The City of Thieves

by Kyle Alexander Romines

  Morwen stared at her. “You tried to assassinate King Lucien. Why?”

  “I told you. That was not the king.”

  “Why did you kill the bishop?”

  Azzy’s expression faltered. “What? I didn’t…”

  Berengar cut her off. “How did you do it? I’ve never seen anyone move like that before.”

  “Magic.” Morwen pointed her staff at Azzy. “I thought I sensed it before at the Institute, but I wasn’t sure. You have magic, don’t you?”

  Azzy didn’t answer.

  “What are you saying?” Berengar asked Morwen.

  Morwen kept her gaze fixed on Azzy. “At first I thought you simply had some fairy blood. It would explain the things you said on the way to the Institute. There were a few quarter fairies at Cashel. They were capable of the most unusual things. It wasn’t until I remembered the poster in the grand square that I finally put it all together. Your name isn’t really Azzy, is it?”

  Azzy bared her teeth. “Put that staff away, magician.”

  “Let’s find out,” Morwen said, and Berengar noticed she had one hand hidden behind her back. “You’re not the only one who knows sleight of hand.” Before Azzy could react, Morwen held out her rune of illusion. “Nocht a nádúr fíor! Let her true nature be revealed!”

  The runestone hummed with inner power. Azzy held up a hand as if to shield herself from the spell, but it was too late. Overpowering purple light burst from the stone, flowed down the surface of Morwen’s staff, and completely enveloped the thief. When the purple illumination faded, Berengar’s jaw dropped in surprise.

  The creature that occupied the spot where Azzy stood moments ago bore a striking resemblance to her former self. Her features were sharper and more angular, and the point of her ears was significantly more pronounced, but her hair, size, and clothes remained the same. Her skin, however, had acquired a deep blue hue, and her eyes were solid violet.

  Morwen wore a look of triumph. “I knew it. You’re a fairy, aren’t you…Azura?”

  Chapter Nine

  Azura glared at Morwen. “Now you’ve done it, mortal.”

  “You’re her. The last fairy.” Berengar stared at her in disbelief.

  Azura rolled her eyes. “I’m not even the only fairy in this city. Just because we choose not to be seen doesn’t mean we don’t exist.”

  Edrick appeared equally awestruck. “You’re a fairy?”

  Azura gave a mock bow. “Azura of the Aos Sídhe.” She stiffened suddenly, as did Morwen, whose expression matched the look she gave just before the Institute was attacked.

  “We’re not alone.”

  Faolán barked to warn them of danger as figures darted past them in the night. Azura’s blue lips pulled into a snarl, exposing teeth that ended in points. Legions of hooded figures stood revealed in the moonlight, which hinted at more concealed within the darkness.

  Morwen fumbled in her satchel and held out her lightstone. “Solas!” A wave of white light illuminated the area. Masks or scarves obscured the intruders’ faces, and moonlight gleamed off daggers and knives clutched in their hands.

  “Thieves.” Berengar took a step back and looked around. They were everywhere. “We’re surrounded.” This was no mere faction. The entire Brotherhood of Thieves had assembled before them.

  Azura flashed them a look of annoyance. “I hope you’re happy. You two led them straight to us.”

  “Warden Berengar!” Reyna moved to the head of the pack. “I said you would regret crossing the Brotherhood.”

  Berengar, Morwen, and Azura stood back-to-back with Edrick and Faolán as a circle of thieves formed around them. A section of thieves parted to allow a new individual to emerge from their ranks.

  “You’ve been busy, Azzy.” The man wore a hooded cloak, and a wooden mask hid his face.

  The thief king, Berengar realized.

  “Listen,” Azura started. “Whatever you’ve heard, I can explain—”

  The thief king held up a hand to silence her. “We’re well past all that. You knew the consequences when you decided to take that contract.” The thieves under his command remained utterly silent while he spoke, though their knives remained at the ready. “I’m actually impressed. Only a master thief could have accomplished what you did tonight. All this time you’ve kept your head down, content to remain among the Brotherhood’s lower ranks. It was all an act to avoid attracting attention. Or did you think I was unaware of your theft of the thunder rune?”

  Azura met his gaze without flinching.

  The thief king took a moment to address the others in the Brotherhood. “Let this be a lesson to the rest of you. There’s a reason we refuse certain contracts. Our arrangement with the guards allows us to enjoy the spoils of our labors without fear of reprisal. Alone, we are weak, but together? Even the greatest lords in the city respect our influence. That is what you put at risk, Azzy. Your theft of the cursed blade jeopardizes all we’ve worked so hard to attain.”

  Berengar faced the thief king. “Let us have her—and the boy. We’ll see that the blade is returned to the crown.”

  The thief king laughed. “I’m afraid it’s far too late for that, Warden Berengar. You and your companion know far too much that could prove dangerous to the Brotherhood’s affairs.” He nodded to Reyna. “Kill them and bring me the blade.”

  “With pleasure.”

  Berengar’s grip tightened around his axe. There were far too many to even consider fighting. “Morwen, you need to run. I’ll hold them off as long as I can.”

  She held her ground. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  Reyna and the thieves advanced, further ensnaring them in the circle.

  Azura laid a hand on Edrick’s shoulder. “Get behind me, Ed.” The fairy’s violet eyes bore a mischievous gleam. “You two might want to stand back.”

  The thieves stopped short in their tracks when the moonlight fell across Azura’s face. Reyna’s confident expression faltered, replaced by astonishment. She glanced back at the thief king, who shrank away moments before Azura let out a deafening roar.

  Sheer power flowed from Azura’s mouth. In contrast to the high-pitched note she had used to shatter the cathedral chandelier, she spoke with the voice of thunder. The sound, which possessed an ancient and otherworldly quality altogether different in nature from Morwen’s spells, was both beautiful and terrifying at once. Unlike Morwen, Berengar had no special sensitivity to magic, but he felt the surge of energy all the same.

  The force of Azura’s words—if in fact they were words—tore through the area, leveling wood, stone, and brick. Everyone and everything in her way was violently swept aside. Only the thief king, who stood outside the path of destruction, remained standing as the fairy’s cry faded.

  “I believe that’s our cue to run.” Azura dived into an alley with Edrick, leaving Berengar, Morwen, and Faolán to follow with the entire Brotherhood of Thieves in pursuit.

  Berengar glimpsed movement overhead and saw shadows darting along the rooftops. Three thieves appeared where the alley diverged in front of them, but Azura closed the distance between them with impossible speed before they could attack. Her knives flashed like lightning in the dark, and Berengar could hardly keep up with the quickness of her strikes. The attackers went down in unison, and Azura grabbed Edrick by the shirt and pulled him down another alleyway.

  “Where are we going?” Morwen shouted at Azura.

  “To the Thieves’ Quarter.”

  Morwen shot Berengar a look of incredulity. “Shouldn’t we be running away from danger?”

  Azura flashed a wide grin. “Trust me.”

  “Trust you?” Morwen used her staff to cast a spell to turn the dirt behind them into mud to slow the thieves’ progress. “You’ve lied to us from the moment we met!”

  Azura deflected a knife hurled at Morwen with one of her blades and cast a wink over her shoulder.

  “Fairies,” Berengar muttered under his breath. Only a short while ago, they had roused
her to anger. Now Azura was in a playful mood once more. Maybe fairies really were as temperamental as the stories suggested.

  More enemies waited at the end of the labyrinth of alleyways, which opened to the Thieves’ Quarter. With no option left but to fight their way through, Berengar and the others met them head-on. Faolán pounced on the nearest thief, and Berengar followed after, swinging his axe. Morwen forewent use of magic and instead wielded her staff as a club, while Azura proved as deadly as ever with her twin blades. They broke through the ranks of thieves even as more closed in at their backs. The thief king lingered in the shadows, watching from the alley’s mouth.

  “Come on,” Azura said. “We can’t stop.”

  Berengar pulled his axe free from an enemy’s back and brought up the rear.

  “This way.” Azura hurried down a narrow street to a shuttered building that appeared abandoned. “Bar the door.”

  Berengar did as she said. She led them down the stairs to the cellar, where she pulled an unlit candle from her cloak and breathed the flame into life without the use of flint. A tunnel entrance stood revealed in the firelight.

  Azura handed the candle to Edrick. “Follow the tunnel to the river. A boatman will be waiting.” She passed her coin purse to him. “This should be more than enough to get you out of the city.”

  Edrick looked back at her with obvious concern. “What about you?”

  “My path leads another way. The Brotherhood will be looking for me, not you.” Azura ruffled his hair with affection. “I’m sorry I got you into this mess. I will miss you, my ambitious young friend. Try not to get into too much trouble without me. Now go.”

  A vacant expression came over Edrick, who obeyed without hesitation, as if her words had taken hold of him. He cast one final glance at her and disappeared into the tunnel.

  “They’re in here!” a voice bellowed from outside.

  Berengar turned to face the stairs. “What about the rest of us? You’ve trapped us here with nowhere to go.”

  “Did I? What makes you think the tunnels are the only way out?”

  Above, the door crashed open, and thieves swarmed inside the building. Azura took a step back and vanished through a doorway hidden within a false wall.

  Berengar pursued the fairy into a secret passage. “Blast it! After her, Faolán!” It was long rumored the Brotherhood used an underground network to move about the city undetected. Azura’s path could lead anywhere. I’ve had enough of hidden entrances and secret passages to last me a lifetime.

  They emerged inside the Thieves’ Quarter’s solitary church, where numerous passages converged. Faolán barked to get his attention, and Berengar caught sight of Azura escaping through the entrance. They hurried outside in time to see her whistle to a nearby horse, which threw its rider and approached the fairy without hesitation. In one fluid motion, she swung herself onto the saddle and seized the reins.

  “Did I mention fairies can actually speak to animals?” Morwen asked. “Unlike most magicians, who merely influence animal behavior.”

  “Save it for later.” Berengar spotted horses hitched outside a nearby tavern and hurried to untie one. “She’s headed toward the Red Gate. We can’t let her get away.”

  Azura noticed them on her trail and veered off the road before Morwen caught up to her. Morwen and Faolán followed suit while Berengar stuck to the road in case she attempted to circle back. Azura’s mount thundered down a stone staircase and dashed across the bridge leading over the river. Even Morwen, one of the best riders Berengar knew, struggled to keep up with the fairy, who deftly guided her horse around all obstacles in her way.

  “Halt!” ordered a guard. “Stop where you are!” He threw himself out of the way when Azura and Morwen stormed past, and his companions rang bells to warn the sentries posted at the gate.

  “It’s the thief! Close the gate!”

  Archers loosed their arrows at her, but Azura lowered her head and charged the gate. When Morwen grasped at Azura’s cloak in a final, desperate attempt to slow her down, Azura slipped through her grasp. The fairy waved back at Berengar and Morwen just before the gate shut, preventing them from following her from the city.

  Morwen fell back outside the archers’ range. “We failed. She escaped.”

  Berengar caught up to Morwen and pulled his horse to a stop. “It’s not over yet. She still has to meet with whoever hired her to steal the blade. If Edrick was right about the Giant’s Foot, we know where she’ll be.” Perhaps more importantly, Azura wasn’t aware they knew, which meant that for the first time they had an advantage she didn’t.

  The Coin and Crown was under watch by armed men when they returned. Berengar and Morwen kept their distance and surveyed the scene from the shadows. The men were most likely monster hunters or guards in league with the Brotherhood. Either way, it was much too dangerous to risk attempting to retrieve their belongings. Berengar had his weapons, and Morwen had her staff—unfinished though it remained—and satchel. That would have to be enough.

  “I hope Godfrey has enough sense to avoid alerting the guards.” Berengar turned his horse around and motioned for Morwen to follow. “Come on. We should find another way out of the city before the watch closes all the gates.”

  “What about Nessa? We can’t just leave her.”

  “There’s no time. We’ll come back for her. I promise.”

  Azura’s theft of the cursed blade had the city watch out in full force. Berengar and Morwen moved quietly to escape the notice of numerous patrols. They stayed off the main roads. With the streets otherwise abandoned in the late hour, two lonely riders were bound to attract attention. They couldn’t afford to wait to travel concealed by the safety of the crowds, either. By the time morning came, all exits to Dún Aulin would be sealed.

  Berengar wondered if they were already too late when they found the North and Beggar’s Gates under careful watch. Finally, they came to the lightly guarded Thieves’ Gate, where it appeared Tavish’s instructions had yet to reach the sentries, and Berengar and Morwen were able to pass through overlooked.

  The following morning, they stopped at the first town they came to for directions to the Giant’s Foot. Even with no map to guide their path, the road proved easy. Much of the surrounding lands had been cleared, tamed, and settled, and there were no forests to obstruct their path. Along the way, the two encountered multiple villages, settlements, and farms. As Flaherty had suggested, times were changing. Still, when Berengar thought of Morwen, he wondered what had been lost in the process.

  The weather proved fair over the course of their journey. Berengar was grateful to be free of the city at last. On the second day, the companions passed Cobthach’s Hold—the fort from which Horst and the other scouts pursued the goblins into the forest.

  “If Azura is planning on meeting her client at the Giant’s Foot, she’ll probably lay low in the nearest village while she waits,” Berengar said to Morwen. “Unless she’s found a way to disguise herself again, she shouldn’t be that hard to spot in a crowd.”

  “I’m not so sure. Fairies can go unseen if they wish. It’s one method they used to play tricks on unsuspecting humans in times past.”

  Berengar shook his head. “Who would have thought an adolescent girl could cause so much trouble?”

  Morwen regarded him with vague annoyance. “In case you’ve forgotten, I’m an adolescent girl. We’re plenty capable of causing trouble.”

  Berengar chuckled. “You’ll get no argument from me on that score.”

  “Besides, I highly doubt Azura actually is an adolescent.”

  “Morwen, she’s almost as young as you.”

  “Haven’t you learned by now that appearances can be deceiving, especially where magic is concerned? Although fairies aren’t truly immortal, they age slower than we do, and their lifespans are much greater than ours. I’d wager she’s probably as old as you, if not older still.”

  Berengar had a hard time believing that until he thought back to an encou
nter with a witch who had taken on the appearance of an elderly woman to enter Cashel unnoticed. “There’s something I still can’t figure out. What was Azura doing in Dún Aulin in the first place? Her face was posted on bounties across the city. If her aim was to remain hidden, why steal the most dangerous relic in Fál?”

  Morwen took a moment to mull over her reply. “Based on what I’ve read, fairies often have secret motives for involving themselves in the affairs of mortals. To say their sense of morality is difficult to understand is an understatement.” She glanced over at him. “Azura might have deceived us, but she also helped us on more than one occasion when she could’ve chosen to do otherwise.”

  “She seemed taken aback when you mentioned the bishop. Do you think she was telling the truth about Flaherty?”

  Morwen hesitated. “I do.”

  “You sound uncharacteristically unsure of yourself.”

  “The fair folk are talented liars—talented enough to fool even some magicians—but her surprise appeared genuine to me. Besides, you saw Flaherty. He was stabbed from behind. Someone else killed him—I’m sure of it.”

  “Aye, but who?”

  Morwen shrugged. “I suspect there’s more to this affair than we know. Do you remember what Azura said about Lucien not being the king? I still can’t figure out what she meant by it.”

  Berengar turned the matter over in his head. “It reminds me of something Horst told me. He mentioned the king and said he knew where ‘they’ were keeping him. Does that make any sense to you?”

  “None at all. Perhaps it’s connected to the prince regent’s disappearance. If we want answers, we’re going to have to find Azura and get her to talk. Preferably without maiming her, mind you.”

  An enormous ruin loomed to the west. A great stone stair ran uphill to the mouth of a towering door mostly obscured by fallen rubble. Vines and weeds devoured fallen archways and pillars weathered and eroded by time.

  “The Giant’s Foot.” There was no sign of the giants who built it—not that he expected to find one. Most wild giants now lived in the north or the mountains, and while friendly giants did occasionally dwell among men, they were certainly not welcome in Leinster. “Tulach Mhór can’t be far.”