Guards surrounded the booth, looking at the two sitting there. A bell boomed out in warning.

Lucas turned and sighed. “Gentlemen?”

“There was a theft. The leading suspect is…” The guard looked at Riley. He looked back at Lucas.

“She didn’t do it. She was with me this entire time,” Lucas stated firmly. “We visited the king and came here. That’s it.”

“The queen is demanding your aid.”

Lucas sighed, stood, and nodded to Riley. “Please pardon my sudden departure.”

“She could have—” the guard started to say.

“She couldn’t,” Lucas interrupted. “I was speaking with her this entire time. I can see her name and classes. It was not her, and I will not subject her to these insults.” He stood. “Pardon me, Riley. I have to get this sorted.” He strode forward, leaving her behind and heading for the palace.

Striding across the grounds, he frowned. I hope she understands. And I hope she’ll trust me. The sound of a screaming princess reached his ears, forcing his thoughts back to the theft. Althea. A smile flitted across his face and vanished.

“You are certain that Lady Riley didn’t do it?” a guard asked.

“Ask the wait staff. She was with me. We talked. There is no possible way.” Lucas glared at the guard and walked into the palace. He strode down the halls, following the screaming that bounced off the walls.

Walking to the princess’s room, he peered inside to see the queen, princess, prince, and smoldering furniture. The smoke wafted from the charred remains of a couch, bed, and desk.

“Where is she?” the queen demanded. “She did this.”

Lucas stepped into the room. “She was with me the entire time. We were discussing the king’s orders. Before that, she was with you and then she was with me. How would she have done it?”

The queen frowned. “You vow it?”

“Yes, my queen,” Lucas said with a slight bow. “I will make an oath if you wish.”

“He did it,” Lily shouted, pointing at Timothy. “Ask him!”

“I did not steal your crystals,” Timothy replied, rolling his eyes.

Lucas looked at the guards and then looked at the queen. He waited.

“Leave us,” the queen ordered the guards.

The guards filed out, shutting the door behind them.

The queen frowned and looked at Timothy. “Did you do it?”

Lucas used Inquisitor’s Insight. Another dimension opened before his eyes. Colors floated around the people. Spotting the flickering red from the prince, he masked his expression at the sight of the guilt. People are so atrocious at lying—well, except for the assassins and thieves.

Timothy frowned. “State it, my prince.”

“No, I did not make a contract for this. I didn’t order it, suggest it, or think about it,” Timothy stated loudly.

Lucas paused momentarily and watched another flicker of red with little else. “All true,” he stated with a nod.

The queen frowned and turned to Lucas. “Would you do this?” Her eyes narrowed.

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“With all due respect, my queen. Why?”

“You know why,” the queen said.

Lucas sighed. “Bring another seeker if you wish, but you know my oaths. I would not break them for her.” He shook his head.

“Riley?” Timothy asked, his confusion visible. “Why would he care about her?”

“They are betrothed,” the queen replied. Her frown faded. “If you didn’t, who would have known?”

“We need to find out.” Lucas turned. “I need the Magus. She’ll locate them with a spell.” He walked out the door, heading for the academy.

The queen followed. “I want the thief found and strung up, Seeker.”

“Of course, my queen.” Lucas marched out of the palace with the three in tow.

Walking across the courtyard, he headed for the academy. Althea, I hope you know what you are doing… Would Roger—No. He’s not that reckless, is he?

Reaching the academy, Lucas opened the door and let the royals enter. Following them down the hall, he entered a staffroom and looked at the Magus Victoria.

“We need a location spell, now,” the queen barked. “The princess’s crystals were stolen.”

Victoria looked up and nodded. Grabbing her focus, she ignited a sequence of runes, and an image appeared.

A blurry figure was racing to the south. The ground and forest blurred around them. Lucas studied it. It’s her.

“They are running south. The knights?” Victoria asked, looking at the figure.

“Already dispatched,” the queen replied. “I assumed that it was Riley.” She paused. “We could scry for her crystals.”

“I don’t know if it’s worth losing this connection. We can do it after,” Victoria replied.

“Riley should be required to share hers if she still has them,” the princess stated with a look of cold fury.

Lucas turned and quirked a brow. Bold. Very bold.

The queen sighed and shook her head. “They’d be flagged as stolen by the gods, and even we couldn’t remove it. You’d get the thief class.”

The princess scowled. “Why can’t we see their face?”

“Their deception or stealth is high, very high,” Victoria said with a grimace. “I can’t break it.” She manipulated the runes, letting the image expand and pull away from the ground. A group of armored individuals thundered down the road after the fleeing figure.

The queen smiled. “The knights have their scent.”

The princess smiled, and the prince sighed.

~~~

Althea ran down the road with a smile on her face. Pity that hiding these would be a nightmare.

Reaching into the bag, she grabbed a crystal and threw it, sending it flying through the air. The crystal sparkled and arced into some trees.

Chuckling to herself, Althea grabbed another and launched it toward a distant brook.

Reaching inside, she grabbed a handful of crystals, pulled them to her chest, and willed them inward. The energy surged through her, and she increased her pace while errantly tossing a crystal here and there.

As a city came into view, Althea grinned and picked up her pace, shooting down the road at a blistering speed and leaving the knights behind.

The world blurred around her. The walls snapped into view, and she slowed, picking out each of Riley’s crystals and placing them in a bag. Adding a few stolen ones, she tied it shut. These should earn me some goodwill. She smiled and looked at the remaining crystals.

Hefting the bag, she skidded and threw, launching it over the city wall. Crystals leaked from it, sparkling in the sunlight before descending into the crowds. The spell around her followed the bag, and she turned.

Dashing off into the trees, Althea triggered her skill, vanishing into the green like a living wraith.

~~~

Lucas watched the bag of crystals arc through the air. It flew over the wall and descended, crystals falling like rain. People turned and raced for them. The guards started yelling, and the spell broke into a thousand pieces.

“What happened?” the princess asked.

Victoria sighed. “The spell is very specific. I was tracking the majority of your crystals. Since they are all over the place, the spell broke. I’d need to do it again and work through them individually.”

“The knights will do that,” Lucas said. “Assuming the thieves don’t foolishly use them.”

Lily scowled. “Rotten thieves. I demand another run, Mother.”

The queen sighed. “The guards should get most of them. We’ll see how they do.”

Timothy fumed. “How is that fair?”

“You didn’t have a thief steal yours,” the queen replied and frowned at him. “Seeker, does my son know anything of this?”

Lucas turned and nodded.

“I see.” Lisa scowled at him.

Lily turned. “You monster! I’ll have you assassinated! I’ll have your—”

“Enough!” Lisa shouted. “We will discuss this together, and it ends now! Do you understand?” She glowered at her children.

They scowled, and Lisa turned back to the seeker. “How many will the thief use?”

“If I had to guess, a dozen?” Timothy replied. “Getting the taxed crystals back will be difficult.”

The queen sighed. “He stole them, didn’t he?”

“Probably, and used a dozen or so.” Lucas frowned. “I will do what I can for the thief, but it will be difficult.”

The queen sighed. “Of course, focus on the front. I need to chastise the guards.” She spun and headed for the door.

Lucas looked at the two royals. The princess stormed after her mother, and Timothy did the same. They started squabbling about another run.

“Have a good day, Magus.” Turning, Lucas walked out of the room and tossed it all out of his mind. We need to conquer Shorove. That’s the priority for the moment.