Dance of Thieves

Kazi is thankful everyone came back from the ride alive. She spots a man matching Illarion's description hurrying into Darkcottage. She searches Darkcottage with Wren and Synové but finds nothing besides a new smell. At the back door, ghosts tell her to leave and Death weeps, his arms full.

Kazi finds Jase searching for clothes. He holds up his broken hand and asks for help. She kisses him and looks for a shirt. Jase feels guilty Kazi’s mother doesn’t know she’s injured. Kazi feels guilty for lying and kisses him to distract him. Jase is pleased when Kazi wants to go to the arena with him. Kazi describes the man going into Darkcottage. Jase explains he was a groundskeeper closing windows before the storm. Kazi believes him because it starts to rain.

They laugh and kiss and arrive at dinner after the prayer. Beside Kazi’s soup bowl is an opened letter from the queen. Kazi reads between the lines and understands Griz waits at the rendezvous point with troops and to come home if they haven’t found Illarion by month’s end. The Ballengers are pleased the queen is coming but Kazi notices Jase watching a downcast Jalaine. Jase tells Jalaine to look at Samuel’s hand. Gunner tries to break the mood by bringing up good news from the arena, but Samuel drops his spoon, having trouble eating with his hurt hand. Wren pours his soup into a cup to drink. Jalaine flees and Jase announces he’s giving Jalaine time off from the arena. When Gunner complains, he explains Fertig attacked them because of Jalaine. Kazi realizes she killed Fertig.

Jase surprises Illarion in Cave’s End, upset that the captain broke their deal to remain hidden and forced Jase to lie to Kazi. Illarion feels caged and says Jase was supposed to get rid of the Rahtan. He thought it was safe to visit Priya about supplies, but the caravan arrived, and he couldn't return until dusk. The fever cure isn’t finished; Jase wants it because three children have died of fever. Illarion calls his associates Sarva, Kardos, Bahr, Torback, and Phineas to show Jase the weapon. They show him how to use the launcher and a target explodes 200 yards away. The specs have been documented to replicate it and they promise the first shipment in two weeks. Sarva tries to stop Jase from taking the launcher and reloaders until Jase reminds him that he paid for it. The deliveryman Zane surprises Jase on his way out. Zane claims he delivered supplies before the storm stranded him. Zane offers to deliver the launcher, but Jase takes it himself. He stands outside Kazi’s door debating whether to knock. When it swings open, Jase declares he only needs her.

Jase seemed different last night when he told Kazi he needed her. They laid in front of the fire together, and now Kazi wants more nights together. Kazi rides with Priya to the arena as Jase discusses business with Gunner. Priya tells the story of the Ballenger family slaughter at Darkcottage. A century ago, at the Ballenger’s original house, an uncle opened the gate for a lover in the middle of the night. Attackers followed and killed the whole family except for a baby daughter a servant smuggled out through the vault. Later she returned and murdered her family’s killers, restoring the Ballenger line. No one stays in Darkcottage because people can hear the spirits. Kazi wonders how the servant escaped because there are no concealed paths from Darkcottage to the vault.

Jase plans to discover Fertig’s employer by looking for unease. Kazi thinks the person Jase least suspects will be the guilty party. Jase leaves Kazi in his arena apartment for a meeting with Candora but tells her to mention his name for free oranges. Kazi searches the apartment and is relieved when she finds nothing of note. She stares at a ring on the arena floor that reminds her of home. The merchant insists she keeps it after Kazi tells him a riddle that delights him.

Paxton finds Kazi and claims he wants to be friends. Kazi spurns him but Paxton notices her bruised neck and warns her. He advises her to tread carefully because people aren’t who they seem and crossing the wrong person can get her in trouble. Paxton is surprised by King Montegue of Eislandia, whom he introduces to Kazi. Kazi decides Montegue is a buffoon with an ego and notices his un-calloused hands—unusual for a farmer king. Montegue claims he needs llamas and asks about her investigation. Paxton escorts him to the Candoran stables and Kazi sees the king dropping his clownish act and fingering his vest pocket. Kazi cuts to the other side of the arena and pretends to admire her ring before colliding with the king. She apologizes and he hands back her ring. Kazi thanks him as Paxton suspiciously tells her to watch her step.

Exhilarated at pickpocketing a king, Kazi is puzzled to find "Devereux 72" on a note. Kazi wonders what it means and knows something is off with the King of Eislandia. Jase asks about the King of Eislandia. The towers around the arena are manned by his men to keep trouble to a minimum. Kazi thought the king was a buffoon and didn’t look like a farmer. Jase calls him incompetent. He’s been king since he was 20, about three years since his father died. Jase is angered by Paxton’s warning.

Jase points out different merchants, proud of his family’s accomplishments. Halfway through a tunnel, the spirits tell Kazi to go back, and she sees light at the end of the tunnel blocking the passage. In the sunlight, Kazi walks toward a warehouse though Jase tries to stop her. She finds the base of the Previzi drivers. She freaks out and demands to know if they’ve been there for 11 years. Jase nods and Kazi yells that they are thieves, predators, and scum, while Jase tries to calm her in front of the crowds. She slaps him and runs away.

Jase watches Kazi run away and tastes blood. Titus and Gunner want to follow but Jase tells them they won’t find her. Jase tries to understand what happened. Paxton mocks him and Jase punches him. In the apartment, Mason rewraps Jase’s broken knuckles and Gunner brings ice. Priya assures him they can cover it up as a lover’s spat, but Jase isn’t sure. Mason tells Jase that Wren asked for enough birchwing from the apothecary to knock out half the town, but it wasn’t in stock. Jase brushes the suspicion off because they want to take some to Venda, but advises keeping an eye on the locked stockroom. Garvin tells Jase he saw Kazi pickpocket the king and realized she’s Ten, the best petty thief in Venda.