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11_Seduced (embarrassing)

Thoran took a left turn and made his way up the flight of stairs there, ignoring the couple kissing heatedly against one rail.

The man was one of the richest merchants on this side of the world, owning fleets of ships and countless warehouses from where he conducted his business. The little lady in his arms certainly knew that.

She probably also knew that the bastard was married with four children and another on the way.

Thoran walked resolutely up the stairs, ignoring the immoral pair. He would take the jewels and leave, he didn’t want to spend too much time here. The whole place reeked of his father’s kind, it made him sick.

Soon, he was turning into the hallway where the jewel chamber was located, two floors up in the main tower.

“Did they catch her?” a low voice said from up ahead.

Thoran raised his gaze and saw the two guards sitting lazily against the wall across from the room he needed to enter.

“No,” drawled his friend. “’Parently, she’s slick as a snake, slippered right through their fingers.”

“What a bunch of pussies! I coulda caught the wench wiv a single ‘and!”

“Well, let’s hope she comes on this way so you can prove your— Hey, who’s that!”

They jumped to their feet, standing alert as he walked slowly toward them. “Who are you?! Identify yourself—” The guard studied the perfection that was the man’s appearance and grew timid. Lady Hadgar would skin him for being rude to a guest. “Kindly identify y-yourself, m… m’Lord.”

His partner grew equally timid as Thoran stood before them. “An invitation card to show who you—”

Thoran’s elbow snapped through the air, connecting with two feeble jaws. The bodies slumped to the ground and he casually stepped over them, breaking open the locked door of the jewel room.

Dragging the two guards inside, he pushed the door shut and sighed with annoyance at the drama of it all. This wouldn’t be necessary if Lady Hadgar just handed over her riches like a good girl. Instead, she made him come all the way here to take it. Because of that, he’d be making sure she had nothing left when he was leaving. She’d have to sell her outrageous gowns to survive this visit from the Barbarians.

The metal coffers were embedded in each of the four walls, with a few glass podiums set up around the room. Two of the podiums held crowns whilst the other three displayed brilliant jewellery sets. Necklaces and matching earrings glimmered proudly in the crystal boxes.

A loud shattering sound filled the room and Thoran casually walked over to the windows where a heavy rock had just been cast into the room. Through the gaping hole left in the thick glass, a sack of tools was thrown in next.

Good, Gunnar was right on time. Snatching up the sack, Thoran reached in for the hammer and sharp poke. With one swing of his hammer, he smashed open the first glass podium, snatching up the jewels inside.

It was time to get to work.

Knowing he had about fifteen minutes before the guards switched, Thoran worked calmly, filling the sack as casually as he would a hay cart.

With the sharp tool, he dug free the locks in every metal coffer and drew open the cold, steel drawers. He emptied them in seconds, hearing the chime of gold as it fell atop the silver in the bag.

This would be enough to build a big chunk of the new town. Determination fuelled his movements and he swept the coffers clean, dropping every bead of every pearl necklace into his sack.

By the time Thoran was done, Lady Hadgar’s riches were non-existent.

It was time to leave. As soon as he was outside, he’d sound the alarm and hopefully get to see as she raced hopelessly up her tower to find an empty room of jewels.

A malicious glint filled his eyes and he scoffed, one corner of his mouth curving.

Picking up the huge sack, he hoisted it over his shoulder and made his way to the door with a deep grunt.

The hallway was still empty, not a soul in sight. Without a single ruffle in his feathers, Thoran strolled past the empty rooms, making his way to the spiralling staircase of the tower. Once there, he calmly walked down the stairs where the couple from earlier were no more, probably curled up in one of the many rooms to act out the vile passions of their infidelity.

There was a ruckus in the distance, shouted words and running feet. He stopped walking at the intersection of two hallways and looked to his right at the hallway that ended in another corridor parallel to his.

The noise was coming from there. Coming towards him. They couldn’t know what he’d just done in the tower this soon, so the only option possible was that Gunnar had been discovered and identified.

But even the simple thought of that was just so impossible. How then, had the alarm been sounded?

He could… faintly hear what they were yelling.

“Catch that thief!” The shout was louder, closer. “There she is!”

There was a thief in the castle? Bloody hell. He didn’t need all those bastards running around trying to catch a thief, it would ruin all his plans.

And then Thoran scowled in mild annoyance as he watched the so-called thief race by in the corridor parallel to his, her hair obscuring her face from his view. Who the hell was that?


They’d never catch her! Amie ran as fast as her legs could carry her, weaving in and out of random hallways. Free from the suffocating material of the combat outfit she’d had on earlier, she could take giant leaps in the gown she’d found, her bosom better supported in the well-constructed bodice of the dress. The black cloak, surely belonging to some old man downstairs, went well with the green dress and also concealed her weapon.

There were still a few streaks of coal on her face which, when spotted by the guard she’d been trying to sneak past, had given her away. However, the good thing was that, if she was to run into her parent’s acquaintances again, she could at least pass for a princess attending a casual party. The thick black boots she still wore would be difficult to explain, but she could just blame it on a new fashion trend back home.

In any case, the gown would slightly make things better. To be caught sneaking about this far away from home and in an atrocious outfit would be far too much for her poor mother to deal with at—

“Oh!” Amie was snatched through a door, her thought process rudely halted. “Excuse me—”

A large hand clamped her mouth shut, the hard body against her back holding her captive. Wide-eyed, she stared into the darkness of the room.

“Hush,” a deep voice ordered.

Amethyst froze.

“Now…" he murmured. "Listen closely.”

Sheer disbelief crashed into her mind, silencing her every thought for a moment as she listened to that dreadfully familiar voice. It was him.

She’d found him! It was time for revenge! Her limbs kicked into action but, tightening his grip, he immobilized her.

“I’m all for taking from the rich,” he murmured, speaking close to her ear. “But you’re getting in my way, girl. And I can’t afford that right now.”

His deep murmurs sent tingles over her ear and trembles through her bones. With an involuntary shudder, she slightly weakened against him.

The feeling of her body shuddering and slackening against his gave Thoran pause and he raised a brow. Splaying open his fingers, he lifted both hands away from her. “Hell’s sake. You’re a quick reactor.”

He stepped away and picked up his sack of jewels. “Unfortunately, I need to leave, I haven’t the time to satisfy your misplaced desire, so stay put and be silent.”

Amie’s eyes went wide and she stiffened as the meaning of his words sunk in. She was either losing the plot or the Barbarian had just accused her of getting heated in his arms. Her?!

She snapped into action, slicing an arm through the air to attack him. Thoran caught the wrist just before her hand could crack into his neck.

“You obnoxious sod,” she muttered, jerking her arm away to reach for her sword.

“Oh, bloody hell…” he murmured darkly. It was the damn girl! Slapped by the shocking realization of just who he’d dragged into this room, Thoran could only frown in unpleasant shock as she leapt at him with her sword like a deranged spider.

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