2. Chapter Two
Chapter Two
M av focused on the cold bite of the marble under her knees as she knelt in front of Sartya’s king.
Another theft, another of the mighty Lords of Sartya made a fool.
She had been on this jewel thief’s trail for months to no avail.
Her failure was a stain on her perfect track record, and it was driving her mad.
“Commander Azimi, I cannot overstate the importance of identifying and apprehending this thief. They have taken some of the most precious heirlooms of our great houses. It cannot continue.” The king paused before he continued more quietly, his exasperation with his own ridiculous court showing.
“Mav, they truly will not let it drop. We both know there are more important things to spend our efforts on, but this is an opportunity for me to make them feel heard. Let’s resolve this so we can get on with our lives.
Use whatever tools you have at your disposal to bring the culprit to justice. See it done.”
“Yes, your majesty. I will see it done.” Mav knew their king was a good man, and she understood the powerful nobles often tried his patience.
Mav rose but kept her head bowed in deference.
She stepped to the side of the great hall, assuming her usual position to keep watch over the day’s remaining official business.
Whoever the thief was, they were soundly ruining Mav’s career.
As the only manticore in a city of humans, Mav had fought for years to establish her reputation as loyal, competent, dependable, and fierce.
She had, of course, faced some prejudice—there was a reason her people weren’t integrated into human society—but she had overcome it and had risen in the ranks based on her merit.
Now, as the Captain of the Guard of Sartya’s capital, Zhava City, she was responsible for the safety of this sprawling desert metropolis.
Normally, something as trivial as a string of robberies would not have been important enough to warrant her attention, but this particular thief was targeting the noble families, and they were complaining loudly to the king about it.
It had become her problem three months ago, and four more break-ins had occurred since she took over the investigation. The king was not happy.
Mav took a deep breath and tried to ground herself in the snug fit of her familiar leather armor, the comfort of her sword pommel in her hand where it rested in a sheath at her side. She would find answers. She could tackle any problem before her.
As she stood watch over the proceedings, stewing in her frustration, one of her lieutenants stepped up beside her and handed her a tiny roll of parchment.
Her eyes quickly scanned the message within, and her shoulders tensed.
The thief had struck again last night—but this time, they had left a clue.