Thief (Brotherhood of the Throne Book 1) by Jane Glatt Read Free Book Online Page A

be in peril. So the Call was not unexpected, at least by this council. We still need more information about this thief, Brenna Lightfingers. How is it she has the bloodlines of Wolde’s children running through her veins? We don’t know and truthfully, we may never know. But as the head of the council of the Brotherhood of the Throne I declare that the Call is true. We will send word to all chapters of the Brotherhood at once, as well as arrange for a full meet.”
    Kane and Andel were quickly surrounded by Brothers eager for more information about the Caller. Marcus Brunger and a few of the older men hung back and Uncle Feiren headed towards them. Kane turned to answer a question from Laclan Galloway. Uncle Feiren would be able to convince any doubters, Kane thought, because it was the prophecy - all members of the Brotherhood must embrace their destiny. He looked at Andel’s grinning face; of all the youngsters who dreamed of being the one to receive the call, it was they who had heard it.
     
    “I’m assuming we’ll be buying her bond?” Kane rubbed his tired eyes. He was seated across the desk from his uncle in Feiren’s study . The meet had finally ended and late though it was, Kane knew his duties were not yet finished for the day.
    The room they sat in was paneled in dark oak and on the walls, flickering in the firelight were some of the family’s most treasured heirlooms - a shield from the Kivvan wars, eight hundred years ago; a halberd that had belonged to the first Rowse to be Captain of the Kingsguard, over two hundred years old. But the most prized possessions were the old steel weapons. In addition to Kane’s own sword Feiren had an old steel sword from the time of Wolde, the first king. The wall held three knives and another sword from King Marto’s time, made just before the old ways and the old gods were swept away on the tide of the One-God. Worship of the One-God had been imported from Langemore along with King Marto’s wife. No king had followed the old gods since.
    Feiren Rowse was a large man just into his fiftieth year. The trim form kept firm by years of active duty in the Kingsguard had diminished only a little in the years since his retirement. He’d allowed his thick salt and pepper hair to grow slightly since his military days and it now reached just to the collar of his white cotton shirt.
    Beside Kane sat Dasid Addems, second-in-command of the guard, as well as a member of the council for the Brotherhood of the Throne. Dasid was a wiry man with closely-cropped sandy blond hair. At thirty-six more than half his life had been spent in the Kingsguard. Once he was named captain, Kane had inherited Dasid from his uncle and had been gratefully accepting his advice since.
    “I think we need to keep out of this,” Feiren said. “For the girl’s sake it’s best if neither the Rowses nor the Kingsguard show any particular interest in her.” Feiren took a sip of his wine before continuing. “But I feel responsible as it was I who commissioned the theft of the priest’s knife in the first place.”
    “And I who made the arrangements,” Kane said softly. “So I’ll make sure she gets out. I’ll contact Eryl, the thief I hired to acquire the knife.”
    “Good.” Feiren nodded to Kane. “Now we know the High Bishop is collecting old steel weapons. What we don’t know is why, or if he even realizes the significance of them.”
    “I don’t think I realized the significance of them either,” Kane said. “Is there anything in the histories that describes the effect the Caller has on old steel?” Kane could still feel his shock and surprise at seeing his sword shining under his and Brenna’s hands.
    “There might be,” Dasid said. “I remember reading something in one of the old texts, a reference to a light of some kind. At the time it seemed to have little relevance, but now...” he shrugged.
    “Yes, well, we’ll need to go back over some of those texts in light of recent