Thief of the Night Guild

by Andy Peloquin

  “Next comes the matter of the equipment and materials purchased for the construction of…” He squinted his eyes and read from the parchment…“one Voramian steel vault door.” He shot a quizzical glance at her. “The cost of materials, the use of the Guild warehouse, and the services of Master Lorilain comes up to a total of one hundred thousand imperials.”

  Ilanna’s eyes widened. “What?”

  Bryden met her anger with a sneer. “Voramian steel doesn’t come cheap, Journeyman.” He spoke the last word as an oath. “And don’t get me started on the cost of procuring Odarian steel. The steelmakers of Odaron have priced their wares so high not even the gods themselves could afford them.”

  Ilanna swallowed. Still well over a million imperials, she told herself. She’d have enough to buy her freedom. She had to.

  “There is, of course, the day rates owed to Houses Hound, Fox, Serpent, and Scorpion. According to my records, Journeymen from these Houses have been contracted by Journeyman Ilanna for weeks. So busy were they in their pursuit of Journeyman Ilanna’s ends that they neglected their House dues. By Guild law, these dues and fees are to be covered by Journeyman Ilanna.”

  Heat flared in Ilanna’s chest. “Explain this, Bryden.” She spoke through gritted teeth. “Why would they be earning day rates while simultaneously pulling in a share of the profits?”

  Bryden shrugged. “Damned if I know. If only someone had made the arrangements clear at the onset of the job, all this confusion might have been avoided. As it stands, the aforementioned Journeymen of the aforementioned Houses are owed day rates for the weeks since they began working for you.”

  Ilanna turned to Master Gold for help, but the Guild Master shook his head. “When you initially contracted the Journeymen, it was agreed that you would pay their day rates, correct?”

  Ilanna nodded.

  Bryden spoke up. “They made the arrangements with their respective Houses, but since that day, have they notified any of you about the change in their earnings?”

  Anorria of House Scorpion peered down at her ledger and shook her head. Eburgen of House Hound responded in kind.

  “I thought not. The same goes for House Hawk.” He failed to hide his malicious delight. “So, as Guild law clearly states, they are owed day rates for as long as they participate in your enterprise. The fact that you offered them a share of the take is truly generous of you. You are a paragon for all Journeymen to emulate.” The sneer echoed in his voice.

  Ilanna clenched her fists. “How. Much?” As expected, the petty accountant had found a way to dig his greedy fingers into her fortune.

  “Together with the day rates owed to House Grubber for the use of twenty-five Journeymen, House Hawk for the services of the Pathfinders, and apprentices and House Fox for five Journeymen, that comes out to a hundred thousand imperials.”

  Ilanna drew in another sharp breath. She knew Jarl had hired Grubbers to dig the tunnels and build the hoist, floating platform, waterwheel system, and the escape route, but she hadn’t given thought to how long they’d been working down there. She’d told him to bring in Gorin and the other Pathfinders. Errik must have hired Foxes to help him keep an eye on Lord Auslan at the Labethian Tournament. All of this added up to one hell of an overhead cost.

  “We must not forget the small matter of the materials used by Journeyman Ilanna and her accomplices over the course of the enterprise. Building materials, Guild equipment, the use of space in House Hawk, and so on. A sum total of fifty thousand imperials.”

  Ilanna’s gut tightened. Bryden had whittled her fortune to nearly half. Any more expenses and her arrangement with Master Gold would be for nothing. Had she come this far only to fall short?

  “Is that all?” Her words came out tight, clipped. “Or is there anything else you’d like to charge me for? Perhaps the air I’m breathing belongs to the Guild as well.”

  “Journeyman Ilanna.” Master Hound’s voice cut off Bryden’s retort. “You undertook what is undoubtedly the greatest endeavor the Night Guild has witnessed in decades. Centuries, perhaps. For your efforts, you have claimed a prize of breathtaking value.” The look in his eyes told Ilanna he knew exactly what that prize meant for his plans, yet he kept the fury from his voice. “I can say in all honesty that no Journeyman in recent history, not even Journeyman Mallen, has brought in a fortune to rival this. Is it any surprise that the cost of such an endeavor is equal to its audacity?”

  Much as Ilanna hated to admit it, Master Hound spoke the truth. “As you say.”

  Bryden gave a harsh chuckle, which earned him a reproachful glare from Master Hound. “As for you, Journeyman Bryden, perhaps you cease your petty torments and simply get on with your duty.” He folded his arms over his chest. “What is the final tally of profit for this endeavor?”

  The sour expression returned to Bryden’s face. He cleared his throat, hemming for a moment before reading. “One million, one hundred and ten thousand imperials.”

  The words hung in the air, seeming to echo around the room. Ilanna’s heart soared. All eyes remained fixed on her, and she returned the gazes of the Journeymen and House Masters with confident calm. Against the odds, she had pulled off the impossible. She’d earned her freedom.

  She caught Master Gold’s eye and raised an eyebrow. With a nod, the Guild Master stood.

  “Gentlemen, the last time Journeyman Ilanna stood before us, she came with the request for her freedom from service to the Night Guild. We set before her a task worthy of the Watcher himself. She stands before us with every obligation to us met, every debt paid off. Is there any reason why she should not be granted her request?”

  Master Hawk’s expression grew grim, his eyes filled with sorrow.

  Shock showed on Master Hound’s face. Ilanna could almost see the inner workings of his mind as he absorbed and processed Master Gold’s words. His face brightened after a moment of calculation. “Indeed, I would say she has more than earned it.” In his surprise, he failed to hide the eagerness in his voice. Her departure from the Night Guild would deprive his political opponent of a valuable ally—likely his most valuable ally, after the fortune she’d just delivered. He would love nothing more.

  Master Gold’s smile reminded her of a cat preparing to pounce on a mouse. “But I believe I have found a way to meet her request and ensure the continued prosperity”—he shot a smug grin at Master Hound—“and safety of the Night Guild. What I propose is this…”

  Chapter Fifty-Six

  “IS IT TRUE?” A rumbling voice echoed in the silent Aerie.

  Ilanna whirled. “Is what true?”

  Jarl’s massive frame filled the tunnel that led away from House Hawk’s main room. “You really leaving us, ’Lanna?”

  Ilanna swallowed. “I…” What could she say to him? He’d been there from the beginning, had been kind to her from her first day as an apprentice. Her plan to buy her freedom had succeeded largely thanks to him. The hurt and sorrow in the big, bearded man’s eyes tore at her.

  “I have to, Jarl,” she said, her voice quiet.

  “Why? We’re your House, ’Lanna.”

  “I know, but…” She drew in a deep breath. “All this, the life we lead, I can’t do it any longer. I need more than a House, Jarl.”

  The Night Guild had hardened her, had shown her how to be strong. But they’d taken the thing that mattered most: her family. Her father, her mother, her baby sister—they’d all died because of the Guild. She’d spent the last four years determined to keep Kodyn free of their clutches.

  “I thought we was…” He trailed off, his eyes dropping. “…family,” he whispered.

  She gripped his enormous forearm. “You, Jarl, are among the few good things the Night Guild has ever given me.” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “And if you think I’m going to forget you, you’re a bigger fool than I thought.”

  He chuckled, a sad sound.

  She took his craggy face in both hands and kissed his bearded cheek. “I may be leaving t
he Guild, but you’re not going to get rid of me that easily. You will always be my friend.”

  * * *

  ILANNA LEANED AGAINST the cool tiles of the rooftop and tipped the wineskin to her lips. The mild, fruit-heavy flavors of the Nyslian rose wine enchanted her palate but brought back memories tinged with sorrow.

  Denber always loved this wine. Werrin and Willem, too. She drew in a deep breath. The taste of rain hung thick in the chill night air. The moon hung high in the sky, but the shadows across the Praamian rooftops seemed more forlorn than usual. Even the towering onyx dagger of the Black Spire emanated a solemnity and sorrow to match Ilanna’s mood.

  She’d spent hours on this very rooftop, drinking, eating, and talking with Denber, Werrin, Willem, Prynn, and Bert. It felt so empty now—her alone, the last apprentice of House Hawk. Five years as a Journeyman couldn’t erase the memories of those few bright moments with her friends.

  She raised the wineskin in a salute. She’d come to their once-favorite spot to say farewell. After today, everything changed.

  The House Masters had been bickering when she left. Master Gold had laid out his proposal with his usual eloquence. Masters Fox and Grubber, flushed with their newfound wealth, had agreed without reservation. Master Bloodbear, as spiteful and hate-filled as any of his House, had refused to hear any argument. Master Hound’s stance had seemed more reasonable—after all, the Guild certainly couldn’t allow anyone to operate outside of their control—but lacked real substance. He argued for tradition, while Master Gold offered a chance at continued prosperity that no sane House Master or Journeyman could dismiss. Faced with the Masters of House Scorpion, Serpent, and Hawk and the Guild Master himself, he’d soon cave.

  Snorting, she took another pull of wine. Let them quibble over terms and caveats. In the end, she would tell them what she wanted and they’d give it to her. Master Gold needed her, and he’d use all his influence to keep her working for the Night Guild. He would have no control over her—either by blackmailing her through the mysterious notes or using his influence as Guild Master. He’d have to cater to her demands for once.

  That’s if I choose to stay, of course. She hadn’t yet decided. And the decision wouldn’t be an easy one.

  If she bade the Night Guild farewell, she’d leave the only life she’d known. She’d been a Hawk for fifteen years. She’d spent countless hours training to acquire the skills she’d need in her service to her House. She couldn’t imagine life without the thrill of racing across the Hawk’s Highway, the heart-pounding exhilaration of slipping in and out of noblemen’s homes without leaving a trace. Where else could she find such a test of her mind and body? Her latest enterprise had made one thing crystal clear: she lived for the challenge.

  She couldn’t imagine never seeing Jarl or Master Hawk again—the only members of her “family” remaining—or racing up the Perch. The journey to Voramis had reinforced her bond with Errik. The Serpent had endured the abuses of Master Velvet beside her, but they hadn’t broken his spirit. He’d survived the Menagerie and his training as an assassin with his sense of honor and decency intact.

  Darreth, the odd Journeyman from House Scorpion, had reminded her of Ethen. He had the same love of learning, the same quick mind. His quirks never bothered her; if anything, they made him a more curious companion. He’d grown on her.

  She’d even be sorry to say goodbye to Allon. Her relationship with him had only been one of convenience and necessity, in her mind, at least. But he had a few qualities—a bright mind, an innate curiosity, and a desire to test his boundaries that rivaled hers—that made him a suitable comrade. Perhaps in another life, there could have been something real between them. But, like with everything else, the Night Guild had poisoned that.

  She remembered very little of her life before the Night Guild. She’d lived, breathed, and dreamed thieving for so long. The thought of leaving it all behind filled her with an unexplained fear.

  She knew one thing for certain: she would never return to her old life. The Night Guild no longer owned her. Though it had taken fifteen years, she had bought back her life. And she would decide how she wanted to live it.

  If she decided she couldn’t give up her life as a Hawk completely, Master Gold’s offer gave her the perfect solution. She’d have total freedom to operate independent of the Night Guild. She could do as she pleased. That was a feeling she’d never experienced, and it filled her with exhilaration. She was free.

  The warmth that spread through her had little to do with the wine. From her pouch, she drew out an ornate figurine. The hawk, carved from a garnet as dark as Ria’s eyes, seemed to hover in the air, twinkling in the moonlight. She’d bought the bird the day she petitioned the Night Guild for her freedom. Kodyn wouldn’t know its true value for years, but it would always remind her of the high price she’d paid for her life.

  The image of her son’s face brought a smile to her lips. No longer would she have to hide his existence from the world. She wouldn’t have to worry about his being conscripted into the Guild ranks. The Night Guild had no claim on him. He could live a normal life, do whatever he wanted. She had more than enough gold to give him everything. He could be a smith, a butcher, a clerk, or any mundane profession he chose. Everything she’d done had been for him. She’d bought his freedom, too.

  Tomorrow, she’d take him to the Old Town Market, the way her mother had once done with her. They’d buy something nice for Ria.

  The way she felt about the Ghandian girl left her confused, yet excited. Ria had become as important as Kodyn, yet in a different way. She couldn’t imagine her future without Ria. Perhaps she didn’t have to. Her gold could buy Ria whatever life the girl wanted. She just hoped it would include her.

  She raised the wineskin to her lips one last time: a farewell to her past, a salute to her future. The memories of her friends—Denber, Werrin, Willem, Prynn, Bert and Ethen—would remain a burden of the life to which her father had condemned her. Yet she would form new memories. Happy ones.

  She stood and glanced at the moon. If she hurried, she could be home before daybreak. She’d have time to prepare a breakfast before Ria and Kodyn awoke. She had nowhere to be. She could simply sit and enjoy a meal…with her family.

  Excitement lent wings to her feet. She flew across the Hawk’s Highway, the city of Praamis a blur beneath her. The city seemed aglow with moonlight. A weight had lifted from her chest, and she reveled in the intoxication of her freedom. It seemed as if Old Town Market had come alive in the night, beckoning her home. She raced toward the brilliance.

  A profound sense of wrongness hit her. That can’t be moonlight.

  The wind brought the scent of smoke a heartbeat later. Old Town Market burned. Fire engulfed the shops, stalls, and houses around the marketplace, spreading outward in a terrible wave of death and destruction.

  Ilanna’s heart stopped. No, no, no! Horror twisted a knife in her gut. She raced over the rooftops, abandoning all caution.

  She had to get home, had to get to Ria and Kodyn before…

  Her world crumbled as she saw the raging inferno devouring her house.

  Ilanna will return in January 2018!

  Author’s Notes

  I love the story of Ilanna for so many reasons. Not only is she one of the most enjoyable characters I have ever written (and no doubt will ever write), but she is the modern woman in a medieval world: strong, fearless, and daring.

  She is my salute to strong women everywhere and, in many ways, the woman I hope my daughters will grow up to be. Without all the trauma and heartbreak, of course, but with the confidence in their abilities and the willingness to stretch their way of thinking beyond what is expected of them.

  The good news: Ilanna’s story hasn’t ended. Queen of the Night Guild will be coming your way shortly (January 2018). You will have the chance to continue the journey of this amazing young woman.

  As always, if you enjoyed Thief of the Night Guild, please consider leaving a review on Ama
zon. Reviews not only help others to know the book is worth reading, but it helps me to be a better writer. And as a perfectionist at heart, I always want to improve. Your feedback has and will make a difference to me!

  If you want to stay abreast of my current and future projects or find out when Queen of the Night Guild is available, sign up for my newsletter to receive semi-monthly updates, news, promotions, and goodies.

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  Also by Andy Peloquin

  The Last Bucelarii

  A faceless, nameless assassin. A forgotten past. The Hunter of Voramis—a killer devoid of morals, or something else altogether? (The Last Bucelarii—dark fantasy with a look at the underside of human nature)

  The Last Bucelarii (Book 1): Blade of the Destroyer

  The Last Bucelarii (Book 2): Lament of the Fallen

  The Last Bucelarii (Book 3): Gateway to the Past

  Coming October 2017

  Some call them disabilities, but for others they are gifts:

  - A voiceless child painting visions of death.

  - A killer with a deadly message plagued by a burden of guilt.

  - A priestess divinely empowered to absorb other’s pain.

  - A soldier fighting for courage in the face of fear.

  - A broken warrior-priest on a mission of vengeance.

  - A thief desperate to escape the burden of his memories.

  Betrayed by mind or body, these people struggle to survive in a grim world that takes no pity on the weak. Yet they will discover that they are simply different, not damaged.

  Follow me on Amazon to be alerted on the release:

  amazon.com/Andy-Peloquin/e/B00J9008MC

  About the Author

  I am, first and foremost, a storyteller and an artist—words are my palette. Fantasy is my genre of choice, and I love to explore the darker side of human nature through the filter of fantasy heroes, villains, and everything in between. I’m also a freelance writer, a book lover, and a guy who just loves to meet new people and spend hours talking about my fascination for the worlds I encounter in the pages of fantasy novels.