wage.”
Xander remembered the innkeeper’s effort to cheat them earlier and made a note to have another chat with Mr. El-Kalim if the wage wasn’t fair enough. “I need to get off my feet. See you when you get done.”
They left Sophia to her work and climbed the final two flights of stairs. When they had the door closed and locked behind them Kaylin dumped the contents of the three pouches she’d grabbed on the table along with a few coins and a ring taken off the enforcers. They did better, but not good enough in Xander’s mind to justify the risk. He said as much to Kaylin. “If we keep going to the market the thieves’ guild will eventually send enough thugs to get the job done.”
“You’re right.” She consolidated the loot into a single pouch. “The problem is I don’t know anybody in this city. If I were home we could burgle a house and fence the goods. Here I don’t know any fences much less which work directly for the thieves guild or even if there are any that don’t.”
“We either have to join the guild or get out this city and try our luck somewhere else.”
“I don’t see how we can join the guild. That fat thief made it clear we weren’t welcome. I say we go back to the market tomorrow, I pick every pocket I can, and we come back here and grab Sophia, and get lost.”
“I like it. They’d never expect us to try anything so soon.”
----
F or what he hoped would be the last time Xander waited in a stinking alley for Kaylin to return. Last night when she came upstairs Xander explained to Sophia they had to leave the city and try their luck elsewhere. The disappointment on her face had broken his heart, but it was too dangerous to stay.
After lunch he and Kaylin had left the inn and headed toward the marketplace. They made a quick walk around and Kaylin pronounced all clear. Xander went to his hiding place and left Kaylin to her work. That was an hour ago and he was so worried he hadn’t stopped pacing.
“Hey.” Xander spun around sword raised. Kaylin walked down the alley calm as could be. No angry men with weapons chased her so he decided their plan to move fast had worked out.
“Hey, yourself. You didn’t run into any trouble?”
“No, didn’t see any sign of them. Guess we caught them by surprise.”
“Yeah, let’s get out of here while the getting’s good.”
They walked down the alley but hadn’t gone more than a couple steps when two men appeared and blocked their path. Swords hung at their belts, but they didn’t draw them.
“I knew this was going too well. Come on.” Xander grabbed Kaylin’s hand and they turned toward the other end of the alley. Two more men blocked this end. “Damn them to hell. I guess we fight.”
The enforcers blocking their way stepped to one side and a fifth man accompanied by the fat thief stepped into the alley. Xander stiffened at the sight of him. The fifth man was different than the others, just short of six feet tall, in his mid thirties. He had short black hair and a lean build. He carried himself with unconscious grace of a natural swordsman. If Xander had to fight him he was dead.
“Are these the ones?” The new man asked the fat thief.
The fat man nodded. “Yes, lord, they’re the ones.”
The new man drew his sword and faced Xander and Kaylin. “You two will regret not joining the guild when you had the chance.”
Xander frowned. “The thing is we were never given a chance to join. In fact we offered to join yesterday, but the fellow behind you said we weren’t thieves’ guild material.”
The swordsman lowered his blade a fraction. “Hakim, is this true?”
“No! They’re lying, kill them.”
He looked at Xander who stared back. “It’s clear one of you is lying. Let’s all go back to the guildhall and Hakim will take a truth potion. Whoever is lying will be executed. What say you stranger? Does this strike you as fair arrangement?”
Since Xander hadn’t lied and he didn’t want to get killed
Xander remembered the innkeeper’s effort to cheat them earlier and made a note to have another chat with Mr. El-Kalim if the wage wasn’t fair enough. “I need to get off my feet. See you when you get done.”
They left Sophia to her work and climbed the final two flights of stairs. When they had the door closed and locked behind them Kaylin dumped the contents of the three pouches she’d grabbed on the table along with a few coins and a ring taken off the enforcers. They did better, but not good enough in Xander’s mind to justify the risk. He said as much to Kaylin. “If we keep going to the market the thieves’ guild will eventually send enough thugs to get the job done.”
“You’re right.” She consolidated the loot into a single pouch. “The problem is I don’t know anybody in this city. If I were home we could burgle a house and fence the goods. Here I don’t know any fences much less which work directly for the thieves guild or even if there are any that don’t.”
“We either have to join the guild or get out this city and try our luck somewhere else.”
“I don’t see how we can join the guild. That fat thief made it clear we weren’t welcome. I say we go back to the market tomorrow, I pick every pocket I can, and we come back here and grab Sophia, and get lost.”
“I like it. They’d never expect us to try anything so soon.”
----
F or what he hoped would be the last time Xander waited in a stinking alley for Kaylin to return. Last night when she came upstairs Xander explained to Sophia they had to leave the city and try their luck elsewhere. The disappointment on her face had broken his heart, but it was too dangerous to stay.
After lunch he and Kaylin had left the inn and headed toward the marketplace. They made a quick walk around and Kaylin pronounced all clear. Xander went to his hiding place and left Kaylin to her work. That was an hour ago and he was so worried he hadn’t stopped pacing.
“Hey.” Xander spun around sword raised. Kaylin walked down the alley calm as could be. No angry men with weapons chased her so he decided their plan to move fast had worked out.
“Hey, yourself. You didn’t run into any trouble?”
“No, didn’t see any sign of them. Guess we caught them by surprise.”
“Yeah, let’s get out of here while the getting’s good.”
They walked down the alley but hadn’t gone more than a couple steps when two men appeared and blocked their path. Swords hung at their belts, but they didn’t draw them.
“I knew this was going too well. Come on.” Xander grabbed Kaylin’s hand and they turned toward the other end of the alley. Two more men blocked this end. “Damn them to hell. I guess we fight.”
The enforcers blocking their way stepped to one side and a fifth man accompanied by the fat thief stepped into the alley. Xander stiffened at the sight of him. The fifth man was different than the others, just short of six feet tall, in his mid thirties. He had short black hair and a lean build. He carried himself with unconscious grace of a natural swordsman. If Xander had to fight him he was dead.
“Are these the ones?” The new man asked the fat thief.
The fat man nodded. “Yes, lord, they’re the ones.”
The new man drew his sword and faced Xander and Kaylin. “You two will regret not joining the guild when you had the chance.”
Xander frowned. “The thing is we were never given a chance to join. In fact we offered to join yesterday, but the fellow behind you said we weren’t thieves’ guild material.”
The swordsman lowered his blade a fraction. “Hakim, is this true?”
“No! They’re lying, kill them.”
He looked at Xander who stared back. “It’s clear one of you is lying. Let’s all go back to the guildhall and Hakim will take a truth potion. Whoever is lying will be executed. What say you stranger? Does this strike you as fair arrangement?”
Since Xander hadn’t lied and he didn’t want to get killed
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