Child of the Night Guild (Queen of Thieves Book 1)

by Andy Peloquin

  Ilanna watched the trio until Denber tugged at her elbow.

  “Come on, there’s a lot more for you to learn before day’s end. No time to dawdle.” He led her around the building to the platform where the other Hawks waited.

  Prynn held out a rope. “Here, put this on.” He helped her step into the loops, then pulled the rope tight. The coils wrapped around her waist and thighs. “Now you have a simple harness.”

  “What do I need this for?”

  Denber wound a rope around his own waist and walked toward the edge of the roof. Werrin and Willem let out slack to keep up with him. “Watch!” With a grin, he hopped backward and plunged from sight. The twins grunted as the rope snapped taut.

  Ilanna peered over the edge of the roof. Denber hung a few paces below. Leaning back, feet planted against the wall, he looked as comfortable as if he sat in a chair. He waved. “Come on down.”

  Ilanna’s eyes widened and her heart drummed against her ribs.

  Prynn patted her shoulder. “Don’t worry. You’ll go slower than he did.” He called down to Denber. “Show off!”

  Ilanna eyed the rope, not much thicker than her middle finger. “That looks awfully thin.”

  He grinned. “Trust the rope, Ilanna. If it can hold Jarl, you can be damned certain it’ll hold you, too. Here, lean back against the rope.”

  She obeyed, her stomach twisting as her body swayed over empty air. Only the coils of rope around her waist stopped her from plummeting to the cobblestones far below.

  “Good, now stay leaning back and walk your feet down the wall.”

  One step at a time, Ilanna walked down the wall. Every instinct screamed at her. This is insane! And yet, after the moment of gut-wrenching terror, she couldn’t deny the thrill of excitement rushing through her. Within a half-dozen thundering heartbeats, she hung beside Denber.

  He grinned. “How was it?”

  Swallowing the knot in her throat, Ilanna beamed. “Amazing!” Her pulse drummed in her ears and her hands trembled—with exhilaration rather than fear. Her eyes strayed to the ground, four stories below. Her blood turned to ice. Her stomach lurched and she clutched the rope in a death grip. Every muscle in her body tensed. I’m going to die!

  Denber chuckled. “Keep looking down. You’ll get used to it in a minute or two.”

  Her head swam, but she forced herself to keep looking down. Her fear slowly drained away. Though the rope creaked under her weight, it held tight. The harness supported her with ease. She was safe.

  Denber raised his voice. “How you doing up there, boys?”

  Bert peeked over the edge of the roof. “Rope’s tied off. Anything else, boss?”

  Denber shook his head. “Nah, off with you. You know what you need to be doing?”

  Bert nodded. “Casing the Alamastri mansion.”

  “Good. Meet you at the Black Spire an hour before sunset?”

  “You got it.”

  Ilanna quirked an eyebrow.

  Denber grinned. “All in good time. First things first.” He shuffled away from her. For the first time, Ilanna noticed a small window set in the wall. The simple frame was made of solid iron and about the length of her arm across. He gripped the windowsill. “This is what we like to call the Hawk’s entrance.”

  Denber drew a slim dagger. “It’s held shut by a simple latch, but this will make quick work of it.” He slipped the dagger between the window casements and lifted. At his gentle push, the window swung open. “Easy, right?”

  Ilanna nodded. For you.

  Denber pulled the windows closed. The latch engaged with an audible click. “Your turn.” He scooted away to make space for her.

  Heart thumping, she shuffled toward the window and gripped the sill. She reached for her dagger in its hidden sheath.

  Denber shook his head. “Your knife won’t work. The blade’s too thick to slip between the casements. See?” He demonstrated. He flipped the dagger and held it out. “This one’s for you.”

  She took the blade, hesitating.

  He gave a dismissive wave. “Don’t worry. I’ve got one of my own. Had this one made for you.”

  Nodding her thanks, Ilanna turned to the window. She slipped the dagger through the gap between the frame, lifted, and pushed the window open. She turned to Denber for his approval.

  He raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”

  Ilanna racked her brain. “What?”

  Denber pointed to the hinges. “Oil. Never know if the hinges’ll be squeaky bastards or not. Always safer to oil them, just in case.”

  Ilanna nodded. “I’ll remember that. Now what?”

  “Now, we go inside.” Denber swung into the window, his shoulders barely squeezing into the tight space. Halfway through, he twisted to face downward and lifted his legs. With a tug, he slipped the rope free of his waist. He disappeared for a moment, then poked his head out the window. “Your turn.”

  Ilanna imitated his movements. Her slim frame slipped through the window with ease. But no matter how she tugged the rope, it remained securely tied. With a grin, Denber pulled on the end of the rope and the coils fell loose. She hauled herself into the room, landed with a somersault, and rolled to her feet.

  “Well done.” Denber leaned against the wall. “You’ve entered your first house. Now it’s time to find the loot.”

  Ilanna studied the room. Nothing stood out as being of real value. A few faded portraits, metal trinkets, and carved figures littered the shelves around the room. The two chests were empty.

  What now? A memory of the Treasure Room flashed through her mind. Most of the treasure was well-hidden.

  She ran her feet along the edges of the walls and tapped at the floorboard. A creaking board gave way to reveal a small purse. A secret cache in the ceiling yielded a second. Encouraged by her success, she continued the search. Half an hour later, she’d combed every corner of the room and found nothing.

  Frustrated, she turned to Denber. “That’s it, isn’t it?”

  He raised an eyebrow. “You sure?”

  She ground her teeth. “If there’s another one, I can’t find it. And I’ve looked everywhere!”

  With a grin, Denber swung the windows shut and plucked a purse from the wall behind it.

  Ilanna’s face reddened. “Damn it!” Anger burned in her chest.

  Denber laughed. “Don’t worry, Ilanna. None of us found that one. Not even Conn.”

  That didn’t make her feel better. She hated failure. Especially when Denber is there to see it.

  “Now what?”

  “Back up to the roof.” Denber pulled the window open, clambered onto the sill, and snatched the hanging rope.

  Ilanna’s eyes flew wide. “B-but…”

  “But what? There’s no safety net to catch you? That’s the point, isn’t it? It’s not a test if there’s no danger.” He pointed to the far side of the room. “There’s a door and a ladder leading up to the roof. If you don’t think you can make it up this way, go that way.” With that, he swung out and disappeared from sight.

  She stared out the window. What should I do? She had two options: take the risk to climb the rope or play it safe and use the ladder. There was no net, no safety harness to catch her. If she missed the rope or her strength gave out, she’d fall—certain death from this height. The smart choice would be to use the ladder. But that means I’m giving up. It means failure. To a proud, stubborn Hawk, it was no choice at all.

  Ilanna clambered onto the windowsill and reached for the rope. It evaded her grasp, forcing her to lean farther out. Her head and torso hung from the window, dozens of paces above the street. Her heart leapt to her throat as she frantically snatched at the hanging line.

  Her gloved fingers closed around it and she gripped tight. Coiling it around her arm as Conn had shown her, she pulled her legs from the window. For a heart-wrenching moment, only one hand kept her from a three-story dive. Then she wrapped the rope around her feet and her legs bore the weight of
her body. She hung there, fear and panic churning in her gut.

  Hand over hand, she pulled herself up. Her eyes darted to the rooftop. The descent had seemed so short, but now that she had to climb, it looked too far away. Her arms, shoulders, and legs burned with the strain.

  She gritted her teeth. I have to make it!

  Fire raced through her fingers and hands. Her grip threatened to give way at any moment. Her feet ached from holding the rope. She’d climbed less than half the distance and her muscles trembled from the effort.

  Her heart sank. I can’t.

  “Denber!” Shame burned in her chest. “Denber!”

  Denber peered over the edge.

  “H-Help me!”

  “Are you sure?”

  Ilanna nodded. “Y-yes! I-I can’t do it.”

  Disappointment filled his eyes. “Very well.”

  He disappeared from sight and Ilanna felt herself being hauled upward. Cheeks burning, she clung to the rope for dear life. Slowly, Denber pulled her up and over the edge.

  She released the rope and lay on the roof, gasping for air. Her hands ached and her fingers burned. The pain paled in comparison to her humiliation. She couldn’t meet Denber’s eyes when he helped her to her feet.

  “Come on.” He didn’t hide his frustration well.

  Ilanna followed him across the rooftops of Praamis in silence. He spoke to her only when necessary for safety. He chose longer routes with fewer difficult crossings or challenges. The tension had returned to his shoulders. He’d become the polite, distant apprentice once more.

  She barely noticed the world around her. Angry tears threatened at the corners of her eyes. Prynn’s words echoed in her mind. Denber retreated out of self-preservation. He didn’t want to feel the pain of loss. It was as if her failure today had reminded him of how unready she was. But understanding didn’t ease the pain of his withdrawal. This is my fault. I let him down. I failed.

  A shout drew her from her reverie. A few houses over, the other apprentice Hawks sat atop a steep roof.

  Bert waved at the pair as they approached. “There you are! We were just about to start lunch without you.”

  Ilanna plopped down beside Werrin, away from Denber. She didn’t want to have to look at him; the disappointment in his eyes filled her with chagrin.

  Willem handed her a crust of bread stuffed with spicy sausage and herb butter. Ilanna ate without a word. She barely tasted the watered wine and figs. She smiled at the twins’ jokes, but her heart wasn’t in it. A cloud of gloom hung over her, casting a pall on the bright day. She couldn’t drive away the frustration at her failure.

  She listened half-heartedly to the boys talking to Denber. They’d spent the last hour studying the Alamastri mansion, a five-story brick and stone monstrosity a short distance from the Ward of Refuge. They described the patrol patterns, access points, and other details Ilanna found inane. She stopped paying attention when they began chivvying Prynn about spying through the window to watch the eldest Alamastri daughter in her wardrobe.

  The sun had baked the shingles to a pleasant temperature. The heat of the day soothed Ilanna, driving away her aches and assuaging her shame. A cool breeze bathed her face. With a full belly and muscles tired from a morning of hard work, she slipped into sleep.

  * * *

  “D’you think we should wake her?”

  The Hawks’ conversation filtered into the warm haze of slumber. Languor filled Ilanna, tempting her with its peace. She wanted to lie here forever, with the bright sun above and the hot tiles below. Anything to avoid the disappointment in Denber’s eyes.

  Bert’s voice sounded distant. “Denber said to meet him at the Black Spire an hour before sunset.”

  “Best get her up, then,” Werrin said. “We’ve got to be off if we’re to make it in time.”

  Ilanna forced her eyes open. “I’m awake.” She climbed to her feet, hiding a groan. Her lower back ached from resting on the hard tiles.

  Prynn nodded. “Good.”

  The twins exchanged glances and Werrin spoke. “Denber left a few hours ago, but we’re to meet him—”

  “At the Black Spire.” Ilanna rolled her shoulders. “I know. What are we waiting for?”

  Willem opened his mouth, but snapped it shut and shrugged. “Off we go, then.”

  The twins led her on a merry tour of the city, leaping, climbing, and swinging from rooftop to rooftop. They laughed and shouted like children—which they were: big children, in a very dangerous playground.

  The roofs grew steeper as the buildings increased in height. The Hawks slowed their pace to allow her to keep up. Ilanna’s muscles ached and her lungs begged for air. She refused to give in to fatigue. One failure is enough for today.

  Denber awaited them atop a flat roof. Without glancing at her, he thrust out a heavy waterskin and a handful of dried fruits and nuts.

  Ilanna took only a few sips of the water before passing it on. “Why are we here?”

  Denber pointed. “For that.”

  Ilanna followed his finger. A single black tower rose dozens of paces above the tallest roofs of the city. The construction dwarfed the Royal Palace, and the pale spires of the temples looked puny by comparison.

  She gasped. “What is that?”

  “The Black Spire. Home to Duke Elodon Phonnis, brother to King Ohilmos, Protector of Praamis and Chief Justiciar.”

  She couldn’t tear her eyes from the imposing building. “It’s so…big!”

  “And impenetrable!” Prynn rubbed his chin. “They say it’s never been burgled, not once!”

  Denber shook his head. “Once, and only once.”

  Prynn looked suspicious. “By who?”

  “Master Gold.”

  The Hawks’ mouths dropped in unison.

  Werrin found his voice first. “What?”

  Denber nodded. “Before he became Master Gold, he was Master Hawk. The fortune he stole from the current Duke’s father was so large that he was selected as the successor for the then-Master Gold.” He thrust a finger at the Black Spire. “That tower is a challenge to every thief in the Night Guild. Every Hawk has wanted to try it, but few have been foolish enough. Only one has ever survived the attempt.”

  The Black Spire filled Ilanna’s vision. The tower called out to her, taunting her. She felt it daring her to test herself, to see if she could do what so many had failed to do. Would she be foolish enough to try?

  Denber’s words broke into her thoughts. “Come on, lads. Enough gawking for the day. We have to get back to the Guild if we’re going to be in time for dinner.”

  Ilanna cast one last glance at the Black Spire before following the Hawks from the rooftop. Her shame had fled, replaced by a grim determination. Someday…

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Ilanna lay in bed, exhausted from another day on the rooftops. She tried not to move her raw, aching hands; she’d tied so many knots her fingers bled. Her gloves were little more than strips of shredded leather in desperate need of stitching. An afternoon spent studying every latch and lock manufactured in Praamis, Voramis, and Malandria added to her fatigue.

  The last weeks had passed in a blur of hard work. She spent every morning with Denber, learning the skills she’d need as a Hawk. She hauled herself up ropes until her arms ached. She’d lost track of the hours spent crouched atop the roofs of the city, studying the surfaces to find weak spots. Werrin, Willem, and Prynn took her on their scouting runs. She pretended not to notice that they slowed to allow her to keep up. They never complained, but did their best to help.

  Every day, they’d taken her to that same rooftop overlooking the Alamastri mansion. She’d listened to them drone on about the sentries and patrol patterns. They’d even made her count the time for shift changes. Her head was stuffed with information on every detail of the estate and she’d had to repeat it back to them until she got it right. Upon her return to the Aerie, she’d had to recite everything to Denber before he permitted her to eat.

 
; Her few moments of freedom had gone to training on the Perch. Her arms shook from the effort of hauling herself up ropes and ladders. She hadn’t even changed her clothing before climbing into bed; she lacked the energy to do more than collapse. After a few hours of sleep, she’d be up to train before breakfast.

  But it will all be worth it!

  That morning, Prynn had asked her, “Why are you working so hard?”

  She’d answered without hesitation. “To be better.”

  She squeezed her eyes shut against the darkness. I won’t be a burden on Denber or the other Hawks. I won’t fail again.

  * * *

  Denber strode into the common room, the twins close on his heels. “It’s time.”

  Ilanna glanced up from her dinner—a meat-and-vegetable stew served with hot, buttered rosemary bread.

  Prynn pushed back his plate and stood. “Are you sure?”

  Willem nodded. “There’s a soiree at the Lord and Lady Coladani’s mansion tonight and the Alamastris are invited. They’ll take most of the guards with them!”

  Denber placed a hand on her shoulder. “You’re coming with us, Ilanna. Time for you to prove yourself.”

  Ilanna’s stomach knotted. “R-Really?”

  His brow furrowed. “Has all of your training been for nothing, Ilanna? Have we wasted our time with you?”

  She shook her head. “N-no.”

  Denber looked unconvinced.

  She cleared her throat and spoke again. “Absolutely not! I’ve been working hard for weeks and I deserve this.” She forced a confidence she didn’t quite feel and hoped he didn’t notice.

  Denber nodded. “Good. Gear up and meet us at the top of the Perch in ten minutes.”

  * * *

  Ilanna crouched beside Denber, studying the lantern-lit gardens and walkways of the Alamastri mansion. The enormous estate—a solid stone construction decorated with ornate statuary sitting atop mammoth flying buttresses—stretched for hundreds of paces in all directions.

  With the Alamastris away, the manor stood all but empty. Torches flickered inside the lower floors, but only a few candles dotted the upper levels. Few servants strode the halls; most had retired for the night. The six guards had just completed their inspection of the grounds. The Hawks had a full quarter-hour before the patrol returned.