She crossed her arms over her chest and bowed. "I swear!"
"Do you swear to devote yourselves to this Undertaking, wholly and completely, until such a time as you have proven yourselves deserving of worshipping the Watcher in the Dark through service to the Night Guild."
"I swear!" Ilanna's hands trembled and sweat trickled down her back.
"Do you swear that you, and only you, will carry out your Undertaking? That you will refuse the aid of all others, so that you alone may offer up this sacrifice to the Watcher and to the Night Guild?"
"I swear!"
Master Gold raised his arms high. "So let it be done!" He stepped back. He and the House Masters drew their hoods forward, hiding their faces once more. "Let it be known in all the Houses. From this day forward, the apprentices you see before you are to dedicate themselves utterly to the completion of their Undertaking. Let no man interfere with their tasks. To interfere with them is to interfere with an offering to the god who has blessed and multiplied us. Do you swear?"
The assorted Journeymen and Masters around the room roared as one. "We swear!"
"So let it be done!" Master Gold produced a vial from his robes and, uncorking it, stepped toward Ethen, who stood at the far end of the line of apprentices. He whispered a few words into Ethen's ear, too low for Ilanna to hear.
Ethen bowed. "Yes, Master Gold."
Dipping his thumb into the vial, Master Gold drew three vertical lines on his forehead—the sign of the Watcher. "The Watcher guide you in your path, apprentice to the House of Scorpions."
He stood before Ilanna. She stared into the shadows of his hood, meeting his glittering eyes.
Leaning forward, he spoke in a whisper. "Break these oaths, you will find yourself condemned to a fate far worse than death. For you have sworn before the Watcher and the Night Guild. Do you understand, apprentice?"
She bowed. "Yes, Master Gold."
He drew the sign of the Watcher on her forehead. "The Watcher guide you in your path, apprentice to the House of Hawks."
Master Gold moved down the line and his voice faded into the background. Ilanna's hands trembled with excitement. Her eyes wandered over the crowd of hooded figures. Soon, very soon, she would take her place in their ranks. She had only to complete her Undertaking.
But what is it? Master Gold hadn't explained anything. What do I have to do?
Master Gold finished with the last apprentice in line and returned to his place. "Go, apprentices, with the Watcher to guide you in your Undertaking. Prove yourselves worthy to join the ranks of the Night Guild, worthy to serve He Who Sees All in the Dark."
* * *
Ilanna stood stiff at attention, eyes locked on the walls of the Aerie.
Master Hawk paced with hands clasped behind his back. "Tell me, apprentice, do you understand what the Undertaking is?"
"Not exactly, Master Hawk."
The House Master stopped and eyed her, scratching his scruffy chin. "Simply put, child, it is a test to prove yourself worthy of being a Journeyman in the Night Guild. You have been an apprentice for nine years, learning the Hawk ways. Now, you will demonstrate your skill."
"How?"
"That, apprentice, is entirely up to you." Master Hawk started to pace again. "Your Undertaking is meant to be a challenge, one that will take you long months of study and planning to complete. You must choose something that will push you to your limit. Only by surviving and succeeding will you prove your worth—to me and the rest of the Guild."
"So it has to be something difficult? Something perhaps so difficult it has never—or rarely—been accomplished before?"
Master Hawk nodded. "Precisely. Now, I expect you will need time to consider your options and—"
Ilanna had no need to think. She knew what she wanted. She'd known since her first day on the rooftops of Praamis. There's nothing else for me.
"The Black Spire." She blushed. She'd just interrupted her House Master. Heart-pounding seconds passed and Master Hawk said not a word. He simply stared with those piercing, unnerving eyes of his.
She didn't back down. The old Ilanna would have cringed, but she held herself erect, meeting his eyes with confidence.
He raised an eyebrow. "Did I hear you right, apprentice? Did you say…?"
Ilanna nodded. "Absolutely, Master Hawk."
"Are you certain you do not want time to consider carefully? The Black Spire is a challenge few have dared to attempt. Those who have…" He shrugged.
"I have given it all the thought I need to, Master." I've thought about it since the day I saw it. The midnight tower had called to her. Most considered the challenge impossible, but that only made her want it all the more.
Master Hawk's eyes burned and his mouth pressed into a tight line. "Do you know how many Hawks have been have lost over the years, girl? You would not be the first apprentice under my command to attempt the feat, but how many of them do you think survived?"
She swallowed. "None, Master Hawk."
"Precisely. None have survived. Those who survived the climb and entered the tower were only seen once more…on the day of their execution in the public square."
Ilanna's eyes widened.
Master Hawk nodded. "Ponder that a moment, apprentice. Nearly a dozen of the best Hawks that have ever come through this Guild, dancing at the end of a hangman's rope, all because they believed themselves skilled enough to challenge the Black Spire and its master. Would you join them?"
Ilanna shook her head. "No, Master Hawk."
Master Hawk's face relaxed, and the lines around his mouth and eyes smoothed. "Good. I will give you a few days to think about your Undertaking—"
"I will not join them, Master Hawk, for I will succeed where they have failed."
The tension returned to Master Hawk's face. He looked like he wanted to protest, but Ilanna didn't give him the chance.
"It is a decision I do not make lightly, Master Hawk. But it is my choice to make, is it not?"
Master Hawk's mouth twitched. "It is your choice, apprentice. That is the purpose of the Undertaking, after all." He rubbed his jaw. "Is there nothing I can say to dissuade you from this foolhardy mission?"
Ilanna locked eyes with him. "I have made up my mind."
Master Hawk threw up his hands. "To think, all the years we have invested in you, wasted!"
His lack of faith stung, but she refused to let it show. "Perhaps things will not turn out as you expect, Master Hawk."
The House Master snorted. "I have stood here and had this same conversation more times than I'd like, child. Every one said the same thing and where are they now?"
"None of them was me, Master Hawk. That, you will find, makes all the difference in the world." The words felt hollow, but Ilanna wouldn't let him shake her confidence. She needed every shred of belief she possessed if she was to succeed.
Master Hawk eyed her, shaking his head. "I wish that were true, apprentice." He sighed and his shoulders slumped. "I will provide you all the supplies you need for your Undertaking, as well as a guide to aid you."
"But I thought—"
Master Hawk held up a hand. "None of your fellows may help you in your Undertaking, but they may offer counsel and guide you in preparation of the test."
Hope surged within Ilanna. I won't have to do it all alone!
"I have someone in mind to serve as your guide. Where shall I have them meet you?"
"I will be sitting atop the Coin Counter's Temple."
He raised an eyebrow. "The preparation begins already?"
Ilanna nodded. How many times had she sat on the flat roof of the temple, studying the massive black spire? I've been preparing for this for years.
"So be it. He will join you within the hour."
"Thank you, Master Hawk."
Master Hawk nodded and turned to leave.
"Master Hawk?"
He whirled. "What?"
Ilanna winced at the anger in his voice. "Might I ask a favor?"
"What
is it?"
"May I speak to Master Gold?"
Master Hawk raised an eyebrow. "Hmmm. An unusual request."
"He's the only one who knows, isn't he?"
Master Hawk nodded. "The only one still able to talk, at least." He stroked his chin. "Very well. I will make the request to the Guild Master."
She bowed. "Thank you, Master Hawk."
* * *
Ilanna didn’t need to look up to know who her guide was. He dropped to the roof beside her and neither spoke for long minutes. The tower filled her vision, an obsidian dagger thrust into the azure belly of the sky."
"The Black Spire, Ilanna? Really?"
Ilanna shrugged. "Did you really expect anything else, Denber?"
"I…I guess not."
Ilanna pictured herself climbing the skyscraping building, clinging to its midnight stone, being buffeted by the wind. It won't be easy, that's for sure. That made it all the more imperative that she defeat it.
Denber leaned back against the slanted tile roof. "I almost went up there, you know?"
Her jaw dropped. "Really?"
He nodded. "Aye. I was certain I could do it."
"What happened?"
"A…a friend tried. He never made it out alive. When I saw him take the morning drop in Executioner's Square, I…I couldn't do it. I couldn't go out, not like that."
Ilanna rested a hand on his arm. She could find no words to say to comfort him, but it didn't matter. She squeezed and he gave her a weak grin.
"Ilanna?"
"Yes, Denber?"
"Don’t get yourself killed. Please."
"I won't."
I won't, she repeated silently. I'll study the tower until I know everything there is to know. She had a year to train and prepare for the Undertaking. I've faced worse odds before and beaten them every time. The smallest of the tyros, she'd been chosen by Master Hawk. She'd recovered from her beating at Sabat's hands and come back better and stronger. She'd taken her revenge on her tormentor. The Black Spire would be just one more challenge to conquer.
There was no question in Ilanna's mind. I will do what I must and I will succeed.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Master Gold sat in a plush divan, toying with an ornate dagger. "Well, this is a first."
Ilanna stood in the Guild Master's elaborate sitting room, back straight, eyes fixed on the man's face. He looked nothing like she'd expected. Denber had said he'd ruled House Hawk before being Guild Master. She'd half-expected a stout man, pale from too much time spent in the tunnels.
She hoped he didn't see her surprise. His barrel chest drooped to a slight paunch, but the man before her had strong hands, thick arms, and broad shoulders. He looks more like a Bloodbear than a Hawk!
"Wh-what is, M-Master Gold?" She clasped her hands behind her back to hide their trembling. The Guild Master's piercing scrutiny set her nerves on edge.
White teeth showed beneath the Guild Master's walrus moustache. "This." He pointed to her. "You."
"I don't understand."
Master Gold chuckled. "In all my years as Guild Master, and as a Hawk before that, you are the first woman to join House Hawk."
Ilanna's eyes narrowed. An insult or a compliment?
He raised a hand in a placating gesture. "Take no offense, apprentice. You are not the first woman to join the Guild, simply the first Hawk. From what Master Hawk and the Journeymen tell me, you have more than earned your place in the House."
She bowed to hide a smile. "Thank you, Master Gold."
The Guild Master nodded. "And now I hear you have chosen the Black Spire as your Undertaking. Is that correct?"
Ilanna nodded. "Yes, Master Gold."
Master Gold stroked his moustache with two scarred fingers. "I trust Master Hawk has done his best to dissuade you from the attempt?"
"He has. But I believe it an Undertaking worthy of the Night Guild and the Watcher in the Dark."
"Indeed." He twirled his thick moustache. "Better thieves than you have tried and failed, you know."
Ilanna shrugged. "Perhaps. But I may possess something they did not, something that will help me to succeed where they failed."
"Oh?" Master Gold leaned forward with a curious expression. "And what is that? Some magical trinket or some spell you can cast to fly up to the top of the tower?" He narrowed his eyes. "What could you possibly have that no one else does?"
Ilanna clenched her fists. "I don't know. Which is why I have come to you. Perhaps the wisdom you impart will be that 'something'. Or it may be something else, I cannot say. But would you, as the former Master of House Hawk, expect any less than my utmost in this Undertaking?"
A slow smile spread on Master Gold's face. "Of course not, young Hawk. That is its purpose, after all." He waved to the divan beside his. "Come, sit."
Ilanna sat, her posture rigid, uncomfortable in his presence. She found it hard to meet his gaze, which bored into her. The Master of the Night Guild seemed friendly and welcoming, but beneath the veneer, an innate cunning burned in his eyes. Instinct screamed at her; Master Gold was not one to be trifled with.
A feline grin spread his lips. "So, Ilanna of House Hawk, what would you have of me?"
Ilanna cleared her throat. "Tools of the trade I can acquire. I can practice until my fingers bleed. But there is one thing I cannot find elsewhere."
Master Gold nodded. "Experience. I am the only living Guild member to enter and escape the Black Spire intact." He stroked his moustache, eyeing her. "You are not the first to come to me for my advice. In fact, a companion of yours—a lad by the name of Denber—sat in that very seat not long ago. Why not talk to him?"
"Master Hawk assigned him to be my guide, but I wished to learn firsthand. Perhaps there is some detail he has forgotten or something he dismissed as unimportant. This way…" She turned her palms upward.
"Indeed. It is always best to be prepared. A wise decision, one I wish more of your brethren had made before attempting the impossible. Perhaps more Hawks would be alive today."
Warmth suffused Ilanna at the compliment and a smile tickled at the corner of her lips.
Master Gold leaned forward. "What would you like to know?"
Ilanna's hesitation and fear fled, replaced by nervous excitement. "Everything. From the very beginning. Anything you tell me could spell the difference between success and failure."
Master Gold leaned back in his divan and steepled his fingers. "Well, it started on a night not unlike this…"
* * *
"Let me see if I have this right." Denber studied the parchment spread across the common room table. "First, you'll have to climb the tower."
Ilanna nodded. "No easy feat, as I'm sure you remember."
Denber tapped the stylus on his teeth. "The exterior walls are almost entirely smooth, with no crenellations, statuary, or balconies to anchor a rope."
Ilanna snatched the stylus away from him to stop the tapping. "There are no buildings nearby, so no access from the rooftops. The only way to get to the tower is through the gardens."
"Hmm." Denber's fingers twitched. "That's going to make things challenging. I never found the route to get close enough before…"
Ilanna nodded. "We'll need help from the Serpents and the Hounds. I know a Serpent who'd be willing."
"I know a Hound. What will we need them for?"
"When it comes to slipping in and out of places unseen, they're the best. They can help me find the safest route to the base of the tower."
Denber nodded. "Fair enough. But once you reach the tower, you're still going to have to find a way to scale the wall. Smooth stone, remember?"
Ilanna smiled. "Of course. But Master Gold is sending something to take care of that."
Denber eyed her, but shrugged when she offered no more. "Getting up is the easy part, insomuch as anything about the Black Spire can be considered easy. You'll go after dark, I assume?"
"Yes. Dark clothing, dark night, dark stone. Makes sense, don't you think?"
Denber nodded. "We'll have to plan it for a new moon, then."
"Good. That way, we'll have all night. Think it's enough time?"
"That depends on how fast you can make the climb."
Ilanna shrugged. "Once Master Gold sends his 'secret weapon', we'll give it a test to find out."
"Right. So let's assume you can make the climb with plenty of time to spare. What next?"
Ilanna tapped the pinnacle of the diagram of the tower they had scribbled on the parchment. "According to Master Gold, there's a glass window at the top of the Black Spire."
"A window?"
"If you had the tallest tower in Praamis, don't you think you'd want to admire the view? I know I would."
He inclined his head. "So, the window shouldn't be too much of a problem, right? A simple diamond-tipped cutter will get you in."
"Yes, but that's as much as I got from Master Gold. Nothing about what's beyond the window or what sort of traps or snares could be hiding within the room."
Denber cocked an eyebrow. "You really think the room will be trapped? The highest room in the tallest tower?"
"I don't know, but I'll have to be prepared for anything. I'll spend time in the Treasure Room, getting accustomed to noticing even the slightest detail out of place."
"Hmm, that's something I hadn’t thought of when I was planning. Smart thinking."
Ilanna grinned. "Once I evade or disarm whatever traps there are, I'll have to steal something as proof I was there."
"Maybe. Maybe not." He rubbed his chin. "You could just light a beamer once you get in. The fact that you made it up there and back out safely would be enough proof."
"Well, let's keep that as a back-up plan, just in case I can't find anything to serve as my proof."
"And I assume you have a plan for how you'll get back down?"
"That's actually the easy part!" Ilanna grinned and tugged at the slim black rope around her waist. "I'll just bring along enough rope to slide back down."
Queen of Thieves Box Set Page 28