01- Jack of Thieves

by Ben Hale

  “Why the temple?” Jack asked.

  “The walls cannot be trusted in my house,” he said, “but here the ears are loyal. Besides, it is good for someone in my position to be seen donating.”

  “How very manipulative of you,” Jack said.

  The red tinge returned to the prince's face but he managed to control it. “I need you to steal a memory orb before month’s end.”

  “Why the rush?” Jack asked.

  “That's when my trial begins,” the prince admitted.

  And Jack laughed in his face.

  Chapter 30: The Lecherous Prince

  Ranol's expression went rigid with shock, and then twisted with rage. “You dare to find humor in my plight? I will see you hanged!”

  Out of the corner of Jack's eye he saw Lorelia hiding her amusement by turning away, but Beauty’s eyes glinted with warning, which he ignored.

  “You may be a prince,” Jack said, “but you’re also a criminal seeking help from your own kind.”

  Ranol flushed at the accusation of his guilt. “I broke no laws.”

  “Then why the trial?”

  “Elves cannot spill the blood of another elf,” he growled. “It is our highest law. Although I did not cause her to bleed, I did harm her.”

  Jack laughed again, causing Ranol to step forward as if to strike him. On impulse Jack drew a throwing knife and placed the tip on the elven prince's chest.

  “Careful, prince,” he said. “You wouldn't want to die before your trial.”

  The elf was tall, but had to look up into Jack's eyes. The amusement was gone from Jack's voice and a cold menace had replaced it. The elf swallowed and retreated, at which point Beauty stepped in.

  “What exactly do you need?”

  Evidently grateful to deal with someone besides Jack, he rotated to Beauty. “What I say cannot leave this garden. I swear if you share it I will dispatch a Seeker to find you.”

  “We are honest thieves,” Lorelia said, her lips curving into a grin. “And even if we told, few would believe us over an elf of your status.”

  The elven prince looked between the three of them, but ultimately realized he had no choice. With a sigh, he began, “I have been joined to my wife for well over sixty years, but I have not been entirely . . . faithful.”

  Lorelia issued a delicious chuckle. “My dear prince, how very noble of you.”

  The prince flushed and struggled to continue. “My latest dalliance decided to use a memory orb to capture our encounters, and is now using it to blackmail me. When she confronted me I could not contain my rage.”

  “You beat her,” Beauty said, a trace of disgust in her voice.

  “She deserved it,” Ranol growled. “She should have known better than blackmail one of my house.”

  “Who has seen the memory?” Beauty asked.

  “No one,” Ranol said. “I bribed an official to order it sealed until the trial. I want you to replace it with a blank orb.”

  “Where is it being held?” Jack asked. “And is this the only evidence of your transgressions?”

  “Of course,” he snapped. “You'll find it in the Hall of Records.”

  Lorelia's smile faded. “That's adjacent to the Royal Vaults. Just setting foot inside earns an execution order.”

  “I was told you were guild thieves,” he sneered, all trace of civility gone from his face. “Can you not steal anything?”

  “Depends on the price,” Jack said easily, and folded his arms. “What's your dignity worth to you?”

  “Five hundred gold,” Ranol said triumphantly.

  It was a lifetime of wages for a working man, but Jack snorted as if it was nothing. Truthfully he had no idea what the guild would normally require for such a dangerous task, but he wanted the elf to squirm.

  “And how much after?” he prompted.

  The elf ground his teeth together. “The same.”

  Lorelia glanced at Beauty and they nodded together. Noticing the motion, Jack inclined his head. “You have yourself a contract, my lecherous prince.”Ranol's expression would have burned steel, but merely caused Jack to laugh again.

  “Send word to me when it's done,” Ranol said. “I trust you can see yourselves out.”

  He turned and strode away, his gait showing his relief at parting with the thieves. When he was gone Lorelia turned to them.

  “Kuraltus will wish to hear of this. A theft of such magnitude could impact other assignments.”

  Beauty nodded as if she'd expected the comment. “We'll scout the target while you report back.”

  “I'd rather stay,” she said, and her eyes flicked to Jack like a lion spotting a lone gazelle.

  “You've been a class three longer than I,” Beauty replied, clearly aware of the elf's intentions. “It's your responsibility to report to Kuraltus.”

  Lorelia scowled but could not refute the logic. “I'll be back in four days. Don't get too comfortable.”

  The second statement was directed at Jack. Before he could respond she grabbed his tunic and drew him close, slamming her lips into his. Shocked, he kissed her back until Beauty shifted her feet. Then Lorelia pulled away with a satisfied grin.

  “Four days,” she said.

  Jack watched her walk away until he noticed Beauty's disgusted gaze. He raised his hands helplessly. “Like you said, she's unpredictable.”

  Beauty snorted and strode away, exiting the garden before turning north. Jack hurried to catch up and fell into step beside her.

  “What is the Hall of Records, anyway?”

  “You set an exorbitant price to steal from it without even knowing what it was?”

  He shrugged. “I didn't like him.”

  She began to laugh. “With the amount you demanded I thought you knew how dangerous it would be.”

  “I had no idea,” he admitted. “I just enjoyed watching him sweat.”

  “Below the palace lie three highly guarded chambers. The Royal Vaults lies in the center, and contains everything from elven artifacts to powerful weapons. The enchantments and the guards are strongest there. On either side are the Hall of Records and the Hall of Magic. The Hall of Magic contains details on enchantments, spells, and curses removed from use due to their dangerous nature. The Hall of Records contains memory orbs from ancient queens, rulers, and mages. It also houses memory orbs for many of the legal functions of the city, such as contracts and trials.”

  “So how do we get in?”

  “That's what we need to find out,” Beauty said.

  They ascended to a tier below the palace and Beauty followed the curve of the city to the center. Above them sat the palace, an enormous structure that dominated the highest level of Azertorn.

  Directly in front of them sat a trio of openings embedded in the stone. Trees grew on the sides of the portals, their gnarled branches shaped in an aggressive posture, as if they stood ready to rise and strike an intruder.

  The center door was fashioned of solid steel and displayed a glowing symbol that represented the House of Tarmaril, the queen's crest. The Hall of Records to the right contained a matching door, except the symbol was a blue sphere. The Hall of Magic on the opposite side displayed a circle bound by a concave triangle, the symbol for magic.

  Beauty strode to a lavish eatery situated across from the vaults, evidently a favorite for the wealthy officials of the city. The prices were scaled to match, yet did not seem to deter the crowd. High-level mages, nobles, and ranked officers sat around tables grown from living trees. Beauty passed them by and whispered to an elf serving drinks. Jack noticed a glint of gold exchange hands and then the transfer of a key.

  “Top floor, on the right,” Beauty said.

  They threaded their way through the crowd and climbed to the fourth level, where the indicated door opened onto a spacious suite containing three rooms. A sleeping room stood across from a private bathing room, while the receiving area opened onto a balcony. Jack strode onto the terrace and looked down at the three vault doors.
/>   “I like the view.”

  “It will do,” Beauty said, giving a satisfied nod. “While I'm gone, keep an eye on them and see if there’s a hole in the guard's rotation.”

  “Where are you off to?”

  “I have a contact in the archives that should be able to obtain a map of the interior. I'll also reach out to the magic guild and see what I can learn about any protective curses.”

  “So I'm just supposed to sit here?”

  She grinned at the irritation in his voice. “Patience keeps us alive.”

  He grumbled under his breath, which only drew a laugh as she exited. Reluctantly, Jack dragged a chair from the receiving room and took a seat on the balcony. After ten minutes he was bored, and after an hour he wanted to jump off the balcony. Then he ordered the most expensive food he could find and ate as he watched the guards.

  Over the next few hours it became clear that the elves were highly trained and disciplined. They rotated shifts with flawless precision and officers appeared at random intervals. Jack even spotted a general among the visitors.

  As the sun dipped low over the battlements of the city, Beauty returned bearing a map, and they took turns poring over it. Jack was loath to admit it, but the Royal Vault and its companion chambers were a fortress in their own right.

  Thirty feet behind the Hall of Records door stood a dwarven-made portcullis manned by more guards. If they managed to get past both, they would reach a spherical chamber that contained a compression curse. If tripped, it would fill the sphere with water, trapping them while still allowing them to breathe.

  Beyond the sphere sat an innocuous room containing not one, but four asunder hexes. Anything crossing the room without using an enchanted key would be burnt to a crisp, melting in seconds under the searing light. Last they would reach the hall itself, a massive chamber buried deep in the plateau. Each of the memory orbs hung from underground trees like fruit. If plucked by anyone but certain plant mages, the trees would rise up and crush the intruder to a pulp.

  After four days of study Jack sat back with sigh. “I thought the elves were supposed to be peaceful, but they guard their secrets like a vengeful dwarf.”

  “Or my mother,” Beauty returned.

  He shot her a look across the table. They hadn't spoken on their past since Nightfall Gorge. This time her words were an invitation, a door cracking open and giving him the opportunity to share. He hesitated, but the reluctance he'd felt before had diminished, to a degree.

  “You never did tell me about your family,” he said.

  “We all play or no one does.”

  He laughed when his words were thrown back at him. Draining the last of his ale, he reclined into his chair. “You have yourself a contract.”

  She grinned and inclined her head. “My mother was a true daughter of my tribe, and fought alongside my father in the yearly battles with the other tribes.”

  “You fought every year?”

  “The tribes are constantly at war except during the fall harvest, where we trade and prepare for winter.”

  “Don’t they ever tire of it?”

  “The tribes hate each other,” she replied. “And all barbarians are taught early the historical offenses of the other tribes. I learned from my mother and knew I would one day teach my own children. Then she was killed in a surprise attack, and since my brother was old enough to fight, I was left to raise my little sister alone.”

  Sensing the topic shifting to dangerous ground, Jack shared his own story, “My mother feigned a soft personality, but her strength rivaled my father's lion. I once saw her kill a wolf with just a knife to protect a deer she'd brought down.”

  “How did she end up with your father?”

  “I cannot say,” he said. “But now I wonder what really drove her to hide from the Thieves Guild.”

  “The Guildmaster wanted her alive,” she reminded him.

  “Perhaps,” Jack said, “But that he could have been the reason for her departure.”

  They fell silent, both contemplating their past lives. Before the conversation could resume steps echoed on the stairs outside, growing louder as someone approached. A moment later the door swung open and Lorelia entered with Kuraltus. The master's presence caused Beauty and Jack to rise to their feet.

  “What are you doing here?” Jack asked.

  Kuraltus sneered at his tone. “The Guildmaster has recently learned something that requires my personal attention. As such I will be accompanying you on this assignment.”

  Jack caught the surprise on Beauty's face, but the master’s expression remained fixed on Jack. A trickle of foreboding seeped into his gut at the glimmer of triumph in the elf's eyes. Uncertainty bound Jack’s tongue, and left him wondering if the Guildmaster had learned of his secret.

  Or learned what he'd done to Nemeth.

  Chapter 31: The Hall of Records

  Jack surreptitiously watched Kuraltus as they prepared for their assignment, but the elf refused to divulge any more details. Jack hated to admit it, but the master’s presence made their entry into the elven vaults easier, and two days after his arrival they made their attempt.

  At dusk Lorelia and Kuraltus approached the vaults dressed in stolen guard uniforms. Their credentials were impeccable— the papers having been forged by a thief contact within the city.

  “Delivery for the Hall of Records from the tribunal office,” Kuraltus said.

  Lorelia pushed the cart forward for inspection, jostling Jack and Beauty hidden within. The space was cramped, just large enough for their bodies and a façade of memory orbs. The lack of space forced them together, and Jack could feel every curve of her form against his side.

  Jack heard a muffled response from the elven guard and he lifted the lid to inspect the orbs. From the shadows beneath, Jack caught a glimpse of an elven face before the guard ordered them through. The lid closed and the cart bounced as Lorelia pushed them under the opening gate.

  It had been a gamble, but no one had attempted to steal from the vaults in decades, meaning the soldiers rarely checked the carts of orbs sent from the tribunal office. Shortly after, they managed to pass the dwarven portcullis using the same tactic.

  Heading down the descending corridor, Lorelia picked up the pace, causing the cart to bump over imperfections in the floor. The effect caused Beauty to press against him, and in the darkness he grinned.

  “Stop smiling, Jack,” she whispered.

  “How do you know I'm smiling?”

  “They call me Beauty for a reason.”

  “True,” he conceded. “Which is why I'm smiling.”

  “Quiet,” Kuraltus hissed.

  Jack fell silent and listened to the wheels of the cart creak until they came to a stop. Then Lorelia shifted the layer of orbs out of the way to allow them out. She'd wanted to be inside the cart, but there were always two guards delivering memory orbs, and they were always elves.

  “You have my gratitude for a pleasant ride,” Jack said, stepping out of the coffin-shaped box.

  Lorelia grunted in response, her normally light expression annoyed. “We should hurry. We have thirty minutes until the guards sweep the corridor.”

  The quartet walked to the compression chamber and came to a halt on the edge. Jack looked into the whirlpool spinning the bottom of the sphere, and then looked up to see a matching one spinning above his head. A pedestal stood before them with a slot for a key, which when inserted would still the water into aquaglass and allow them safe passage.

  “You sure you can make it?” Jack asked.

  “Always,” Beauty replied as she retreated back up the corridor.

  They parted, giving her a clear path toward the compression chamber. She faced forward and took several steadying breaths. Her hands began to tremble as she cast her speed charm and added the magic of her speedstone. Then she exploded into motion. Her hands pumped at her sides as she fought for speed. She accelerated faster than a charging warhorse, the unbridled power turning her into a blu
r.

  She hurtled toward the spherical chamber, reaching the edge of the compression sphere at top speed. Dropping her speed charm in favor of strength, she planted her foot on the edge and launched herself into the air. Her arms spun as she fought for balance, keeping her upright as she sailed through the void. Then she reached the apex of her jump and began to fall.

  She bent her legs, reaching her arms out to brace for her landing. Her feet caught on the edge of the opposite side, her motion pitching her forward. She rolled on the floor and came to her feet, running to bleed off the last of her speed. A wild grin spread on her face as she turned back and approached the opposite pedestal.

  “They really should require a key on the opposite side,” Lorelia remarked.

  “Their mistake is our gain,” Kuraltus said.

  Beauty pressed the rune on the pedestal, causing the waters to calm and reshape into a bridge across the sphere. Jack crossed first, and inclined his head to Beauty as he passed her.

  “Your legs have my respect.”

  She grinned and then they turned to proceed down the tunnel. Fifty paces later they came to a halt before the asunder chamber. Square in shape, the doorway opened onto one of the corners. While the first trap had been intended to hold intruders until guards could arrive, this room could be lethal.

  “Lorelia,” Kuraltus said. “Get it done.”

  She smirked and strode into the room. The runes on the four walls brightened—and then a blast of blinding light filled the room. Jack clenched his eyes shut and raised an arm to ward off the searing heat. In the midst of the room he caught a glimpse of Lorelia bound in a tornado of light, the spinning glow redirecting the curse harmlessly around her form.

  With the light reflecting off her flawless features she was stunning—and she knew it. She winked at Jack before striding to the opposite side to deactivate the curses. As Jack stepped onto the steaming floor he noticed a triangle of ash that had once been a corner of Lorelia's cloak.

  Leaving the asunder chamber behind they strode down the final corridor to the Hall of Records. Jack turned a corner in the tunnel and came to an abrupt halt, shocked by the vista that lay before him.