"What do you want?" Sage asked, her voice tinged with resignation.
"I want Silver, and you're going to help me get him, my lady."
Sage's eyes widened for a moment as her life flashed before her eyes. Then, like the lady she was, her years of training took over. "I don't understand," she said innocently. "What do I have to do with Silver?"
The man laid his index finger aside his nose. "Don't play coy. My informants tell me that you and the Guardian are quite fond of each other. I believe you just left his home. It is very early, you know." He raised his eyebrows judgmentally.
"I was bringing the Guardian breakfast. He has a standing order at the inn." Sage did not like the man's insinuation. She did not like anything about the man, actually.
He was handsome even with his aquiline nose, but the glint in his eye put a knot in her stomach. She had seen that same viciousness in Prince Torben's face just before he struck her. Sage needed to tread carefully.
The lady turned and glanced at the guard beside her. The man was tall and lean with the purple and gold uniform of Birle. He looked straight ahead, and Sage could sense she would get no sympathy from him. He was merely a crony.
The handsome man at the table scratched his neck as he clicked his tongue. "You are a smart woman, Lady Saigera." The man made an elaborate motion with his hand and lowered his head in a mock bow. "And I can see you value your freedom. I would hate for you to lose it."
"Ha!" Sage cut him off. Her former fear was replaced with anger. "You think I would trade someone else's freedom for my own?" she asked defiantly.
The man smiled, but it never reached his eyes. He tapped his fingers on his chin as if he were thinking. "Hm, good question. I believe there is a little boy living with Silver right now. Am I wrong?" Sage did not respond so he continued, "Are you not perfectly willing to trade his life off to relative strangers?"
"That's not the same. I was trying to find him a good home," Sage blustered.
The man shook his head in disbelief. "That may be what you tell yourself to sleep at night, but I know better. You want to offload the child to someone—anyone—so that you can have the freedom of having Silver all to yourself."
Sage's cheeks burned, and the man could see he had struck a nerve. He crossed his arms and studied her for a moment. His finger gently tapped his arm as he let the words sink in. His voice became honey smooth. "You and I are not that different. I would prefer to work as allies. I can protect you. I can make sure that the prince never finds you."
Sage thought about his offer. While protection was invaluable, she doubted his words were genuine. He was just as likely to throw her to the wolves as protect her, she figured.
The brunette had always looked out only for herself. Didn't everyone? Up until she came to Rynnlee, no one had ever seemed to care for her beyond their own personal benefit. And when she met Silver, she had merely been intrigued and hoped he would overcome her boredom. Then the lady saw the value of being attached to him. He never forced her to do anything, and his presence kept other men from making moves on her. That is when Sage's motivation moved from fascination to self preservation.
But Silver's kindness and care had brought forth feelings in her that Sage had never felt. The Guardian put others first…always. For the first time, the thought of betraying someone— and that someone being Silver—made Sage's stomach queasy. Whether this new conviction was loyalty, love, or goodness, it was a new and not unwelcome change.
"We are not at all alike." Sage's mouth formed a grim line as she shook her head. Her silken curls flowed back and forth across her shoulders exaggerating the motion. "And I will not help you. I would rather die."
The man's gaze narrowed, but his smile remained. "Such a pity. I was hoping we could do this the easy way." He sighed. "No, my dear, I have no plans to kill you…not today anyway. You have many other uses. But that pretty friend of yours—what's her name?" he asked the soldier while he snapped his fingers trying to remember.
"Lily, Captain." The guard responded automatically.
The Captain nodded appreciatively. "Ah yes, Lily. Lily might not survive today. And I hear she is expecting a little bundle of joy."
The woman's shoulder's stiffened, but her face betrayed nothing. "This is news to me. We are not that close," Sage lied.
"Really? I am sure that the sweet girl told you about her baby last week. Yes, she asked you to keep it a secret until she could tell that street urchin the happy news herself. As I said, I have informants." The handsome man was so confident and infuriating that Sage wanted to strangle him. It took every ounce of strength to keep her head.
"If I am as selfish as you believe, then why bother threatening me with that young woman and her child?" she asked calmly.
"You are selfish, but not entirely heartless. That is one way in which we differ. With your only friend gone, you would be utterly alone." The Captain could see the woman was wavering. "If that's not enough incentive, I might just burn this whole town to the ground if you don't comply. Or rather, I will tell Prince Torben who has been hiding you these past few years, and he will destroy Rynnlee without a second thought. That would likely start a war between Lakyle and Birle. So many will die! That is quite a heavy toll in exchange for one little 'Guardian'."
Sage stifled a gasp. Her temper flared as she tried to stand, forced once again into her seat by the taciturn guard. Instead, she spewed venom at the man. "You fiend! You blackguard! You, you coward! You would risk the lives of innocent people just to settle a score?"
The captain regarded her coolly. "In a heartbeat." There was no doubt in her mind that the man would carry through with his threat.
Had it been some far off town being condemned to death, Sage would have been able to keep herself from caring. The walls of indifference she had built would have held up against unknown faces. Her selfishness would have easily blinded her to the plight of others.
But the past three years of care and acceptance had put tiny holes in her impenetrable armor, and Sage felt the stinging pain of losing those who had given her a life worth living. Selfishness was not strength, selfishness was...selfish. The glaring example of this sat before her.
Now that the scales had fallen from her eyes, she could see the empty shell of a man before her. He would take no pity and spare no one who got in his way. She balled her fists trying to think quickly. Hot, angry tears flowed down her cheeks. The situation was hopeless. She would have to play his game or risk countless lives.
"What do you want me to do?" She asked at last.
"Nothing too complicated. My men are going to do an unscheduled tax collection when Silver is out later today. When he returns, you will tell him that they took a priceless family heirloom and you must have it back. You will urge him to retrieve it from the Baron. That does not sound too hard, does it?"
"You don't need me for this plot. Find someone else." The woman argued in vain. She already knew what the man would say. His words came as no surprise.
"You are the only one who can convince him to do what needs to be done. You are the one and only candidate for the job."
Sage felt like a noose was tightening around her neck. The only way out for her was to comply. "What will I say this 'heirloom' looks like? He has seen most of my possessions."
The captain produced a sketch of a silver hand mirror and handed it to the woman. It was not overly lavish, but definitely fine quality. The filigree was decorated with interlacing curves and the handle came to a fine tip with an orchid at the base of the glass.
"When he returns with the mirror—and he will return it—you will deny in front of the soldiers and villagers that it is yours."
Sage didn't like where this was going. If Silver was caught stealing such an expensive item from nobility, the consequences would be dire.
"Surely you do not mean to frame someone of a crime they did not commit, Captain..." Sage drawled as if trying to remember what to call him.
"None of that trickery. You do not need my name just now," the Captain warned her. "And the Thief Silver has stolen many things but never been caught. You will be doing the kingdom a great service."
"I can't…" the dark-haired woman said helplessly.
"You can and you will. You don't want the blood of the village on your hands. And I'll be generous with Silver. I just need him to understand who is in charge. You'll get him back eventually."
"You won't harm him?" The woman's voice was a mix of skepticism and hope.
"Wouldn't dream of it."
"You swear?" Sage pressed.
"I swear I won't hurt him." The captain held up one hand and put the other on his heart to show he meant it.
"Fine." Sage glared at him. "I'll do as you ask." The woman had to protect someone, and she had to trust that Silver would be able to handle himself. No one would forgive her if Lily died from her choices.
"Excellent." The man clapped his hands and sat up. "Now run along to the inn. We wouldn't want anyone to get suspicious and come looking for you. My colleague and I will see ourselves out in due time."
Sage started to object, but realized it was useless. She wrapped her shawl tightly around her shoulders and exited. The two men exchanged glances once she had gone. The soldier raised his eyebrows, "What do you think, Captain Borit? Will she do it?"
Borit leaned back again in his chair with a sigh of contentment. "Yes, Ansel. I believe she will, but just in case—follow her."