A few nodded, including commanders August, Clint and Graves. Klaus was glaring at Narra like she’d just kicked a puppy, but he’d yet to move to help his sister .
“Why don’t you come have a seat?” August continued. He motioned at the table of commanders. Two seats were left free, the one Claudia had vacated, and one Narra assumed was meant for her.
She nodded stiffly. As the Thieves finally took their seats again, Narra met Erik’s eyes. His eyebrows were furrowed and his jaw was tight. She couldn’t tell what he was thinking. Was he confused? Hurt? Disgusted?
She sighed inwardly. She’d find out later, but for now, she had to put her commander face back on.
Smoothing her expression, Narra pulled every bit of calm she could back to the surface. She took a seat between August and Clint, sitting opposite from Claudia’s vacant chair. After a long minute, Claudia wandered back over and took her seat. She stared at the table, even as Klaus squeezed her shoulder. The Commander of the Pocks shot a glare at Narra, but said nothing, not after Narra’s little outburst.
“It seems we’ve missed a lot in a week’s time,” August said. His voice was light, trying to break the tension in the room. But breaking tension this thick wouldn’t be so easy.
“More than you realize,” Narra said, her tone flat.
“You’ll have to fill us in later,” Graves said. He cleared his throat, putting his business face back on. “For now, we need somewhere to rebuild. It won’t be long before we have Patrolmen or the Royal Guard down here searching for us.”
Narra nodded. That’s exactly what she’d been thinking.
“You want us to abandon the Den?” Klaus snapped.
“We must,” August said. He twisted his long white moustache, greyed with dirt. “Graves is right. It won’t be safe to stay for much longer.”
“It’s probably not safe now,” Clint grumbled. Though the other Thieves were an awful sight, Clint appeared only slightly mussed with a few holes in his normal attire and his hair slightly ruffled.
“No, it isn’t,” August agreed. “Does anyone have any ideas?”
“There are too many of us for one place,” Klaus said. “We should split up. Every faction for themselves. ”
Mutters rose through the bar, and the commanders all took turns glancing at the Thieves present. Normally, commander meetings were held in private for a reason. The commanders didn’t all get along, and everyone had a different point of view. But having Klaus suggest breaking up the Guild was something different entirely. It went beyond bickering over contracts.
Two hundred years ago, the thief factions were united under one name: the Thieves Guild. To break two centuries of tradition would be treason against the Guild.
And she could see them all considering it.
Anger burned through her, and she slammed a fist on the table. “You can’t be serious. We will not break up this Guild.”
August regarded her with sad brown eyes. “No one wants that, Rheka, but there might not be another way.”
Narra took a deep breath, trying to calm herself and remember where she was, and who was around. They had to approach this diplomatically. Narra had a solution anyway. “There is. There’s a manor northeast of here. We can access it via the old sewer system. It’ll give us a direct tunnel in and out of Rova City.”
“And where did you come by this magical manor?” Clint asked, deadpanned.
“The Daughters offered it. They used it as a training house once,” Narra explained.
August stiffened. “And you believe these… Daughters?”
The commanders exchanged equal looks of doubt and fear. They’d seen the beads Narra displayed, the ones still clutched in her hand. They were hot against her skin, but she found the heat soothing. Whether they believed the necklace came from the Daughters or not, that still remained to be seen.
“I do,” Narra said.
“It’d be worth checking out,” Graves surprised her by saying. “There are plenty of abandoned buildings in the Empire. At least this will save us from splitting up or risking a cave-in in Old Town.”
Clint chuckled darkly.
“You’re really going to believe this traitor?” Klaus snapped .
Narra narrowed her eyes at the commander. She had a dagger in her hand, and speared into the table before he could utter another word.
“Enough, Klaus,” August said. “We need to think of the Guild right now, and finding a stable base should be our first priority. We need to get our Thieves off of the streets.”
Klaus grumbled something unintelligible and sat back. No one argued further. Narra glanced around at the commanders. They all seemed wary, Claudia most of all. She sat quietly with her shoulders slumped. She stared at the beads wrapping Narra’s hand and wrist. The beads no longer glowed, and the moon was once again silver, but Narra had a feeling that Claudia was recalling when magic had flowed through the air.
“Can you lead us to the manor, Rheka?” August asked.
Narra turned from Claudia and nodded at the elderly man. “The entrance is north of East Gardens.”
“Excellent,” August clapped his hands together. “Then we’ll leave now.” He stood, swaying precariously before Clint caught his elbow. They exchanged a look, and August nodded gratefully before he turned to face the surrounding Thieves. “We’ll check this manor to determine if it’s safe and useable, then we’ll return to gather up the rest of you. I’d like a few volunteers to run this information to those below.”
Several men and women volunteered, disappearing through the back door to the kitchen where the secret entrance to the sewers laid.
“Now then.” August turned to the commanders. “Lead the way, Rheka.”
T he commanders and the few thieves they brought with them were silent as they worked their way past East Gardens. They clung to the shadows, separated in small groups as to not draw too much attention.
Narra led the way alongside Erik. After being away from him for what felt like forever, it was comforting to have him back at her side. Before they’d left, the Thieves took turns cleaning up in her uncle’s kitchen, bathroom, and loft. It took longer than she’d like, but it was still dark by the time they left. At least winter’s long night was good for something, even if it was still technically autumn.
Though it hadn’t yet snowed, frost coated the ground in the early morning hours. It made the surface of mailboxes and street signs shine, lamplight reflecting prettily on the icy pattern.
They passed East Gardens in total silence. It wouldn’t do anyone any good to be caught by roaming Patrolmen right now.
A few hours after their reunion they reached the northeast edge of the city. No light emanated from nearby homes, and there were scarcely any streetlights, leaving Narra only the moon and stars to navigate by.
She scanned the street and the trees beyond. The city walls were two stories high, dark stone bricks that blocked the view of the sea beyond Rova City. They were still distant, and sparse patrols roamed the walls. As long as they stayed in the shadows, the Thieves would avoid detection.
Her gaze landed on a small park near the city wall. The trees were tall, casting long shadows over the earth. Below the untrimmed branches was total darkness. Overgrown hedges lined part of the entrance, and a copse of briar bushes was just beyond the dirt path. Grass stuck up between a few of the stones that she assumed had once created a neat pathway. But now it just added to the unkempt image.
“The entrance is in there?” Erik asked. He sounded unsure of himself.
Erik had hardly said a word to her since they left, even when it would have been safe. He avoided her eyes too, and his eyebrows remained furrowed as if he were mulling something over.
Narra didn’t like it. They were back together, and she had so many questions about what had happened in the dungeons. Just as she was sure Erik wanted to know more about their time apart.
She sighed, her breath fogging the cold night air.
“Yes,” she sai
d.
Erik nodded, and again refused to look at her.
Narra bit her lip. She hoped he didn’t blame himself for the killings. It wasn’t his fault she went to such lengths to save everyone.
Erik glanced back at the others following in the shadows. He motioned forward, and Narra led the way across the street.
She slipped into the safety of darkness, skirting the edge of the trees until she came upon a dark copse of briar bushes. Just below, she saw a faint glint of metal. That had to be their way in.
Narra stopped next to the bushes. “This is it.”
Erik stooped next to the briars, and reached out to grab one. Narra’s heart leapt, and she grabbed his wrist.
“Thorns,” she said.
Erik finally looked up at her. The same conflicted look was reflected in his eyes. Then he looked back at the briars, and yanked a pair of gloves from his back pocket. “Thanks.”
She nodded and stepped back. Erik made quick work of tearing the dead branches from atop a thick stone-rimmed manhole. The cover was made of some kind of dark metal. Even after what had to have been years in the elements, it didn’t rust, though a thin layer of grime clung to it.
“Is this it?” August walked out of the shadows with a couple of his faction members, the Brains. His eyebrows rose high on his forehead, and he wheezed every breath.
“August?” Narra’s eyebrows knit together. He didn’t sound well at all.
August waved off her concern and limped over to the manhole, relying heavily on an old cane she remembered seeing in his workshop. It wasn’t quite as nice as the gold plated one she was used to seeing him with, but it was still lovely. The top was covered in bronze with delicately carved patterns amongst a variety of gears.
The rest of the Thieves joined them moments later, sticking to the shadows. It was impossible to read all of their faces in the darkness below the trees. Narra glanced at each of them, and waited for someone else to take the lead.
Erik and another thief lifted the circle of metal from the stone rim and laid it on the edge where they could all peer inside.
Narra leaned over. Utter darkness met her eyes. She couldn’t even make out a ladder.
“I’m glad I brought this,” Clint said, his deep voice monotone. He stepped out of the shadows and pulled out an oil lantern from the confines of his cloak. Sparks flared as he flicked a gas lighter, and then warm light blossomed with the small flame.
Clint offered it to her, and Narra had to hold back her sigh. Though this was her plan, she didn’t want to be the first one crawling into the old sewer.
“Thanks,” Narra said dryly.
An amused smirk curled Clint’s lips for a moment, and then it was gone. Narra took the lamp and held it up to the sewer entrance. She took in a deep breath, but it only smelled of damp and mildew inside. At least it was better than shit.
A rusted ladder led into the wide tunnel with a stone embankment on one side, and dark water on the other. Her nostrils flared. She didn’t want to end up inside that. Hopefully the tunnel branched off from the actual sewer at some point.
“I should go first,” Erik said.
Narra glanced up. It was the first time in hours he’d said something she’d expect of her best friend. It almost made her smile. “That’s all right.”
She offered him the lamp to hold while she descended. Erik took it, but only after giving her a narrow-eyed look .
Narra climbed over the edge, her muscles tight and her heart racing anxiously as she descended away from her only source of light. Traitorous thoughts slipped through her mind; images of the Thieves pushing Erik aside, and flinging the manhole cover back over the tunnel. She imagined being stuck in darkness, unable to see a thing as she tried to feel her way out.
Her boots hit the stone floor, and she stepped back. Erik followed suit, handing her the lamp when he was half way down. It took nearly ten minutes for them all to climb inside, mostly because of August’s bad leg.
She breathed easier once they were all gathered in the damp space. At least they hadn’t tried to betray her, not that she thought they really would, but after what her father had done, she wasn’t sure she would ever fully trust anyone again.
“This way,” Narra said. Her voice echoed eerily, bouncing off the walls, growing further and further away. It reminded her of Ashra and her dual-toned voice. Srah didn’t have the same echo. Was it just more of Ashra’s theatrics?
She shook her head and turned north. Her pulse raced, and her eyes scanned the black. She didn’t like the feel of being underground, especially with a dozen people at her back. She’d prefer to bring up the rear .
Holding out the lamp to the darkness, Narra led the way deeper into the old sewer tunnel.
Long seconds turned into minutes as they walked in the dark. One of the other Thieves had thought to bring a lamp, and he stuck to the middle of the group, giving them all a bit of light.
Narra walked beside Erik, her heart pounding and her palms sweaty. The others murmured behind her. Everyone was careful to keep quiet so their voices didn’t echo, but it only added to the suspense.
What if the manor they found at the end of the tunnel wasn’t useable? Or worse, what if it was a trap? Though Narra had done all Lady Death had commanded so far, would Ashra betray her by sending her to the manor, only to be surrounded by assassins and killed?
She swallowed the growing lump in her throat. She doubted it, but anything was possible.
“Narra,” Erik whispered. They were several paces ahead of the rest of the group, but still Narra glanced over her shoulder. Clint was the closest of Thieves, but he stared at his feet, and gave no signs that he was listening.
“Yes?”
Erik twisted his jaw. He stared ahead into the black. “Did you really do all of those things you said to Claudia?”
Narra’s breath caught and her fingers tightened to fists. The lantern trembled slightly and she took a deep breath to calm herself. “Yes.”
Erik exhaled audibly. “So you’re an assassin now?”
“Yes.”
“What does that mean?” his voice rose with desperation, but he still continued to whisper. “Are you still a thief? Do you obey Lady Death now? What’s going to happen to you?”
Narra smiled. So this is what her best friend had been thinking for the last few hours. Maybe he wasn’t disgusted with her. Maybe he was just worried. “Nothing will change. I’m still a thief. Still a commander.”
She tried to give him a reassuring look, but his brows only furrowed again.
“It can’t be that easy,” he said. “Nothing is.”
“I know.” Her jaw hardened. “I will have to obey my orders, and do what the Daughters want.”
“So you’ll be forced to keep killing?” Anger leeched into Erik’s voice.
“Maybe,” she said. Ria had mentioned the Daughters did other things for Lady Death, but no one had filled her in on exactly what those things were.
“What if you don’t obey them?” Erik asked. “What if I help you stay away from them? I know you don’t need protecting, but against a bunch of assassins… maybe I could watch your back.”
Narra chuckled softly. “You always watch my back.”
“And I always will,” Erik said firmly.
He met her eyes, and Narra saw the determination reflected within the swirling pools of blue. She wanted to hug him again, to tell him everything would be okay, and they’d get through it all. But she couldn’t. Not now.
“So,” Erik started again, “What if you don’t obey them?”
Narra sighed and looked forward again. “If I don’t obey, I die.”
Erik’s steps faltered, and he nearly tripped on a loose stone. Narra grabbed his elbow to right him before they kept moving.
“Narra ,” he hissed. “Why would you agree to join them if they’ll kill you for leaving?”
“Because if I refused their invitation, they’d kill me anyway.”
Erik’s nostril
s flared, and his eyes shadowed with anger. “That isn’t fair.”
“Nothing is fair, Erik.”
A pale sliver of light broke the ceiling of the tunnel up ahead. Narra looked back at the others before scanning the old ladder attached to the wall beneath another manhole cover. That had to be their exit .
“We’re here,” she said, loud enough that her voice echoed.
The whispers behind her ceased, and they all halted a few feet from the entrance to what she assumed was the manor. At a steady pace, it had taken them nearly an hour to reach their destination. The route was completely straight, and as far as she could tell, it kept going. Where else did this tunnel lead?
“About time,” Klaus muttered.
Narra didn’t bother shooting him a look. Instead, she pushed forward, Erik on her heels. She handed him the lantern before working her way up the ladder.
The metal was as cold as ice, and burned her palms. She worked her fingers after each hold, trying to alleviate the feeling of biting frost. When she reached the top, she braced her shoulder and upper back on the manhole before pressing upward and over.
The metal on stone screeched, making her wince. A number of annoyed murmurs filled the tunnel, and then the cover clanged to the floor outside.
Erik was quick to climb up a few rungs and hand her the lantern. Narra took it gratefully and climbed the last couple rungs to peer outside. She thrust the small light out of the tunnel, and blinked in surprise as she peered into a dark cellar.
Old paintings leaned against one wall, and another had metal shelving with old steamwagon parts lined up neatly. The walls were large slabs of dark stone, like Rova City’s outer walls. She scanned for signs of weapons or enemies, but all she saw were the steamwagon parts, paintings, some covered furniture, and a staircase leading up to what she hoped was the first floor.
“It’s clear,” she called down before climbing out.
Erik followed, and the pair quickly branched out to either side of the cellar, hunting like predators for anything that might seek to harm them.
The cellar was enormous, stretching out beyond the old wooden stairs. There was an old boiler, copper piping hanging from the ceiling, and a large workshop set into one wall with shelves and shelves of tools. Everything was put away neatly, covered in a thick layer of dust.
Clockwork Thief Box Set Page 48
