Page 8 of Lady Knight and the Thief

“He left with his exiledmother, you know this, Cade,” the king retorted, his hand rasping against the regrown stubble along his chin.

Before Cypress was able to form a thought, to even begin to question the tangled web of information that had just been revealed, the king turned to her.

“You will go with Torren. Inspect the Wylds and report back any sightings. If the Wylds truly are awakening, then I will discuss with my counsel the use of the scepter. Torren, you will not set foot uponmy landagain, under any circumstances. Are we clear?”

“Yes,” Torren hissed, rolling his shoulders. “Now, willsomeonerelease me from these infernal ropes?”

“Wait. Wait. Willsomeonetell me what the fuck is going on? This man is a thief. Why aren't we just throwing him in a cell to be forgotten about– as we would with any other thief bold enough to trash Cade’s quarters? My place is here, guarding the Prince, as it always has been.”

King Caelith regarded Cypress with a keen eye, scrutinizing her for a moment too long before he spoke. “Think of it this way, Captain. You will be guarding a Prince, just notthePrince. This is Prince Torren, first of my line.”

“First of your line? How have I never heard of him?” Cypress demanded, crossing her arms. She knew she was toeing the lineof disrespect toward the King, but she couldn’t summon even an ounce of care. Cypress wanted answers, and she wanted themnow.

“I was married once before Henrietta, Cade’s mother. Unfortunately, the relationship was not… Fruitful, let's say. Our courtship was dissolved, and Rosalind was exiled. Torren here, went with her. I’m told her carriage was attacked by bandits on the road. I had assumed both of them perished.” King Caelith explained with a shrug, splaying his hands in a placating motion.

Cypress’s instincts clamored at her, the wind whispering in her ear. Some of what King Caelith was saying was a lie. Sheknewit.

And what better way to find out than to follow the truth? Cypress took a measured breath and clasped her arms behind her back. “Why me?”

“Who else can I trust to have this kingdom, myheir’swell-being in mind, than his personal guard?”

Cypress nodded, expecting that angle. “But my place ishere,Sir. Send Lieutenant Oswald.”

King Caelith shook his head. “No, Captain. You will follow Torren. You will inspect the Wylds and report back. I trust you alone to determine if the Old Ones have awoken, and if this kingdom is in danger.”

Cypress straightened her spine a fraction at the King’s use of her actual title–Captain.

“Old Ones? Why is everyone talking as if the thief has brought a nightmare upon our doorstep?” Cypress asked, crossing her arms once more.

There were stories of old beings who once roamed the Wylds before the first kingdoms. Old things that were sometimes more beast than man. Terrifying stories to keep the orphans in line, obedient throughout their training– lest the Old Ones awaken to destroy the kingdom in the dark of night.

Or so Cypress had thought.

“The stories are true, Captain. And you’ll do well to remember them. You depart at daybreak.” King Caelith ordered, waving his hand to dismiss the three of them. “Leave us.”

Cypress turned on her heel, waving Lieutenant Oswald and their captor along with her.

Well. Apparently, the thief was a fuckingPrince.

Sighing, Cypress ordered, “Free the Princeling,” To Lieutenant Oswald without breaking her stride. The King had explained much, but she knew there were still things being intentionally hidden. No former Queen is merelyexiled.

Cypress struggled to recall if she had ever been aware of this other Queen’s name in her youth… but there was nothing. Ever since she could remember, Queen Henrietta had sat alongside King Caelith. She’d fawned over their son, Cade. Had insisted that Cypress be educated alongside the Prince. Cypress had long suspected Queen Henrietta had hand-picked Cypress out of the orphanage to befriend her son—someone who would be loyal to Cade, and challenge his more asshole-ish tendencies.

Cypress had been that for Prince Cade long before they’d been friends, and long before she became Captain of his guard.

But, Cypress could not recall any instance of a single mention of a previous Queen and heir. Not even a whisper between castle servants. Not a single hushedTorrenin the middle of the night as the maids walked quietly through the halls.

So what had this previous queen–Torren’s mother– done to make the entire kingdom forget she even existed?

5

Sugar Cubes & Sass

Asinglerayofsunlightfrom daybreak seeped through the opening in the stone wall. The dark stone of the Keep encased Torren on every side, broken only by the mediocre window situated to the side of the worn cot.

Thewindow,so it was called, was nothing more than an opening the width of Torren’s hand. While the gap ran nearly all the way up the wall, it did not let in nearly enough air.

His cell had cooled dramatically through the night, so much so that Torren had debated ripping the wood frame of the bed apart to start a fire.