A Life Forfeit

What happens while in the domain of a thief lord...

Chapter 10: A Life Forfeit

Salthis, why must you always do this?” Kylan asked, crossing his—her arms over her chest and leaning to one side. “You’re always revealing me. Has it ever occurred to you that I do not want people to know I am a girl?”

      Salthis’s grin rested contently on his face. In fact, at Andra and Gryphon’s reaction to Kylan’s unveiling, it had widened.

      Andra could not believe how she had been so duped. But Kylan had been convincing. The way he—she—had leered at her, had taunted Gryphon...and her city accent was gone. In its place was one Andra could not identify. She rounded on Eyrie, who had not answered Salthis and remained admirably stoic.

      “You knew, did you not?” Andra accused. “Why did you not tell us?”

      Eyrie smirked and Andra scowled. Ignoring Andra’s questions, she said, “I caught her, Salthis. Tha’s why she is afraid.”

      “Caught her, hm? Now, how did she manage that, Terrco?”

      Kylan bit the inside of her cheek and flicked an angry glance at Andra. Scowling, she looked silently at Salthis.

      “And, well, who is this charming thief catcher, Eyrie?” Andra did not like the calculating way Salthis was looking at her, his finger stroking his chin absentmindedly.

      “No, Salthis. She is not going to work for you. However, I do have a question.” She and Salthis locked their eyes, sending secret signals Andra could not possibly begin to understand. Salthis’s grin shrank to a small smile. Then Eyrie said, “Have you heard from our friend?”

      Salthis’s smile disappeared completely. His eyes flicked from Andra to Gryphon and then settled on Andra. She shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny until he turned back to Eyrie. He nodded slightly.

      “If you three younglings would be so kind as to let mother and father have some quiet time...?” Salthis asked. Kylan nodded stiffly and left without hesitation. Andra and Gryphon hesitated until Eyrie jerked her head slightly toward the door.

      When the door was closed, Andra pressed her ear against it. Gryphon folded his arms and frowned. Kylan smirked.

      “An’ you gots some nerve, frownin’ at me like I en’t no good,” she drawled in her city slang. “It won’t work. Salthis keeps these doors thick. Eavesdropping is nigh impossible. We’ll just have to listen to each other talk. Keep each other company.” She smiled innocently, though it did not touch her eyes. Andra did not think she could smile like that, smile with her lips and frown with her eyes.

      Andra straightened and eyed the thief. This girl set her on edge. She was so brash and...sharp. I wonder if she even has any friends, Andra thought. Probably none but thieves, if they could even stomach her.

      Gryphon seemed intrigued by her. Andra wished he would put his eyes back into his skull.

      Kylan, too, noticed his unconcealed fascination. “Can I help you, fine sir?” she mocked, kicking up her heel and leaning her shoulder on the stone walls of the tunnel.

      “You wanted to talk,” he said. “Why do you masquerade as a man?”

      Kylan shook her head, as if the answer was as simple as the sunrise. “You country folk don’t know what it is for us in the city.” She nodded at Andra. “You have a trade?”

      Suspicious, Andra nodded. “Horses,” she said.

      “There, see. Not something you can wear a dress for. Here, though, we women do not have trades like that. You cook or serve in an inn, you sell herbs, you even prostitute yourself and you will be in a dress. No reason for a girl to run around in trousers here. As a thief...well, women is too respectable for a job like that, en’t they?” She winked at Andra.

      The door opened and Kylan popped up to stand on her two feet again, all insolence gone.

      Eyrie eyed the three with her head cocked to the side, as if wondering why no one was unconscious this time. With a tilt of her head, she beckoned them in and closed the door again.

      Salthis had his feet propped on his table again, his interlaced fingers resting on his solid middle. Eyrie turned to Kylan. “You’re mine, now—”

      “I am no one’s,” she spat. “I am not a slave.”

      Eyrie grimaced. “I know that. But you know your code. You knew it when you threw your lot in with Salthis. Your life is forfeit to me. Happy chance for you, I don’t plan on turning you over to him.”

      Kylan bared her teeth, an animal’s rictus.

      “Kylan,” Salthis said, peering at her from around his boots. “I would recommend you take this generous offer from my friend Eyrie, here. Who knows? Might be that it proves...profitable to travel with her.” Andra didn’t miss the pointed way he looked at her when he mentioned potential gain. Neither did Kylan. She closed her mouth and nodded once, her jaw clenched in an anger now simmering below the surface.

      “Where are going?” she growled at Eyrie.

      Eyrie looked at Andra and Gryphon. “We go south. We can find the help we need there.” Andra understood. Her mage friend must be farther south.

      “Help?” Kylan asked, looking between them. “What kind of help do we need? For what?”

      “We’re staying here tonight,” Eyrie said. “I’ll get our things from the inn and Salthis will have someone show you to your rooms.” Without answering Kylan, she nodded to Salthis and left the room.

      Kylan rounded on Andra and Gryphon. “What does she mean? What are you doing?” Andra pursed her lips. If Eyrie had not said anything, neither would she. “Salthis, what have you gotten me into?” she yelled.

      “Me?” His mouth was an “o” of surprise and innocence. “You got caught, Kylan. I didn’t get you into anything. Well, and do us a favour and show these two slipshod country welps to two sleeping rooms? You’ll be staying with them.”

      Andra bristled at his comment. Kylan looked as if she were about to spit, but she bit the inside of her cheek. Even placid Gryphon was frowning.

      Suddenly, Kylan spun on her heel and marched out. “Come on,” she barked, and Andra and Gryphon followed. She heard Salthis chuckle as Gryphon shut the thick door.

      Kylan led them in silence through the tunnels, stopping after some time in front of another non-descript wooden door. She pulled a key out from inside her tunic and opened it. It was mostly bare inside, but Andra marvelled at its cleanliness. There was no dust, the rush mats on the floor were clean, and it didn’t smell musty like the tunnels. There was only one bed.

 

      Kylan left again, motioning for Gryphon to follow her. Andra heard a door nearby open. That must be Gryphon’s room. I wonder where Eyrie will have Kylan sleep?

 

      Andra pulled off her boots and lay down on the bed, staring at the bare, earthy walls. There was no other furniture but the bed. A lamp hung from a peg set in the wall.

      It had been a long day, up since dawn and then the arrival in Solanis. The chase through the city, the walk to the thief-spicer. Andra was exhausted, could feel her bones creaking with weariness as she rolled over. Eyrie was not back yet. Kylan was not, either.

      Andra rolled again, staring at the lamp. It was lit. She had not noticed, before. The flame got bigger and bigger as she stared at it. Then smaller, without her dimming it. Then bigger, the flame shot up, filling the glass and heating it until it shattered, shooting glass everywhere. The flames, released, tried to catch hold of anything they could. They sparked on the rushes and burned a line right up to Andra’s fascinated eyes. The flames stopped, flickering in front of her, waiting.

      Andra woke with a gasp and a jolt and a stinging in her right cheek. Eyrie stood over her, a blanket dripping water in her hands. Glancing about to survey the damage she knew she must have caused, Andra saw Kylan. The girl was pressed into the corner of the room farthest from Andra, her eyes and mouth wide with fear. They were all breathing heavily. Andra could feel her heart thumping fiercely in her chest, could hear it in her ears.

      Other than a few scorched rushes, the room was relatively unharmed. Now Andra understood why Eyrie preferred them to stay here. An underground room was much less likely to catch fire than a wooden inn. Andra looked up apologetically at Eyrie. She could not help it when this happened.

      “It’s alright, child,” the older woman said softly. “Go to sleep if you can. But we leave tomorrow.” Andra nodded and Eyrie went to see to the girl in the corner. She heard the woman urge the girl to sleep, too. Andra turned in the bed. There was another pillow there. It must have been Kylan. But Andra sincerely doubted Kylan would want to even sleep in the same room, now.

      Despite the prospect of another sleepless night, Andra couldn’t help but smile to herself. 

Author's Note

Still thinking about the title. Any ideas?

Reviews

[Chris]

I can't think of anything for the title, but it seems to be pretty good as is because it matches what is going on in the chapter.

"Where are going?" she growled at Eyrie."

You forgot the we/you/etc after the are, unless you purposely did that for dialect.