Page 24 of Realm of Thieves

“Because you had heard that the volcano was going to blow.”

“Actually that was Steiner’s idea,” I cut in.

“And it did erupt and it sank my ship. You were lucky to get out of there alive. I still owe those pirates for saving you. There isn’t a damn day I don’t regret it.”

“Technically those pirates are employed by me now.”

He ticks off another finger. “Then you had the idea to go into the center of the Midlands in an attempt to find a mythical fucking dragon that doesn’t exist anymore. You lost two good men to that pointless endeavor, may they rest in peace.”

I do feel guilt over that. A lot of guilt. But I want to point out that my father is the one who assigned those men to come with me, and they weren’t exactly reliable. It was their attempt to screw me over mid-raid of a deathdrage’s nest that got them chomped in half to begin with, but of course my father refuses to believe me when I tell him what really happened there.

“And then,” he goes on, louder now, and I know what’s coming, “the day you were supposed to be married off to Princess Odelle, they caught you in bed in with her handmaiden! Do you know how badly you damaged the bond between our houses? That it’s a miracle that Anahera is even willing to talk about marrying Princess Liva to our Vidar?”

“Does Vidar know about this?” I ask, my interest suddenly piqued. After I properly fucked it up with House Haugen, I’m surprised they want anything to do with our family. I know Vidar won’t be too happy about being married off, even though that’s part and parcel of being a Kolbeck.

“It doesn’t matter what Vidar does and doesn’t know,” my father says with a dismissive wave of his hand as he half sits on the edge of his desk. The movement is stiff and makes the corners of his eyes twitch, which I know is his way of hiding pain. He sees me noticingthis too, a warning coming across his brow, telling me not to remark on it, even though we both know I could help him. He’s never even let me try.

All because he’s seen me try once before.

And he’s seen me fail.

A failure heard around the world, a failure that follows me to this day, a slinking shadow of death and shame.

I brought a dog back to life, I want to tell him, but he wouldn’t believe me anyway.

But the thought of Lemi reminds me of my prisoner.

“So I take it you don’t want to hear my plan,” I say to my father, smacking my hands on my thighs as I get up. “That’s fine.”

He frowns. “What plan?”

“The one that involves the thief I have upstairs.”

He blinks. “You were serious about that?” he asks, eyes widening.

“You know I always am,” I say, my jaw flexing. Why does everyone think everything I say and do is a joke?

“You’re kidnapping people now?” He shakes his head, looking aghast.

“You’re taking the moral road now?” I say, stepping around my chair. “Do you know how many people you’ve kidnapped? That you’ve held below in our prisons? That you’ve tortured? Murdered?”

“All in the name of the king!”

“So for once we’re doing it in the name of Kolbeck. And I’m not torturing her. Her name is Brynla Aihr and I’ve been watching her a long time now. Through the raven, through Dagruna Bjarr, I’ve learned that she’s one of the best.” I decide not to mention Lemi for the time being. “She just needs help and training, something I can provide to get her to the next level.”

He makes a noise of disgust. “If you need more help on your raids, you go down to the docks and you pay for them.”

“You don’t understand. She isn’t like those thieves. She’s in a classof her own. That’s why she’s been working for House Dalgaard for years. That’s why they have the leg up.”

His mouth drops. “You stole Dalgaard’s thief?”

I swallow hard, finding my conviction. “Does that scare you?”

“You’re a damn fool!” he shouts, his eyes blazing. “You’ve brought a Sorland spy into our very house!”

“She’s not from Sorland. She’s from the Banished Land. She’s a Freelander.”

“That’s even worse!” He looks up to the ceiling and shakes his head. “Valdis, Vigdis, forgive my fool of a son, for he does not know what he does.”

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