leg. “We’re with you.”

  As she rode out into the village with her people at her back, she envisioned Tyson sitting beside her. He didn’t know of the girl, but he’d have loved her with everything he had. “I’m going to save her, Ty,” she whispered. “Anders won’t use her as a pawn. And then maybe one day, she can be part of you too.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Tyson cursed as he bent to examine his horse’s leg. After galloping through the woods, his horse threw a shoe when he tripped over a dip in the path. Tyson should have seen it coming, but he wasn’t paying attention.

  Edmund slid down from his horse.

  “Vérité would have jumped that on instinct.” Tyson straightened and turned away from the horse.

  “No, he would have sent you tumbling off just for the pure pleasure of it.”

  Tyson shook his head. Etta’s horse was more human than many actual humans Tyson had met in his life. He protected the Belaen queen with his life. And this horse was no Vérité. “This beast won’t be getting anywhere fast. We’re almost to the next village. Let’s camp here for the night and in the morning, we’ll find a new horse at one of the farms outside the village.”

  “Good plan.” Edmund unbuckled his horse’s saddle. “I’m starving, anyway.”

  They made quick work of setting up camp as the sun hung low over the trees. They had time left before darkness descended.

  The horses drank from a small pond Tyson created with his magic. This wasn’t how he expected the journey to go, but it seemed as if something was trying to keep him from leaving Gaule.

  The endless roads winding down through the countryside and into the woods only made home feel farther away. Was it just that morning they left the Leroy estate?

  He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a decent night’s rest, or a decent meal for that matter. When Edmund held out an apple, Tyson took it and sank his teeth into the hard flesh without tasting it.

  Edmund stood and began preparations for a fire to keep the chill from overcoming them in the night. They’d spent many nights together like this. First, when Etta was arrested in Gaule. She’d smuggled both Edmund and Tyson out of the magic-hating palace only to be found by Alex’s men and taken back.

  Tyson had been a mess leaving his home for the first time, but it opened an entirely new world for him.

  And it solidified the bond between him and Edmund. Sitting in the woods with him held a familiar comfort. They were in it together. He could even forget the lies that got them here.

  “Is it weird,” Tyson began. “To have someone waiting for you back home?”

  “Estevan?” Edmund sat down again as the fledgling flames flickered before them. He pushed air toward them with his power and they grew. He smiled. “I’m getting used to it. He’s… everything.”

  There was a time when Tyson knew how that felt. “I hope you never lose that.”

  Edmund’s smile faltered. “Ty, I almost did. We all thought Stev was dead for months. But just because I no longer had him, it didn’t mean I lost him. He was always with me.”

  “Because he never gave up on you.”

  Edmund shook his head. “He gave up on himself. He let them take him so the rest of us could get away. It took me a long time to forgive him for that.”

  “He had good reasons to let you go.”

  “Ty…” Edmund sighed. “Have you ever thought Amalie made the choices she has to protect you?”

  “Protect me? No. Protect her mission? Maybe.” His magic rose with his anger and he curled his fists to hold it back. It burned through his blood, drawing water from the ground. “She hates me because of the position I was born into.” His power pulsed. “Because my mother dares to hunt down criminals in her own kingdom.” His hands shook until finally his magic broke free, dousing the small flames in water.

  Edmund sighed. “That was stupid.”

  “I know.” Tyson rubbed weak hands over his face. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what to do anymore. I don’t want to go on living like I have for the past couple of years.”

  “Then don’t.”

  “That easy, huh?”

  “No. None of this is easy. It’s going to take time, but you’ll be okay. And you’re wrong, you know.”

  “I’ve been wrong about a lot of things.” Tyson stared at the now soaking logs. “You’ll need to be more specific.”

  Edmund sat forward, forcing Tyson to meet his gaze. “You asked me what it felt like to have someone to go home to, but you forget who we are, Ty. Estevan is there, yes, but Bela holds so much more for both of us. Amalie isn’t there. She may never be there. But Alex and Etta are. They wait for us with little Viktor ready to make his uncles forget all about Gaule. We’re a family, Ty. And we’ll get you through this.”

  Edmund leaned back on his elbows. “Now, you’ve ruined our fire. Go find some dry brush to make a new one.”

  Tyson got to his feet and walked past the horses. Dusk was upon them now, but it wasn’t yet too dark to see. He was bent over, picking up sticks and branches when he heard it. The muffled clop of a horse’s hooves on the forest floor.

  Dropping the sticks he’d gathered, he sprinted back to where he’d left Edmund and went straight to his pack. His bow lay on the ground beside it.

  Edmund was on his feet before Tyson picked up the bow. “What is it?”

  “A rider.” Tyson wrapped his fingers around the smooth wood and knocked an arrow.

  Edmund retrieved his sword. “How many?”

  “I only counted one.” It made no sense. Bandits traveled Gaule in roving packs. It was even too dangerous on the roads for them. Queen’s guards wouldn’t stray from their units, and the woods were no place for ordinary citizens.

  Tyson crouched low behind a tree as the horse walked into their clearing. He lifted his bow and pulled the string back, releasing it quickly. The arrow sailed over top of the horse’s head, missing the rider. A warning shot.

  The horse reared back, and it took a moment for the rider to regain control. He pushed back his hood and scanned the trees.

  “Tyson,” he bellowed. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

  Recognizing the voice, Tyson met Edmund’s gaze. John Little was the last person he trusted. The last person he wanted to associate with.

  “Tyson.” John turned his horse, still searching the trees. “Please.” The desperation in his voice was not something Tyson expected from him. “Amalie needs you.”

  At those words, Tyson lowered his bow. If there was one thing both he and John wanted more than anything, it was to protect Amalie.

  But she hadn’t wanted his protection anymore.

  He stepped from the trees. John’s face relaxed as soon as he saw him.

  Edmund revealed himself with a scoff and slid his sword into its scabbard. “As if you could hurt us, criminal.”

  Tyson ignored him. “How did you find us?”

  “This is the swiftest route to Bela for those who wish to stay off the main roads. I took a chance you wouldn’t want to be seen.” His hands relaxed on the reins. “We don’t have time for distrust or idle chat. Amalie has left for a town near the Draconian border.”

  Tyson shrugged. “The border is no longer the danger it once was. In fact, Dracon is probably safer than Gaule. If she wishes to hide there instead
of taking ship to Madra, she won’t be found.”

  John shook his head. “You don’t understand. She didn’t go there to hide, and the village will be crawling with royal guards.” His eyes danced from Tyson to Edmund. “It’s a trap, and she’s willingly walking in to it.”

  Worry sliced through Tyson. “Why would she do that?”

  John’s lips pressed into a thin line as he hesitated. “I cannot tell you that. I know you and I will never be allies. I can’t imagine what you must think of me. But all I’ve ever wanted to do is protect my oldest friend. In that, you and I are the same. I know what loving Amalie Leroy feels like. That’s why I know you will come with me. You will show up for her whether she returns your love or not.”

  “I…” Tyson opened his mouth and then shut it with a sigh. Amalie had been putting herself in danger for years, and he knew nothing of it. Why would John come to him now? He sighed. Did it matter? Amalie was in danger. As angry as he was at her, he’d still come when she called.

  Edmund put a hand on his shoulder. “Whatever you decide, I’m with you.”

  Tyson nodded, swallowing the thickness in his throat. “There’s nothing to decide, Edmund. It’s Amalie.”

  He patted Tyson’s back. “It’s Amalie.”

  Tyson glanced toward his horse. “I’ll need a new ride.”

  John nodded. “Come. There’s a farm near here. The woman who runs it has given aid to the Hood before. She will help us.”

  Tyson and Edmund saddled their horses and mounted them. It was slow going when his horse couldn’t even trot, and by the time they came upon the patchwork crops, only the sliver of moon lit their path.

  The woman was as accommodating as John promised and before long, the three men were racing across open ground, hoping they weren’t too late to make a difference.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  It took three days to get to the small border town where too many memories lived. Amalie sat on the edge of their camp as dawn streaked across the sky. Behind her, the men and women who’d come to help roused themselves.

  She closed her eyes, imagining the last time she’d set foot in the area. She hadn’t been able to stay away like she knew she should have. Only a month after giving her daughter to Tuck’s sister to keep safe, she’d found herself crouching on a rooftop that looked down into a courtyard surrounded by small homes.

  The wail of a baby pierced the air moments before a petite woman with honey blonde hair stepped from the house. The bundle in her arms wiggled and Amalie held her breath.

  “Hush,” the woman cooed. “I’m not sure what’s wrong with you today, baby girl, but momma needs a bit of quiet.”

  Amalie scooted forward to peer over the curved terracotta roof. A tile broke free, tumbling over the edge before crashing into the stone below.

  Amalie cursed herself and scrambled backward, but it was too late. Sara glanced up, her eyes finding Amalie’s hiding spot.

  “You can come down, my lady.” Her voice sounded tired, but not unkind.

  Amalie only hesitated a moment before straightening and walking across the roof to the side where she climbed down the uneven stones jutting from the building. Once in the courtyard, she approached Sara.

  “Does my brother know you’re here?” the woman asked.

  Amalie shook her head. “I received a summons to the royal palace. Tuck thinks I have obeyed and journeyed there.”

  “You’ve come all this way alone?”

  “Yes.” She didn’t tell her John waited on the opposite roof, his bow at the ready in case anyone followed them.

  Sara nodded, not questioning the woman who’d given up her own daughter. She pushed back the blanket, revealing the child who stopped crying as soon as her eyes fell on Amalie.

  As if some forced tugged at her, Amalie stepped forward, needing to see more.

  “This is Elayne.” Sara smiled.

  “Light,” Amalie whispered. “Her name means light.”

  Sara nodded. “We never thought we’d have a child of our own, but she’s been like a light illuminating this dark world.”

  A tear fell down Amalie’s face. “It’s perfect.” She reached forward, but then pulled her hand back.

  “We call her El.”

  Amalie wiped her face. “Hi El. I’m your… I’m a friend.” She leaned down, taking in every feature from the chubby cheeks to dimpled chin. “I’m going to keep you safe. I promise you that.”

  A door opened behind them and Amalie turned to see Sara’s husband Ayden walk out, arms crossed over his chest. “You shouldn’t be here, lady Amalie.” He stepped farther into the courtyard. “You need to leave and never come back. For the child’s sake as well as your own. It isn’t safe.”

  She nodded, hearing the truth in his words. It would never be safe for El as long as Amalie remained attached. She turned back to the baby and placed one hand on her head. She said nothing, but the child’s eyes found hers, boring into her soul.

  Ayden cleared his throat and Amalie pulled her hand back. She ran to the edge of the courtyard and pulled herself back onto the low roof. John joined her seconds later. As she sprinted away, a ghost in the night, her daughter’s cry ripped through her.

  She didn’t let herself stop moving, stop widening the distance between them even as every bone in her body bid her to turn back.

  A hand landed on Amalie’s shoulder, jerking her from the memory. She wiped the back of her hand across her eyes before turning to Tuck.

  “Will has returned.” He nodded to where Will and the men who’d accompanied him into the village dismounted.

  Straightening from her crouch, she crossed the leaf covered path. Her breath swirled in front of her face in the cool morning air, but she didn’t feel the chill as impatience burned within her.

  “Report.” She stopped in front of Will.

  Will met her gaze. “They’re here. Hidden, but here. We saw a few guards disguised as villagers entering the house and then leaving. There was no sign of the child or her parents.”

  Amalie lifted her eyes to the gray sky, wishing for clarity. “They don’t have them. If they did, they’d be causing such a scene it would be sure to get back to me. The fact that they’re trying to blend in means they’re searching for them.”

  Tuck joined them, Simon at his side. “Then there’s only one place they could be.”

  She nodded, taking in Will’s confused expression. “We had a plan in place in the event someone ever came for her.” She lifted her voice. “We go in on foot. Leave a few men here with the horses. We don’t want to cause a stir by thundering through the village.”

  A clamor of activity sounded behind her as her people gathered what they needed and readied themselves, but Amalie paid attention to none of it. All she saw were the edges of the village. Somewhere in that maze of homes, was a little girl she’d made a promise to.

  “I’m coming, El.” A drop of rain hit her cheek and then another. By the time they marched across the marshy ground, the skies opened, sending a torrent of angry tears.

  Thunder split the world in two, as if ripping it at the seams and opening a gully inside each of them.

  Muddy fields turned to crooked streets. This village had seen much destruction during the war with La Dame. It had once been protected by wards as all of Gaule had been. Once those fell with the death of their creator, magic folk and non fought in the streets, each trying to claim the kingdom for their own.

  Tensions still ran high, but most magic folk had long since abandoned the damaged town for the safety of Bela.

  They turned off the brick path and onto a dirt road that wound up toward the small abandoned house on the hill overlooking town. This village was a part of the Caron lands, but one of his lesser nobles presided over it. It was forgotten, ignored by the rest of Gaule, which had made it the safest place for El. An ignored village that may as well have been part of Dracon. A feared town where evil had once happened.

  A small chapel stood ahead. A place Amali
e knew well. It was where Tuck had once performed the ritual tying Tyson and Amalie together as husband and wife. Now, she hoped it protected the fruit of that union.

  She motioned her people to spread out along the street. They knew how to blend in. She approached cautiously and pulled open the partially damaged chapel door. Inside, pews lined each side leading up to an altar in the front. Disuse was clear in the dirt covered floor. Amalie walked forward and ran a finger along the dusty golden surface of the altar.

  Tuck sighed behind her. “They haven’t had a friar in residence since I left years ago.” Regret rang in his voice.

  “It wasn’t your duty to stay when you yearned for more.” She turned back to face him. “Come.” Her eyes traced the footsteps near the far wall. “They’re here.”

  Tuck lifted the heavy wood over a staircase hidden at the back of the room, and they descended into the dark cellar.

  A man screamed as he ran at them with a short blade glinting in the candlelight. Amalie twisted out of the way moments before the clash of blades reached her ears.

  “Ayden,” Tuck grunted, pushing him back. “It’s me.”

  Ayden dropped his sword, the steel crashing against the packed dirt floor. “Tuck?”

  “It’s me.”

  Ayden shrank back against the wall, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

  Amalie approached him and surprised flashed in his eyes as recognition set in. “My lady?”

  “Where are Sara and El?”

  “Here, my lady.” Sara stepped forward into the light of the single torch hanging on the wall.

  She pulled a young girl behind her and the tension Amalie had felt since hearing they were in danger eased.

  Dark curls framed a wide face. Some of the chubbiness was gone, but the dimple in her chin remained.

  Sara’s voice snapped Amalie out of her trance. “What is happening out there?”

  Amalie took her hand and led her to the wall before sliding down to sit, her legs unable to hold her up any longer. “You tell us. When my people didn’t find you at your house, I knew you’d be here, but we only just arrived. What can you tell us?”