Page 72 of A Thief to Die For

‘What else do you know?’ Atlas demands. ‘Can this magic be used in warfare?’

And – that’s enough. ‘I hear you were looking for me,’ I say loudly, as I make my appearance. There’s now a patchwork of floorboards covering up the hole left by Agatha’s bomb.

Atlas sits up. ‘Ah, Marian! We’ve missed you.’

‘I’m sorry. Things took longer than I’d hoped, but …’ It’s difficult not to choke on my next words. ‘Soren handled the situation perfectly. Our concerns about those men are now resolved. As I thought, they’re innocent. That said, there’s something else I must address with you.’ I glance at Coatl. ‘Alone. It’s very important.’

‘Not now.’ Atlas flaps his hand. ‘I’ve been speaking with Rufus. Did you know he’s Ryland’s father?’

‘That’s actually what I was coming to tell you.’

He smiles, absolutely delighted. ‘Yes. Well, I’ve just come up with the most brilliant idea.’

Duke nudges my shoulder, and I scratch his soft horse nose, my attention fixed on the compound doors. I don’t know how long this will take, but if Marian doesn’t walk out soon, I’m going in. Atlas is too unpredictable.

The guardsmen eye me as they go about their business, which is no different from any other time. Although, should Soren pass by, I’ll give them all something to watch.

‘Ryland!’

I glance over my shoulder and squint into the distance. ‘Levi?’

The kid is riding up the entry road, flanked by two guardsmen. He jumps down from his horse, and we greet each other with a back-slapping embrace. ‘You’re alive,’ I tease. I check behind him. ‘Where’s Samuel?’

‘He’s back there at the start of the road. They wouldn’t let his big arse in.’

Right. I take in Levi’s filthy clothes. He looks like he’s slept in a pile of dirt this whole time.

A guardsman interrupts us. ‘Ryland? The Commander’s requested to see you. Bring everything with you. Leave nothing behind.’

Levi and I share a troubled look. No way the Commander has approved Marian’s request if he’s kicking me out. Damn it all – how is Marian going to make a run for it when she can barely walk? My thoughts then go to where they probably should have gone first – our coal deal.

‘Please tell me you found coal,’ I mutter to Levi. ‘Preferably a small mountain of it, for an excellent price.’

‘Sorry, man.’ Levi rubs his dirty face. ‘The other settlements came up empty, Grimwater and a place called Ashbreak. We even tried that trading post to the south. But it’s all Notting coal. The Commander must own them – they wouldn’t even talk about going behind his back. They couldn’t meet our demand anyway; all we have left is the source.’

My eyes roll skyward. That means, somehow, I have to make a deal.

Levi helps me pack up my tent, and we get it loaded on to Duke in record time. ‘I need to make one stop,’ I tell Fitzgerald, who’s taken over chaperoning us.

No one’s home at Little John’s shack, so I toss my sleeping sack in the corner; I’ve got saddle blankets for the road. It’s not the goodbye Little John deserves; I hope there are no hard feelings.

Back at the compound, more guards than ever are standing around. At least twenty now.

‘What’s going on?’ Levi mutters as we disarm so we can enter the High Command.

‘I’m not sure.’ The possibilities are vast. Any second, we might have to make a run for it. Or, what if I was wrong? What if the Commander did approve Marian’s request, and I’m walking into the best day of my life? Covertly, I slip off my grass ring. ‘Just be ready,’ I whisper to Levi.

The guard announces us to the room, and we file in, uneasy. Instantly, I find Marian standing in her usual place along the wall. She looks pale, but there’s also something undeniably hopeful on her face. She bites her lip and nods the tiniest bit.

I fail miserably at holding back my smile.

‘Ryland,’ the Commander says. He takes a loud slurp from his goblet. ‘And your friend – he’s back, I see. With nothing, am I right?’ He grins smugly before continuing his feast. ‘Yes, well. That should make this more interesting.’ There’s a leg of a large bird in front of him, lying more on the table than the plate.

‘Let’s start with the easy part. With no other options for coal, you have to accept my trade offer, which remains at one wagon of coal for twenty head of cattle or old-world treasures of equivalent worth. We can discuss the value of your water tower as part of that payment, if you wish. But know that this is my final offer, and I’m all you’ve got.’

God help us.

‘Moving on, I propose we make another deal, separate from the first. You’ve mentioned you want changes in how I run my mine, and I have an interest of my own I’d like to pursue. But instead of negotiating, let’s make this entertaining … and settle it with a competition.