by C. Greenwood
My opportunity finally came one evening. Javen came to see me at the tavern and brought news that there was to be a guild meeting that night to initiate another new member. Every thief available was to gather at the ruined temple in the old town. I had been waiting for exactly this excuse to return to the spot. I urged Ferran and Ada to stay behind in our lodgings. I was uncomfortable exposing my brother to the violence that sometimes attended those meetings. They didn’t require much persuading since neither really wanted to be there. If anyone asked after them tonight, I would say Ferran was unwell and Ada couldn’t leave him.
“Only be careful yourself,” Ada warned me as I ducked out the door.
Was it my imagination or did the magicker girl have that look in her eye again that implied she guessed I had dangerous plans? I was in too much hurry to worry about it now. I hadn’t shared my schemes with her yet and wasn’t sure I wanted to. The less she and Ferran knew, the better.
I was becoming familiar with the shadowed lanes and crooked alleys leading toward the old part of town now. I met one or two familiar faces on the way, and a handful of us companions made our way through the open gates and past the ghostly ruins leading up to the temple.
The new member was a tough-looking old man, hardened by a lifetime of crime. He came to us from a neighboring town and had lost no time in seeking out the local guild to join. Because he was known to our members, there was no drama surrounding his entrance. He was branded on the spot with a hot iron out of the same brazier that had supplied the fire for my own branding two short weeks ago. I joined in the celebrations, but I was distracted, waiting for my moment.
I lingered in the shadows among the pillars and waited for the meeting to end and all the thieves to disperse. I paid particular attention to the thief king that night and marked that he was among the first to leave. Even after the last man had gone, I waited some minutes to be sure none would return, having forgotten something or other.
When I was sure I truly had the place to myself, I grabbed an unlit torch and held it to the brazier, watching the remaining red coals ignite the flame. Then I crossed the temple to circle behind the altar. I shoved aside the sliding statue of the winged half-eagle, half-lion creature just as the thief captain had done that time when he had shown me the treasure. Down the winding stairs I went, holding my torch aloft. A cold draft whispered up from below, setting the flames dancing and casting eerie shadows on the walls.
Remembering what the thief king had said about the plague victims buried here, I felt a shiver of uneasiness as I walked among the sarcophaguses and passed by the heaps of ancient bones. All traces of the disease were long gone, except the evidence left behind in the form of these old skeletons. Just the same, I took care to touch nothing and resolved to accomplish my task quickly.
Reaching the pile of treasure, I surveyed the valuables. I must take nothing obvious, nothing the thief king would miss. I was unlikely to forget how important that was, not with the clay jar containing the heart of the last trespasser staring down at me from the nearby niche in the wall.
Knowing I needed something very small, I hastily opened hinged chests and examined the contents of bowls and trays. What I took must be so tiny its absence wouldn’t be noticed. My eye lit on a lacquered box at the bottom of the treasure pile. I flipped open its lid and found a velvet pouch inside. When I tilted it, a stream of clear sparkling crystals fell like raindrops into my hands. I doubted they had great value, but they were surely worth something. I kept only a few, not enough to be missed, and poured the rest back into the velvet pouch. After carefully replacing the pouch, I closed the lid of the lacquered box.
Mindful of the minutes slipping by, I quickly hid the crystals in the hollowed part of my boot heel. Then I hurried away from the treasure room and back up the cold stairway. In the temple, I slid the eagle-lion statue back into place, extinguished my torch, and returned it to the wall bracket. I left the temple, forcing myself not to run as I descended the front steps and wove my way past the rows of abandoned stone dwellings. There wasn’t a soul in sight. Only the silver moon looked down on my lonely journey from the old part of the city to the cobbled alleys and dirty courtyards of the ragged quarter.
At this hour, The Ravenous Wolf was dark and silent. I let myself in through the back entrance and mounted the creaky stairs without encountering anyone. When I slipped into our room, I was relieved to find Ferran and Ada already asleep in their pallets. Good. I had been afraid Ada might be curious why I had returned so late. Now I wouldn’t have to do any explaining.
I went to the window and peered out into the dark lane below. Nothing moved. All the world seemed to be asleep at this hour. Why then couldn’t I shake the feeling of unseen eyes on me? Was it only a guilty conscience, fear of my actions being detected? I was playing a dangerous game, crossing the thief king and the guild. I knew all too well the penalty for traitors.
As I stood lost in thought, there came a soft sound from behind. A hand suddenly came to rest on my shoulder.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
I jumped, startled. Then I realized it was only Ada who had crept up behind me. My entrance must have awoken her.
“You’re late,” she said. I couldn’t tell if her voice was accusing or merely curious.
I turned to find her studying me with her head tilted to one side, her silvery hair falling over one shoulder. In the moonlight filtering through the dirty window, she looked almost pretty. I had never noticed that about her before. Usually she was just skinny, grimy, rough-mannered Ada. Maybe memories of my graceful mother and her elegant ladies had made me judge common girls without silk gowns and fine manners unrealistically.
“It was a long meeting,” I said.
“Ferran was worried about you.”
“But you weren’t?”
“Not much. You seem to have grown adept at taking care of yourself lately—and at keeping secrets.”
“That’s your imagination,” I said uneasily. “Living among thieves has made you paranoid.”
“And is it my imagination that every time I bring up Dimmingwood you put me off?”
“The time isn’t right yet,” I said. “We’ll all slip away together soon. I promise.”
I could tell she wasn’t satisfied with that. But she let it go and returned to her blankets.
As I pulled off my boots and slid beneath my own covers, I realized I was going to have to do something about Ada. For the first time, I seriously contemplated whether it was time Ferran and I part ways with her. She had been a loyal friend up till now, but her questions and disapproval were beginning to make life difficult. I liked her, but I couldn’t let her stubbornness interfere with the safe future I wanted to make for Ferran.
* * *
The following morning, I was awake before the dawn, slipping out of our room before I had to encounter either Ferran or Ada. For what I had to do, I didn’t feel up to facing either of them. I left The Ravenous Wolf quietly and walked the cobbled lanes in the faint gray light. It was one of those chilly mornings were a fog drifted in off the lake, enveloping the city in a light mist. That didn’t trouble me. I was in no mood for sunshine.
I entered a narrow courtyard that was shared by four lodging houses standing corner to corner. In the dingiest one of these, I knew Javen lived with his mother and young siblings. The way stood open, so I entered the house and mounted the stairs. My knocking on the door to their rooms was answered by a dirty-faced little girl who stared up at me silently when I asked for her brother. But soon Javen appeared, and I pulled him out into the hall to talk privately.
He looked surprised when I explained what I needed. But I told him that I had found a mark who was rich and ripe for long-term picking and I needed to ensure that person was in no condition to notice my lifting a few things. When I put it like that, Javen grinned and assured me he knew just what I needed for this job.
When I returned to The Ravenous Wolf an hour later, it was with a packet of Javen’s powdered herb
s in my pocket. I settled my qualms by telling myself I only did what I must.
I arrived back in our quarters just as Ferran and Ada were finishing breakfast. I made a clumsy excuse for my outing. Undoubtedly annoyed at my mysterious comings and goings, Ada told me sharply that I had best eat my mushy oats and milk now, if I was ever going to. I had hardly sat down when Ferran dashed off, saying something about checking on his hound dog.
Alone with Ada, I found it almost too easy to wait for a moment when her back was turned and hastily pour the fine white powder from the packet into her meal. Mixed with the flavor of the slightly soured milk, she would never notice the taste.
I tried not to watch as she emptied the last of her bowl and went about her morning chores. I knew before the hour was past she would be violently ill.
* * *
Later that morning, I had a stroke of good luck when I learned from Kinsley that I had been chosen among a handful of others for an assignment that would take us all out of town for a few days. It was exactly the opportunity I needed but had hardly dared hope for. Kinsley, another thief, and I were going to one of the little woods villages in Dimmingwood to sell some stolen goods that couldn’t be disposed of here in the city. Apparently, the villagers were always eager for basic items at a lowered cost and weren’t particular over whether they carried the monograms or family crests of certain important persons here in the city. In the eyes of the guild, it was an easy way to unload the harder-to-dispose-of goods.
To me, it was a chance for something else. I knew I couldn’t carry around the stolen crystals from the thief king’s hoard indefinitely. I needed to find a safe hiding place where I could gradually build up a store of such items. And it couldn’t be any place too close to Ferran and me, in case suspicions were aroused and we were searched. With this upcoming trip out of the city, I had an ideal spot in mind.
Ada took to her bed, sick to her stomach. She was still there the following day when I left for my errand to Dimmingwood. If what Javen had told me was true, the poison I had slipped into her food would keep her off her feet and mildly ill for several days—long enough to buy me time to accomplish some necessary things without interference.
Even though I knew it would do her no serious harm, I felt ashamed of what I had done. Just a short time ago, such an action would have been abhorrent to me. But that was when I had been Luka of Camdon. As Rideon, I was learning to do hard things. It was for the good of all of us in the long run, I told myself. Even so, I left Ferran with instructions to look after Ada and told him to run and fetch Javen for help if she took a turn for the worse.
After that, I left The Ravenous Wolf to meet up with my companions for the journey. I took my magic bow with me although I wasn’t exactly sure why. It remained damaged, and I still had no arrows for it, so I didn’t carry it often. But I was feeling jumpy ever since lifting those crystals from the thief king, and the presence of the bow was somehow reassuring. Anyway, I didn’t like the idea of letting it out of my sight for several days. It had value to me, and I had developed a vague and possibly irrational fear that someone might try to take it.
As I walked the main street through the market, where I had arranged to meet my companions, I drew comfort from the warm sunshine and the cheerful bustle of the crowds. I let all my concerns fall away. After all, what did I have to worry about? Things were finally going my way.
Then I felt the subtle heat begin to spread across my back. The bow was growing warm. Instinctively I looked around for the cause. That was when I saw him. A familiar figure walked toward me in the crowd, cloak flaring behind him, three-cornered hat pulled low but not low enough to conceal the feature I knew all too well. The angry scar stood out against his pale chin.
I stared. It couldn’t be him again, the man who had haunted Ferran’s and my steps since the escape from Camdon. Ada had said he was gone. No one had seen him in weeks. I had been so sure he had given up the search for us. And yet here he was coming toward me.
I didn’t think he had seen me. I stopped short and turned away, pretending to examine the goods in the nearest shop window. I held my breath until out of the corner of my eye I saw him pass by. There was no mistaking him. As I stared after the man’s back and watched him disappear into the crowd, I knew my enemy had definitely returned.
* * *
My first thought was to rush back to The Ravenous Wolf and warn Ferran to stay indoors and avoid the streets. But before I could start that way, I was met by Kinsley and the third man who would accompany us to Dimmingwood. It was Thorben, the muscular shaven-headed thief who had briefly acted as my jailer on the night of my branding.
I told them that I had remembered something I needed to tell my brother before we left. But Thorben was adamant it would have to wait. He had a wagon full of stolen goods waiting to be smuggled out the city gates, and every moment’s delay increased the chances of our being caught with the property. Thorben was a big man and one of the guild leaders. There was no arguing with him.
Unwillingly, I allowed myself to be rushed past the market square and toward the city gates. Everything would be all right, I tried to assure myself. Ferran and Ada had escaped the detection of the man with the scarred chin this long. They were well hidden, and there was no reason he should ferret them out. All would be well until I could deal with this new threat on my return.
* * *
We had no difficulty smuggling the wagonload of goods past the gate guards. They seemed more interested in what was coming into the city than going out. Anyway, whoever had worked with Thorben to prepare this run had expertly hidden the stolen property beneath a false bottom in the bed of the wagon, a sprinkling of hay scattered over the top. We left the city behind without incident and crossed the long bridge spanning the lake.
Once we reached the dusty road on the other side, it was a two-day trek to our destination. I found it an easier journey than the last time I had traveled this distance, now that I had the wagon to ride in. But my mind was anxious, and I wished the time would pass faster. The memory of the scarred man tugged at me, although I knew Ferran had a safe hiding place now and possibly a measure of protection from the guild. I just wished I hadn’t chosen such a bad time to poison Ada. It had seemed the right decision then, a way to buy a few extra days without her constant efforts to find out what I was up to and her attempts to rush us off to Dimmingwood. But now the act weighed heavily on me. What if Javen had given me the wrong dose? What if she suffered more seriously than intended?
It was an uncomfortable trip for me.
My worries lightened a little when the trees on either side of the road began to grow thicker. Finally the full shadows of Dimmingwood closed over us. The peaceful forest seemed a world away from the dangers and complications I had left back in Selbius. We saw no sign of the wild man who had attacked me so viciously when I was here before. All the same, I was glad I had been given back my knife after joining the guild. It was a puny thing, but having it in my belt made me feel more confident, as did the bow I carried across my back.
I was surprised to find the woods village we visited was the same one I had been to before, the place where I had met the helpful Brig and his grandfather. During the single afternoon we sent selling and trading to the villagers, I made a brief visit to the house where I had spent that night. Brig looked surprised to see me again. I doubted he had believed my promise to return and repay him for the food and shelter he had supplied. But I gave him a few coins now, part of the profits I made from the day’s trading. Thorben and Kinsley showed me how to barter with the villagers to get the best deals. I left the village later that day feeling I had learned a lot about how to handle this kind of operation in the future. Maybe someday the connections I made among these villagers would be useful.
Now it was time to put the second part of my plan into action. The crystals I had stolen from the thief king were burning a hole in my boot, and I was ready to be rid of them. After we left the village behind, I managed to become
separated from Thorben and Kinsley, losing myself as if by accident in the dense forest.
I had been in this part of the wood before, and I summoned my memories of that other time to guide me to my destination. It took longer than expected because I lost my way more than once and had to look for giant boulders and other familiar landmarks to lead me back to the right path. But at last I arrived at the little clearing with the cave, where I had spent those dark days recovering from the madman’s attack.
Everything was just as it had been before, the waterfall splashing gently down the side of the red rocks, the dappled sunlight playing through the leaves overhead. Red Rock Cave, as I had named the spot in my mind, was the ideal place for stowing my pickings from the guild. I didn’t dare keep the stolen items anywhere close to me where they might be discovered. But gradually over time, I hoped to build up my own secret treasure hoard in the cave. The crystals were only the start. I hoped to travel between the woods and the city as often as I could without arousing the suspicion of the guild and its leader.
I ducked into the deep shadows of the cave. I didn’t want to leave the crystals in the main cavern. There was the possibility, however small, that some wandering traveler might shelter here for a night and discover them. I decided to explore deeper into the cave than I had previously.
In the darkness, I didn’t get very far back into the rock before I encountered a small cavern, little more than a nook, letting off the tunnel I followed. I was attracted to it by a faint glow of daylight. There was a hole in the rock here, like a window letting in a little light from the outdoors, as well as a view of the rushing waterfall splashing down the outside of the cave. I stuck a hand through the hole and felt the refreshing spray against my palm.