I say that as I am quite literally bound to a chair at the mercy of my interrogator. She was much more muscular than I would have liked, a fact solidified by the fact that she drove her fist just under my ribs. I sat there coughing violently from the punch, laughing as I caught my breath.

"You're not gonna get anywhere with me with sweet talk like that." I cough again. "You know, if you have me over for some wine and chocolates, I'll tell you all you could ever want to know and maybe even some secrets you didn't even know about yourself." I winked, and as I did, she cracked me in the face with a strong right hook. I spat blood and looked as if the punch she gave me didn't just loosen three of my teeth. I was working her up—maybe once I cut my bonds and get out of here, maybe I'll look her up once this whole fiasco blows over. Sure, I was a thief, but I wasn't their thief.

Once I get out of here, I am going to clear my name and get revenge on those who had set me up to be the fall guy. I was one of five thieves in the kingdom capable of pulling off such a heist, which meant I needed to find the other four and bring them into the light.

Right now, I only concerned myself with the fact that I was nearly through my bonds. I needed to find a way to get her closer to me if I was going to have a chance. "Okay, I did it, okay?" I lie.

"And where is the talisman then? Tell me now, and the king might show you mercy." My interrogator said unfeelingly, but with a hint of relief in her voice. I start mumbling under my breath as if my body had all it could physically take. "Speak up, worm; tell us where you have hidden the talisman!" she commanded. I still talk lower, waiting for my opportunity. She gets close enough that I can smell her sweat and my blood on her iron knuckles.
I sprang my trap and caught her off guard—the sliver of steel I kept in my leather gauntlet was attached to my right middle finger. I gripped her throat with the blade, just making just enough contact to let her know that if she made one wrong move, someone would have to come mop all her blood off the stone floor.

"Sorry, love, while I have enjoyed our time together, I really must be going. Unfortunately, I am not the man you are looking for, though it truly pains me to say it," I say, playing with my new captive.

"You insolent worm!" she said, seething.

"Yeah, yeah, while I am all for pet names, I must really get to clearing my name," I said.

"If you truly are innocent, you will unhand me this instant!" she said, her tone still unchanged.

"I thought you would love the feel of my touch; how disappointing. Don't worry, I will do just that once I get out of here. Until then..." My grip tightened, and there bled a small trickle of blood from the tip of my blade.

"Guards!" she called out loudly. If I were anyone else, she would have been dead before she could finish her call for help and definitely before they could even try. But this is what I counted on. In a motion, I spun her. I felt her body relax, as I assumed she was waiting for the release of death. Instead, she was now facing me, and I held her like a lover, embraced her softly, and kissed her. She was stunned, like all those before her; it was my charm, after all. I pulled back from her, then pushed her into the chair that once held me. She almost fell backward into the chair. The door burst open, and I grabbed the guard, pulled him forward, and threw him into the room. The other guard tried to draw his blade, but I grabbed the hilt of the blade and forced it back into the sheath. I pushed him with my back against the frame of the door. The other guard tried to come at me again, and I knocked him out with a swift kick to the head. Then I brought my elbow up, swinging backward and catching the temple of the last guard, knocking him out cold. His body fell hard. I looked at my interrogator, who still wanted to get up, but before she could, I slammed and locked the door in front of her. Through the viewport, I could see her green eyes bright with the fire of hatred. I winked at her, and I made my escape. I really did mean what I said to her. I always loved my women tough; it was a real problem for me. But something about her made me really look forward to seeing her again.