“We’re here,” Narra said.
“Thank the gods!” Avalon groaned. She turned to look up at the stone wall surrounding the two-story house.
The first floor was dark, as it had been last time Narra had come to see the general. And just like her previous visit, a candle was lit in the study.
“Do you think he’s still awake?” Avalon asked. She smoothed her hands over her cloak. She’d gotten her breath back finally and stopped wheezing between every word.
“Possibly,” Narra said. It wasn’t quite midnight. She had no idea what Asher’s schedule looked like these days, not that she’d known before. He most likely hadn’t returned to work yet, which meant he might be up late catching up on work, or reading, or whatever he’d been missing while in the hospital.
Or he might have just forgotten to put out a candle.
“Shall we sneak in?” Avalon asked. “Or go directly to the front gate?”
Narra shot her a look .
“Ah yes. You’re a thief. Right. Sneaking in it is.”
Narra smiled and shook her head. “We’ll go over the wall and up the trellis.”
Avalon sighed. “Not going to go easy on me at all, are you?”
“Not a chance.”
Avalon grinned as she stepped from the shadows and inspected the wall. She found the foot and handholds Narra had used last time, and quickly heaved herself up, only needing Narra’s help once, until she sat straddling the top of the wall.
“That wasn’t so hard,” Avalon said.
“Be careful, there are rose bushes on the other side,” Narra said.
Avalon glanced down into the shadowed yard. “How do you know?”
“This isn’t my first time sneaking into the general’s house.”
Avalon shot her a surprised look. “So you know the man?”
Narra scoffed. She caught Avalon’s implication. “No, I am not sleeping with him. ”
Avalon winked. “Good to know.”
The pirate slipped over the other side of the wall, disappearing from Narra’s sight. Narra scaled the wall next after a quick check for Patrolmen in the area. Though she heard muffled footsteps in the distance, she saw no one.
A few moments later, she was crouched just beyond the rose bushes alongside Avalon.
Cold moonlight spilled over the pirate’s caramel skin, and created a white halo around her dark curls. Narra blinked in surprise, caught off guard by Avalon’s beauty. Though she knew full well that the pirate was beautiful, she’d spent a lot of time ignoring such facts while they worked together.
Her stomach flipped and she quickly shoved away such thoughts.
“Lead the way,” Avalon whispered when Narra didn’t move.
The thief nodded and crossed the yard, keeping an ear out for Patrolmen while she tested the vine-laced structure attached to the side of the building. Just as it had last time, it held easily, and Narra was quick to scale it, pushing her toes through the vines and spaces in the trellis until she could swing onto the small balcony above the sunroom.
Once she reached it, she flattened herself to the floor and waited.
The vines rustled as Avalon made her way up. She grunted and bit off curses for a solid two minutes until she awkwardly landed on the balcony beside Narra.
“Don’t say a word,” Avalon whispered as she plucked a twig from her hair.
Narra fought off a smile as she rose into a crouch and tested the door. Locked. She sighed. It seemed Asher had at least learned something since she’d broken in last.
She unzipped the pocket at her thigh and pulled out a set of lock picks, slipping the thin pieces of metal into the keyhole. She motioned for silence, then deftly turned the picks until the tumblers clicked and the doorknob twisted open.
Avalon hummed her approval, and the two of them slipped into the dark upstairs corridor before closing the door behind them .
Narra held a finger to her lips, and Avalon nodded stiffly. Narra went first, stepping lightly until she reached a half-open door with warm light spilling into the hall. She motioned for Avalon to stay back until she assessed the situation.
A chair creaked inside the room, and she recognized Asher’s sigh of exhaustion.
Her heart raced as she leaned inside, glancing around the door until she saw Asher’s back. He sat at his desk, rubbing his face as he read through the newspaper. He had a stack of them on his right, and a larger stack of loose papers on his left. A quill sat in a small pot of ink beside him, alongside the flickering light of a candle. Behind the stack of newspapers was a bottle of whiskey and a half-empty glass.
Narra suddenly wished they’d thought this plan through more clearly. Though going to the front door might have been odd given the time of night, they could have done it. But the sound might have alerted the Patrolmen , she chastised herself.
She shook her head. She was just feeling awkward because of their encounter earlier that day, though it felt like so much more than a few hours had passed since he accosted her in that alleyway.
What was she supposed to say to him now? She hadn’t been able to help him earlier, yet she wanted his help now. She wasn’t sure how he’d take that, or if he’d even want to be emperor. If she told him that his niece had been the mastermind behind his brother’s death, would he listen then? Would he take up a righteous mantle to see his kin avenged?
Avalon prodded her side, and Narra inhaled sharply, surprised by the sudden touch. She stepped forward, right on a creaky board.
She might as well have shot off a rifle, the sound was so loud.
Asher spun, on his feet in a second, his rapier drawn from the sheath she hadn’t realized was leaning against his desk.
He froze when their eyes met. Confusion, curiosity, and pain all flashed across his face. Her heart clenched. She wasn’t sure when she’d started to read him so well, but she recognized each flash of emotion better than if it were her own.
“Rheka,” he said .
Narra tried to still her pounding heart by taking a deep breath. “Asher.”
The general looked her up and down, searching for weapons she assumed. His brows furrowed and his jaw hardened when he found none in her hands. He narrowed his eyes in suspicion. “What are you doing here?”
Right to the chase then. “We need your help.”
“We?”
Narra winced. She hadn’t meant to give Avalon up yet, but she was too frazzled to think clearly. Narra stepped into the room and motioned for Avalon to take her space in the doorway. The pirate did as she commanded, and stepped forward until warm light brushed her cheeks.
“The pirate captain?” Asher said, clearly surprised.
“Yes,” Narra said. “Her name is Avalon.”
Avalon didn’t say a word, only inspected the general with cold uncertainty. It was clear she recognized Asher from the hospital. Narra had a feeling Avalon was sifting through those memories for answers.
Asher didn’t say anything, only nodded slightly so she knew he heard her.
“You’ve been catching up some more?” Narra looked at the newspapers on his desk.
Asher glanced back, lowering his rapier so the point nearly touched the carpet. “Yes. It seems I’ve missed quite a lot.”
“You have,” Narra agreed.
“So, what is it you need my help with?” Asher looked between them. It was clear he didn’t trust her anymore, and he certainly didn’t trust Avalon either.
Narra’s fists balled. This was it. “I need you to claim your rightful place as Emperor of Rova.”
Asher blinked comically. He didn’t say anything, clearly stunned and confused. She understood. He’d most likely grown up his entire life thinking himself second best to his brother. This would be a lot to take in, and she wasn’t even sure he’d believe it .
When silence rested for several minutes, Narra shifted uncomfortably. Avalon leaned against the doorframe, and Asher just inspected her face.
“You’re serious?” he finally ask
ed. She nodded. “Then you’re madder than I thought.”
Narra’s eyebrows shot up. “Excuse me?”
Avalon stifled a laugh with her hand, but Narra could still make out the rustling of her cloak as her shoulders shook.
“A bastard has no claim to the throne,” Asher said dryly.
Narra bristled. She didn’t like being laughed at. “And if you were a bastard, you would have no claim, but you’re not.”
“I think you need to brush up on your history, Rheka.”
“Your parents lied to you,” Narra said through her teeth. “Your niece told me herself.”
“Marina?” he guessed.
She nodded. “While your brother lay dying at her feet, she confessed and showed me your real birth certificate.”
Asher’s eyes widened for a moment before his face twisted in fury. “Are you accusing my niece of killing my brother?”
Narra paused. She couldn’t very well tell Asher that she’d been the one to kill the previous emperor. If she did, he’d never listen to her, and he might very well kill her this time.
“Yes,” she lied.
Asher’s fingers clenched into fists, and his shoulders shook. He didn’t say a word as he began pacing the length of the room. Even in slippers, his footfalls were loud, slamming against the wooden floor and then the rug by his desk over and over. When he finally stopped, he threw his fist at the wall. A crack echoed in the quiet, and Narra winced. That had to hurt.
Still seething, Asher turned to face them. “How do you know this is true? How do you know it wasn’t a fake?” He took a moment to catch his breath. “You were there when he died?”
Narra nodded solemnly. She didn’t trust herself to speak.
“How is this even possible? Why would my father lie about this?” His rage returned, and he resumed pacing .
“If you’ll sit down, I can explain,” Narra said calmly, trying to placate him. She didn’t like the murderous look in his eyes.
Asher spun to face her, a retort on his lips, but he stopped before he said anything, opening and closing his mouth several times before pressing his lips together firmly. “Fine.”
He yanked out his chair from the desk and sat abruptly. Narra didn’t waste time, and quickly recounted what she’d been told by Marina—how Emperor Zaneth and his wife had had trouble conceiving, so when his mistress became pregnant, they lied to the country and told everyone that Malek was actually the queen’s son. Only later when the queen did end up pregnant did Zaneth’s mistress return to demand a child of her own, and so Zaneth was forced to name Asher as his bastard instead of the heir to the throne he truly was.
By the time she’d finished, Asher’s fury was gone, and all she saw was shock and hurt on his face.
“So that’s why the queen always favored me,” Asher said quietly. He looked at the floor, his face twisted in thought.
Narra glanced back at Avalon. They exchanged a look, but neither said a word as they let Asher digest this. It had to be shocking to find out your mother wasn’t who you thought, and that your entire life had been a lie.
After a long silence, Asher finally sat back in his chair and regarded her with confusion. “So none of Malek’s children would be next in line for the throne?”
Narra nodded.
“And you want to make this public?”
Again, she dipped her chin.
“Why?”
Narra’s jaw hardened, and she looked down to avoid the intense look in his eyes. Asher always seemed like such an honorable man to her, and she wasn’t sure he’d approve of their selfish reasons to get him on the throne.
“Rheka,” he said.
She sighed. “You’ve read about the Thieves, correct? ”
Understanding blossomed on Asher’s face. “You want me to free them if I become emperor?”
“And my sister,” Avalon added quickly.
He glanced at Avalon and nodded as he made the connection between her and Caroline. The two women looked so much alike, it’d be impossible for him not to realize they were related.
“Your sister is one thing,” Asher said. “But what makes you think I would release the entire Thieves Guild to wreak havoc in Rova City once more?”
Narra’s nostrils flared and fire licked her belly. “Because if you don’t agree, you’ll never see that throne, and your murderous little niece will be the next empress.”
“So you’re going to withhold your proof unless I agree to your terms?”
Narra raised her chin defiantly. “Yes.”
Asher chuckled and shook his head. She froze, confused by his reaction. When he met her eyes again, his normally warm gaze was cold. “Fine. You two help me take the throne from Marina, and I’ll release your Thieves, and your sister.”
Narra narrowed her eyes. He’d agreed far too quickly, and she didn’t trust the cold look in his eyes. Whether the sudden chill was from her ultimatum, or his distrust of her, she couldn’t be sure.
But they had no other choice.
“It’s agreed then,” Narra said.
A fter the meeting with Asher and Avalon, exhaustion threatened to consume Narra. She was used to running around the city, but all the emotional strain was beginning to weigh on her. She wasn’t used to focusing so much on the feelings of others, let alone her own.
She sighed, dusting the cold night air with her breath.
“That went well,” Avalon said.
They walked side by side out of East Gardens, beyond the scope of Patrolmen. Avalon’s heeled boots clicked slightly on the cobblestone, and Narra glanced down at her shoes before nodding.
“It did.” But now Narra had a problem. She’d promised them proof of Asher’s legitimacy, and she had none. Marina had the only copy she was aware of, and getting it from the princess would be next to impossible.
She had to think of a plan. Taron Mikyle had told her that the birth certificate had been taken from the royal family’s estate in West Port. The slightly smaller coastal town was far south of Rova City and would take days of travel to reach. Narra bit her lip, frustration boiling inside her.
Though she didn’t want to ask for more help from the Daughters of Ashra, she wasn’t sure she had any other choice. If she could contact Ria somehow, maybe they could dispatch someone to search the Kolarova family home. That way she didn’t have to leave Rova City herself, and she could focus on keeping tabs on the princess, Asher, and Avalon. Her growing list of concerns wasn’t aiding her exhaustion any.
“So what’s next?” Avalon asked when Narra didn’t say anything else.
“I have a few things to do before we can proceed,” Narra said, choosing her words carefully so as not to arise suspicion.
Avalon nodded. “All right. Shall we meet again tomorrow then?”
“It is late,” Narra agreed. She glanced at the dark sky, the stars obscured by thick cloud cover. The moon peeked from between them. Midnight had come and gone. It was the middle of the night, or early morning, depending on the perspective. Though she was normally awake most of the night, her schedule had been flipped around ruthlessly, and she found herself ready for bed.
“Come find me tomorrow then?” Avalon repeated, then stopped and faced the thief.
Narra halted and turned to the pirate. “Of course.”
Avalon took her leave then, slipping down a side street toward the City Docks. Narra wasn’t surprised by how easily Avalon navigated the city. All roads eventually dipped down the hill toward the bay. It was probably the easiest place to find in all of Rova City.
Once Avalon had disappeared from sight, Narra turned back toward the inner city. Though sleep called her, she had a one thing left to do. Before she could return home, she had to find out where the hell the Daughters had taken her when she’d visited Ashra. It was the only place she was sure she could find Ria.
Taking a deep breath, Narra set off up the hill.
It felt like eons had passed since she’d last visited Tallis Library with Erik. They’
d been on the hunt for Mikael Ruvand, and spent hours in the basement doing reconnaissance before an assassin tried to end her life.
Her brows furrowed as she glared at the metal filing system in the basement of the library. Erik had been the one to use it last time. She wasn’t fond of these kinds of missions. She much preferred using her skills to do her job. Leafing through paper certainly wasn’t one of them.
She pursed her lips in irritation, scanning the cards that marked each box. Her heart ached. She missed Erik. She’d gotten so used to his comforting presence, to seeing him every day, to flying over the rooftops alongside him. She felt hollow without her best friend.
Narra ran her fingers over the cold metal cabinet. She wondered how Erik was fairing alone in the palace dungeons. Was he cramped with five other thieves like Jin claimed? Or was he lonely and cold in his own cell? She wished she could speak with him, even if it was just to tell him that she loved him too, and she’d never give up trying to free him. He was her best friend. Maybe her only friend.
A cold draft passed along the back of her neck, and a shiver descended her spine. Right. She was here on a mission. If she wanted to escape the cold, she’d have to find out where her search for the magic cellar began.
Yanking open old metal drawers, Narra sifted through index cards full of residential records. It only took a few minutes to find what she was looking for. The type of cellar she’d been inside was a new addition to most Rovan homes. In the past, housing had only been built from the ground up, but in the last ten or twenty years, they’d begun adding basements. Some were only accessible from a door on the outside, and others had interior staircases leading down into them.
Since she hadn’t gotten a great look at the cellar, she couldn’t tell which it had been, however, the very presence of a cellar meant she was looking for a home in a new residential area.
Once she knew what she was looking for, Narra plucked a lantern from the top of the cabinet and rushed down the aisles. At the far end of the City Records were city maps and housing plans. She arrived at a shelf with an assortment of boxes and rolled papers. She plucked the first at random, which turned out to be a plan of a development near Old Town. Upon further inspection, she realized they had no basements, and quickly shoved it back into its place.
Clockwork Thief Box Set Page 39
