by Jon Bender
Chapter 4
His new clothes fit as perfectly as Raval had promised and were a vast improvement from the heavy robes or too-large shirt and pants Seldon had loaned him. What he had not considered, however, was how much the finely crafted outfit would make him stand out amongst the southern city’s inhabitants. After crossing the bridge with the sun beginning to set behind the buildings, he was instantly assailed by beggars who saw that he had wealth. On two occasions he was forced to fend off cutpurses and it wasn’t until he reached the alley leading to Tiny’s Tavern, that the people living on the streets left him alone. It was as if they had suddenly come to some conclusion about him and then disappeared from sight. Whatever the reason, he was glad they were gone.
Entering the tidy square, he saw not much had changed from the previous day. The two men responsible for keeping the place clean passed him on their way out and down the alley, both carrying large sacks over their shoulders. From the smell, Keller guessed it was refuse from the shops. Men in well maintained clothes were still scattered about the space, but this time they did not seem to pay as much attention to him. Even without the extra interest directed his way, he could not help but feel more vulnerable. Without the others there, the feeling of being exposed was almost overwhelming. It had been his choice to come alone, and he knew it to be the right one. Tiny had been clear that he was the one who would perform the job. Bringing the others would have done nothing except add further chance that they would be exposed. He had considered having Benkt order some of the faithful to accompany him from the shadows, but that would bring its own risks. So, he was left with facing the task before him alone. Moving toward the door to Tiny’s, he chided himself for the self-doubt. He was one of Or’Keer’s chosen and had nothing to fear from common men as long he was not attacked unawares. And with his current state of apprehension, that wasn’t going to happen.
Stepping through the door, he was again greeted by one-eye and the two men with cudgels. Surrendering his sword, he allowed the two to check him for other weapons before entering the tavern. Moving up to the bar, he took a seat on an empty stool as Tiny came down from the other end and placed a battered, clay cup in front of him.
“On the house,” Tiny said, with a wink. “I think you’ll be earning it soon anyway.”
Keller nodded and raised his cup in thanks before taking a sip. “So, when do we start?”
“We don’t talk about such things here in the open,” he said, lowering his voice.
Keller looked about the room and recognized many of the same faces from his last visit. “You don’t trust them?” he asked, matching the man’s volume.
Tiny burst into laughter, surprising him. “You are the only one here who isn’t trusted. It’s against tradition and considered unprofessional. In any case, the people you will be working with aren’t here yet.”
Keller leaned back a bit and forced a smile. “I thought it best to arrive early in case there was anything I needed to know.”
Tiny nodded appreciatively. “Anything you need to know will be told to you once you meet up with Elitha.”
“Who’s Elitha?”
“She’s the one leading the job. You do what she says when she says it, and everything will turn out fine,” Tiny said, stretching a shoulder.
Not wanting to press further and raise suspicion, Keller let himself be satisfied with the answer. Sipping his wine, he waited patiently as he took in the people sitting around the room. Most, as with those outside, now ignored him. Perhaps he had earned some trust when Tiny had allowed him to walk out the first time and the city guard had not descended. The only thing out of place was that he had not seen Hailey since arriving. When he asked Tiny about it, he simply said that she was around. Without any windows, Keller guessed he had been sitting there for over an hour when the small owner came over carrying his sword. He wrapped on the bar with his knuckles and motioned Keller to follow him into the back.
Leading him to one of the doors, Tiny opened it for him and stepped to the side offering the sword. “Good luck.”
Inside, Keller was surprised to find Hailey standing amongst barrels. The woman wore all dark clothing with a torch in her hand and had replaced her small dagger with a much longer one. He knew that she was a part of the guild in some fashion, but had not expected that she would be a part of his test.
She spared a look over his shoulder to Tiny and nodded before fixing her eyes on him. “I hope you are ready. If you mess this up, we will leave you behind to deal with the city guard.”
“I’ll be fine,” he said, belting his sword back on. He would never draw the blade, but it helped with appearances.
“Follow me,” she said, walking around a stack of barrels.
On the other side, he saw her drop the torch into a hole before stepping down onto a ladder. Letting her clear the last rung, he followed her down and felt the instant change in temperature and moisture in the air. Without a word, she picked up the torch and started down the tunnel. It was apparent that the passage had once been an alley as the floor was uneven on both sides where the stone dipped forming a gutter. Soon the alley seemed to burrow through a stone wall and they turned down a plain hall which ended in stairs. He followed her down to a deeper part of the undercity and then back up again into what he thought was once a small garden. Plots of exposed soil held the remains of withered bushes, and bits of shattered pots were strewn across the stone. Moving through a doorway, he thought he saw a flicker of light down a darkened tunnel and heard soft laughter echoing off the walls. Pausing a moment to stare in that direction, Hailey stopped and followed his gaze.
“A new gambling den opened up down there after the priests found the last one,” she said, opening her stride.
Rushing to catch up before he lost the light of her torch, she led him down a spiraling staircase. At the bottom, the walls had become slick with moisture indicating that they were getting close to the river. Following another passage, it soon led them to another set of stairs different from all the rest, in that they had been cut from the bedrock itself.
“Did the guild carve this out,” he asked.
Hailey looked back her shoulder at him and shook her head. “These were cut hundreds of years ago when Vil’Real invaded, though it was called something else back then. They couldn’t get across the river, so they decided to go under it. This passage is just one of over a dozen we have found that will get us to the northern part of the city.”
Keller was truly impressed by the skill and resources to achieve such a feat, but did not have time to admire it fully as Hailey started down. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, his first step landed him in water up to the ankle. Splashing through the slick tunnel, drops landed on his head and shoulders, and the further he went the more it felt like he was standing outside in the rain. Looking up, he could not help but imagine the roughly hewed ceiling collapsing and allowing the river to flood in and drown them. It was one of the worst ways he could think of to die, but Hailey seemed unconcerned as she maintained a steady pace. He comforted himself with knowledge that this tunnel had survived for hundreds of years, and was not likely to choose the moment he traveled it to fail. Still, relief washed over him as his foot landed on the first step taking them back up. Soon they were amongst buried and forgotten buildings again. He could tell the craftsmanship was far superior to the other side of the river. Even the ruins of the wealthy were finer than what the poor had. One day, in what he hoped was the near future, Or’Keer would be able to right the wrongs of the world, once all had been brought to the path. But Keller’s being in the undercity to find the traitors was proof that there was still much to be done before that goal could be achieved.
The passage they were walking through had once been a grand hall. Looking at the intricate carvings of animals and men, now worn and chipped from the passage of time, the owner had been affluent in their life. Again, Keller heard sounds off to a side passage, a gentle murmur of people talking and the unmistakable forced lau
gh of a woman. When he looked ahead at his guide, she seemed to ignore it so he did not question her about what he’d heard. There was no need. He knew from childhood experience that even nobles partook in the baser vices. Often their desires were more depraved than the common man, though, they would pretend it was otherwise while in the company of those they considered their equals. It was no surprise that a brothel would spring up near their aristocratic lives above to meet their lower desires. Keller doubted these men or women wanted to travel far to satisfy their lust. As they moved away from the sounds, Hailey slowed her pace and seemed to be staring harder into the gloom. Finally, she turned down another passage and then another. Reaching a hole in a motored wall, he could see the flickering of torches further on lighting the way. Hailey stopped and turned to face him.
“Elitha and the others will be waiting on the other side. Do as she says, and we can discuss opening up a trade route for you to fence your goods.”
“You mean Tiny will discuss it,” he said.
“The guild will discuss it. Tiny guides us for the moment, but he is not the only one who has a say,” she said, narrowing her eyes slightly. “You should not concern yourself with how we conduct our affairs. As long as everyone gets what they want, it’s no business of yours.”
He met her eyes, searching for the deeper meaning behind her words. Not finding them, he moved toward the short tunnel and looked over his shoulder at her. “You aren’t coming?”
“No. I will stay here and watch our exit,” she said, clearly annoyed. “Now go before they decide to do the job without you.”
He knew he had hit on something sensitive, but didn’t know what that something was. Obviously, the structure of the guild was not as simple as he originally thought, with Tiny at the top of the organization. He was unsure if the new information was relevant to his ultimate goals, but it was certainly interesting.
Stepping through the hole, the floor showed evidence of recent excavation with tools and hunks of carved stone piled to the side. At the center of the tunnel, there stood a thin pillar of stone that had been dug around. With the little light coming from either end, he could see that it held up an unstable section of the tunnel so was careful to avoid touching it. Coming out, he found himself in a large room containing shelves holding crates of vegetables, racks of wine, and other kitchen foodstuffs. It was apparent that he was no longer in the undercity but someone’s cellar. He was confronted by two men and a woman who watched as he stepped from the tunnel. The men were of average size and wearing plain, dark clothing with short daggers at their hips and sacks stuffed behind their belts. Around their heads they had wrapped black cowls that left only suspicious eyes visible in the flickering torchlight. The woman was older than him and dressed similarly to the men with the exception of the cowl that left her short brown hair exposed. Looking into her face, he found no emotion there. Light brown eyes giving away nothing of what she thought.
“Elitha?”
“Yes. The house above us is asleep, but it does have guards. Most are outside, but there shouldn’t be more than two within. We do not want to attract any attention, so avoid them.”
Keller nodded his understanding. “So, what are we after?”
“Caldin and Serg have their own goals while we head for the strong room. I hope you’re proficient at picking locks,” she said. Her tone was completely even. There were no feelings in her words, not even distrust that the two men showed when they looked at him.
“Of course,” he lied. Getting into the strong room was likely part of the test. He would just have to figure something out once they reached the door.
“Good. Let’s get going.”
She turned and moved deeper into the room leading them to a flight of stairs. Before ascending, she and one of the men holding the other torch doused the flames. Without them, only a little light filtered through from beneath the door above to illuminate the wooden steps. He pulled the shadows into him to better see his surroundings. Being filled with power also added a measure of comfort and confidence.
Elitha and her companions began moving up, the lack of light forcing them to step carefully. Letting them lead, he moved quietly behind and paused as Elitha placed an ear to the door. Several seconds later, she pulled down on the handle and stepped out. The hall was gently lit by mounted oil lamps, the ornate brass fixtures turned low to conserve fuel and leaving gaps of darkness between. Closing the door behind them, the two men started off down the hall as Elitha moved in the other direction. Keeping a step behind her, they moved slowly and turned at the first intersecting passage lined with waist-high pedestals supporting marble busts. Reaching a flight of stairs, she led him up to the second landing. Heavy footfalls thudded against wood as someone began descending from the floor above but Elitha didn’t so much as look over her shoulder in worry. The only indication that she had even heard the steps was her slightly quickened pace that took them around another corner before being discovered. As they leaned against the wall waiting for the steps to fade, he could hear his heartbeat pounding in his ears. Whoever it was represented no threat to him, nevertheless, the prospect of being caught sent a shiver of anticipation through him. Elitha stood passively next to him staring blankly at the opposite wall, her breathing slow and even. Keller felt a little envious of her calm demeanor. When the time came to face Or’Keer’s enemies in open battle, he hoped he could muster half the composure she had.
When the footsteps could no longer be heard, she continued on as if their near discovery had never happened. The hall they were in was lined with long tapestries that almost reached the floor and ended in an archway to an open balcony. Seeing no doors, Keller thought she must have taken a wrong turn, but the thief continued toward the balcony with confidence. They were halfway down when she suddenly stopped and turned to face a bright red tapestry, the embroidered design depicting a man dressed in shiny armor holding a large sword whose tip rested on the ground. Placing a hand against the fabric she began feeling along the surface. Drawing her dagger, she slashed into the finely crafted material that would have taken months to create. Soon a large section was cut away revealing a door bound in thick iron bands.
Grabbing hold, Elitha gave a strong tug on the handle. When the door did not budge, she shrugged and looked over at him. “Always worth checking. Now get to work,” she whispered.
Keller moved forward and knelt before the key hole, using his body to shield what he was about to do as the thief looked on. “I would feel a lot better if you would keep watch down the hall while I work.”
Elitha grunted, but turned to do as he asked. When he was sure she was no longer looking, he placed his hand over the plate and focused his mind. He had never before formed the void in such a precise manner. The absolute darkness was one of his most powerful casts, capable of removing any object it touched from existence. If he wanted, Keller could destroy the lock or the entire door if he was so inclined. The challenge was to break only the inner workings without causing any other damage to show magic had been responsible. With a thought, the beam stabbed forward into the lock. There was a barely audible clink as something fell inside. Taking a deep breath, and offering a silent prayer of thanks to Or’Keer, he removed his hand to see that the hole was now only slightly larger than it had been. Before Elitha could inspect his work, he stood and pulled on the handle, the heavy door quietly swinging open on greased hinges.
The thief had come up beside him without his having heard her and peered into the dark room. Though he doubted she could make anything out, he could sense that the room was small enough that he would be unable to lay down inside. The walls were lined with shelves holding objects of every type, his magic-infused eyes allowing him to see their shapes but nothing else. Even without the benefit of light, he knew that everything inside would be made of valuable materials.
Stepping back, Elitha moved to one of the lamps on the wall and pulled a small candle from her pouch. Lighting the wick, she returned and entered the room. It had
been a long time since he had desired riches, but even he could not help but be impressed by the wealth that was displayed before him. The temples kept similar rooms deep within their walls, though he had never felt the desire to visit them. Money was simply another tool to further Or’Keer’s goals.
“Are you going to help me?” Elitha asked from inside.
Stepping in next to her, he examined the shelves more closely. Large necklaces were laid out to display their extravagance, half-a-dozen silver candlesticks had been placed in a neat line, and vases made of almost translucent porcelain seemed to glow in the soft light. Knowing that taking such fragile pieces wasn’t practical, he reached for one of the small chests scattered about the shelves. Inside he found several small pieces of jewelry made from silver and gold, many with large gems attached to them. Not even bothering to examine them for the most valuable, he scooped them out and dumped them in the sack Elitha had pulled from her belt. It only took them a short time to fill it halfway, but already he could tell the load was becoming heavy. Tying the top closed, Elitha motioned him to follow as she shouldered the sack and stepped back out into the hall.
Returning to the stairs, he was allowing himself to relax thinking they would make it away safely. So much so that he froze in shock on the final flight when a voice yelled out loudly for them to stop. Keller jerked his head around to find a gruff looking man with a thick, black beard staring back at him from down the hall, the leather armor and short-sword at his hip identifying him as a guard. The man lifted a small object to his lips and blew into it creating a high-pitch sound that was sure to wake the entire house. Looking back to Elitha, the thief kept her eyes locked on the guard, her free hand gripping the hilt of her bared dagger.
