The Thief — Megan Whalen Turner

“I can steal anything.”

Because of his bragging -- and his great skill -- Gen lands in the King's prison, shackled to the wall of his cell. After months of isolation, he is released by none other than the King's scholar, the Magus, who believes he knows the site of an ancient treasure. The thief he needs for the long, dangerous journey is Gen. To the Magus, Gen is just a tool. But Gen has some ideas of his own.