King of Thieves (Book 3)

𝓒𝓱.7 ~ 𝓐 𝓜𝓸𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻'𝓼 𝓟𝓻𝓸𝓶𝓲𝓼𝓮

Arianna felt like she was being watched as she returned to the Healer's Quarters, but when she looked around the room, all she could see were fellow healers and servants. Yet she still felt as though someone was watching her every move as she grabbed a new change of clothes and headed to the bathing pools.

The pools were empty and the room was filled with steam, making it hard to see the entire room. Servants went about their duties, cleaning and scrubbing, not taking any notice of her as she stripped and entered one of the nearby pools. The hot water eased her worries, forgetting about her uneasiness as she closed her eyes and sighed.

Arianna missed Caine each day since he left without a goodbye. No matter how much bad the man has done in the past, she still loved him. It was sad it took for her to get stabbed for Caine to realize his ways and come to his senses. His mission to obtain the Jewels of Arondale for himself consumed him into darkness instead. Now Caine was a mission for redemption and would not return until he fixed what he has broken. Whatever that meant, she hoped he was doing well, wherever he may be.

Climbing out of the pool, she dried herself and dressed in her healer robes, finding it easier to sleep in her work outfit in case of emergency patients visiting in the early hours of the night. Returning to the quarters, she still felt like someone was watching her as she laid in her bunk.

Closing her eyes, Arianna listened the other healers sleeping, drifting off to sleep to the sounds of their light snoring when she heard shuffled footsteps. Opening her eyes again, she saw a big, muscular man wearing servants clothes, he had a scar across his left eye. He held a piece of cloth to her mouth and nose, a sweet scent filled her nostrils as she tried to fight the man away. It was no use, her body was slipping into unconsciousness.

The other healers continued to sleep as the imposter smiled down at her with a gap toothed grin. His smile is the last thing she sees before the darkness takes her completely. Arianna's body went limp.

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The hitman hoisted the Healer's small frame over his shoulder before sneaking out of the room. Keeping out of sight, he carried Arianna to the Maid Halls, where he used the fire escape to reach the stables. After saddling a horse, the hitman rode back to the mill factory to please his boss and receive half his payment. The other half would be received after he kidnapped Jezamine. His next target...

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Rowyn sat restlessly in the tavern, growing stir crazy as each second past. He waited for his hitman, Wrath, to return with Arianna and Jezamine. He was eager to take over the Guild and challenge Kaleb, but not before gaining the boys trust and toying with him first.

There was a sudden knock at the door, three hard taps followed by one light tap.  Rowyn froze in place and smiled at his little brother. "Now I wonder who that could be?"

Opening the door, Wrath entered with Arianna on his shoulder before dropping her on the bed carelessly. Rowyn smiled while Caine thrashed in his binds, unable to speak with his mouth gagged. Rowyn could tell by the way his brother's eyes darkened that he had the right woman. Now all he needed was his dear niece and the real fun could begin.

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Caine watched in disbelief as the other man walked in with Arianna over his shoulder like she was a nothing more than a sack of potatoes. She was unconscious, which made him mad. What did the thug do to his wife!? From what he could tell, Arianna was not injured or hurt, she was only out cold.

Unable to move towards her, Caine continued to watch from the chair he was bound to, chains binding him in place. There was no escaping for him.

Arianna groaned lightly, placing a slender hand to her forehead as she looked around the room. First in confusion, then in shock.

"Caine..." She said his name, reaching towards him, but Rowyn stood in between them with a twisted smile on his face.

"I must say, the painting at the Guild has no comparison to your beauty in person, Arianna." He bowed mockingly and kissed the back of outstretched hand. "You must be wondering why you are here?"

Arianna looked around the room, confused and disoriented until she spotted Caine tied up across the room. She gasped at the sight of his bloodied body, covered in cuts and burn marks. Once the initial shock was over, Arianna turned to look up at Rowyn with a burning fire behind her eyes.

"Who are you!?" She asked as she stared at his brother. "What do you want!?"

Rowyn all but chuckled, taking a seat on the shabby bed. "I am Caine's brother. Older brother to be exact."

He smiled as he sudden realization hit Arianna. She looked back and forth between the pair until she shook her head in disbelief. She looked at Caine with silent questions he could not answer. He only hoped Arianna didn't try to fight Rowyn and his men to escape. She wouldn't stand a chance if she did. He hoped she understood the slight shake of his head, a signal not to make a move.

Rowyn remained smug as he told Arianna the truth to her kidnapping. "Now that you're here, all we are missing is one more person for this to be a family reunion!"

Arianna finally put the dots together, realizing the other man's plans. "Do t you dare hurt Jezamine!"

"Hurt her? I want to meet my niece!" Rowyn cooed. "Then afterwards, you will all bare witness as I become King."

"King?" Arianna scoffed. "You are no King!'

Rowyn launched from the bed and grabbed Arianna's cheeks, squeezing them together hard. "I will become King. King of the Guild my brother failed to rule."

Before Arianna could say another word on the matter, Rowyn ordered his men to chain her up and gag her. Placing her beside Caine in the small closet. Rowyn spoke before closing the door.

"Now if you both could excuse me. I have important business to attend to!"

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The following day, Jezamine searched the Infirmary and the Healer's Quarters for her mother, but the woman was nowhere to be seen. Maybe she went for a supply run? Continuing her search, Jez sees Venus May in the kitchens.

"Have you seen my mother?"

Venus May looked up, smiling when she seen Jezamine. "Not since yesterday. She will be around somewhere. Come with me."

Venus walked out of the kitchen, leaving her meal unattended. They walked down halls and upstairs until they came to a stop at a set of stairs that led to the Prince's hideaway place.

"Sometimes Arianna goes up here to get away and so does the Prince. No one else knows of this but me." Venus May admitted. "I will never tell a soul about this place."

Jezamine hugged Venus before racing up the stairs in anticipation. Today is the last day before the wedding, and her mother promised to help her get through all of this.

So where was she?

As she climbed to the top, she did not find Arianna in the turret, but Alexander. The Prince turned and smiled at her. "Jezamine...I wasn't expecting to see you until tomorrow."

Jezamine felt an uneasy feeling in her gut as she wondered where here mother could be. "Have you seen my mother around?"

Alexander shook his head, holding his arm out towards her as a silent offer to help her look for the healer. Jezamine intertwined her arm through his before they left the turret and kept searching for Arianna. Jez needed her mother's guidance if she was going to make it through tomorrow's ceremony.