Honour Among Thieves. David Chandler

      

      Honour Among Thieves

      Book Three of

       The Ancient Blades Trilogy

      David Chandler

      Dedication

      For J.R.R.T. and G.R.R.M., the Epic Overlords.

      Contents

       Cover

      Title Page

      Dedication Page

      Map

      Prologue

      The Free City of Ness was known around the world…

      Part 1

      Under the Flag of Parley

      Chapter One

      On the far side of the Whitewall mountains, in the…

      Chapter Two

      There was a mountain, and then there was no mountain.

      Chapter Three

      At dawn—as promised—Croy returned, looking a little tousled after riding…

      Chapter Four

      On a map the fortress of Helstrow would have resembled…

      Chapter Five

      Inside the common room of the inn, food and wine…

      Chapter Six

      Bursting out into the sunlight, Malden turned his head wildly…

      Chapter Seven

      The marketers all fled or pressed into the doors of…

      Chapter Eight

      When Malden burst out of the inn, Cythera leapt to…

      Chapter Nine

      They dragged Malden through the gate to the inner bailey,…

      Chapter Ten

      “This way, sir knight, milady,” the castellan said, and ushered…

      Chapter Eleven

      Ulfram V was a year younger than Croy, but the…

      Chapter Twelve

      “Is this true, Croy?” the king demanded. “Did you—in fact—make…

      Chapter Thirteen

      Instantly Ghostcutter came to Croy’s hand. Beside him he saw…

      Chapter Fourteen

      After Mörgain left, no one spoke for some while. Croy…

      Chapter Fifteen

      After darkness fell, Malden and Croy headed back into the…

      Chapter Sixteen

      He made a point of saying no more until they…

      Chapter Seventeen

      Cythera stood by the window in their room at the…

      Chapter Eighteen

      Malden never actually lost consciousness, but between the pain in…

      Chapter Nineteen

      The bridge across the river Strow began and ended within…

      Chapter Twenty

      In the king’s own chapel in the keep at Helstrow,…

      Chapter Twenty-One

      The day after the gates of Helstrow were sealed, the…

      Chapter Twenty-Two

      Malden put his hand on Acidtongue’s hilt, but kept the…

      Chapter Twenty-Three

      T he woman from the milehouse turned out to be…

      Chapter Twenty-Four

      Croy’s rounsey whickered and bucked as he climbed onto its…

      Chapter Twenty-Five

      The king walked his horse up to where the two…

      Chapter Twenty-Six

      The king of Skrae spluttered in rage. Croy didn’t blame…

      Chapter Twenty-Seven

      Behind the portcullis, soldiers shouted at one another and men…

      Chapter Twenty-Eight

      Berserkers crashed up against the gate, straining and howling as…

      Chapter Twenty-Nine

      “Where do we take him?” Orne asked, when they were…

      Part 2

      The Sleeping King

      Interlude

      There was a place in the Free City of Ness…

      Chapter Thirty

      Helstrow burned for days. The barbarians were too busy celebrating…

      Chapter Thirty-One

      Just outside the gates of Ness a recruiting serjeant had…

      Chapter Thirty-Two

      Cythera found her mother down in Swampwall, where the river…

      Chapter Thirty-Three

      After Cythera went to find her mother, Malden led Slag…

      Chapter Thirty-Four

      “That’s ridiculous,” Malden said. How could he be Cutbill’s most…

      Chapter Thirty-Five

      “Alright,” Malden said. “Well, that’s got me up to date.

      Chapter Thirty-Six

      Croy brought the whetstone carefully up the iron edge of…

      Chapter Thirty-Seven

      Through the stout oak door, Croy could hear the voices…

      Chapter Thirty-Eight

      The river Skrait twisted through Ness, carving its way between…

      Chapter Thirty-Nine

      Walking through the brambles surrounding Coruth’s shack was disincitement enough,…

      Chapter Forty

      Malden moved out of the way as Coruth swept into…

      Chapter Forty-One

      When dinner was finished Malden took his leave. He was…

      Chapter Forty-Two

      The thieves of Ness gathered just before midnight, when the…

      Chapter Forty-Three

      A few murmurs drifted up from the crowd regardless of…

      Chapter Forty-Four

      Perhaps there was a second reason why Cutbill had chosen…

      Chapter Forty-Five

      “I have grand plans for the people of Skrae,” the…

      Chapter Forty-Six

      The sky glowed a deep blue-black that made Malden’s head…

      Chapter Forty-Seven

      The air in Coruth’s house felt like it had been…

      Chapter Forty-Eight

      Mörget whirled his axe through the