The Prince, the Thief & the Artifact

Chapter 7: A Glimpse into Summer

Leon had underestimated Summer. He admitted as much to himself.

No one would believe that such a dainty girl would be able to knock down a man twice her size, slip through a town full of guards then get back in without anyone the wiser. But she had done so. Speaking with Rose had confirmed as much. The young mother couldn't lie to save her life.

He was lucky the girl hadn't decided to escape. It seemed that she still believed he would use Rose as her replacement, even after Rose told her how well she and her son were treated.

The very reason he hadn't told her he would help Rose either way, was that he was afraid she'd no longer believe his threat.

Apparently, she believed the worst of him anyway. Which, in this case, was in his favor. If the girl believed him capable of taking in an innocent woman instead of her, it would keep her in line.

And he needed to stop thinking of her as a girl. She was a full grown woman with an interesting set of skills. He had a feeling he hadn't seen the last of them yet.

She seemed comfortable on horseback, for example. Which was unusual for a dirt-poor orphan who owned no horse. She hadn't looked afraid when she climbed over Ida's stallion. And she had smiled in a murderous way- if that was possible- when Al bound her wrists together.

Leon was still on the fence about her culpability. On one hand, it didn't make sense for her to travel all the way to the capital, steal the artifact then trade it for a paltry sum of money.

Besides, the theft had been committed by a group of people. So where were her accomplices? Leon doubted they'd let her have the artifact for herself. And where had she even met them in the first place?

Many things did not add up. But when Leon thought of the way she had managed to trick all those guards, of how no one in town knew where exactly she lived- except to say it was in the woods, of how she could handle a dagger like a throwing champion, he grew suspicious again. One didn't learn all those skills in a small town.

Leon glanced back at the two women sharing a horse. Ida rode between him and Felix, with Al taking the rear, much to Al's arguments. Al didn't want Leon to be a first target if something were to happen.

"These mountains have a fascinating flora," Felix said for what seemed like the tenth time since their departure. "I wish we had more time. The plants here are worth taking a look at."

"We're not stopping until we have to, Felix."

The medic sighed, a world of disappointment in the sound. Soon, he would notice they were getting close to the stretch of road that perched dangerously close to the edge of the mountain, then he would freak out. So it would take them the entire day to go around the mountain. Then they would have to make camp for the night.

Except for Summer, Leon's mind was at relative ease. He had left the town in capable hands. The members of the committee who'd arrived the day before were all men he personally trusted. They would see to the best interest of the townspeople, especially those who had been marginalized and forced into lousy lives. And they would see to the punishment and trial of those responsible after seeding them out. The last part would be the most difficult.

Surprisingly, Felix rode better than expected. They made good time, and by the time they were on flat land again, it was slightly before dusk. The terrain was flat, but the trees and the bushes were thick and overgrown on the main path.

Al scouted ahead for a place to spend the night off the main road. He found a decent sized clearing near a stream of water. That was where they made their camp.