Queen of Thieves Box Set

by Andy Peloquin

  Ilanna released him. "But…" She gaped. "How? You stopped breathing. I saw you die!"

  Jarl nodded. "Close thing, that. Tyman kept me from the Long Keeper's embrace. Barely."

  Tears brimmed in Ilanna's eyes. She blinked hard and turned to study the Aerie. Corpses of Bloody Hand and Bloodbear thugs lay piled beneath the Perch. Two lifeless Hawk Journeymen had been placed off to one side.

  "Errik got word to us," Jarl said. "We were ready."

  Ilanna nodded, relief flooding her. "And Errik? Where is he?"

  Jarl's face darkened. "Rhynd has him. Dragged him away, along with Darreth, Allon, Joost, and Ves. Took a handful of his best as well."

  Her original crew. The men who had helped her break into the Coin Counter's Temple. How could he know that? The traitor, whoever he or she was, had to have told Rhynd.

  Jarl's face went pale beneath the blood, and he pressed a hand to his chest.

  "You hurt?" Ilanna asked, reaching for him.

  A dark stain spread down Jarl's clothes. "Not healed from last time." The wound had nearly killed him. Even now, he looked a heartbeat from collapse.

  "You need to rest." She helped him to a seated position, leaning against the wall. Something on the floor beside him caught her eye, and she picked it up. It was a piece of parchment bearing the image of a woman. She frowned at the familiar features, then her eyes flew wide.

  "What in the frozen hells is this?" she demanded.

  Of course the features were familiar—the image was supposed to be of her. Someone had done a crude job of recreating her face, like an inept artist struggling to reproduce another's work of art. But the resemblance was close enough that she recognized herself.

  Jarl winced. "Bloody Hand had these. It's how they knew to look for you." He closed his eyes. "They knew you were a Hawk. Knew too much about you. Knew too much about everything for that matter."

  Ilanna's fists clenched. "Everything pointed to Bryden, but--"

  "But if Bryden was the traitor, he wouldn't have let you go." The man himself, now acting Master Hawk, limped into the room.

  "Bryden."

  "Ilanna." He met her gaze. "What in the bloody hell have you done? The Praamian Guards? Arbitors?"

  "What I had to, Bryden," she said. "It was the only way."

  Bryden shook his head. "I hear you paid a late night visit to Filch. Any luck identifying the traitor?"

  "Nothing. They're clever, whoever they are."

  "We need to be cleverer, then." Bryden's brow furrowed.

  "Right now, we need to be gone. The Duke's men are probably on their way here right now." Ilanna turned to Jarl. "Can you walk?"

  The Pathfinder struggled upward, Ilanna lending him a hand. She slung his arm over her shoulder and helped him toward the tunnel that led to Master Hawk's office.

  "You going out the hidden tunnel?" Bryden asked.

  "Jarl will never make it up the Perch like this."

  Bryden nodded and limped faster toward Master Hawk's chambers.

  Just then, the door to House Hawk burst open and a score of Arbitors and Praamian Guards poured into the Aerie. Ilanna had a moment to react. "Run," she hissed at Bryden. Without hesitation, he obeyed.

  The Duke's men surged toward her. Ilanna dropped her sword and held up her hands. Olive-clad Praamian Guards surrounded her and Jarl.

  "Easy, boys." Ilanna spoke in a placating tone. "No one here is going to fight."

  "You got her?" the voice of Captain Rodar echoed in the Aerie. A moment later, the man himself strode through the double doors. His grimace turned to an arrogant grin as his gaze fell on her. "The Night Guild has fallen. Ilanna of House Hawk, I hereby place you under arrest for—"

  "I demand to be taken before the King," she said.

  Anger flared in Captain Rodar's eyes. "You're in no position to make demands, thief. We've orders directly from the Duke himself to—"

  Ilanna cut him off. "I have information King Ohilmos will find of great value. Information that could affect the Duke as well."

  Captain Rodar raised an eyebrow. "And you think that grants you an audience with the King? A gods-damned thief?" His mocking laughter rang out. "You'd have better luck convincing a Reckoner to part with his gold."

  Ilanna gritted her teeth. "It is my right as a citizen of—"

  Captain Rodar's punch caught her on the jaw. The world spun about her, and she staggered.

  Jarl's enraged shout brought clarity with her reeling mind. "Jarl, no!" Too late.

  The Pathfinder swung a huge fist at Captain Rodar. The Captain went down hard. The Praamian Guard raised their swords to strike Jarl, but Ilanna dragged him back.

  "No more death!" she shouted. She spotted Lieutenant Loralt. "I surrender, Lieutenant. Take me into custody, but do not harm my friend."

  The lieutenant sneered. "We have no need to kill your friend. He, like the rest of your lot, will soon face the King's justice." At his nod, the Praamian Guards snapped manacles onto Jarl's wrists and dragged him away.

  Ilanna's heart wrenched to see her friend stagger. Fresh blood leaked from the wound in Jarl's chest.

  Lieutenant Loralt loomed over her, sneering. "For you, little thief, Duke Phonnis has something special in mind."

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Ilanna blinked as the rough hood was ripped off her head. Bright light blinded her, adding to the pounding in her skull. The Arbitors escorting her through the Guild tunnels and out into the city of Praamis hadn't hesitated to push her when she slowed, kick her when she stumbled, and yank her to her feet if she didn't move fast enough. Blood from a split lip filled her mouth; a blow to the base of her spine sent tingles of numbness through her legs. Heavy manacles hung from her wrists.

  Her eyes slowly adjusted to the brightness. The final golden rays of afternoon sunlight filtered through windows all around her. She stood in a room of stone, bare of all furniture save a tattered straw tick mattress.

  When her eyes fell on the man standing before her, all other thoughts faded.

  "We meet again, Ilanna of House Hawk," Duke Phonnis said in a somber voice. "Though it appears your…status has changed somewhat."

  "I demand to see the King." Ilanna met his gaze without hesitation. "I have something I believe he will want to hear."

  "I'm certain you do. But didn't you hear?" He gave her a nasty smile. "You died during the raid on your tunnels. A tragic death for one so young, but such is the way of criminals."

  Ilanna's jaw dropped. "What are you talking about? When the King finds out where I am—"

  "The King has already been told of your death. He actually called it 'a pity'. A pity!" The Duke shook his head with an incredulous expression. "As if one thief actually mattered."

  Ilanna clenched her jaw. Her plan to save the Night Guild would fail if she remained locked up here. Where is here?

  "Take a good look around, girl. Do you not recognize this place?"

  She studied the room. Something about it looked familiar. She took in the details: dark tiled floor, stone walls, a section of uneven flooring, a steel grate between her and the Duke. Her eyes went to the window. In the sky, threads of purple and pink blended with bright gold and blue. A chill wind shrieked through the chamber.

  Horror twisted in her gut. From where she stood, she could not see the rooftops of Praamis. She had to be up high—above the city.

  Ilanna's jaw dropped. "No!"

  Duke Phonnis gave her a self-satisfied grin. "Welcome to the Black Spire, thief. Welcome to where it all began." He pushed open the steel grate and one of the two Arbitors accompanying him unlocked her manacles. The Duke gestured toward the window. "Go ahead. Take a look at your new home."

  Ilanna darted to the window and leaned out. The treetops of the Duke's garden lay far, far below. She raised her eyes. The city of Praamis spread out around her as far as she could see.

  "I've remodeled a bit in anticipation of your arrival," the Duke said, "but most of the Black Spire remains the same."

>   She rounded on him. "Why am I here? Why am I not with the rest of the Guild?"

  Duke Phonnis tucked his thumbs into his belt. "You're here because you're special. Many have tried and failed to break into this tower. But you succeeded. That makes you a thief above the rest of your kind." His brow furrowed. "You escaped the traps, descended the tower, and evaded my guards. No one saw your face. You left only one sign you were here." He held up the lead balls she'd used to trigger the lever. "Somehow, these got you out of my traps."

  Ilanna glared. "That doesn't explain why you have me trapped up here."

  "Because you're a menace to the security of Praamis." The Duke's face reddened. "You proved that when you defeated Lord Auslan's vault. You found a way through Odarian steel, the most impossibly complex lock ever created, and an impenetrable room. When you did that, you ceased being 'just one more thief'. For the sake of the city, I could not let that stand."

  "I only did that because you hanged my friends."

  "Thieves!" the Duke shouted back. "I am Chief Justiciar of Praamis. It is my duty to punish your ilk, whenever and wherever I can get my hands on them."

  "You call it justice, but I call it the vendetta of a petty man," Ilanna snarled. "My breaking into the Black Spire tarnished your perfect reputation. You had to strike back at me to repair the damage done."

  The Duke stiffened. "Your little stunt may have cost me a few clients. The noble men and women may still whisper about your exploits, but I am the Duke of Praamis, brother to the King, and the highest authority in the city. The repercussions were minimal, I assure you."

  "So why am I here?" she demanded. "Why not simply try me with the rest of my comrades?"

  The Duke's face tightened. "Because the person who can steal Grand Reckoner Edmynd's private ledgers is a danger to the city." Lines appeared around his mouth and eyes. "Who knows what other potentially ruinous secrets you have found?"

  Understanding dawned. "You're worried I'll reveal your dark secret to the city, aren't you?"

  "What?" The Duke tried for nonchalance, but the rigidity of his posture told Ilanna she'd struck gold. "I am above reproach. I have no secrets."

  "Perhaps." Ilanna shrugged. "But the House of Keadanis has a shame it prefers to keep hidden."

  Something dangerous flashed in the Duke's gaze. "Leave us," he ordered the guards without looking.

  The Arbitors obeyed without hesitation, filing from the room and shutting the door behind them.

  The Duke studied her with narrowed eyes. "What do you know?" he demanded, his voice quiet.

  Ilanna gave him a smug grin. "I know the Night Guild was founded by your great-great-grandfather. In fact, I believe it was your great-granduncle who became the first Master Gold."

  Duke Phonnis flinched as if struck. "You have no proof."

  "Don't I?" She raised an eyebrow. "How could I have learned all these things and not come away with some way to prove my words."

  The Duke had no reply.

  "Let me see if I've figured it out correctly. Your ancestor, King Alladon, feared crime in Praamis was growing out of control. He established the Night Guild to keep the criminals of the city in check. To bring order to the chaos. Right so far?"

  The Duke answered with a growl.

  "Then, a generation or two ago," she continued, "one of the Kings decided he could use the Night Guild to keep his nobles in check. Thus was born the list given to the Guild Master by the King. A list of all the nobles who refused to pay for the King’s protection against the Guild. A way for the King to earn revenue to finance his royal projects."

  "Until a certain arrogant thief decided she no longer needed to obey her King," Duke Phonnis snapped. "The moment you stole from those who had already paid for the King’s protection, you proved the Guild had exceeded its limitations."

  Ilanna's heart sank. She had stolen from houses on the list, but someone else had taken valuable, sentimental objects the nobles were certain to miss. Whoever had set her up had made sure the nobles would complain to the King. They had used her actions to turn the Duke against the Night Guild.

  But who would benefit from such chaos? The Bloody Hand would have waited until the Duke raided the Night Guild before taking over. Either that, or they had expected to turn her over to the Duke as a means of appeasement. With her capture and public execution, the Duke would send a clear message to the Night Guild. The Bloody Hand would have eliminated a dangerous threat, and the Duke would have peace.

  That had to be why the evidence against her had shown up on Master Hawk's desk so soon after the raid. The Bloody Hand had weakened the Night Guild and turned the rest against her. When they arrived to take over, she would have been sitting locked in her cell like a sacrificial goat. They could have delivered her to the Duke that day and made peace.

  The pieces began to fall into place in her mind. The sequence of events—from the fire in Old Town Market to the raid on the Guild to the trial—was clearly coordinated by a highly intelligent mind. They simply hadn't counted on Bryden, the man everyone in the Guild knew hated her, setting her free. Her escape had thrown the Bloody Hand's plan into disarray. They had scoured the city for her with such diligence because they needed to turn her over to the Duke. They'd never expected she would deliver herself into the Duke's hands of her own accord.

  She turned to the Duke. "I demand a fair trial. Before the Royal Court. You must accuse me of crimes, must prove me guilty before sentencing me to execution."

  The Duke shook his head. "You are not to be executed. Your friends will stand trial at dawn the day after tomorrow. But there is no hangman's noose to fit your neck." He motioned at the room around him. "You are to remain my guest. Indefinitely."

  Ilanna's heart sank. She was on the Duke's property, surrounded by his private army of Arbitors. Imprisoning her here broke the laws of Praamis, but what did that matter? To everyone outside the Night Guild, she was just one more thief among many. No one would care if she lived or died.

  She strode to the window and peered down. Perhaps she could descend the tower as she had long ago. But one glance at the Duke told her the truth. He'd ordered these windows open as a taunt, daring her to try. He knew as well as she that she would never be able to climb down without rope and climbing gear.

  "You bastard!" Anger blazed in Ilanna's gut. "You call yourself a man of honor, but I know the truth, Duke of Praamis. You are the sort of man who traps a thief and leaves him to starve. The sort of man who condemns another to a slow death and calls it justice."

  "It is justice," the Duke snapped. "My brother may believe your kind necessary for the wellbeing of Praamis, but I know the truth. The Night Guild is a blight, a disease that must be excised. By eliminating you, I am ridding the city of the vermin that plague our streets. Praamis will once again be clean, whole."

  "You think because you get rid of the Guild crime will stop? You truly believe people will stop killing, stealing, and harming others for profit? It is not the Guild that is the plague; it is human nature." She strode toward the Duke, fists clenched. It didn't matter that he towered a full head over her—anger fueled her inner fires now. "Greed, lust, a desire for power: these are the diseases that drive men to evil. The Guild curbs that evil, limits it. By eliminating us, you eliminate all control over the crime in this city." She spat. "Worse, you've given the Bloody Hand exactly what they wanted!"

  The Duke shook his head. "The Bloody Hand has been driven from Praamis. We killed every damned one of them."

  "No, you killed every one of the Voramians you found in the Night Guild. But what of Rhynd, their leader? He has fled the Guild with a handful of his men, and my friends in tow. You have failed to cut the head off the snake, Duke Phonnis."

  The Duke shrugged. "He will not escape us for long. I will send my men—"

  Ilanna sneered. "Your men couldn't find their own arses with a full company, a road map, and all the lanterns in Praamis. You failed to find the Night Guild all these years—how in the bloody hell do
you think they'll find Rhynd? Your only hope is to let me out and—"

  "Aha!" A smirk twisted the Duke's lips. "There it is! The real truth comes out. You would say anything to save your skin."

  "And you wouldn't? You stand there in your self-righteousness, but you are fully prepared to blackmail a High Priest of the Apprentice, all for the sake of your business."

  The Duke grimaced. "I would never!"

  This caught Ilanna off-guard.

  "Long before you were born," Duke Phonnis said, "I swore to defend the city of Praamis from all wrongdoing. I would never countenance such underhanded dealing."

  Ilanna's jaw dropped. She wanted to insist, but the stubborn light in the Duke's eyes gave her pause. He truly believed himself above such things. He held the antiquated concept of honor above all else.

  She replayed the conversation in the palace over in her mind. The Duke had never asked for leverage to use against Grand Reckoner Edmynd. She had offered it and he'd accepted. But it had all been a façade. He'd accepted because he knew she expected it of him. He'd never cared about the Grand Reckoner. She would never have given him what he really wanted—the location of the Night Guild—any other way. He never intended to simply control the Guild; he wanted to eradicate them. He'd sworn to allow her comrades to surrender because he intended to try them before a court of law. That meant he'd gathered enough evidence to prove most, if not all, guilty. And she'd played into his hands.

  "In a way, the city of Praamis owes you a debt of gratitude." The Duke gave her a cold, tight smile. "Because of you, the King gave the order to invade the Night Guild. Because of you, I have the authority to cleanse Praamis of your ilk. In two days, our city will be free of the Guild. And the stain upon the House of Keadanis will be forever erased."

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  With the Duke's words, everything suddenly fell into place. Ilanna had the Duke all wrong. She'd perceived him as a petty man, seeking vengeance for the damage she'd done to his reputation. She thought he'd come after her because her actions harmed his business.