The Lotus Thief novel · Chapter 16 of 32

Chapter 16: Under Arrest

The soldier took a step back and got his spear up.

"Don't," Bua said.

He said it the way he'd said it in the bath house.

The soldier's spear didn't come down.

Bua pulled the cloth off his head.

The man's face changed twice in one breath.

He went down on one knee in the dirt with the spear still in his hand.

"Your Highness."

"Get up."

"Your Highness, we were told."

"Told what?"

"That you'd gone north with a thief and a stolen thing."

"Then you were told right."

Bua stepped off the cart.

Ton stood at the shafts with his hands on them and his heart going hard.

Bua walked around the cart and stopped beside him.

"Put your hands out," he said.

Ton looked at him.

Bua's face was blank.

Ton put his hands out.

Bua took the rope off the soldier's belt and tied Ton's wrists in front of him, neat and quick.

"Not too tight," Ton said.

"Shut up."

The soldier got to his feet.

"Your Highness, the thief."

"This is the thief."

"He's a herb-buyer."

"He's the man who came over my roof."

Bua put his hand on Ton's shoulder and turned him toward the gate.

Keep reading free with an account. Start The Lotus Thief from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.