by Ben Hale
At his signal soldiers lined the water’s edge. Rank upon rank of elves drew their bows back until thousands of arrowheads glittered in the light. Jack spread his arms wide at the weapons directed at his heart.
“But Kiki,” he chided, “That’s not my name anymore!” The elven captain paused in confusion, his hand raised to signal the kill. Jack smirked at the thousands of elves arrayed against him. “Thanks to you . . . I’m now Ten!”
Keiko blinked in shock at Jack’s meaning, and then his face purpled with rage. Jack laughed as the elf shrieked an order and the longbows loosed their lethal volley. Still laughing he leaned back, the arrows passing harmlessly over his head as he slipped free.
He twisted in the air to face downward, the air rushing past him as he plummeted toward the lake below. He activated his shadowhook at the last moment, and slowed his descent just enough not to break his bones. Then he released and dropped into the lake, his body knifing deep.
Silence and pressure crushed into him, bringing a smile to his lips at the sense of freedom they inspired. When his momentum slowed he swam to the surface and broke free. In seconds the others joined him, and together they struck out for a boat floating nearby.
Beauty was the first to clamber aboard, and a moment later Jack joined her. He wiped the sheet of water from his face before helping Ursana up. The moment the others were aboard Beauty activated the boat's magic and they sped away. The sleek vessel darted into a river headed south, and when it was clear they had outstripped their pursuers Jack began to laugh.
“Well done,” he said.
Kuraltus rubbed his throat where the noose had been and nodded his agreement. “You have my gratitude.”
Lorelia looked between them. “Are you friends now?”
Jack met the master's gaze. “I wouldn't go that far,” he said. “But I no longer wish to kill him.”
Kuraltus grunted and then turned to Beauty. “I assume the Guildmaster sent you?”
“On the contrary,” Beauty replied without looking back. “His orders were to let you hang. Anyone that helped you would be cast out of the guild.”
Jack's amusement evaporated and his gaze swept the group. They had given up their positions in the guild to help him, and risked their lives to do it. The sacrifice caused a knot of regret in his gut.
“I could have escaped on my own,” he growled. “You didn't need to risk the Guildmaster's wrath.”
“You're welcome,” Beauty said sarcastically.
Jack ground his teeth together. “You could have been killed.”
Lorelia flashed a brilliant smile. “I didn't know you cared so much.”
“I didn't say that,” Jack protested.
“You are a Skorn-blasted fool,” Ursana muttered.
Shocked, Jack turned to her but she wasn't finished.
“Beauty told us about the Guildmaster. None of us want any part of the guild, now.”
“You can't abandon the guild until he is stopped,” Kuraltus said. “You know his name, which means he will hunt you to every corner of Lumineia.”
“It's just a name,” Gordon said with a shrug. “He can't be that protective of it.”
“He is,” Kuraltus said. “It may take a year, or even ten, but eventually he will find you and kill anyone close to you—on the chance you have shared his secret.” His gaze shifted to Jack and regret filled his voice. “Trust me, I know what he is capable of.”
“Were you there when he took over?” Gordon asked.
Kuraltus shook his head. “I was in Woodhaven, and learned of it when he appeared at our guildhall. I don’t know what transpired in the south except that that many of my friends were killed.”
Beauty’s lips tightened. “One more assignment, then,” she said. “And we all know the target.”
“I can’t,” Kuraltus said.
“Why?” Gordon asked. “You’ve lost more than any of us. I’d think you would want retribution.”
Kuraltus passed a hand over his face. “I still remember being loyal to him, and I’m not certain you can trust me.”
The shadow on his face kept anyone from arguing, and Beauty inclined her head. “Then your fight is finished.”
The statement was directed at Kuraltus but Jack realized it applied to him. He’d joined the guild to find his mother’s killers, and now that quest was over. His mother had made him swear not to become a thief and it was time to fulfill that vow.
He was surprised at the surge of regret. He’d never planned on wanting to stay, or ending up with friends. His gaze settled on Beauty and his lips tightened. After all they had endured he wished he could help her face the Guildmaster, but his mother’s dying words pressed onto his mind.
Do not be what I became.
“I wish you luck in your effort,” Jack said, shaking his head. “But here is where we part ways.”
Ursana swiveled to face him. “You’re abandoning us?”
“My purpose is done,” Jack said. “I have no reason to be a thief anymore.”
“We saved your life and now you’re just going to walk away?” Lorelia’s eyes flashed with anger. “I thought we mattered more to you than that.”
“The Guildmaster needs to be stopped,” Gordon added.
“Not by me,” Jack replied.
Anger and betrayal filled their expressions but Beauty stepped into the front. “If we fail he will kill us, and then he will come after you. You know what he does to those who flee the guild.”
“You don’t have to go back,” Jack said.
Beauty held his gaze. “If we don’t stop him, who will?”
“He’s your foe,” Jack said, “not mine.”
Her face tightened with disappointment and then surprisingly she smiled. “If I cannot appeal to your honor, perhaps I can appeal to your sense of adventure.”
His lips twitched into a smile. “You want me to risk my life . . . for fun?”
“Yes.”
He began to laugh. “And you think I’ll agree to that?”
She folded her arms. “I do.”
He considered the proposal, and realized it gave him a way out. Facing the Guildmaster without the intention of remaining a thief did not explicitly break his promise. The distinction was weak, but enough for Jack to shake his head in chagrin.
“Do I get a kiss?”
She pursed her lips in disapproval. “You won’t let this go, will you.”
“Every assignment has a price.”
She released an explosive breath. “I’ll think about it.”
He smirked. “Then count me in.”
Chapter 36: The Guild Assignment
Troops of elves dogged their path until they crossed Blue River into Talinor. Jack half expected the elves to continue their pursuit into the human kingdom, but they did not cross the river. After the flight from Azertorn and days running through the elven forest of Numenessee, the thieves trudged into Tallendale and found an inn to spend the night.
Jack collapsed into a bed, his need for sleep overpowering his need for food. He woke long after dawn with hunger gnawing at his gut. He stumbled from his room and descended to the tavern on the first floor. After eating two plates of fried potatoes, bacon, and eggs he breathed a sigh of relief.
“How do you feel?” Beauty asked, sliding into a seat across from him.
“Human,” Jack replied.
She signaled the barmaid to bring a matching plate and leaned back in her seat. “You were lucky, Jack.”
“If my luck comes in the form of you, I'll take it.”
She laughed lightly and accepted the plate from the barmaid. “Kuraltus is gone.”
“When?”
“This morning, I suspect,” she replied. “He must have slipped out before we were awake.”
Jack drained his ale and then put the empty mug on the table. “I've spent much of my life hating him but he didn't deserve it. Orn controlled him, altered his memory until he thought he was a killer. Now that he remembers, he doesn't know
who he is.”
“Where do you suppose he will go?”
Jack shrugged. “Doesn't matter, not to us anyway.”
Lorelia and Ursana appeared and took seats at the table. Yawning, Ursana signaled the barmaid and rubbed a hand on her face.
“I hate being chased by elves.”
“I as well,” Lorelia said wryly.
“How long until you can go back?” Jack asked.
“Six months or so,” Lorelia said, a smile spreading on her features. “It's not the first time I've been marked as a thief, and at least this time they didn't get a good look at me. It'll take years before you can enter the elven kingdom without being arrested, however.”
“Perhaps I'll need a friend to cast an illusion on me,” he said, and winked at her.
She laughed sourly. “Illusions are difficult for any light mage—but faces are even more challenging. I use enchanted jewelry to assist me when I want to change my persona.”
“The guards thought your illusion was real,” Ursana said.
“That's because the illusion of the horses was moving,” Lorelia replied. “If I'd brought it to a halt, Jack would have looked like a drunken wastrel.”
She flicked her hand at Jack, and the light shifted across him, causing the others to laugh. At Jack's request she cast the same spell on Beauty. Jack burst into a laugh when his features appeared on Beauty, the image blurry and haggard.
“You really are talented,” Beauty said. “I only know of a handful of elven mages that can cast convincing illusions.”
“I had a reason to practice them,” Lorelia said, and then her smile faded as if she realized how much she'd revealed. “But they won't help us get into the Evermist guildhall. You may not know it, but Orn has anti-magic scattered throughout the fortress. Walk past the wrong statue or painting and any illusion is stripped away.”
“Unless it is constantly recast,” Beauty said with a nod. “Practicing my magic in the guildhall is frustrating.”
“Then what is our plan?” Ursana asked.
“Should we wait for Gordon?” Jack asked.
Ursana shook her head. “He doesn't care. Besides, he wanted to sleep.”
Beauty's eyes settled on Jack. “So what do we do? We can't force Orn from the guildhall, and unless you want to kill him . . .”
“I'm not averse to that option,” Jack said.
“I am,” Lorelia said. “But not for his sake. I've seen what he's capable of, and killing him would not be easy.”
“We're thieves,” Jack said. “Not assassins. We can steal his life without leaving him for dead.”
“How do you suggest we do that?” Ursana asked.
“What if we lured him out?” Lorelia asked.
“He rarely leaves,” Beauty said. “And when he does, he uses the Gates. Besides, he's as shrewd as anyone I've ever met. I doubt we could trick him into leaving.”
“We've got a two-week ride to figure it out,” Jack said. “I'll find us some horses and supplies.”
Beauty's eyebrows pulled together in surprise. “I'll join you,” she offered.
Ursana yawned and agreed. “Then I get to savor my meal.”
“I as well,” Lorelia said, accepting the plate from the maid.
As they set to eating Jack and Beauty rose and exited into the late morning light. Once they were alone Beauty’s gaze turned on him.
“I've never seen you volunteer for work.”
“Just how little do you think of me?” He asked, turning onto the main road.
“For reasons I cannot fathom, I think you might be worthy of loyalty.”
He cast her an appraising look. “Might?”
She flashed a smile and changed the subject. “When we were preparing to get you out of Azertorn, we got into Kuraltus's office to use his maps of the city. I took advantage of the moment to read his archives.”
“What did you learn?”
“My sister did more than interfere with an assignment,” she said. “She killed the thief sent to complete it.”
“Why?”
She nodded and looked away. “He feigned affection to manipulate her into aiding him. When he betrayed her she confronted him, and he didn’t stand a chance. Orn ordered her death in retaliation.”
“She was just a girl.”
“Orn doesn't care about age,” she said. “He only cares about power.”
“Do you still want to kill him?” Jack asked.
“No.”
The quick response surprised him, and he threw her a sideways glance. Then she sighed and shook her head.
“When you let the dark elves take Nemeth, I didn't understand. Then I realized you wanted him to suffer.”
“I wanted to kill him,” Jack said, “but I liked the idea of him trapped in the Deep and executed by the dark elves.”
“I want Orn to hurt,” she said. “I want to him to feel the pain I have.”
“You're starting to sound like me.”
“Curse the thought.”
He laughed at her expression. “We both sought vengeance for years, and you're surprised we have similar minds?”
She eyed him critically. “I'd rather not share a mind with such arrogance.”
“It's not arrogance if it’s true.”
Her laughter mingled with a shout from a merchant, drawing their attention to the shops. Since they had left the inn the streets had steadily become louder. Soldiers rode by on horses, their eyes sweeping the crowd for malcontents. Women chatted in the street, their voices blending together into a buzz of noise. Shopkeepers shouted, struggling to garner attention to sell their wares.
They paused at a shop to purchase supplies and asked they be delivered to their inn. Then they made their way to the stables. Threading through the browsing women, they stepped into the open.
“We’ll beat him together,” he said.
“I want to believe you,” she said, “but anger isn't going to lead us to victory.”
“It's worked for me in the past.”
“That was luck,” she said.
“I could have sworn it was charisma.”
She laughed. “You're not that handsome.”
He grinned at her, and noticed again the flawless curve of her cheek and the power to her gaze. Had she always been so determined? He looked back to when he'd met her, and recalled the same unwavering steel in her eyes.
“Have you always been called Beauty?” he asked.
“The Guildmaster gave me that name when I finished the Machine for the first time.”
“Would you prefer I call you Thera?”
“I would,” she said.
He caught the inflection in her voice, and realized she was allowing him to catch a glimpse of who she was. Beauty was her persona within the guild, the cloak she donned in order to keep her true self free of stain. For someone to use her real name implied a sense of vulnerability, one she was allowing Jack to see.
“Thera it is, then,” he said.
They reached the stables, paid for the horses, and began their trek back to the inn. The comfortable silence lasted until they dismounted in front of the inn. Ursana, Gordon, and Lorelia were sitting outside. Lorelia purred in delight at the black stallion for her. She leapt into the saddle and shivered with delight.
“Can I keep him?”
“If you pay for him,” Beauty said.
Gordon climbed into his saddle with a yawn, prompting Jack to grin. “Still sleepy?”
He stifled the yawn and rubbed his eyes. “I like my new occupation, but I hate the hours.”
“What did you do before?” Lorelia asked.
“Soldier,” he replied.
“Got caught sleeping on watch?” Jack asked slyly.
He grinned. “Several times.”
The others laughed as they headed out of Tallendale. Once they were on the road the conversation faded. As the miles continued to pass with no one speaking, Jack began to realize how worried they were. Even Lorelia seemed tense, her bea
utiful features drawn tight.
“We'll figure out a way in,” he said, annoyed at their concern.
“What makes you so confident?” Ursana asked.
“Every protection has a flaw,” Jack replied.
“He's the most dangerous guildmaster the guild has seen in centuries,” Gordon said. “And if we fail we know what awaits us.”
“Then we can't fail,” Beauty said.
“But how do we get in?” Lorelia said. “By the time we arrive he's certain to know we're coming—and the fortress is filled with thieves that obey him.”
Jack thought of the fortress, mentally wandering the halls and searching for any point of weakness. When he'd been there he hadn't been looking for ways to get in, and now that he was looking, he found several. None would work if they had to face the hundreds of thieves loyal to the Guildmaster.
He frowned as a thought crossed his mind and swiveled in his saddle to look at Lorelia. “How many thieves were present when Orn took over?”
She cocked her head to the side. “Perhaps a third of those in the guildhall.” Then her eyes narrowed. “What are you thinking, Jack?”
“He stole their memories,” Jack said, and a sly grin spread on his features. “Let's steal them back. If the thieves remember what he did . . .”
“They would turn against him,” Beauty said.
Jack's smile widened. “Let's steal the guild from the master.”
Chapter 37: Unmasked
Jack slipped into place at the edge of the lake and peered into the gloom. The castle that contained the Thieves Guild lay shrouded in fog, its towers protruding into the afternoon sky. Hundreds of alligators lurked in the water below, their reptilian backs just visible above the surface.
“I can't believe we're doing this during the day,” Beauty whispered from his side.
“I told you,” Jack said. “Thieves strike at night so he’ll expect us then. Soldiers prefer to attack during the day.”
She grunted and gestured toward the end of the bridge. “He's certainly ready for us.”
Jack shifted his gaze to where she pointed, and spotted a quartet of guards sitting in the alcove adjacent to the entrance. It was enough to discourage entry but not enough to deter it, suggesting more lay hidden close by.