(The conclusion to a series of bonus fiction. Check the blog archives to read the whole story.)

“Rae! You won’t believe what I found!”

Rae groaned. Only Owen could be that lively just after dawn, while the rest of the Guard was getting ready to leave the camp. Sure enough, the boy ran over to their area of the supply ward, almost bouncing with excitement. Why can’t he just leave me alone?

“You’re supposed to be with your squad,” Rae said, never looking up from the tent she was folding. Parvel looked amused, but it was clear from the expression on Silas’s face that he didn’t appreciate the interruption.

“My squad probably doesn’t even want me around,” Owen said, and the fact didn’t seem to bother him one bit. “Rae, you’ve got to see this. You’ve just got to.”

“The only thing she’s ‘got to’ do is pack,” Silas interrupted, putting a firm hand on Owen’s shoulder. “Now leave.”

“I give my own orders, thank you,” Rae said, glaring at Silas. She turned to Owen, her voice turning sickly sweet. “I would be delighted to follow you, Owen.” She glanced over her shoulder at Silas, who was silently fuming. “And I’ll be back whenever I choose.”

Parvel, their captain, looked like he might stop her, but then he pulled back. “Don’t be long, though, Rae,” he said, tying up one of their packs.

She didn’t quite catch what Silas muttered as she left. I probably wouldn’t want to.

Of course, Owen led her to the garden maze. “It’s always about the ghost with you, isn’t it?” Rae said.

“You’ll never believe what I found!” Owen said, so excited that he nearly tripped over an ornamental flower pot.

It must be the mask. Rae had left it, just in case Theseus came back for it. After all, it looked like it had taken several hours of work to create.

But Owen didn’t stop by the fountain. He kept going to the center of the maze, a statue of King Marias.

There, around the base of the statue, was a small heap of somewhat-familiar items. A brightly colored woven bag that Rae had seen someone at the camp wearing. A book of poetry. A few coin purses. And…

“Lyra’s bone knife,” Owen said, grinning, and holding it above his head like a trophy. “Don’t you get it? We found our thief! And it wasn’t even me!”

My dagger. Where is it? She shoved the items aside, looking for the familiar ivory handle.

Then she looked up. There, in the hand of the statue was her dagger. He was pointing it at his chest, and someone had drawn a heart on his stone breastplate in coal dust.

“Clever, Theseus,” Rae muttered, taking the dagger and wiping away the heart, before Owen could see it.

“This is going to make the best story ever!” Owen said, sweeping up the items. He struggled to hold them all in his cloak. It bulged out unnaturally. “Do you think it was your ghost? I bet it was!”

“Aren’t people going to think you stole all those things if you bring them back like that?” Rae asked, ignoring his question.

“I sure hope so,” Owen said gleefully. “I mean, we’re heading out today, so it’s not like anyone can get back at me. And some of the older ones deserve more than a little pickpocketing….” He frowned. “Unless you tell them the truth.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it.” Anything to avoid more questions about the ghost.

He ran off into the maze, whistling a bright, off-key tune. Rae stood there for a minute, looking at the statue. Giving the dead back their possessions, is that it, Theseus?

“Come on, Rae! If we want to leave on schedule, we have to finishing packing our supplies.”

It was Silas’s voice. Always the one with the schedule, always wanting to double-check everything. Rae rolled her eyes as he rounded the corner of the maze.

“Did you follow me?” Rae demanded. “I’m not a child who needs a nanny, Silas.”

“No, you’re a squad member who’s late,” he said, crossing his arms.

“I’ll be right there,” she said, bending down, as if she needed to re-tie her boots. Silas sighed loudly, but left her alone.

She stood. “The first round goes to you, Theseus,” Rae said, to the statue, as if it could hear her. “But when we meet again, the next one belongs to me.” She sheathed her dagger and smiled. “See you soon.”