Queen of Thieves Box Set

by Andy Peloquin

  "What are you suggesting?" Eden leaned forward, her eyes narrowing. "That we only steal from the wealthy? That may work well enough for you Hawks, but what about the Foxes and Grubbers working the streets?"

  "In the months I spent alongside the Foxes, I never saw one take a single copper bit from the hands of a man or woman who had less than they. You know as well as I, a smart Fox targets the wealthy man with a heavy purse and a careless eye." She shook her head. "The dispute lies not with House Grubber or House Fox. The problem is House Bloodbear."

  The Bloodbear who sat in the House Master's seat looked up. "What?" he spat. The few remaining Bloodbears bristled as well.

  "How many honest, hard-working men and women of Praamis have you beaten? How many shops destroyed, homes wrecked to send your message?"

  Anger flared in Ilanna. House Bloodbear had been the cause of all her woes, from the very beginning. Their beating of her father had led to her mother's death and her sale to the Night Guild. Sabat had tormented her from her first day in the Menagerie. House Bloodbear had sided with the Bloody Hand.

  "If we are to survive the Duke's wrath and return to our former prosperity, House Bloodbear must no longer continue to operate as they have. They have brought pain and suffering to too many innocents in the name of the Night Guild. They are the reason so many curse our names."

  Agreement sparkled in the eyes of many of the Journeymen, apprentices, and tyros around the Menagerie. The brutes and strong-arms of House Bloodbear hadn't restrained their violence to the shopkeepers and merchants they extorted. Their bullying, thuggish ways had brought pain to every House in the Night Guild. The angry glares cast toward the half-dozen Bloodbears emphasized her statements.

  The new Master Bloodbear leapt to his feet. "So what, you'd simply do away with us?" He sneered. "Kill us all, or turn us over to your new ally, the Duke?" His huge hands balled into fists. "Over my dead body."

  Steel glinted in the lantern light as the Bloodbears drew weapons. Serpents, Hounds, Foxes, and Grubbers replied with bared weapons of their own. The atmosphere in the Menagerie grew dangerously tense.

  "Stop!" Ilanna's voice cracked like a whip. "You see? We leap at each other's throats at the slightest disagreement. Are we no better than the accursed Bloody Hand? Are you no better than the Voramians?"

  The Journeymen and apprentices lowered their weapons but didn't sheathe them.

  Ilanna held Master Bloodbear's gaze. "The men of House Bloodbear are strong and capable, no doubt about it. But your strength is wasted on the wrong people. If the Night Guild is to survive, House Bloodbear must cease their predations and violence—not just toward the people of Praamis, but toward their fellow Journeymen and apprentices as well."

  The voices of over one hundred Guild members echoed agreement.

  "Instead, let House Bloodbear be the protectors of Praamis. Let them stand against the Bloody Hand's attempts to infiltrate our city, and be the strong arm to drive out the Voramians when they return. For make no mistake, they will return. Without knowledge of the tunnels, but with their desire for power undiminished. But with the might of House Bloodbear to stand against them, the Bloody Hand will fail again. And again."

  A smattering of cheers rose from House Scorpion, House Grubber, and the few remaining Serpents, Foxes, Hounds, and Hawks.

  "No more will House Bloodbear extort the hard-working men and women of Praamis for their hard-earned gold. Instead, they will be the protection they have claimed to be. Their might will be turned to the betterment of Praamis."

  The House Masters nodded. Even Bryden looked impressed, though Master Bloodbear's face had taken on an angry flush.

  "And," Ilanna shouted over the murmurs, "they will be the law and order in the Guild. They will work under the Guild Master to solve disputes between Houses and Journeymen. Let them be the strong arms that shield the Night Guild from harm, not the cause of it."

  Master Bloodbear's face relaxed, and the tension drained from his shoulders. He inclined his head in agreement.

  "If all can agree to this change, I will accept the position as Master Gold until such a time as the Night Guild has sufficiently recovered. On that day, I will pass command of the Guild on to the next Master Gold, one duly elected by the Journeymen of the Night Guild."

  Errik stood and turned to face the crowd. "Are all in agreement?"

  The cries of "Aye" and "So be it" echoed off the hard-packed earthen walls.

  Bryden nodded, his face a mask of careful control. "The Guild has spoken." He crossed his arms before his chest in the ceremonial salute and bowed. "Hail, Ilanna, Master of the Night Guild."

  "Hail, Ilanna, Master of the Night Guild!" chanted the crowd.

  "May the Watcher have mercy on us," Bryden muttered as he turned back to his seat.

  * * *

  Ilanna found the plush apartment of the Guild Master terribly uncomfortable. Too many wide-open spaces, and not enough sunlight. Not for the first time in the hours since her election to the position of Master Gold, she wished to be back in the Aerie. Life was simpler on the Perch; she had only the limits of her skill and the laws of gravity to contend with. She'd been Master Gold for less than a day and already hated every minute of it.

  "…heavy casualties in the last weeks," Bryden was saying. "The good news is that there will be fewer mouths to feed, and the gold I have commanded from Filch should hold us over for a week or two at least. But we must begin recruitment if we are to—"

  "No!" Ilanna slammed a hand on the table. "No more recruits, not until we've had time to consider the way we go about training them."

  "Consider?" Bryden stiffened. "Surely you don't intend to change that as well?"

  "You're Keeper-damned right I do!" Ilanna met the Hawk's gaze without hesitation. "Do you remember your training under Master Velvet?"

  Bryden gave a slight wince. "I do. Unpleasant, but effective. And it's the way it's always been done."

  "Which is precisely why we need to change it. Master Velvet created the training regimen in order to break the tyros' spirits, to erase all trace of their pasts to make them willing slaves of the Night Guild. But Master Velvet is dead. Let his cruelty die with him."

  Ilanna had seen the old man's body during the Duke's raid on the Night Guild. He'd worn the same crimson vest stained with the blood of countless tyros, his face unkempt and drooping with age. The sight of his silent, pale form had actually brought a smile to her lips.

  No more children would suffer because of the former Illusionist Cleric. He would never beat another Twelve, send another Seven to bed hungry because she was too weak to carry a heavy bucket.

  "Master Velvet's methods may have worked in the past, but that was the old Night Guild. The new Night Guild will be better—must be better. For that to happen, we cannot build on a foundation of callous brutality and anguish. The training of the tyros should improve their quality of life, not destroy it."

  Bryden sighed. "Hours as Master Gold and already you're intent on tearing down everything that makes the Night Guild what it is."

  "I intend to excise the rot that is poisoning the Night Guild." Ilanna spoke in a voice as cold as the Frozen Sea. "By whatever means necessary. You knew that when you proposed making me Master Gold."

  Bryden's expression grew stony. "If I knew the chaos you intended to cause…" He shook his head. "I always knew you'd bring turmoil and misery to the Guild. In the end, I was right."

  "Perhaps," Ilanna snarled, "yet I'm also the one that's going to save the Night Guild. Again." She swallowed her anger. "And you know I'm doing the right thing, which is precisely why you're going to help me."

  Bryden opened his mouth to retort, but the door opened and Darreth's head poked into the room. "Master Serpent to see you, Guild Master."

  Ilanna grinned. "Thank you, Darreth."

  The Scorpion had been delighted when she asked him to be her aide. Ilanna knew that what he lacked in interpersonal skills, he more than made up for with his keen intellect. He an
d Bryden would figure out how to keep the Night Guild solvent until the Houses' earnings picked up.

  With a nod, Darreth retreated. A moment later, Errik strode into the room.

  "Master Hawk." He nodded to Bryden.

  "Master Serpent." Bryden's tone held ice. He turned back to Ilanna. "If that is all, Master Gold." His face twisted as if in revulsion at the words.

  "Thank you, Master Hawk." Ilanna inclined her head. "The Guild Council convenes in an hour. We have much to discuss."

  With a grimace, Bryden limped from the room.

  Errik waited until the Hawk had left before letting out a small chuckle. "You're going to have to make peace with him eventually, Ilanna."

  Ilanna rolled her eyes. "Infuriating man." She knew Errik was right, but she wanted to continue her dislike of the Hawk for at least a while longer. Her pragmatism hadn't yet overruled the part of her that Bryden forever seemed to rub the wrong way.

  He sat in the chair opposite her and ran a hand along the Guild Master's desk with an appreciative whistle. "Fancy digs, Hawkling."

  Ilanna scowled. "That's Master Gold to you, young Serpent."

  "Master Serpent," Errik said, his face twisting into a mock frown. He shook his head. "You really don't do anything by half-measures, do you? The Black Spire, Lord Auslan, even the King himself."

  "That was your idea, just so you know."

  Errik's eyebrows hovered near his hairline. "You'll have to explain that to me."

  Ilanna grinned. "If I recall correctly, you once said to me 'Next you're going to tell me you've convinced the King of Praamis to take care of the Bloody Hand for us.' Seems like the blame for all this mess falls squarely on your shoulders."

  Errik laughed, his eyes wide in disbelief. "Only you could turn an off-the-wall remark into a crazy plan to save an entire city."

  Ilanna shrugged. "Why else do you think they made me Master Gold?" Her expression grew suddenly serious. "How much of this is your fault? Were you the one who suggested it to Bryden?"

  "Well," Errik said, hesitant, "it was my idea, but he didn't take a lot of convincing. He may not be your favorite person in the world—mine either, I'll admit—but he's bloody smart."

  Ilanna grimaced, but she couldn't deny it. Bryden shared her sense of pragmatism, and he understood what needed to be done to move forward.

  That doesn't make him any more likeable.

  "The Duke will be coming for you, you know." Errik fiddled with the hilt of his dagger. "He won't let this go."

  "I know." Ilanna shrugged. "But he swore an oath to the King, and he'll honor it. For a while, at least. Long enough for us to get back on our feet."

  Ilanna's nonchalant tone hid her very real concern. The Duke knew where to find them, and he wouldn't be content until he rid himself of the stain on his honor. He'd find a way to come after them—her personally, as well. Her agreement with the King would only last until the Duke found a loophole or a way to get what he wanted without violating his oath to King Ohilmos.

  "And if he sends someone after you?"

  "Assassins?" Ilanna raised an eyebrow. She'd considered it. The Duke had gold enough to hire the bloody Hunter of Voramis if he decided she had to die. "Good thing I have a few of my own, then."

  She met Errik's gaze. The Serpent—I'll never get used to calling him Master Serpent, she thought—gave her a smile. "You're the talk of the Night Guild. General consensus is that you're either the best thing to happen to us or the worst. A bit of both, I'd say."

  Ilanna mock-scowled at him. "They don't have to like the changes. They just need to accept them. And for that to happen, I'm going to need your help." She gave him a wry smile. "I always knew it'd be handy having a House Master in my back pocket."

  Errik chuckled, but a hint of sadness shone in his eyes. "It's going to take us a while to recover from this." From within his robes, he drew something small and dark and placed it on her desk. "Some of us more than others."

  A lump rose to Ilanna's throat at the sight of the little wooden figurine taken from her when she stood trial for Master Gold's death. She closed her fingers around it and gripped it so tight her knuckles turned white.

  She would never recover from her loss, that much she knew. Her desire to change the Night Guild had come from the pain she felt at Kodyn and Ria's death. No one else should suffer as she had. She would do what she could to ensure the Night Guild wasn’t the cause of further misery.

  "Thank you," she said, her voice cracking.

  He nodded and stood. Without a word, he left her alone with the memory of her son.

  * * *

  Ilanna strode through the tunnels of the Night Guild. The handful of Journeymen and apprentices she passed regarded her with mixed awe, anger, suspicion, and respect. An odd combination, one she found terribly disconcerting. Hearing them address her by the title of "Guild Master" made her feel even more out of place.

  It's definitely going to take a while to get used to this Master Gold thing.

  She rounded the corner and came face to face with the familiar double doors of House Hawk. Her heart lightened; stepping into the Aerie felt like coming home. Bright sunlight streamed through the window at the top of the Perch, and a cool breeze drifted through the room.

  Memories flashed through her mind: of the hours spent training in the Perch, running the Hawk's dozen around the Aerie, laughing and chasing Prynn, Bert, Willem, Werrin, and Denber through the maze of ropes and ladders. The images brought back the burden of her sorrow. She would never see her friends again, never hear their inane banter, never challenge them to a race up the Perch or across the rooftops of Praamis.

  But there was one friend she would see again. Jarl sat on the lowest level of the Perch, legs dangling off the wooden platform. The huge Hawk glanced down and grunted as she strode toward him. "'Lanna. Or Master Gold, now."

  Ilanna grimaced. "Not you, too!"

  Jarl shrugged. "'Tis what it is."

  Ilanna clambered up the rope ladder, danced across a narrow plank bridge, and settled to a seat beside her friend. She leaned her head on his huge shoulder. For long moments, they sat in silence. No words were necessary.

  Jarl spoke first. "You need anything, you let me know."

  Ilanna took a deep breath. "I could use your help with the Bloodbears."

  The big man shifted but said nothing.

  "I need you to keep the Journeymen in line, train the tyros and apprentices to be better."

  He gave his usual eloquent grunt.

  "Make them more like the Pathfinders. Helping, not harming."

  Jarl nodded his shaggy head. "For you, 'Lanna."

  She climbed to her feet, kissed his craggy forehead, and darted up into the Perch. Up the ladders and ropes she went, muscles bunching as she hauled herself higher and higher. She refused to let the pain in her chest slow her. Her eyes never left the window at the top of the Aerie. Beyond it stood the Hawk's Highway and freedom.

  Her role as Master Gold would condemn her to a life of endless drudgery, politics, and arbitration. The daunting task of revitalizing and restructuring lay ahead of her. The threat of Duke Phonnis and the Bloody Hand hung over her head. As Master of the Night Guild, the burden weighed more heavily on her than ever.

  But she didn't have to start yet. Guild Council be damned—she needed a final moment of freedom. She would take one last trip across the rooftops of Praamis as Journeyman Ilanna of House Hawk, with nothing but the open sky overhead and the city spread out below.

  She would fly one last time.

  Epilogue

  Warm sunlight bathed Ilanna's face. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as a gentle breeze wafted past. For a moment, she basked in the muted sounds of the city around her. Up here, atop the Hawk's Highway, all was still. Below, life had begun to return to Old Town Market.

  King Ohilmos had hired builders to clear away the wreckage of the burned marketplace. No doubt the coin Grand Reckoner Edmynd had turned over defrayed some of the burden on the
Crown. The first vendors had hauled their carts into the sections not covered in ash or rubble. People trickled past in twos and threes. Old Town Market would be revived within a month.

  That was ever the way of people: to find a way to rebuild what was destroyed. She would do the same with the Night Guild. The Bloody Hand and the Duke had decimated their ranks, but they would rise from the ashes. They would be better.

  Her duties as Master Gold beckoned, but she had to visit her old home one last time. She had to bid farewell to the life she'd lived. Only then could she move on.

  She slithered down the drainpipe and dropped to the alley below, then slipped out into the streets. Hood thrown back, head held high, she crossed the marketplace in full view of the Praamian Guards. The olive-clad guardsmen watched her with wary expressions and hands hovering near their sword hilts.

  Ilanna ignored them. She didn't care that every Praamian Guard and Arbitor in the city recognized her. They couldn't arrest her, not without breaking the Duke's oath to the King. Unless she committed a crime, they couldn't lay a hand on her.

  Not today, at least.

  Her steps led toward the blackened skeleton that had once been her home. Only the front wall remained upright; the weight of the collapsing roof had brought the rest of the house down. A pile of burned wood and ash was all that remained of her life outside the Night Guild.

  She carefully opened the front gate and walked up the stone walkway. She didn't go inside—she had no need. She could send Jarl to retrieve the chest buried beneath the rubble. He'd do it without asking questions. The gold—a little over eight thousand imperials, at last count—would aid in her efforts to revitalize the Night Guild.

  Instead, she turned toward the garden at the rear of the house. The fire had destroyed her violas and the lilies so carefully tended by Ria, but the first blades of grass had begun to poke through the scorched earth.

  Kneeling in the dusty earth, Ilanna bowed her head and closed her eyes. She let the memories of the garden wash over her. Images played through her mind: dancing in the garden with her mother, practicing the sling with Ethen, laughing with Kodyn, learning the Kim'ware war dance with Ria. The garden had served as her refuge from life in the Night Guild.