Page 13 of Glass Hearts

“Get off me! Damned birds!” The snakes, thankfully, have loosened their hold and slithered away. “I really don’t like birds,” I mutter as the last of the birds leaves us to wallow in defeat. The birds never aimed to do damage, barely pecking, but to distract as the maddening woman escaped.

“She bested us again! What a fun little game my Duchess has us playing. And by the gods, did you see my future wife’s face?

! She is a stunning creature, just like I thought she would be.

Freckles! I can’t wait to kiss each one.

There must be many to kiss along her body, too.

” Grayer goes on, looking the happiest I have ever seen the fucker.

“She is not your future wife,” Sylas says gruffly, but he still looks upon the space where she had escaped.

The truth is, Grayer is not wrong about her beauty. She is one of the most beautiful women I have ever set my eyes on. She truly looks like sunshine, even with her flushed face from running in the cold evening forest air. Grayer was also not wrong about how good she looked in her gear.

I think we are all reeling a bit, but in different ways, from our second encounter with the little shadow.

We each grab our glass hearts to wear once more. The instant connection has me breathing a sigh of relief. I blame all the alcohol at the ball for not noticing its missing presence.

It doesn’t escape my notice that Grayer adds his fire heart to his new necklace that holds our little thief’s black glass orb.

He pats it down on his chest, over his heart, and smiles.

He has never looked more content. This is going to be bad when he realizes we really can’t have her.

How am I going to mend his broken heart?

Since we were young, it was always my mission to ensure his happiness. Especially after the brutality our father inflicted on him. In which I could never intervene or help. Sy and Arch think I need to step back and let the guilt go. But he is and will always be my brother.

“Are we not going to address the fact that she called on damned animals!?” Archer questions, raising his hands in the air in frustration, still sounding quite angry.

Though by the bulge in his pants, I don’t think he is as upset as he lets on.

I think we all forgot how fun it is to chase after a woman.

“Maybe that is how she was able to get the hit on us at the ball. But there was no spot for her to hide damned animals. I feel like we would have noticed. Alcohol or not,” I think out loud.

Grayer chuckles. “She has tiny mouse friends! When I was watching her at that pub, I saw her feeding a mouse nuts from the bar bench. The mouse was in damned tactical gear! She must have had them hidden in her clutch. Fuck. She is so cute. So perfect.”

Last night, Grayer had rushed into our parlour where we were all lounging, totally not thinking about her.

When he filled us in on his whole evening stalking the little thief, we decided it was important to get her cornered before she got rid of our hearts.

Especially when she realized it would be of no value to her.

So we snuck out of the castle and stalked her, like total creeps.

Gray wasn’t wrong when he said she lived in a damned shed.

Collectively, we all growled at this. Though it surprised me, the reaction came from Sylas and Archer, too.

We followed the little thief from her home to Harsekeep.

It was so interesting how she interacted with the people. Though her lovely face remained covered and she had her bow, arrow, and dagger strapped to her thigh, nobody saw it as menacing. It was as if she were their hero. Vendors would toss her a gift, or they would approach with a hug.

“Did you also notice how she didn’t even try to go for her dagger or that bow and arrow set?” Of course, Sylas, the combat-focused fool, noticed that.

“Before we keep chatting, we should probably mind what we are saying. That crow has been eyeing us the whole time. She called it by a name, Petra.” The crow cocks her head towards Archer.

“And if she can talk and control them, we need to be wary. The woman probably has spies all over this dang city!”

“Good call, Arch,” Grayer says as he walks up to the bird, “Hello, dear bird. Please relay to your mistress that I think she is absolutely beautiful, no, STUNNING, and that I would also appreciate a little knife play to my neck next time I chase her down. Tell her I was disappointed she didn’t pull it on me today. ”

Internally, I sigh at my brother’s antics.

“Luckily, we know where she lives, so we can go find her there. Perhaps tomorrow. Let her think we lost her trail for now. Until then, let’s go back to that pawnshop. I have some questions for that shop owner, Oliver.” Sylas says through our bond.

With a last look at the space she had previously occupied, we make our leave from the darkening forest.

* * *

The pawnshop, as we return, looks closed. The Closed sign turned, and the candle lights had been blown out. But we all catch a bit of movement from the back.

Sylas bangs on the door. “Let us in, or else there will be dire consequences, old man.”

The elderly man comes out from hiding, wringing his hands. Unfortunately, he unlocks the door with minimal fight, letting us in. I was itching for a fight. Especially after all that adrenaline chasing my sunshine down. No, she is not mine. Also, probably shouldn’t fight an old man.

“Where is she?” is all the shifter says in greeting.

“She is just another slippery woman,” Archer curses under his breath, shouldering into the shop. He has a lot of trust issues with women. The little thief is not helping in the matter.

The shop owner, Oliver, chuckles under his breath, relighting the candles. “She always was a firecracker.”

“So I take it you know her quite well?”

“That is correct, Prince Koi. Though if you are looking to get answers, it is not happening. You can seize my shop, beat me, and imprison me, but I will disclose nothing about The Shadow.” Oliver seems to have a backbone. She is quite protected.

“The people love my girl,” is all Grayer says to that. Oliver pales at that remark.

“Y-your girl?”

“She doesn’t know it yet, but she will be mine. I’m choosing her for my wife.” Grayer leans against the counter, tossing a knife in the air as if it’s a toy, while looking like a bashful, lovesick fool.

“Anyway.” Sylas cuts harsh eyes at Grayer to shut him up. “All that will not be necessary. We will let you off the hook, but you may not allow her to exchange any more stolen items in your shop. Understood?” The old man nods.

“As for the woman. I would allow her transgressions to slide. Only if you give us her name.”

Oliver sucks in his breath. “I cannot do so, my prince.”

“We know where she lives. She lives a few blocks from here. In a townhome. More particularly, in a large shed.” Sylas bites those last few words.

The fact that the woman who exuded luxury and grace resided in a damned shed shocked us all. Why wasn’t she in the decently sized house?

“We just want her name.”

The old man looks cornered. He knows we can’t do much with a name now that we know where she lives. He sighs before giving us her name.

“Arabella.”

Arabella. A fitting name for the beauty.