The Ten Thieves and the Elf
At noon the following day, the sky over the County of Pelgaroin was bright and clear. Even the few clouds scattered across it did little to dim the sunlight.
Fred stood on the castle ramparts, gazing across the county's capital.
Pelgaroin.
From the central square, rows of homes and splendid public buildings spread in every direction. The streets were laid out with care, the territory developed through generations of effort by his family. Seen from up here, it was almost a small country in its own right.
Ask a child anywhere in the empire what lay at its heart, and they would probably name Pelgaroin. Its fame needed no explanation.
Fred took no pleasure in that.
He hated that such a prosperous county was bound to the Empire, and hated still more the generations of loyalty his family owed the imperial throne.
His elder brother Beneller, kindhearted and timid by nature, had been ordered by the emperor to command the conquest campaign.
And he had died there.
Eight years.
It seemed only yesterday that Fred had wept over his brother's death. Time had passed, but his grief and anger hadn't faded.
Ashley had managed to temper her anger and grief for the sake of their house. Fred knew she was more mature than he was in that regard. He, meanwhile, had never been able to let go of either feeling for even a moment. Immature and foolish as that made him, what could he do about the way he was?
Every time he remembered the imperial order that had sent Beneller away, the resentment rose afresh.
If His Majesty hadn't given that absurd command…
“Lord Fred.”
The voice behind him drew him out of his thoughts. Fred turned to find Theorad approaching, neatly dressed and wearing his usual kind smile.
“You asked to see me,” Theorad said. “Is there something you need?”
Fred smiled in return.
“There is. Though I suppose it's less a matter of business than a question.”
“A question?”
“Forgive me for calling you away when you have so much work as regent, brother-in-law. I've heard a peculiar rumor, and I wanted to ask you about it myself.”
Theorad's shoulders tightened.
Fred noticed. Perhaps it really is about yesterday.
“They say Ashley slapped you across the face at last night's ball. Apparently you tried to kiss her by force.”
“Ah. That…”
“I asked the guests not to spread the story. It's ridiculous to have a private quarrel turned into gossip, though I doubt my request will stop every tongue. What happened?”
Theorad looked aside, plainly uncomfortable.
Fred grinned and put an arm around his shoulders.
“Well done.”
“…Pardon?”
“I was beginning to worry about you! You've known Ashley since you were children, and you two still haven't kissed. I was half afraid you had no interest in women at all. But it seems I was worrying for nothing.”
Theorad gave an awkward cough.
How charmingly innocent he looked. He always carried himself with the composure of a seasoned noble, yet a little teasing made him seem like a young man who'd scarcely seen the world.
Fred patted his chest.
“Don't be so nervous. The guests mostly took it as a lovers' quarrel. Some of the young ladies even thought it romantic.”
“Is that so…”
“Quite. Speaking of yesterday, though—what happened with Maldon? He was slandering you at breakfast. If Ashley hadn't intervened, we'd have spent the entire meal arguing instead of eating.”
Theorad's expression grew more guarded.
“I can understand why he was angry. I was discourteous to the young lord.”
“Wasn't it the other way around?”
Theorad blinked.
Fred withdrew his arm and smiled knowingly.
“Ashley and I have a saying: anyone Maldon insults is probably a decent person. He's our brother, but that doesn't mean we don't know how nasty he can be. I'm sure he provoked you first.”
“…He did try to lay hands on my slave.”
“I thought as much. His story was all consequences and no causes. I'm sorry, brother-in-law. On behalf of House Pelgaroin, let me apologize for Maldon's behavior.”
Theorad gave an embarrassed laugh and shook his head.
“When I think about it, I could have handled myself better. If you'll overlook my discourtesy, I'll overlook his. There's no need for our families to quarrel.”
Fred found himself admiring the answer.
Theorad had taken a share of the blame without hesitation. In doing so, he'd graciously given the higher-ranking family a way to end the matter—and left Fred almost obliged to return the favor.
Whether Theorad understood that effect or simply acted from kindness was difficult to tell. Either way, his courtesy was a powerful thing.
Like father, like son.
“Thank you. I appreciate your generosity.”
There were other questions Fred had considered asking, but the moment no longer seemed right. He tapped Theorad's shoulder.
“That's everything. I shouldn't keep you from your work. Go on back down.”
“It was no trouble. Speaking with you is always worthwhile, Lord Fred. If you'll excuse me.”
Theorad bowed and left.
Fred watched him walk away, then turned back toward the sunlit county with a quiet laugh.
What a strange fellow.
Theorad Deharem seemed so transparent and good-natured. And yet there was something about him that Fred couldn't quite understand.
I returned to the count's office and loosened the brooch at my collar with a sigh.
I thought he'd caught me.
The moment Fred mentioned yesterday's events, I'd imagined the worst: that someone had found out about the arrangement between Ashley and me.
At least Fred didn't seem to have fallen into the elf's clutches.
The fewer people who know, the better.
If we carelessly shared what we knew and the elf discovered that Ashley and I were exchanging information, everything would fall apart. She might kill me, ruin House Deharem, and go looking for a new owner.
I couldn't let that happen.
For now, Ashley and I would have to keep our discussions private.
But I had work to do before worrying about that.
I sat at the desk and spread out the records Marhan had brought me. There were drawings of the suspects' faces, a map marked with the places they'd struck, and statements collected from residents by the count's soldiers and knights.
The Ten Bandits had been terrorizing the county. I was supposed to find them.
Unfortunately, the reports made very little sense.
The witnesses contradict one another.
One person claimed to have seen all ten criminals on Mill Street, in the twenty-first block. Another insisted he'd seen the same ten men in the seventeenth block of Jackdaw Street, on the opposite side of the city, at exactly the same time.
Both accounts couldn't be true. And the contradictions were everywhere.
Could they have accomplices?
Perhaps some of the people claiming to be eyewitnesses were secretly helping the Ten Bandits. That would explain why the gang's movements were so thoroughly obscured.
I was still considering that when someone knocked.
Knock, knock.
I laid down my quill.
“Come in.”
The door opened.
The elf stood in the doorway.
An uneasy chill passed through me, though I was getting used to seeing her appear when I least wanted her to.
She crept inside, head lowered.
“M-Master… I've come to confess. I've made a small mistake…”
A mistake?
I might have asked what she'd done, but I didn't have the time.
“Go away. I'm busy. I can't spend the day reprimanding you.”
“Ah! I-I said it wrong! It's a terrible mistake. You have to punish me right now…”
“Stupid bitch. Can't you understand a word I say? I told you I'm busy.”
Her eyebrows twitched.
I knew she had grown impatient after going several days without the sort of abuse she wanted, but I really couldn't indulge her now. My stay at the count's castle wouldn't last forever, and I wanted to catch these bandits before my appointment ended.
I needed to show the count I could be useful.
“Oh… Master's busy…”
Her voice trailed off.
She glanced down at the drawings and reports scattered across my desk. After studying them for a moment, she gave a small nod.
“Then I'll see you later, Master.”
And with that, she left.
That was easy.
It was suspiciously easy, in fact. But I wasn't about to complain.
Once the door closed, I returned to the evidence.
Night had fallen by the time Hamber reached the Mortar Inn.
He climbed the stairs with a smug smile, thinking about the woman who'd approached him earlier.
She said she wanted information from me.
He'd been preparing to go home after work when a beautiful woman in a hooded cloak had asked if he knew anything about the Ten Bandits.
At first he'd pretended to be reluctant. Only after she persisted did he admit that he might have some information.
She'd proposed that they discuss it privately at the Mortar Inn.
Hamber had been delighted.
A room alone with a woman like that. What a stroke of luck.
He checked the numbers along the corridor.
Two hundred and six.
The knob turned without resistance.
She's waiting!
Hamber opened the door and entered.
The woman was seated on the bed. She raised her head as he came in and spoke at once.
“Tell me where they are. I've been looking everywhere for them.”
Straight to business?
Hamber quietly locked the door, then approached her with a leer.
“What's the hurry? If you want information, you have to pay for it.”
“Pay?”
“You're a pretty girl. Spend the night with me, and I'll tell you what you want to know.”
He had no intention of honoring that bargain.
His plan was to assault her, drug her unconscious, and sell her through the slave market for a profit. He never intended to give her the promised information.
“I see.”
She sounded entirely untroubled.
Then she removed her hood.
Silver hair spilled over her shoulders, and long pointed ears appeared beneath it.
An elf.
“Short-lived creatures really do take kindness for weakness,” she said coldly.
“W-wait. You're an—”
Before Hamber could finish, an invisible force hurled him across the room.
Bang!
He struck the wall and bounced to the floor. Dust and fragments fell from the ceiling as he lay groaning, too stunned even to understand what had happened.
The elf rose from the bed and approached at an unhurried pace.
“Criminal.”
“I-I don't know…”
His body lifted into the air a second time.
Then it slammed into the floor.
Thud!
Pain tore through him. It felt as though every bone had shattered. He could not even groan; foam gathered at his mouth.
The elf stepped forward and planted her foot on his head.
“Criminal.”
Hamber finally understood.
She didn't care whether he survived. If he knew where the bandits were and refused to answer, she would kill him. If he truly knew nothing, she might kill him anyway.
There was only one way to stay alive.
He had to tell her everything.
“I-I'll talk!” Hamber screamed. “I'll tell you where the Ten Bandits are hiding!”