The Duke arched an imperious eyebrow. "And what could you possibly have to say that would be of any interest to me?" He glanced at her clothing and weapons with only mild curiosity.
Ilanna stepped forward. The guards behind her tensed, but the Duke's face showed no sign of tension.
"Perhaps you'd like to know how I stole Lady Auslan's body. I figure you have to be racking your brain over that one."
The Duke's eyes flew wide. "What?" he roared. "You?" He stared at her for long moments, seeming at a loss for words. His fingers toyed with the gilded hilt of the sword of the Chief Justiciar's office.
Ilanna hid a smile. "Once you've collected yourself, perhaps you'd like to tell your goons to take their hands from their swords and give us a moment of peace." She spread her empty hands wide. "Your men have taken all my weapons, and a big man like you should hold his own in a fight with an unarmed thief."
The Duke's jaw dropped. Tension rolled off the Arbitors behind her in waves. She would give a fortune to see their shocked and horrified faces at her disrespect to, very possibly, the most powerful man in Praamis.
After a moment, the Duke recovered his regal composure. "Leave us."
"My lord--" Ingser began.
Duke Phonnis cut him off with a sharp chop. "Leave us, Captain."
Ingser bowed. "As you say, my lord."
The Duke sat on the edge of his desk and fixed Ilanna with a curious expression. Ilanna ignored him, studying the room. Save for the enormous map of Praamis hanging on the wall behind him, the room held no adornments or embellishments. A shelf stood beside a nearby window, holding books of Praamian law, scrolls, and loose parchments. Clearly the office of a practical, work-minded man.
When the door had shut behind the last Arbitor, the Duke spoke. "You're the one?" He studied her up and down. "You're a tad…smaller than I expected."
Ilanna shrugged. "Size isn't all that matters, Duke." She tapped her forehead. "All the muscle in the world won't make up for an empty head."
"Indeed." The Duke worried at his lip, brow furrowed in thought.
"You seem like the kind of man who understands the value of cleverness. It's why we're having this conversation right now."
Again the Duke failed to hide his incredulity. "Forgive me, but I find it hard to believe you're standing here right now. After what you did to me…"
Ilanna shrugged. "Business is business." She narrowed her eyes. "Though I can't say there wasn't a certain amount of personal pleasure in it. Especially after you hanged my friend!"
The Duke's mouth twisted. "You came after me because of one more dead thief? Do you have any idea the sort of damage you've caused? Dozens of laborers lost their jobs. Stonemasons, metalworkers, locksmiths, Arbitors, all out of work because of some thief girl."
Ilanna bared her teeth. "Right now, Duke Phonnis, that thief girl is Praamis' only hope."
Duke Phonnis snorted. "This I have to hear! Praamis' only hope—what rubbish!"
"So be it." Ilanna folded her arms and leaned against the wall. "Everything I've ever heard about the great Duke Elodon Phonnis insisted you would care more about the wellbeing of Praamis than your own personal pride. Perhaps I heard wrong."
The Duke's cheeks flared red. "Why you…" He caught himself and took a deep breath. "Tell me," he said, his voice flat and curt. He glanced at the ceremonial sword hanging on his belt. "Tell me why I shouldn't have my men cut you down where you stand. What dire news makes you bold enough to walk into the palace?"
"The Bloody Hand has come to Praamis."
The Duke's eyes narrowed. "Of course they have. They've been coming for years. Trying to weasel their way into that precious Guild of yours." He spat the word as an insult.
"But now they're here to stay," Ilanna said in a matter-of-fact tone. "They've invaded the Night Guild. Hundreds of them. Killed dozens, wounded more."
"And how is that my concern?" Disdain showed on the Duke's face. "They can kill the whole damned lot of you, for all I care. Praamis would be far better off with you scum gone."
"Would it?" Ilanna held her hands out, palms up. "The Night Guild is a place of law and order. There are rules that must be followed. The Journeymen and apprentices are kept in line by their Houses. How many men have been murdered in the last decade, Duke Phonnis? How many women raped in the streets? How many children stolen from their home to be sold as slaves?"
The Duke's brow furrowed.
"You see us as criminals," Ilanna said, "yet even you benefit from our continued existence."
He bristled. "Why you impudent little—"
"We are what make your business thrive, Duke Phonnis. When the nobles come to you for protection, it is because they worry that we will get our hands on their valuables. Because of us, you have grown rich off the wealthy of Praamis."
Duke Phonnis rolled his eyes. "Perhaps I should speak to the King. Surely you deserve a parade for your altruistic actions."
Ilanna chuckled. "No thank you. We prefer to operate in the shadows."
The Duke opened his mouth to retort, but Ilanna drove on.
"We bring stability to the city. We may lift purses, steal from men with more coin than common sense, or pilfer something of value, but there is balance to our actions. The Night Guild controls the crime in Praamis. Because of us, there is peace."
She thrust a finger west, toward Voramis. "But with the Bloody Hand, there will be no control, no peace. You have been to Voramis, you've seen what they have done to their own city. They burned Old Town Market to the ground, all to send a message to the Night Guild. Would you welcome that chaos and violence in Praamis?"
The Duke pursed his lips. "Go on."
"I have come to you because you are the only one who can do what must be done. My Guild Master and I have fought to keep the Bloody Hand at bay for years. The Guild Master lies dead. I cannot return to my home. My friends and comrades are held captive by bloodthirsty savages who will not hesitate to turn Praamis into another city like Voramis."
Duke Phonnis tugged at his lip, seeming deep in thought.
"If what I've heard of you is true," Ilanna continued, "there are two things that matter most to you. Your reputation and your city. Despite the damage the Night Guild has done to your reputation, I believe you will be capable of putting aside your personal enmity for the sake of Praamis. It is for that reason alone that I surrendered myself to your men. Was I wrong?"
The silence hung thick in the office. Tension showed in the taut lines of the Duke's shoulders and the creases around his mouth and eyes. A trickle of sweat ran down Ilanna's back, but she forced her face to calm. She would show no hesitation, no weakness.
The Duke's shoulders relaxed. "Swordsman's bones, girl, you've a pair on you! If you weren't a thief, I'd make you Captain of the Arbitors in a week." He paced the office, tapping a finger to his lips. "Your words confirm rumors that have been floating around Praamis. From what my sources tell me, the Bloody Hand has been bringing men into the city for months. In groups of twos and threes, always hiding in plain sight, masquerading as traders or workers. All in preparation to raid the Guild, it seems. But why?" He turned a questioning glance on her. "Why not simply buy their way into your pack of criminals?"
Ilanna clenched her fists. "Because of me, and the Guild Master, and everyone in the Night Guild who refused to let Praamis be destroyed by the Bloody Hand's greed and violence." She snarled. "It may surprise you, Duke Phonnis, but some of us actually like the city the way it is. Even if it means our friends die swinging from a gibbet or being swallowed by the Field of Mercy. We would rather fight for Praamis than see it turned into another Voramis."
"So what are you proposing?" The Duke leaned against the desk, steepling his fingers before his mouth. "How do you expect me to drive the Bloody Hand out of Praamis? I've no idea where to find them, much less—"
"That's where I come in." Ilanna steeled herself. Her next words would change her life forever. "I will lead your Arbitors and Praamian Guards into th
e Guild."
The Duke's eyebrows nearly hit the ceiling. "You what?"
Ilanna clenched her teeth. "It is the only way. The Bloody Hand has taken over our home. I will show your men where to find them. Even if it means you find us." She could see the wheels turning in the Duke's mind. "Is that not a fair price to pay for your aid? You will finally know the secrets of the Night Guild."
She hated to do it, but she had no other choice. They needed to drive the Bloody Hand out of Praamis. If that meant revealing the location of the Night Guild, so be it. Her offer gave the Duke a way to control the Guild. If they ever stepped out of line, he could send his men to raid their tunnels. Her actions might endanger the lives of her fellow Journeymen and apprentices in the future, but she had to focus on the now. The Duke would never do the sort of damage to them that the Bloody Hand already had.
"No."
The single word hit Ilanna like a blow to the gut. "No?" Ice ran through her veins. "You would rather cling to your petty hatred of the Guild than protect your city?"
The Duke shook his head. "No. I will protect Praamis. But what I mean is, no, it is not a fair price to pay. You want my help? It will not come without a cost."
Anger surged in Ilanna's chest, but she forced her temper back under control. "So be it."
Her answer caught the Duke by surprise. "What?"
She folded her arms across her chest. "I will pay your price. Name it."
The Duke opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Clearly, he hadn't expected her to agree so easily.
An idea struck her. "You want payment, Duke Phonnis? You will have it. In return for your saving the Night Guild, I will bring you the head of Grand Reckoner Edmynd."
Chapter Sixteen
The Duke's jaw dropped. "You stroll in here speaking of murder and simply expect I'll let you walk away?" He strode toward his sword. "I am the Chief Justiciar of Praamis, girl. What's more, you speak of the highest-ranked priest of the Apprentice in Praamis. Such impiety cannot--"
"Perhaps I misspoke." Ilanna stifled a grin. Her words had worked as she hoped. "I do not offer to kill the Grand Reckoner for you."
The Duke hesitated, hand hovering above the gilded hilt of his sword of office.
"I know the Grand Reckoner is your primary competitor in Praamis. Those noblemen unwilling to pay for your Arbitors and your strongboxes bring their gold and valuables to the Temple of the Apprentice. In his role as Grand Reckoner, High Priest in service to Garridos, Edmynd grows fat—fatter, in truth—off the safety of his vaults. But he is more than your business rival. You also despise the man, even though he is a priest." She allowed her grin to show. "Perhaps your fear for your immortal soul cannot outweigh your disdain for the man."
A grimace twisted the Duke's lips for a heartbeat, but he schooled his expression. "How do you know all this?"
Ilanna inclined her head. "The same way I knew about Lady Auslan. The Night Guild has ears everywhere." This last was said for dramatic effect. The Duke's rivalry with Grand Reckoner Edmynd counted among Praamis' most poorly guarded secrets.
The Duke sat and leaned on his elbows, eyes fixed on her face. "What are you offering?"
"Information. The sort you can use to gain leverage over the Grand Reckoner next time you face each other across the negotiation table."
The Duke stiffened. "You speak of blackmail?" He sneered. "I am the rule of law and order in this city, girl. I do not resort to strong-arming people to do my will, like your kind."
Ilanna shrugged. "Do you have much choice, Duke Phonnis? Recent events have no doubt hit your business hard. As you said, many men are now without employment."
"Because of you!" The Duke stood, slamming his palm on the table. "You broke into the Black Spire, and in doing so thumbed your nose at the rule of law! Thanks to your foolish actions, the nobles have begun to question whether the King is able to govern his own city. After all, they reason, if a mud-born thief can get away with breaking into the Chief Justiciar's home, the King's own brother, how is there any hope of preventing other crimes? Your stunt with Lady Auslan only made things worse."
He strode around the desk, hands flexing and relaxing. "The people of Praamis demand strength, and all you've done is undermine the foundation of law and order upon which this city is built." Rage burned in his eyes. "You would seek to ruin me, all because of some vendetta? I may have hanged your friends, but it is my duty. I uphold the law in this city, while you and yours bring chaos and misery. Those thieves who died knew full well that they were breaking the law. I acted as I am commanded by my King and my city. You act on your own greed and desire. And you have the gall to stand here and speak to me as if you were a friend offering me a helping hand."
Ilanna didn't flinch beneath the Duke's tirade. "You think I come here of my own free will, Duke?" It didn't matter that he stood close to a full head taller—she had no time for fear or hesitation. If she didn't walk out of here with the Duke's promise to bring the Arbitors and Praamian Guard into the Night Guild, her friends would die. Praamis would descend into chaos.
"I was not given a choice when my father sold me into slavery to the Night Guild," Ilanna snarled. "I did not choose to be raised as a thief. I did what I had to given my circumstances. Not all are born with the wealth of an entire city to pay for their noble upbringing. Some of us have had to work every day of our lives just to stay alive. Run from those who would harm us. Go to sleep so hungry we would murder our best friends for a single scrap of bread. Watch the ones we love murdered in front of our eyes, or dangling from a hangman's noose in the name of justice!"
She stepped within striking range.
"You say you uphold law and order in this city? Then do your damned job, Duke of Praamis. The wolves are within your walls, and it is too late to turn the blind eye and pretend all is well." She jabbed a finger into his broad chest. "I have come to you because you are the only one who can do what must be done. If you are too narrow-minded to put aside your disdain for me and mine that you will not lift a finger in defense of your city, tell me now, so I may go and find someone who will."
For a moment, the tableau held. The thief girl stared into the dark, angry eyes of the Chief Justiciar, breath coming fast, rage blazing within her.
Soft applause echoed behind her. Ilanna whirled, hand dropping to her belt before she remembered the Arbitors had removed her dagger.
A slim, middle-aged man stood in the doorway, an amused smile on his angular face. "She has fire, Elodon."
"Brother." The Duke's face flushed with a mix of rage and embarrassment. "What are you doing here?"
Ilanna struggled to hide her shock. This was King Ohilmos? Were it not for his rich robes and the circlet sitting on his forehead, he could have passed for a scribe or accountant. That, and the thick circles of scar tissue dotting his face, twisting his nose and lips into a permanent grimace.
King Dayan Ohilmos thrust a chin at her. "Forgive my curiosity, Brother." He spoke in a rasping voice barely above a whisper. The same plague of Red Blight that killed his wife and infant son had left the King scarred, his throat damaged. "Sleep evades me, and on my stroll of the Palace Gardens I saw your Arbitors hustling this one into your office."
The Duke shook his head. "Of course, my King." He swept a hand to the chair. "Please, sit."
King Ohilmos lowered himself into the Duke's spartan chair and fixed Ilanna with a curious gaze. "Who are you, and what has my brother done to bring such wrath on his head?"
Ilanna couldn't help the grin. "Ilanna, my King."
"A thief," Duke Phonnis spat.
"The Night Guild?" The King raised an eyebrow.
Duke Phonnis' face twisted. "Indeed."
"Is she the one who--?"
The Duke gave a curt nod.
The King's eyebrows rose to his circlet. "I am surprised she still lives. After some of the curses you have called down on her, Brother, I expected to find her swinging from a noose or decorating the landscape of some forgotten h
ell."
Duke Phonnis scowled. "She has come with a request. And an offer." He looked as if he'd just eaten a pile of fresh horse droppings.
"Indeed?" King Ohilmos leaned back in the chair.
"The Bloody Hand has invaded Praamis." Ilanna spoke in a flat voice. "Even now, they sit in the Night Guild and consolidate their power. Soon, they will unleash upon our city the horrors they visited upon their own."
The King’s eyebrows furrowed. "Grave news, indeed." He turned to the Duke. "Did you know about this?"
Duke Phonnis winced. "The Praamian Guard has caught a handful of Voramians entering the city in disguise. Always in twos and threes. But we cannot stop them all. Especially if they now sit at the heart of the Night Guild."
"Ahh." The King gave a sage nod. "Ever the problem." He turned a wry smile on Ilanna. "The men who founded the Night Guild were cleverer than most."
The Duke's scowl deepened. "Do not speak of them so, Brother. They were thieves. They are thieves."
King Ohilmos ignored the Duke. "Forgive my brother, Ilanna of the Night Guild. He has one love: the law. He would do anything to rid what he perceives to be a stain upon Praamis. But he cannot see the truth of the Night Guild."
Ilanna inclined her head. "So you will help?"
"You cannot—" the Duke began.
King Ohilmos spoke over his brother. "You mentioned an offer. What was it?"
"Grand Reckoner Edmynd," Ilanna said without hesitation.
The King quirked an eyebrow. "What of him?"
Ilanna heard the curiosity and interest in his voice. "I will provide evidence you can use to…convince him."
"To do what?"
"Whatever you want." Ilanna shrugged. "A lowly thief such as myself has no concern for the business of grander men."
The King’s laughter echoed in the room. "Swordsman's beard, Elodon! If I didn't know better, I'd say she was perfect for you." He turned a mocking smile on his brother. "Flexible where you are rigid and unyielding. Clever where you are persistent and relentless. Chief Justiciar and thief, a love for the ages."
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