Read Princess Thief: Stealing Your Heart for Free Online Page A

of
there.”

Chapter 5
    Juliette
dumped the contents of the blue backpack onto her bed.  True to the plan, the
bag contained her gym clothes and running shoes.
    Thank
you, uncle.
    She
squeezed the backpack gently and felt the familiar shape of a pair of night
vision goggles sewn into a secret compartment.  She smiled, then shoved the “empty” backpack
into a drawer.
    After
she changed, she went downstairs and found Armand.  “If anyone asks,
I’m going for a jog.”
    Armand
hesitated, so Juliette pressed him.  “Am I a prisoner or not?”
    Armand
relented.  “No. 
Of course not.”
    “Good,”
she smiled.  “I won’t be long.”
     
    The
royal stables were impressive.  The building was painted a bright red with
white trim and covered by a gray shingle roof.  Polished brass fixtures and
hinges reflected the bright afternoon sunlight.  Juliette learned in the days
leading up to the royal ball that the cavernous building could comfortably hold
24 horses — though at the current time, only three were housed there.
    The
two cameras mounted on the outside of the building were both aimed towards the
practice track in front of the stables.  The back of the building was unmonitored.
    Juliette
jogged behind the stables and came to a stop.  Fran çois, dressed in
overalls and a blue denim baseball cap, was standing in the shadows.
    “What
the hell happened?” François demanded.
    “I
got caught,” Juliette shrugged.  “They were waiting for me when I grabbed the
necklace.  They had an entire dossier on me — I’ve never seen anything like
it.  They knew about every single gem I’ve ever grabbed.  I’m going to have to
vary my strategy in the future.”
    “We
can talk about that later.  Here,” François held out a bag, “put these on.  You
can hide in the flatbed.  We’ll cover you with straw until we get out of here.”
    Juliette
pushed the bag away.  “I’m
not going.”
    “You
can’t be serious!” François erupted.  “That harebrained scheme of theirs will
never work!”
    “You
don’t know that.  Besides, think about how much intel I can collect in a year! 
I will be visiting the best houses in Europe.  It’s like they’re paying me to canvas
targets. ”
    “Intel? 
Canvas?  Juliette, you’re a jewel thief, not a spy.  You can’t pull off
something like this.  One little slip up and it’s over.”
    “But
uncle, they’ll pay me in cash-”
    “No,
I cannot allow it.  It’s too dangerous.  You don’t realize how treacherous the
transfer of royal power can be, even in this day and age.”
    “You’re
overreacting, uncle.  We live under a constitutional government.  Royalty has
no real power.”
    “Royalty
has tremendous power, child. 
You ’re
too young to understand.  With the wealth they control, the influence they
wield, they can shape the entire nation.  This plan of yours might get you all
killed.”
    “Uncle,
if it gets too dangerous, I still have the emergency kit hidden in the castle
ruins.  I can escape at any time.”
    Fran çois wasn’t
listening.  “I should never have let you attempt this in the first place.  I
should have said 'no' at the flower shop straight away.”
    “But
uncle-”
    “No,
I’ve made up my mind.”  François grabbed her left wrist.  “Come on.  We’re
going.”
    “No. 
Uncle, no.” 
    Fran çois began
dragging her towards the truck.
    “Uncle! 
Please!“  Juliette begged.  “The orphanage!  Please!  At least let me get the
necklace!”
    Juliette
tried to dig in her heels but her uncle was too strong. 
    She
began sobbing.  “Please! 
Uncle!  Don’t do this!”
    He
pulled her forward.
    "Please!"
    Juliette
struggled against him.  She used her other hand to try and pry his fingers open
but his grip was like iron.
    Finally,
Fran çois
relented and released his grip on her arm.  Juliette collapsed to the ground;
François stood over her, catching his breath.  She silently wiped the tears
from her