by Ben Hale
Their eyes wild with panic and confusion, the two men swiveled to face him. The one by Jack jabbed his knife at him. “We’ll take it all, fool,” he said.
“So greedy,” Jack said, and pulled a coin into view.
He flipped it into the air and the bandit’s eyes followed the motion—and Jack snatched the knife from his fingers. Then he placed the man’s hand on the heavy table and drove the knife through it, burying it into the wood. His shriek was cut off as Jack slapped him, a humiliating blow that did more shock than harm. The man fell to whimpering and struggled to free his hand. Then Jack caught the coin.
“You look good,” Jack said, his eyes on Beauty.
“I heard about Terros,” she said, and wove her way through the tables toward him. “And Herosian—and Keese.” She laughed lightly. “You haven’t lost your sense of style.”
“I’ll kill you both!” the last bandit shrieked.
He swung his knife toward one and then the other. The other patrons seemed frozen as they watched the conflict. The woman behind the bar still held a pouch of coins in her hand, her mouth agape.
“I kept busy,” Jack said.
“I swear on Skorn’s Blade I’ll cut your throats!”
Jack drew his dagger from the hidden sheath on his spine and slapped him across the face with it. The man crashed into a chair, dazed from the blow. Beauty caught his tunic and tossed him bodily across the room like he weighed no more than a potato. He crashed into the wall and slumped to the floor, where he groaned and did not rise.
“I have news about our former Guildmaster,” she said.
He smirked. “I as well. Would you like to ride with me?”
“I thought you’d never ask,” she said with a smile.
“We will hunt you down and kill you,” the man pinned to the table snarled, his voice twisted with pain.
Jack stepped to him and yanked the knife free. As the man cried out Jack forced him toward the door. Reaching it, he kicked it open and launched the bandit into the street. Unable to stop himself, the bandit tripped on the stairs to crash into the cold ground. A moment later his still-gasping companion landed on top of him. As they fought to rise Jack leaned against the doorframe.
“Stealing is only a profession if you are good at it,” Jack said, and held aloft the coin purses he’d taken from them.
Their eyes widened and their hands went to their waists. “You Skorn-blasted thief,” one snarled.
Beauty laughed and launched the last man. They cried out as the form crashed into them and they landed in a heap. Catching the pouches from Jack she tossed them to the tavern’s counter. “I think its best you pick a different occupation—and not return here.”
Her mild tone conveyed a seething threat, causing them to swallow and retreat down the road. When they were gone Jack entered the tavern and strode to the bar amidst hearty cheers from the men.
“Good sir,” she said. “Your chivalry is—”
“Not without a price,” Jack said.
Her shock lasted for a moment, and then her eyes narrowed. “What do you want?”
“Information,” Jack said. “A week east of here lies the ancient fortress of Margauth. What can you tell me about it?”
She shuddered and looked away. “The tales are many, but the truth is uncertain.”
He strode to the bar. “I’ll take it all.”
The tavern owner suddenly barged into the room bearing a woodcutter’s axe. His wife slipped to his side and spoke in calming tones. He relaxed at her words, placing the tool on the bar and turning to Jack.
“What do you wish to know of Margauth?” he asked.
“Everything,” Jack said.
The couple didn’t know much, but what they could say proved very helpful. As they shared details it became clear that most of the time the Cult of Skorn was quiet, with their worshipers meeting in secret and hiding their perverted practices. Occasionally they were known to kidnap men and sacrifice them to Skorn.
Over the last few months, rumors had spread of excitement among the cult members. The furor stemmed from a mysterious visitor that had taken Skorn’s unwieldable blade, and it had obeyed him. Shortly after, the cult began to summon their members, gradually drawing them into the fold while not revealing themselves to their respective governments.
Once he had gleaned all he could, Jack paid for a horse and went to the stables with the inn’s owner. The man saddled the steed and then handed Jack the reins. As he mounted the man stepped close.
“I would warn you to be careful,” he said, his gaze flicking to Beauty mounting her own steed, “but you don’t seem like the type to utilize caution.”
“I may be a thief, but I’m not stupid.”
“These people appear normal,” the man said, “yet they hide a sinister worship of a devil. If they have gathered their full might it would take the entire Griffin army to destroy them.”
“Or a couple of thieves,” Jack said.
The man appeared doubtful but did not disagree. “Perhaps they should be eradicated as the Church of Light preaches.”
Jack burst into a scornful laugh. “They are two sides of the same false coin. One side faces the light while the other lies in shadow. It doesn’t matter which way you turn it—it’s still worthless.”
“What do you mean?”
Jack nudged the mount toward the road, forcing the man to hurry to keep up. “Don’t worship what you don’t know.”
The man came to a stop in the center of the road, confusion spreading on his features. “But Ero is a god!” the man called after Jack.
“Gods don’t build armies,” Jack called over his shoulder. “And neither do devils.”
His comment drew a curious look from Beauty, but Jack dug his heels into the steed’s flanks and it began to trot down the road. At the bend in the road he glanced back to see the innkeeper still rooted in place. Even at the distance Jack saw the worry on his features.
“So,” Beauty said, “What have you learned?”
“It’s a long story.”
She settled into her saddle with a smug smile. “I like long stories.”
He grinned. “After leaving the guild I returned home, and found a memory orb my mother left for me . . .”
Chapter 11: Reunion
Jack and Beauty made their way north but avoided the regular thief haunts. Four days after departing the tavern they came to a small fishing village south of Terros. They made their way to the sole tavern and paid for two rooms and a meal. Then they made their way to field with a vantage point of the road.
“Want to test your skill with a sword?” Beauty asked as the day dragged by.
“I’d rather poke a knife into my eyes.”
“You need to practice, Jack. We both know your skills with a blade are lacking.”
“I’ve told you before,” he said. “Swordplay is a good way to get cut and bruised.”
“Have you forgotten who you face?”
“Of course not,” he said. “But it doesn’t mean I want to train.”
“Spoken like a fool,” she said, and then flashed a sly smile. “Or perhaps you require a bribe.”
He peaked an eyebrow at that. “What do you have in mind?”
She reached into a pouch and pulled a small red knife into view. “We’ve been working on this at the guild for a few months now. It’s a gorgon key, and it can open any lock.”
He grinned and relented with a sigh. “How is it you always know my price?”
“I know you,” she said with a smug smile, and tossed him the key.
He slipped the knife into an empty sheath on his chest and joined her in a clearing that overlooked the road. Trained by the barbarians in her youth, her skill rivaled that of a Talinorian weapons master. After several days of training he regretted his choice.
“I should have waited to give you the key,” she growled, and twirled her sword in the morning light. “You’re less motivated since you already have your prize.”
“This is exactly the way I thought it would be,” Jack replied, rubbing his latest injury.
“Sarcasm doesn’t help.”
“Sarcasm always helps,” he argued.
She glared at him before bursting into laughter. “Stop trying to distract me, Jack, and do the technique again.”
Caught, Jack sighed in resignation and spun his dagger before lunging at her. Although he would never admit it, he was grateful for her instruction. She was skilled and patient, and he showed a marked improvement in just a few days. When they stopped for lunch he sank into a seat at her side and gestured to the road.
“They’re late.”
“They’ll be here,” Beauty said. “You may not have seen it, but Lorelia has risen to the calling of Guildmaster quite well.”
“She changed a great deal after regaining her memories,” Jack said.
“We all did,” she replied darkly.
“What memory did he take from you?”
She took a pull from her water skin and didn’t answer. As the seconds passed Jack wondered if she would share it. Then she sighed and shook her head.
“I found out he ordered my sister’s death and confronted him, but he said I was too valuable. Then he jammed that blasted memory curse into my skull. I served Erela’s killer for months without knowing it.”
“We should have followed him into the swamp and killed him ourselves,” Jack said.
“I know,” she said. “But how many would have survived being hunted by two rayth cats in the Evermist?”
He reclined on the grass and looked at the sky. White cottony clouds floated across the blue expanse, driven by the soft breeze that cooled the sweat on Jack’s brow. He smiled and closed his eyes, relishing the sense of freedom.
“How can you be so relaxed when you know what we’re up against?”
“Apathy can be quite relaxing,” he said without opening his eyes.
Her tone became irritated. “You don’t care if he gets the keys?”
“I want to stop him because I think it will be fun,” Jack said. “Not because I care if he gets what he wants. In many respects he’s just like Lord Horanian in Nightfall Gorge. He has power and coin but is never satisfied.”
“That’s surprisingly insightful.”
“I also enjoy depriving him of what he wants.”
She laughed sourly. “I already knew that. I guess I hoped you would want to do this for more than just yourself.”
He put his hands behind his head. “Sorry to disappoint you, but I really only want to make him angry.”
“What do you intend to do?”
“He helped kill your sister,” he said. “Of course we have to kill him. Depriving him of what he wants makes it enjoyable.”
She remained silent for several minutes, and then asked, “Why did you leave the guild?”
He opened his eyes and looked up to see her expression somber. “Why did you stay? We both know you don’t want to be a thief. You could have come with me.”
She looked away, but not before he saw the sudden hurt in her eyes. “I can’t return home until I’ve killed Skorn,” she said. “And my father is dead.”
He thought of the blistering cold of the barbarian mountains and shuddered. “Why would you want to go back there? I was so cold I thought my skin would shatter.”
“It’s my home,” she said quietly.
He reached out and took her hand in his. “I promised I would help you, and I will.”
“Is that why you came back?”
I never wanted to leave you.
He wanted to say it but couldn’t seem to voice the words. “I had a promise to keep,” he said.
“You really are a—”
“They’re here,” he said as a distant clop of a horse hoof caused him to sit up. When he heard it again he gestured down the road. “Five horses.”
“Don’t you want to know what I was going to say?”
“I already know what I am,” Jack said, and forced a smile.
He rose and gathered his gear before descending the hill to the road. Beauty was quick to join him, and by the time they stepped onto the gravel path Lorelia appeared astride a horse. She smiled as she caught sight of them and flicked the reins to accelerate her mount. One by one the others appeared behind her.
Gordon and Ursana came next. Although the two had joined the guild on the same day as Jack, they had come from starkly different backgrounds. Upon joining the guild they had forged a bond not unlike a father and daughter, and had worked as partners ever since.
At seventeen Ursana still looked like a tiny girl. A heavy crossbow lay slung across her back, while the rest of her thief’s gear was hidden beneath her shaden. A former soldier, Gordon rode behind her. In spite of his training he preferred to sleep more than anyone Jack had met.
Jack grinned and was surprised to realize how much he’d missed them. When he’d joined the guild they had performed a trio of assignments together which culminated in a dangerous theft from a lord in Nightfall Gorge. Several weeks later Gordon and Ursana had come to save him from execution in the elven capitol of Azertorn.
The group rode up to Jack and dismounted, and Ursana darted forward to embrace Jack. Then she stepped back and punched him in the arm.
“You should never have left.”
“I’m not a thief,” Jack said with a laugh.
“Then why are you so blasted good at it?” Gordon said with a grin.
“Gordon speaks the truth,” Thalidon said.
Jack turned to find the dwarf dismounting. Without a beard the dwarf could have passed for a short, stocky human. His clothes were well tailored and threaded with mithral, suggesting they were utilitarian as well as stylish. Jack reached out to clasp his wrist.
“I hope you’ve brought me new gear,” he said.
“Perhaps I have a surprise or two,” Thalidon said, his eyes twinkling. Then he gestured to his brother. “This is Roarthin.”
The dwarf grunted and did not offer his hand. “Well met,” he said. It didn’t sound like he meant it.
“Why so dour?” Jack asked. “I thought you wanted to kill Skorn.”
“I do,” the dwarf said with a scowl. “But I don’t care to be saddled with thieves.” Thalidon backhanded his shoulder but the dwarf didn’t take the warning. He sniffed and looked away. “Your occupation is repulsive.”
“Roarthin,” Thalidon growled, but Jack’s laugh stopped the rebuke on his lips.
“At least he’s honest,” Jack said.
“Let’s get moving,” Lorelia said. “We’re months behind the cultists and we still have to get to the Azure Islands. Did you find us a boat?”
“A ship called the Erenessa stops here every three days,” Beauty said. “The captain promised to take us to the islands.”
Lorelia nodded. “Then let’s don our personas and get to the docks. From here on we’re working with a pair of dwarves searching for a mine on the islands. Thalidon will be the presumed lead for our party.”
While Ursana and Gordon led the horses into the village, the group stepped off the road and prepared their personas. Two hours later they exited dressed as workmen and women, and the dwarves looked like mining prospectors. Then they entered the village and found a place at the inn. Two days later they boarded the Erenessa and embarked for the islands of the azure. As the ship pulled onto Blue Lake, Jack carried the last of their gear below decks and paused to wipe the sweat from his brow.
“Going alone makes a persona so much easier.”
Beauty grinned at him. “Yet more dangerous.”
“I like danger,” he said sourly. “It’s better than lugging crates about like a mule.”
“Do you always complain?” Roarthin said, hefting a bag of mining equipment like it was a pillow.
“Always,” Gordon and Ursana said in unison, and grinned together.
“Cut the talk,” Lorelia said. “Don’t forget we’re not the only passengers on the ship, and we cannot afford to be
discovered before we even get to the islands.” She threw Jack a warning look.
Jack ignored her and sank into a hammock. “At least we’ve got a week to relax before we get there.”
“I can live with that,” Gordon said, claiming the hammock beside him. “Wake me when it’s time to eat.”
“It’s three hours until lunch,” Roarthin said, his tone laced with disapproval.
“That’s not much time,” Gordon said.
“But we’ll make do,” Jack finished.
They grinned in unison and closed their eyes. Someone cursed and another grunted in disgust. Then the group seemed to realize Jack and Gordon were not going to move and Lorelia laughed.
“Leave them to their dreams,” she said. “Now that we’re loaded there’s little else to do anyway.”
The sound of boots ascended to the deck, leaving Jack to the creaking of wood and rope. As the ship pulled further out to sea it rocked the hammocks, lulling Jack into slumber. Before it could claim him Gordon spoke.
“Can I still trust you?”
Jack cracked an eye open to find Gordon looking at him. “What do you need?” he asked.
“Whatever happens to me, I need you to swear you will take care of Ursana.”
“Nothing is going to happen to you,” Jack said with a yawn.
“Still,” Gordon said. “Lorelia explained who we face, and I am not certain we will all return from such an assignment.”
“Then why did you come?”
“I can’t sit idle when one such as him walks free.”
“You’re a thief,” Jack reminded him.
“That doesn’t mean I don’t have morals,” Gordon said. “So promise me you’ll make sure my partner is taken care of.”
“Didn’t you say you already had a daughter?”
“Yes,” Gordon said with a faint smile. “And Ursana reminds me of Gwen.”
Jack sighed. “I swear it, but don’t worry so much. It will disturb your slumber.”
Gordon grinned at that. “As you order.”
Their conversation lapsed and soon Gordon began to snore. Jack stared at the beams above him. He’d assumed that stealing from Skorn would be easy. After all, the man only had cultists as servants now. But Jack had underestimated him before, and it had nearly cost him his life.