Amongst Thieves

14.

Cade.

The reason Ress was disowned by his family.

The reason Ress was run out of his town and towards the life of a thief in Dreduor.

Cade.

The same man who broke Ress' heart just as everything else was ripped away.

She had never met him and never wanted to meet him.

Maize wanted to kill him all the same.

No longer did she see the young lordling locked in conversations with Laris. Instead, she saw the bastard of a farm boy who was too selfish and too much of a coward to do what he knew was right.

And now that bastard had realized he was being watched. And by who.

"Shit," Ress whispered as they watched Cade excuse himself from his conversation to work his way through the crowd.

"Want me to distract him?"

"How?"

"I don't know, throw a knife at him?"

"You weren't supposed to bring a knife."

"Okay fine- I'll throw my shoe."

"As if that isn't inconspicuous."

"And throwing a knife is?"

The sight of movement towards them paused Maize's retort. "Speaking of not being inconspicuous," she muttered, taking a small step away from Ress as Cade worked through the crowd to approach him.

"What do I do?" Ress hissed.

"I don't know but you're running out of time to figure it out-"

"Restor? Is that truly you?" Cade exclaimed once he stopped before them.

Maize couldn't control the glare towards the casual use of Ress's formal name.

"Caden," Ress answered, an uneasy hand running through his hair. "You look well."

"I can't believe this!" The amazed tone sounded more like someone who hadn't seen a close friend in years rather than something who betrayed his lover. "What are you doing here?"

"I-"

Maize knew Ress was struggling. Normally he'd have an answer- truthful or otherwise- without a moment's hesitation. She could only imagine what seeing Cade again was doing to him. She already knew what it was doing to her.

"Maizelyn," she said as she stepped between them, presenting her hand to Cade like she knew ladies did. "Courtier to Prince Laris. Restor is my footman."

"Is that so?" Cade asked, eyes wide as he took her hand, a small kiss place on its back while his attention remained on Ress. "I knew you had left Seren- I didn't know it was to work on Dreduor."

If only he knew...

"And you are?" she asked quickly, attempting to return the attention to her and away from Ress, if only for a moment's respite.

"Of course. How rude of me. Caden, husband to Lady Findara of Alynthi."

"So you did get married," Ress murmured so low that only they could hear.

Cade seemed to pick up on his insinuation as his ears reddened. "Ah... yes. I suppose it's what one would have called a marriage of convenience."

"So convenient you had three kids?" Maize snapped.

Cafe blinked. "I... yes. How did you know that? Have we met before?"

Shit.

Maize waved a dismissive hand. "You know how word gets around the court, especially so close to Remembrance Day. By the time it's over, everyone will know who everyone else has slept with."