But those days were gone. She had chosen to become Master Gold—she could no longer strive to escape her life. She had no use for the refuge any longer.
She loosened the leather strap around her wrist, coiled it, and set it gently on the ground beside the little creek that ran through the garden. Producing the wooden hawk figurine from her pouch, she ran her fingers gently over the scorched surface.
She pressed her lips to the figurine. Goodbye, my little hawk. A lump rose in her throat as she placed it next to Ethen's sling. For long moments, she remained unmoving, her eyes fixed on the last two links to her past. The past she had to leave behind.
With a heavy sigh, she rose to her feet and turned away. She gritted her teeth against threatening tears and strode from her house. She dared not look back; if she did, the sorrow would overwhelm her.
Yet she couldn't help it. She cast one last glance over her shoulder. The house—her house—stood silent and mute, a shell of what had once been.
Swallowing hard, Ilanna turned to leave when something caught her eye. Two figures shuffled toward her. Bandages swathed the face and hands of the taller one. Long, dark curls streamed from beneath the smaller figure's slouch hat.
They seemed somehow…familiar.
No! Ilanna's eyes went wide, and her heart paused mid-beat. It can't be.
Her feet moved of their own accord, sending her stumbling back toward the wreckage of her house. Her eyes never left the smaller figure. The child.
"K…Kodyn?" The word came out barely above a whisper, drowned out by the bustle of workers and tradesmen moving through Old Town Market. She tried again. "Kodyn?"
The little figure turned, scanning the crowd. His eyes, those honey-colored eyes that shone bright against his dark curls, settled on her. "Mama?"
Ilanna broke into a run, and the child tore from the bandaged hand of the taller figure. Ilanna scooped him into her arms and pressed him to her chest. Tears flowed now and sobs shook her shoulders, but she didn't stop them. She clung to Kodyn as if afraid the chubby arms wrapped around her neck were nothing but a figment of her wishful thinking.
But there was nothing imagined about the little body in her arms. Kodyn held her tight. "I knew you'd find us, Mama!"
Ilanna couldn't speak. She showered his round face with kisses until he complained and squirmed from her grasp.
Kodyn turned to the figure behind him. "See, Ria, I told you!"
Pressure mounted in Ilanna's chest as she stared into Ria's dark eyes, the only thing visible through the bandages covering her face. She could find no words.
Ria hesitated and dropped her gaze. Ilanna stepped toward the Ghandian girl and reached for her. Ria took a reflexive step back. "Please, don't. The fire, it…" She motioned to her bandages. "I had to save him."
Ilanna gently took Ria's bandaged hand and pressed it to her chest. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice hoarse.
Tears filled Ria's eyes. She nodded and returned Ilanna's grip.
Kodyn tugged at Ilanna's robe. "Did you see the big fire, Mama?"
"I did, my little hawk." Ilanna reached down and took his hand.
"It was so bright." His expression darkened. "But it burned our home."
"Don't worry." Ilanna pressed a kiss to his chubby cheek. "We have a new home. One with so many tunnels for you to explore, and a maze of ropes and ladders for you to climb on."
Kodyn's eyes widened. "Really, Mama?"
Ilanna hesitated. She'd accepted the position as Master Gold believing she had no reason to leave the Guild. But here were Kodyn and Ria, alive. How could she continue in the Guild now?
She didn't have to figure it out today. She had them back. It was enough for now.
Ilanna kissed her son again. "Yes, it will be our new home." She looked at Ria. "For all of us."
The tension in Ria's shoulders drained, and her hand squeezed Ilanna's once more.
"Come, my little hawk." Ilanna scooped him into her arms. When had he grown so heavy? "Let me tell you all about the Night Guild..."
The End…for Now
A Word from the Author:
Probably the most difficult thing about writing this book was typing "The End". Since I conceived the character of Ilanna in 2016, I've grown incredibly fond of her. Her strength, courage, determination, and perseverance are everything I wish I could be. I can only hope I have a fraction of what drives her, what makes her the amazing character that we've followed along on this journey.
The thought of saying goodbye to her absolutely broke my heart. She has changed me through her journey, and I couldn't imagine a world in which there were no more Ilanna stories to tell. I was also very disappointed that I couldn't tell more of Ria's story, showcasing the girl she was before being taken from her home, as well as the woman she had become over the course of her trials—largely thanks to Ilanna.
Thankfully, there are more stories to tell!
Traitors' Fate is set eight years after the events of this book, and it brings back all of our favorite characters: Ilanna, Ria, Kodyn, Errik, and more. We find Ilanna in the final stages of driving the Bloody Hand from her city. But the discovery she makes in her war on the Voramian criminal guild could have shocking implications not only for the city of Praamis, but for Voramis as well.
Traitors' Fate will also introduce you to the Hunter of Voramis, the legendary assassin (Hint: You've seen his name mentioned a few times in these books!). If you've followed me since the beginning of my journey, you'll be familiar with him from the pages of Blade of the Destroyer, my first-ever novel.
This story was an absolute joy to write, not only because I could bring Ilanna back, but because I could tie her to the events of the Hero of Darkness series.
Traitors’ Fate
Part One: Master of the Night Guild
Chapter One
Ilanna peered over the roof's edge at the shadow-cloaked figures below. Three men, wearing the dull-colored, rough-spun clothing of commoners. Wary eyes and hard faces belied their nonchalance as they lounged before the door of what ought to be an empty, abandoned warehouse on the bank of the Stannar River.
She tensed as a figure slid up beside her.
"All is ready, Master Gold," whispered Errik, Master Serpent, his expression grim. "Everyone is in place."
Ilanna drew in a deep breath. Eight years of serving as Master of the Night Guild hadn't diminished the excitement of creeping across the rooftops of Praamis, leaping, running, and flying over the Hawk's Highway. But what they did tonight had nothing to do with thieves' craft.
A hand slipped into hers and squeezed. Ilanna turned to the figure on her left, a dark-skinned woman a few years younger than her. Ria's grip had a strength that reassured Ilanna without need for words.
She nodded. "Give the signal. Move in."
Errik, Master over the assassins of House Serpent, returned the nod and slithered away from the edge, disappearing into the night. A few moments later, a muted tap-tap echoed behind her.
A score of large, heavily-muscled men with scarred knuckles and heavy maces boiled from the doorways across from the warehouse and the surrounding streets. The three guards cried out and reached for their own weapons.
Ilanna didn't wait to watch the confrontation. When it came to ruthless ferocity, the strong-arms and heavy-handed enforcers of House Bloodbear had no match.
She leapt to her feet and darted toward the edge of the rooftop, whipping a strip of greased canvas up and over the rope that stretched across the street. She sped through the air and dropped onto the warehouse roof, rolling with the impact. The thump of Ria sounded behind her.
Ilanna didn't glance back—she had no need to worry about the dark-skinned woman—but sprinted across the rooftop toward the trapdoor that led into the warehouse's upper level. Figures wearing dark grey cloaks seemed to appear from the darkness. She nodded at the apprentices of House Hawk, the third-story thieves of the Night Guild, and reached for the door.
"No!" hissed Tandril, a bro
ad-shouldered youth with a patchy beard and long, dark hair. "I have express orders from Master Hawk not to let you take any unnecessary risks."
Ilanna snorted. "Mother hen Bryden is worried for me, eh?"
Tandril's eyes slid away. Everyone in the Night Guild knew Bryden, Master of House Hawk, had little love for his Guild Master.
"Get that door open and get out of my way, Tandril," Ilanna commanded. "You and the other apprentices need to get back to the Aerie."
Tandril bristled and opened his mouth, no doubt to protest that he wanted in on the action below.
"Mouth shut, and follow orders, apprentice." Ilanna's tone left no room for argument. "The Hawks have done their job to satisfaction. Let the others do theirs."
Tandril hesitated a moment, and Ilanna stepped forward. Swallowing, the Hawk apprentice bent and tugged the trapdoor open.
A hand gripped Ilanna's arm and held her back.
"Me first," Ria said, stepping in front of her and drawing her assegai, a spear with a forearm-length shaft that ended in a long leaf-shaped blade.
Ilanna raised an eyebrow. "Don't for a minute think I'll let you order me around just because I'm sweet on you."
Ria grinned. "I'm pretty sure you will." With a wink, she twirled the spear once and descended the steps into the warehouse.
Ilanna followed a step behind, long, slim sword and dagger held at the ready.
Darkness met her eyes, but the sounds of fighting echoed from the lower floors. Ria slipped through the empty halls with the grace of a desert greatcoat. Ilanna couldn't help admiring the lithe, willowy frame ahead of her.
The sound of booted feet grew louder, and a heavy-set man raced around the corner, lantern jangling in his hand. He lurched to a halt as he caught sight of the two women.
Ria danced forward, her short spear stabbing out like a viper's flicking tongue. The man gave a strangled cry and crumpled. Blood gushed from the puncture in his throat, mixing with the oil seeping from the shattered lamp beside him.
Ilanna pushed past Ria and burst through the next door.
A disheveled, sweat-soaked man leapt to his feet, fumbling in desperation at the breeches around his ankles. His eyes flew wide as Ilanna rested the tip of her rapier against the base of his throat.
"Please!" The man's hands flew up, causing his trousers to drop. "Don't harm me. I-I'm just…"
"I know exactly who you are, Lord Illiran," she snarled, her voice cold as the Frozen Sea.
The nobleman's face turned an interesting shade of beet red, sickly green, and terrified white. "I-I…" he stammered.
Ilanna's lip curled into a sneer. "Better you say nothing, my lord." She spat the words. "I've no mind to kill you, but one wrong word from your mouth could change that."
Lord Illiran's mouth snapped shut.
"Good. Now sit in that corner and don't move. If you're not here when I return, the Night Guild will be paying you a visit shortly. Do you understand?"
The nobleman's head bobbed as he hastened to obey.
Ilanna turned her attention to Ria. The dark-skinned girl hovered over the bed—if a pathetic pile of straw covered in a filthy sheet could be called such—that Lord Illiran had recently vacated. Its occupant was a girl that couldn't be older than thirteen or fourteen, with an emaciated face, filthy skin, and little more than rags for covering.
"How bad is she?" Ilanna asked.
"Bad." Ria pressed a finger to the girl's neck. "Pulse is weak, and her breath is weak."
"Bonedust?"
Ria nodded, her face grim.
Ilanna swore and produced a corked phial from her pouch. "Will one dose suffice?"
"I don't know." Ria's brow furrowed. "The way she's lying there, it looks like they've been over-dosing her for weeks. But I'm no Tyman."
Tyman was not only Master of the poisoners and potion-makers of House Scorpion; he was also the Night Guild's preeminent healer. He had been the one to brew up the potion to counteract the hallucinogenic, paralytic, and addictive effects of Bonedust, the narcotic named for both its color and the way it caused rapid bone degeneration. Its effects simply slowed down the physical decay, but couldn't fully stop it.
Ilanna cursed again. "The moment we're done here, I'll make sure the Bloodbears transport her and any others in bad shape back to Tyman first."
Ria nodded and bent over the girl again. "I think it might be too late for her, but we can hope."
Anger swirled in Ilanna's gut, and it took all her self-control not to lash out at Lord Illiran. The thought of what he'd been doing to the girl, the same age as her own son and too drugged to resist, brought back memories of what had been done to her.
The girl muttered something inaudible. Ria bent her ear to the girl's mouth.
"What's she saying?" Ilanna asked.
Ria shook her head. "It's too faint to—"
"…ti-dote." The girl spoke louder.
"Antidote?" Ria demanded.
The girl nodded, a tiny movement of her chin. Ilanna waited with bated breath for her to say more, but the girl lay listless and silent, her lips blue, mouth hanging slack, only the whites of her eyes showing.
Damn it.
"Go," Ria said. "Do what you need to do. I'll stay with her." She hefted her assegai. "And keep an eye on him."
Lord Illiran refused to meet her eyes as she stalked from the room.
Ilanna stomped down the hall, through an empty room, and toward the descending staircase. One thug stumbled on her in his flight up the stairs. She cut him down with a savage chop that severed his upraised hand and bit into the side of his neck. A terrified face peeked through a crack in one door, but Ilanna ignored it. She had only one thought: kill every Keeper-damned pimp in the place.
She was a thief, not an assassin, but she felt no guilt for these deaths. Not after what these brutes had done.
By the time she reached the lower levels, she found no one left to kill. The few pimps still left alive lay face-down on the floor. A trio of scowling, slope-shouldered men wearing the red-trimmed robes of House Bloodbear stood over them. They nodded as she entered.
"This all of them?" she demanded.
"No, Master Gold," said one, a man named Bancer. "Just the ones up here."
"And the rest?"
Bancer pointed at the wooden floor. "Last I heard, Neyn and his lads were breaking down a door on the first floor."
"Good." She scowled at the prostrate men. "They so much as move, Bancer…"
Bancer grinned. "We know what to do, Master Gold." He demonstrated by driving a heavy boot into one man's ribs. "Bloody Hand scum."
The Bloody Hand. The name had once brought fear to many in the Night Guild. A rival organization from the nearby city of Voramis, they had tried for decades to establish control over her city of Praamis. When their efforts to join forces with the Night Guild had failed, they'd opted for bribery, treachery, and ultimately an invasion of the criminal underworld. She had foiled their attempt, killed their henchmen, and driven the Bloody Hand out of their city.
They had tried to return to Praamis over and over, but her position as Master of the Night Guild gave her all the men, resources, and power to stymie their efforts. First, every bounty-hunter, skip-tracer, and tracker in House Hound had hunted down all the thugs hiding throughout the city. The assassins of House Serpent left no corpses as witness. The two Houses had moved on to the Voramians' supporters, sympathizers, and investors among the populace. More than a few noblemen had died on her orders, the price they paid for aiding the Bloody Hand.
For eight years, she had fought them. This raid was just the latest skirmish in the drawn-out war to save Praamis from their brand of greed, violence, and ruthlessness.
Ilanna descended to the ground floor of the warehouse. Six bodies lay scattered across the floor—six Bloody Hand thugs. She let out a sigh she didn't know she'd been holding. None of her people had died.
Close to thirty barely-clad, hollow-eyed girls huddled against the wall, trying in vain to cover
themselves with little more than rags. Ten Bloodbears stood in a protective circle around them, but their looming presence only added to the girls' terror.
She snapped her fingers. "Otis, get them some blankets."
"Yes, Master Gold," a heavy-set Bloodbear said. He and another Journeyman set about tearing down the threadbare blankets hanging from the walls, the only thing in this hell-hole to offer some measure of privacy for the “clients”. No doubt the upstairs room had been the “luxury suite”.
The girls, none older than twenty, looked up at the sound of her voice. A hint of hope shone through the fear staining their tear-streaked, pale faces.
"You are safe," Ilanna said in a soothing tone. "If any of my men so much as lays a finger on you, they know the penalty." She held up the sword, showing its bloodstained edge.
Only a few of the girls responded with a nod or a mumbled word. Most simply stared at her with vacant, Bonedust-clouded eyes.
In the warehouse's basement, Ilanna found the rest of the Bloodbears standing over the lifeless corpses of four Voramians. One man lay in a daze, blood seeping from a broken nose and pulped lips.
Ustin, a Bloodbear who towered a full head above most of his House, wiped crimson from his brass knuckledusters. "Took this one alive, Guild Master."
"Thank you, Ustin." Ilanna nodded. "Between House Serpent and House Scorpion, they should have no trouble getting answers from him and the others."
Ustin bowed, then motioned to the far end of the basement. "You'll want to see this."
Ilanna moved past him to stand before the four wooden barrels lined against the wall. Atop the lids was painted a crude symbol: two red battle axes crossed over a black raven. It reminded her of a crude rendition of a coat-of-arms, but one she'd never seen before.
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