Srah looked away from Ashra, her expression softening. “My dearest Amelia, our current duchess, knows who I am. She keeps my secrets, and I keep hers. I’m her handmaiden both to protect and advise her.”
“And to stick your nose into the politics of the Wells,” Ashra added.
Srah scowled at Lady Death. “That’s enough from you, Sister.”
Ashra grinned triumphantly. “You always refuse to get involved in worldly business , yet you stay as close to your precious islands as you can.”
The small sun burning above Srah’s hand burned brighter. Flames licked the shadows of the cellar, illuminating the rough stone walls. “Enough.”
Ashra’s gaze slid from Srah’s face to the flame in hand. She frowned, and tossed her hair over her shoulder, not saying another word.
Narra glanced between the sisters. Maybe Srah really was older, or maybe just more powerful. That’s the only reason she could think of that Lady Death would stop bickering with anyone.
Ashra’s dark blue eyes met Narra’s and she quirked an eyebrow.
Narra’s cheeks heated as she remembered that Lady Death and her were linked. Ashra could hear her thoughts. She looked over at the Sun God once again. Could Srah hear her thoughts too?
“No,” Ashra answered. “Srah cannot hear your thoughts.”
Srah looked between them with raised brows. “You know I hate when you do that, Sister. Just because you can speak telepathically, doesn’t mean it isn’t rude to do so in the presence of guests!”
“I was only answering her question, Sister.”
“Still,” Srah huffed. “It isn’t polite.”
“And you’ve always been the goddess of what’s right and fair in the world.” Ashra rolled her eyes.
Narra’s eyes widened as she observed the bickering gods. It’d be funny if it weren’t for how terrifyingly powerful they both were.
“Enough,” Srah said. “I’m not here to fight.”
“Then why are you here?” Ashra asked.
“To say hello, and see how you are.” Srah glanced at Ashra. “But I didn’t know you’d have company. I wanted to see if you’d like to come to the coronation with me. We could have a bit of fun, like old times.”
Ashra’s smile returned, sly like a fox’s. “We did have fun once, didn’t we?”
Srah smiled, her eyes glazed with distant memories. “We did, back before—”
The Sun God cut herself off, and both sisters looked at Narra. They promptly shut their mouths, making Narra desperate to know what Srah was about to say. Fear slipped across both of their eyes. What did gods have to fear?
“Anyway.” Srah cleared her throat. “Do let me know, won’t you?”
Ashra dipped her chin. “Of course.”
The sun in Srah’s hand disappeared suddenly, leaving them in dim violet light. They exchanged goodbyes, and as quickly as she’d come, the Sun God disappeared back out into the night.
When silence reigned for more than a minute, Narra looked back at Lady Death. She had so many questions about who they were, and what they really were. Were they truly related, and what could they possibly have to fear?
“Save your questions, Narra,” Ashra said. Her voice turned stony, and her black hair writhed like snakes. “There will be time for that later.”
Narra nodded slowly. She’d been so distracted by the two gods, she’d nearly forgotten why she’d come. She wanted a way out of their deal, a way to detach herself from Lady Death and the Daughters, but Ashra herself said that wasn’t possible unless she died.
Working her jaw back and forth, Narra tried to think of something to offer the goddess, something that might make her reconsider. But from the cold look in the Death God’s eyes, she wasn’t going to change her mind.
Narra sighed. It looked like her little errand would be fruitless after all. Now she’d have to return to her Thieves, still an assassin, and a handmaiden to death herself.
She froze, and her eyebrows furrowed. She wasn’t exactly sure where the Thieves would have gone in the first place. Now that they were free, they might try to return to the Den inside the sewers. She bit her lip. No, that’d be stupid of them. Then again, did they have anywhere else to go?
“You’re worried about your Thieves,” Ashra said. Narra looked up in surprise, again forgetting that Ashra could hear her thoughts. Lady Death tilted her head curiously.
“Yes,” Narra said.
“You’ve lost your home,” Ashra continued.
“Well, not my personal home,” Narra muttered.
“But your Thieves home.”
“Yes.”
Ashra rested her cheek in the palm of her hand. She regarded Narra, scanning her from head to toe. “There is a place my Daughters used once, a manor beyond the city. We used it to train the next generation of followers, but it was abandoned a long time ago. ”
Narra’s eyebrows furrowed as she wondered what this had to do with anything.
Ashra narrowed her eyes. “One would think a thief would catch on much more quickly.”
Narra sighed. She didn’t want to play any more games. She was exhausted and not thinking clearly. She’d spent days worrying and flying through the city, killing and fighting, clawing her way into the Imperial Palace to save her Thieves. Maybe once she had some sleep she’d be back to her cunning self, but for now, her mind was heavy and her body tired.
“Fine ,” Ashra hissed out between her teeth. “You may have the old manor for yourself and your Thieves. It is few miles northeast of the city, and linked to the old sewer system, giving you a tunnel to get below the city walls unseen.”
Narra’s eyebrows shot up. “You’d really do this for me?”
Ashra smiled and stood. “You are my Daughter, Narra. I take care of what’s mine.”
The thought was somehow comforting and creepy all at once.
“Thank you,” Narra said, unsure what else to say.
“You’re welcome,” Ashra said. “There is an entrance to the tunnel hidden beneath a briar patch in a small park north of here. You might want to wear gloves.” She glanced at Narra’s hands. “The briars have thorns.”
Narra nodded in understanding, but doubt weighed on her. What would Ashra ask in return for this? She hadn’t given anything to Narra freely yet.
“As long as you are loyal to me, and obey when I call, I won’t ask anything more of you,” Ashra said. She moved toward Narra, not so much walking as drifting along the ground, her writhing skirts spewing smoke once more.
Narra watched the fog; aware that it was all theatrics as Srah had said when she first arrived. Theatrics or not, it was still unsettling.
“All right,” Narra said after a moment of hesitation.
Ashra flicked her fingers towards the cellar doors, and tilted her chin up. “Now off with you. It’s time you stop avoiding the Thieves you worked so hard to save.”
Narra’s cheeks heated. She had been avoiding them. She didn’t know what to say to them, or how to explain herself. But most of all, she was still ashamed of all the things she’d done in order to free them—not counting that she was also the reason they were captured in the first place.
“They will forgive you, Narra,” Ashra said softly.
Narra nodded stiffly. “I hope so.”
H er blood hummed with anxious energy as she sailed over the rooftops. Narra’s boots slammed down on the roof of the building opposite Alden’s bar. She took a moment to catch her breath before peering across the square. Her breath hitched as she realized a light was on inside.
Was it Alden or the Thieves?
Narra’s heart raced as she flung herself over the lip of the roof onto the escape ladder. Forgoing stealth, she clanged her way quickly to the bottom, leaving the rusted metal rungs vibrating in her wake.
She tore across the empty square. Whether it was Alden or the Thieves, she was sure Erik would be inside. He’d go there first in search of her, but he wouldn’t stay long before going to her apartment. S
he had to catch him before he left.
She skidded to a stop in front of the wooden door, but her fingers hesitated over the metal handle.
How was she supposed to explain to Erik all that had happened? She’d bound herself to a Death God for him, trusted people she had no business trusting, and killed so many .
Her heart lurched painfully, and her chest tightened, constricting her lungs. No matter what she’d done, she’d done it for Erik. If he hated her, or was disgusted by her for it, fine . It’d break her heart, but at least he was alive.
Steeling herself, Narra gripped the cold handle and flung the door open.
“Erik!” she called before she was even through the door.
Narra froze the second she stepped inside. The hearth was lit, dusting two-dozen Thieves in warm light.
They were alive, and they’d come here . It wasn’t the smartest decision they could have made. Patrolmen would come hunting for them here. But the moon was still high in the sky. They had time before morning patrols were dispatched.
Narra only hoped that Marina held off on sending her dogs after them for a few more hours.
“Narra!”
Her heart skipped at the familiar sound of Erik’s voice. She forgot all about schooling her expression in the presence of her Guild, and all she’d done to get them there. As soon as her gaze landed on Erik and his scruffy head of brown curls, she launched herself across the bar.
They met in the middle, between two occupied tables. Narra threw herself into Erik’s open arms and hugged him fiercely. Her entire body felt light with joy—a joy she didn’t realize herself capable of.
Erik was back. Erik was home . And though he smelled like shit—literally—he also smelled like sandalwood and the oil they used to clean their daggers. He smelled like home, and she’d never felt so happy and safe wrapped up in his tight grip.
“Narra, you did it,” he whispered against her hair. His voice was husky and strained. Tears burned the back of her eyes and she buried her face in his shoulder to keep the others from seeing.
“Of course I did,” Narra said. “Idiot.”
Erik chuckled and squeezed her tighter. Even as the breath fled her lungs, she clung to him. She never wanted to let her best friend go. He was everything to her. She’d do anything to save him, anything to protect him and keep something like that from ever happening again.
Narra gripped his cloak in her fingers until her knuckles turned white. Her heart pounded in her ears, and her tears disappeared. She’d do anything to protect him, but he’d still told her to forget about him and go on with her life.
How could he think that was possible? He wasn’t just her best friend, he was like her brother. More than that if it was possible. They’d been through hell and back together. Through two abusive parents and a slur of deaths. They’d faced the Guild, Initiation Day, and so much more together.
And in a letter he’d told her he loved her, and to just leave him .
Anger burned through her so suddenly that she lost her breath. Narra pushed back out of his embrace and slapped him.
The clap rang out in the hollow space. Though the room had been deathly silent before, now no one dared to speak for a completely different reason.
“Narra?” Erik blinked at her with wide eyes.
“How dare you tell me to forget about you and go on with my life?” Narra shouted. Her fists clenched at her sides, shaking with her fury. “How dare you ask me to move on and be happy without you?”
Erik’s startled gaze softened, and he smiled, the gentle smile he rarely used. “I didn’t want you doing something stupid to try and save us.”
She narrowed her eyes. “I would do anything to save you, you idiot!”
Erik shook his head, a goofy grin plastered to his face. “I know.”
Narra took a deep breath, her anger suddenly quelled. She hadn’t seen him in more than a week. She’d thought she might never see him again. Narra stepped forward and embraced him again. “You’re a fool.”
Erik chuckled and hugged her back. “A lucky fool.”
Narra smiled against his shoulder, and tried to resist breathing in his scent, for it might have felt like home at first, but now it just smelled like shit .
He let her go, and Narra stepped back, suddenly all too aware of the two-dozen sets of eyes on them.
“Well wasn’t that just precious ,” Claudia growled.
Narra’s elation deflated like a pierced balloon. Claudia . The Commander of the Picks had never been fond of Narra, and she was sure the foul woman would use this against her.
“Claudia,” August warned.
Narra took in the Guild. She’d been so preoccupied with Erik that she hadn’t realized who sat around them. At the largest table on her right sat the Guild commanders: August, Clint, Graves, Klaus and Claudia. They regarded her with varied expressions. August looked relieved to find her alive. Clint was his usual stony self. Graves had a furrowed brow, confusion all over his face. Klaus and Claudia, the infernal twins, had equal looks of anger and disdain on their faces.
Emperor’s ancestors .
“No, August,” Claudia snapped. “This was all her fault to begin with! If she hadn’t brought that damned princess into our Den, then we’d never have been imprisoned in the first place.”
Erik stepped in front of her, clearly ready to defend her honor, but Narra beat him to it. “I’m also the one who freed your sorry ass.”
Claudia narrowed her eyes and snarled like a feral cat. She was on her feet in seconds, reaching for a dagger that wasn’t there. She scowled when she realized it, but didn’t back down.
Narra had to resist rolling her eyes. She’d had a long week, and didn’t want to deal with Claudia. On a normal day, she found the woman insufferable. Today, she’d consider slitting her throat just to shut her up.
“You only cleaned up a mess you made in the first place,” Claudia retorted.
Murmurs drifted through the other Thieves, many of which were Claudia and Klaus’s faction members. If Narra wasn’t careful, she might just have to face off against them all.
Narra flicked off her cloak in a sign of power, and also to shove it in Claudia’s face that she still had every single one of her weapons. If Claudia, or any of them, came at her, they were toast .
“You act as if it was intentional,” Narra said coldly.
“For all we know, it was.” Claudia stalked around the others, weaving through tables until she stood with only a table between her and Narra.
Narra circled so she had a wall at her back. She didn’t want anyone sneaking up on her should things go south.
“Are you questioning my loyalty?” Narra snapped.
“Yes,” Claudia growled. “You’ve always been out for yourself, and now you’re finally showing your true colors.”
“Claudia!” August bellowed.
The Commander of the Picks circled the table until she stood directly in front of Narra. Her furious dark gaze held no signs of backing down, even if she was outclassed and weaponless.
Narra narrowed her eyes, and her nostrils flared at the scent of Claudia. Just like Erik, she smelled like shit. Kohl was smudged and streaked down her cheeks and around her eyes. Dirt clung to her clothes, and her dark curls were a mass of unkempt knots.
“This is who she is August,” Claudia continued. “I know you’ve always liked her, but she’s a rat. Worse than a thief, she’s a damn traitor. Just like her father .”
That’s it .
Narra snarled and grabbed Claudia by the throat. She spun and twisted, slamming the commander against the wall. Every chair in the room scraped against the floor as Narra squeezed Claudia’s neck in one hand.
“I’m a damn traitor? Me ?” Narra said, her voice low and deadly. She’d had enough of Claudia and her badgering. If she wanted a fight, Narra would give her one right now. “Do you know what I’ve done for this damn Guild? Do you know the amount of people I’ve killed in one week to save your ungrateful as
s?”
The murmurs at her back were quieted. Good. She wanted them all to hear this so no one ever questioned her again.
“Dozens have died at my own hands in order to cause an uprising to overthrow Marina. When killing wasn’t enough, I was forced to join the damned Daughters of Ashra or have them kill me because they didn’t like the papers calling me ‘Death’s Hand’.” Narra chuckled darkly. “Hundreds have died for you people. I’m bound to a damn Death God for all of eternity because this Guild and Erik are the only things that matter to me.”
Her shoulders shook and her fingers trembled around Claudia’s neck. She didn’t press hard, giving the commander plenty of room to breathe. But Narra was sure the threat was clear enough.
Silenced by Narra’s words, Claudia stared wide-eyed at her. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, and her eyebrows began to furrow as she took in what Narra had said.
“The assassins don’t exist,” Claudia whispered.
With her free hand, Narra yanked the red-beaded necklace from the pocket on her thigh. The silver moon on the end glinted in the light as Narra slammed it on the wall next to Claudia’s head. “Then what the hell are these?”
Claudia glanced sideways, and again, her eyes grew wide like saucers. Her lips parted in a surprised gasp as the red beads glowed and the silver moon darkened. Narra felt a forceful tug inside of her, and promptly loosened her grip on the beads. She didn’t know what they were for yet, and wasn’t ready to find out in front of everyone.
“Don’t question my loyalty to this Guild,” Narra said. “Because I’ve done far more than you’ll ever know to secure your safety. All of you.”
Narra released Claudia and took a step back. She scanned the room so they all saw how serious she was. Her gaze landed on Erik, whose face was as unreadable as Narra’s usually was.
“No one is questioning your loyalty, Rheka,” August said. He looked warily between Claudia and Narra. The Commander of the Picks still seemed dumbfounded. Even freed, she held a hand to her throat and leaned against the wall, blinking stupidly at Narra.
“Good,” Narra said. “Because as long as the Thieves Guild breathes, it and all of you, have my loyalty.”
Clockwork Thief Box Set Page 47
