Page 14 of Realm of Thieves

“Such a pity,” he muses as I peer over the edge of the boat. The sea is rough and looks terribly cold.

“What is?” I say, quickly looking back at him. No one has moved toward me.

“That you are so obstinate you would rather die than save your aunt’s life.”

I freeze. “What are you talking about?”

“I told you earlier,” he says calmly, splaying his hands. “You work for us, we get your aunt out of the Banished Land. She’ll be free to go to wherever she likes in the world, and we’ll give her the means to do so. And when you’re done working for us, you can do the same.”

I stare at him for a moment, then shake my head. He’s lying. He’s a rotten member of a syndikat, no different from Dalgaard or anyone else in this world. I want a better life but I know a devil’s bargain when I hear it. Everything comes with a catch.

“What do you meanwhenI’m done?” I ask. “Since when is there a time limit to this favor?”

Andor shrugs, a strand of dark hair blowing across his eyes. “It’s not a favor. It’s an opportunity. A favor implies that you would be helping me from the goodness of your heart and getting nothing in return. An opportunity means you get something too. Bigger than your wildest dreams.” He pauses, meeting my eyes and holding them there. “We haven’t yet discussed our terms because you keep trying to kill me. But it’s possible that you only work for us for a year, enough for us to get a leg up on Dalgaard. All you’ll be doing is stealing eggs, same as before.” He pauses and smiles with white teeth. “It’s all negotiable, darling.”

I hate that for a moment I’m intrigued enough to ask more questions. But I quell that feeling and bristle instead. “My aunt is a survivor. She’ll be just fine without any rescue. She’s built for the Banished Land, a place that would eat you alive.”

His gaze remains steady. “Are you sure about that? Willing to bet her life on it?”

“More than I’m willing to bet my life on you,” I tell him.

And then before he can say anything, I lean back against the railing and fall overboard, flipping backward into the sea.

Chapter 5

Andor

I honestly didn’t think she’ddo it, but that’s the second time I underestimated Brynla Aihr, daughter of rebels, before she did something rash. I suppose she’s more like her lineage than I thought.

I watch as she flips over the railing, her dog Lemi leaping clear over it in a frantic pursuit after her, and then I’m running across the deck to look over the side. “Slow the ship, bring her around!” I yell at Toombs, our boatswain.

Down in the surf Brynla and her dog try to swim away from the ship but are pummeled by the waves and smashed against the hull. She can barely keep her head above the water, perhaps not fully recovered from when I made her unconscious. I know how to do it so that it disables the person and doesn’t hurt them, even if they’re buzzing with suen magic, but she should still be resting, not swimming in the frigid White Sea.

I sigh heavily, weighing my options as she struggles in the water below. I know what my father would do. He would let her swim, let her drown, it would make no difference to him. And part of me wantsto let her go. After all, she’s made some fairly stupid decisions so far and is turning out to be more trouble than she’s worth.

But that’s my fault really. I assumed that whatever I offered her would be better than the life she had in the Banished Land. I’ve never been there myself but from the stories I’ve heard, it’s a cruel and rough life without any mercy. I thought she would be begging me to leave.

I didn’t account for her tenacity, spite, and pride, or that she would react without thinking, like she’s doing now. The more I push and corner her, the more she tries to run, even if it hurts her. Even if it kills her.

“Pass me that rope,” I say to Kirney, my right-hand man. “I’m going in after her.”

“You’re daft,” Toombs says as Kirney grabs the nearest rope and I tell him to fasten it around the cleat before I tie the rest around my waist.

I ignore Toombs, climb up on the railing, and jump overboard just as a large wave smashes into the front of the boat, the seas picking up now as if the sorceresses wanted to create an extra challenge for me.

I hit the surface like a net of stones, sinking deep before a wave twists me upside down, the rope tangling in my legs, water going up my nose until it burns. But I find my strength and kick to the surface as another wave breaks over me, the salt stinging my eyes.

The ship has slowed but Brynla and Lemi are still a ways off. I start swimming toward them in time to see Brynla’s lavender hair disappear beneath the waves. Her dog sticks its head under, grasping the collar of her shirt with its teeth and pulling her up through the waves, but even with the dog’s strength, I can see he’s struggling in the surf.

I reach Brynla and grasp her by the collar, then grab the thick roll of fur at Lemi’s neck, making sure both of them stay above the surface.

“I’ve got them! Pull us up!” I yell up at the crew, tugging at therope around my waist just as another wave smashes against the side of the ship.

Slowly, they begin pulling us up the side of the boat. I hold on to both Brynla and Lemi with all my strength. Brynla spits out water, stirring in my grasp as she dangles above the waves. She glances up at me and for a moment I think she’s going to do something foolish again and cause me to let go, but thankfully she goes limp.

“Almost got ye,” Kirney says from above, and with a few more grunts and heave-hos we’re hoisted up to the railing, where the boys pull the three of us over the edge and into a sodden lump on the deck.

Lemi gives his body a thorough shake, drenching the crew with drool and seawater as a result, then comes over to Brynla, licking her face until she sits upright, breathing hard. For a second I’m jealous of both the dog and Brynla, wondering what it would be like to have someone—human or beast—care that much about you.

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