“You'll hate me for this. I hate myself for this. But that damn girl was getting in the way, and I got desperate. So much so that, one day, I made a deal. I went out into the wildwoods and found a group of bandits. I paid them part of the pre-payment for the job to come into town, hit a few houses, and wait for Aether. She was supposed to die, giving you free rein to go back to thieving. But you messed it up and got in the way. I thought I was screwed.”
I knew I should feel angry, but for some reason, I didn't. Numb, yes, but not angry. I knew what it was like to be that desperate, to gamble everything you have on something that hurts other people. I couldn't blame him for that when I had done similar things, though none ended in death.
He shook his head and grabbed his drink, throwing it back in one shot, “God, if I could go back in time, I'd jump on the chance and never take that lunatics deal. But when you died, I thought all lost. But then the man, he told me to wait. To watch out for you. I thought him crazy, but I did what he asked and had to ensure that, if you did come back, Aether would be unavailable. So I sent Tom after her, made him fall in love with her. It was so pointless; I knew it impossible, but then you showed up again! And I had no idea how, but I knew then that everything was going to Hell. That once again, I bit off way more than I, or probably anyone, could chew.”
Pouring glass after glass, he seemed to be trying to drown both himself and the story, but I didn't dare interrupt him.
“And now we're here. And once more, I have to hold you over a barrel. Sorry, Jack, but that's the way it is. Once this is over, I'll give you a share of the gold and let you and Aether be. Won't bother you anymore, that I swear on. I've done enough damage.”
I let him sit there in silence for a moment, making sure he was done talking, “You set her up with a man who beat her daily. You tried to kill her. I don't want your gold or anything else from you. I just want you gone, as soon as possible. And while I won't curse you any more than you already seem to be, I feel no pity either. You played with lives, not your own, and it caught up to you. So let's get this job done with, so I can finally be rid of you once and for all.” As I stood, I grabbed the still half-full bottle of whiskey and slammed it down into the crate, showering us both with the liquid and shards of glass, “None of this while on the job. I won't have you getting us killed over your damned drinks. Lay off the booze, or there's no deal.”
He nodded, or at least, seemed to, before slumping down and passing out. I stared at him, then around the room, wondering if there really were people watching me to see what I would do. Not willing to risk it, or Aether, I sat and waited for him to wake up. It would take quite a bit of time to prepare for the heist anyway. I settled back and decided to take a nap of my own.
Before drifting off, the last thing I thought of was hoping that Aether was more comfortable than I was.
Aether
“This bed is so damned uncomfortable!!” I hissed in frustration, “You think someone who invested so much money into how the place looks would invest in a nicer spare bedroom!”
It had been a few days since I had been left here. Food and water were brought and left, along with new changes of clothes that reminded me a lot of the clothes I had been washing for the Princess. That made me think of the Princess and wonder how she was doing. While we weren't close, she had talked to me quite a bit and relied on me for a lot. Good help seemed hard to find, and I had made sure to do my job well.
Who was working for her now? Who washed her clothes or ran her errands? Hopefully, someone was. I hated to think she was on her own. She was a good woman who would make a good Queen, and everyone knew that nobody could do that on their own.
My thoughts were interrupted by the door opening slowly, a guard bringing in my breakfast. I got up, not able to sleep anymore anyway, and thanked him politely, “Any idea when I'll be able to leave?”
He shrugged, “Dunno. Mr. Franklin has been gone a day or two ago. He said, hold you till he gets back. So, whenever he gets back, you leave. No more questions.” He watched me to be sure I understood, grunted, and then left, making sure the door latched behind him.
I sat down and poked at the food, worried. I knew Jack was around here somewhere, but there was no way to get out. The window was sealed from the outside, and guards were stationed at my door around the clock. They didn't even let me out to relieve myself; I had to use a chamber pot. Barbaric.
At least they hadn't searched me. I still had a knife to aid my escape and a purse full of coin. I wasn't without anything, but I had to wait for the right time to strike. Once they got comfortable and lazy.
Once more, my thoughts were interrupted, but this time, from a surprising direction. An insistent tapping at the window made me look over to see Victoria hanging on the sill, braced on something. She waved at me to open the window.
I shrugged, miming that the window wouldn't open, and she got annoyed. She rapped on it once more in anger and then disappeared.
I waited impatiently, seeing if she would come back. She didn't disappoint as, moments later, she returned with a rock. I tried to motion to her not to, but she shattered the window anyways.
“Well, that's better. Now help me in, will you? The distraction at the front door won't last forever, and we need to be gone before they come back to check on you.”
I helped her in and watched her brush dirt off, “Okay, let's get going. Grab your stuff, we'll leave through the back door,” she started to pick up some of my clothes but turned to look at me when I didn't move, “What are you waiting for, damn it? I told you we don't have time!”
“The door is sealed from the outside; I've tried to open it before. We can't get out that way.” I picked up my favorite dress and left the rest. “You can leave those clothes; I don't need them. But do you have another plan to get out of here?”
She punched her leg in frustration and hissed, “Damn it. We'll have to go out the window, which will be a pain. Come on; there's a roof nearby we can jump to. Just don't roll your ankle or break anything, and we'll be fine.”
I watched her jump through the window and land nimbly on the roof about five feet away. It was a frightening jump, but I leaped across, skinning my legs on the clay roof tiles. I almost slipped off, but Victoria grabbed my wrist, “Careful. You fall to the street, and you'll get hurt badly, not to mention the guards will see you. Come on, but watch your step.”
We walked across the rooftops, working our way back down to street level. Once we were out of the range of the guards, we walked freely down the road. “So, how was your stay? Comfy?”
I glared at her, “Not at all. And where the hell were you? He just let you go? Or did you escape?”
“He let me go. Said I wasn't important, that you'd be enough for Jack. That I meant nothing to him and Jack wouldn't care if I was trapped.” She blinked back tears and looked away, making me feel horrible for interrogating her.
“Look, I'm sorry, Victoria, I didn't mean to take my frustration out on you. I'm just really worried about Jack, and that room was just horrible. So, what are we going to do about Jack? Any idea where he is? Is he back there in that house, still?” I stumbled slightly but caught myself, hurrying after her to catch up.
“I don't know. Word is, Jack went with that Franklin guy, or whatever his name is. But I don't know where they went, or if they are even still in the city. I gotta check with a few contacts, follow some leads. Meanwhile, you have any coin, or do you need to stock up?”
I glanced at her sidelong, “I have enough to get what I need. I'll need to get some supplies for the road if we're going out of the city. I learned the hard way about trying to live off the land, and it's not fun. How long until you figure you'll know something?”
She shrugged, face stony, “A few days at the most. But be ready to leave at any time. They have distance on us, and we need to catch up. I'm worried about what this plan entails, and I don't want Jack getting hurt.”
I nodded and watched her walk away. If we had to leave
soon, I might as well get started with packing. I called out softly, “I'll meet you back at the hideout. Gonna run some errands and see someone. They should know I'm leaving; it's only fair. See you tonight!”
She waved her hand at me without bothering to turn around and vanished into the crowd. I would never understand how people could do that so easily. I shook my head and headed off to find a general store and a food vendor.
Bread and cheese came cheap, though it seemed that there was a shortage of dried meats, for they cost more than the rest combined. I had more than enough money, thanks to Jack, and bought it all. Since my bag was almost falling apart from the weight of all the food, I decided a new one would be a good addition, so I started off to find one.
I was interrupted by a hand grabbing my shoulder. Thinking it a guard, come to take me back to that damned room, I spun around, swinging my frail bag at his head.
He caught it, and to my surprise, he was dressed in regular clothes. So he wasn't a guard, but aside from that, I had never seen him before.
The bag began to tear, but he held it together, so nothing spilled, “Aether, right?”
I didn't let go or step back, though I really wanted to, “Who's asking? I don't know you.”
He gently set the bag down on a table outside a booth, careful to keep it in one piece, and held up his hands in a supplicating gesture, “I'm not gonna hurt you or anything. I was a friend of Jack's, and I'm worried about him. We were supposed to meet, but he didn't show. I was on my way to find him when I saw you obviously preparing for a journey.”
I nodded and relaxed a tad, “Jack's gone. He may still be in the city, but he won't be for long. I'm going after him with...another one of his friends. I'd rather not say, though. But we'll find him. You want me to tell him that you came looking?”
He nodded and stepped back, “Just tell him Puck was worried. And hey. Be careful. There's more here than what you think. Victoria isn't who you, or anyone else, thinks she is.”
“Wait, how did you know I was going with Victoria?” I began to ask, but he was already turning and walking away. I bent to pick up my bag and hurry after him, but he was already gone by the time I got up.
“Miss, you want some help carrying that bag till you get a new one? I know where a tailor that specializes in bags, he's not far from here.” A young man was standing a few feet to the side of me, an honest expression on his face as he waited, hand outstretched.
I nodded, relieved, and handed him the bag to deal with. He held it confidently and started to lead the way down the street towards a line of shops.
“Where's a girl like you heading with all this food?” He struck up a conversation while side-stepping a hole in the road.
I was still staring down the street towards where that Puck character had stood, “Uh, I don't know yet. Just that it might take a while to get there. Rather have too much food than not enough.”
"Yeah, I get you. Well, this is the shop. It was very nice meeting you. The names Christian, you can ask around for me if you want. Maybe we can get a drink sometime or something?" I looked at him, and he was smiling, standing in front of a tailor's shop.
I realized that it was taking me a while to respond, so I hurried to reply, "Maybe sometime when I get back in town. That would be nice."
"Cool! I've gotta get going, but this guy will take care of you; he's got some really nice stuff in there. Don't spend too much on clothes!" He grinned before trotting off back in the direction we came. I waved, and he smiled broader while waving back. I watched him duck to avoid a low-hanging sign, and then he was gone.
The innocence the boy had reminded me of a time long passed, and I sighed, "Jack, where have you gone. And why don't you still love me like I love you?"
Eyes downcast, I took my ripped bag and stepped into the store to find a replacement. Hopefully, this trip wouldn't be too long of one.
Jack
Elroy had been so much more hyper since I joined up. If that was because he had less to worry about with me here or the fact that he wasn't drinking anymore, I didn't know. But it had to be something to do with all of this. I hadn't seen him with this much energy since the old days when it was just him and me against the world—the good old days before everything had happened.
"You got what you need, food-wise?" He was currently leaning against the door frame to my room.
"It would help if I knew where, or even how far, we were going. How am I supposed to pack food for a trip that I don't know how much food I'll need?" I stood and stretched, rolling my head to the sides slowly.
Elroy grimaced, "Fine; I guess you can know. There's a man, John Winterson. He lives in a manor about 80 miles to the north, and we can't get horses. Too noticeable. So it'll be about five days if we walk most of the daylight we have."
I grunted, "Five days—such a short time after all of this. I'll get some food. Are we walking through woods or on a path? Do I need weapons, and if so, what?"
He shrugged, "Bring a few knives, of course. Ideally, we won't need to fight anyone, just get in, get the item, and get out. But if you feel comfortable with a few weapons, feel free to bring them. Just remember, no funny business."
I nodded and grabbed up my bag from beside my bed, "I'm gonna go out and buy some foodstuffs, along with raiding one of my caches for some coin and blades. I'll be back in a few."
He waved at me but stopped, blocking the doorway, "Of course, you'll take one of my pages with you. No offense, but I don't quite trust you all the way."
I glared at him but didn't argue. If I was going to get this done, I'd have to go along with him for just a little while longer.
"Fine. What's the item we're stealing, what's worth so much to go to this much trouble for?"
He shrugged once again, "A staff, wrapped in silver cloth, is all I know. And that if we open it, even for a second, something terrible will happen. So once we have it, leave it wrapped up. I'd hate to go through all that trouble only to screw it all up in the end."
He let me by him, but I wasn't alone for long before two of his bully-boys flanked me on each side. They didn't say a word, but I knew that they would record everything I did and report it back to Elroy at the end of the day.
I didn't have to worry about that. I didn't plan on doing anything bad, and I'd be taking everything from my cache point. I'd just have to remember never to put anything there again since the location would be compromised.
It had slightly less than I remembered, only a hundred or so silver crowns and a few balanced knives. It was enough, though, and I was soon at the food store.
"I need enough bread, cheese, and dried meat to last me five days. I've got the coin and can pay now." I threw my purse onto the counter and was satisfied by the soft "thunk" it made.
The man looked at the bag with greed, "Well, you're taking most of my meat off me. I'll have to raise the prices afterward, but we'll see what I can get you.
He set about filling a bag with what I had asked, and I waited impatiently. After what seemed like forever, he set the load on the counter and counted out fifteen crowns. "There you go. Can I get you anything else?"
He didn't seem to want to let go of my purse, but I shook my head and held out my hand. He regretfully gave it back and smiled greasily, "It was a pleasure doing business with you, sir."
He had overcharged me, and we both knew it. But I didn't have time to cause a scene, and the amount I had stolen from him over the course of my time here made the balance very much in my favor.
I nodded slightly and headed back to the house. Elroy would be waiting, and we would most likely be getting started soon. The sooner this was over, the sooner I could get Aether free.
He was standing in a doorway, bag slung over his shoulder, "Are you ready? It's about time we set off... If we hold off any later, it'll get too late to really go anywhere."
"You sure we can't use horses, at least part of the way? It's a long way to walk..." I grumbled a little, already knowing the answer.
/> He shook his head, just like I thought he would, "No. There would be a record; we would have nowhere to put them once we got there. And it would be too noticeable an approach, not to mention the tracks. The man doesn't use horses; hoof prints on the path would be absolutely horrible. Plus, my...employer, he has this thing against animals. If we had a horse when he showed up, who knows what would happen?"
He started to walk for the edge of the city, and I began to walk after him, "Wait, just who is your employer. He is mine as well now; I think I deserve to know at least his name."
He glanced back over his shoulder at me before looking away, "I... well, I don't actually know his name. Just who he is. It's more of a just do as I say, get paid kind of deal. In fact... I don't even know what he is."
"What in the blazes do you mean by that?" I stumbled over a crack and barely caught myself, "What he is? Isn't he human? What else can he be?"
"I don't know, mate. I never thought anything like it was possible but...I don't know. Nothing's right anymore. The whole world is turned upside down, and I don't want anything to do with it. But there's nothing to do, it seems, but to get this over with. Then maybe that shadow-man will leave me alone."
Thieves' Race Page 18
