Page 9 of Realm of Thieves

Fucking fascinating. I’ve seen him shift before but never so close. There’s no time to marvel over it, though.

In seconds I’m launching myself into the air until I’m pushing the girl to the ground, covering her with my cloak.

She lets out a whimper of pain from the impact, but her armor should protect her from the worst of it, as shoddy and threadbare as it is.

“Shhh,” I whisper harshly into her ear as I press her down into the crater, hearing the sickly sound of eggs cracking beneath us as I do so. “Don’t move. I won’t be able to save you again.”

“I never asked you to save me the first time,” she grumbles.

I slip my hand under her face until it covers her mouth, making sure she really shuts up, just as the steady beat of dragon wings fills the air.

I am not getting paid enough for this, I can’t help but think. Truth is, I’m not really getting paid at all. It’s my duty as a Kolbeck, more than anything, and I’m the only one even remotely suited for these expeditions. Steiner would spend his time trying to catalog the flora and fauna of the islands, Solla would find a cave and never come out, Vidar would find someone else to do the dirty work, and my uncle Kjell would try to fight a dragon and fail miserably. Only my father would stand a chance at doing this job. He’d also be the first to throw me in the line of fire if it meant his escape.

The dragon lets out another cry, a breeze coming off the powerful wings, stirring up the fine black sand gathered in the crevices. I hear the sound of it expelling fire close by, feel the heat as the flames warm our back. It shouldn’t see us, not with my cloak covering us both up.It was designed by Steiner to mimic the surroundings, completely camouflaging us, as well as protecting us from any fire blasts.

I hold my breath and wait. I can feel Brynla’s heartbeat through her back, the stiffness of her muscles as she keeps still.

The cloak works. The dragon keeps flying onward, then turns back to her nest again. With her back to us, we can make it over the ridge where we’ll be hidden. She won’t be a happy dragon when she discovers that both her eggs have been destroyed, but thankfully they weren’t fertile anyway.

I stand and grab the girl’s arm, yanking her up beside me.

“Ow!” She scowls at me, trying to get out of my grasp. Up close her features are an intriguing mix of youth and hardness. Her eyes hold a world of pain and anger in them, her mouth and jaw set in the same tense way. But her full pink cheeks and lips, her smooth sun-kissed skin, and the way her lavender hair is braided in coils at the back of her neck make her look youthful. She’s tall and broad shouldered, strong in her stance, but has full breasts and wide hips, thick thighs and a round stomach. She looks healthy and strong.

She gives me another sharp look, this one telling me to stop staring at her.

“We need to get behind the ridge before the dragon looks back,” I say, keeping my voice low. I keep ahold of her arm and haul her up and out of the crater like she weighs nothing at all. She grumbles the whole way, swearing under her breath.

“So what they say about you is true,” she says.

“And what’s that?”

“All the syndikats use suen.” She says this derisively, as if she doesn’t partake in the magic herself. “I hadn’t seen a thief in action before.”

“And suen doesn’t do that for you?” I counter, pulling her forward until we’re over the bony ridge and out of sight of the dragon. Everyone who ingests the suen from dragon eggs has their natural abilitiesamplified. I was born with a natural strength and agility, and suen in turn gives me preternatural strength. My youngest brother, who was nothing short of a genius as a child, now has a brain unlike anyone I know. Sometimes I hear of people who get brand-new abilities that come from nowhere, but those people are few and far between. Brynla, I would assume, also has natural strength that suen must magnify, even though she acts like she’s above its usage.

She doesn’t say anything, her fingers twitching at her sides. I know she wants to grab her swords. I’m half-inclined to let her. See what she’s made of. See if she knows how to listen.

I come to a stop, forcing her to halt too, my grip a vise around her elbow.

“Now that I’ve saved your life for a second time,” I tell her, leaning in, “perhaps you can do me the honor of listening to what I have to say.”

Her gaze goes over the wild shore where waves lap against the rock. The illumination from the volcanoes doesn’t extend as far here, and the dark horizon is swallowed by low charcoal clouds. Somewhere beyond that is Tromson on his boat and hopefully the dog.

“What do you want?” she asks stiffly, not looking at me.

“I need your help,” I tell her. “Most importantly, House Kolbeck needs your help. Your expertise.”

She frowns at me, her guard dropping for a moment. “Me? Who am I to you?”

“You’re Brynla Aihr,” I say, watching as her pupils shrink in surprise. “Daughter of rebel leaders Branne and Sonja Aihr, now deceased. You reside with your aunt Ellestra Doon in the Dark City, living as a fugitive from the Black Guard and the Daughters of Silence, from which you escaped nearly a decade ago. And you’re one of the best thieves in the business.” I pause. “Only problem is, you’re working for the wrong side.”

Her throat bobs as she swallows. “How…how do you know all that?”

“I’ve been watching you,” I admit. “Ever since the blue moon.”

She calculates how long that’s been. “That’s half a year,” she whispers, licking her lips. Then she gives her head a shake. “I don’t understand.”

“Yes, you do,” I say, taking my hand off her arm. “You and your dog are worth a lot of money, which is why the Sjef of House Dalgaard hired you. Don’t play dumb, I know your dog is what helps you find the eggs.” She opens her mouth to say something, and I continue. “I said I was watching you, didn’t I? House Kolbeck is no different than House Dalgaard in that aspect. We have spies everywhere.”

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