he thought it sounded like an excellent arrangement and said so.
“Hakim, does this sound fair to you?”
Hakim’s dark skin got darker. “That sounds fair, my lord, but it won’t be necessary. They’re telling the truth.”
“I suspected as much.” The leader sheathed his sword. “Why is it you ignored guild rules and tried to kill these two without even giving them a chance to join?”
“They’re kids; I figured they’d be of little use to us.”
“When they bested that lunatic you call a friend that gave you some indication they were skilled. What’s even worse they offered to join and you failed to accept and you attacked them again.”
“What about him?” Hakim pointed at Xander. “He killed one of our enforcers and hurt two others. Aren’t you going to do something about that?”
“That’s on you.” The leader said. “What did you think would happen? Did you think he’d stand there and let your men cut him and the young lady down? You’ll answer for your foolishness later. Now get out of my sight.”
Hakim left in sullen silence. After he’d gone the leader said, “I apologize for Hakim. He’s a poor representative of our guild. Where are my manners? I’m Kraven, sub commander of the Thieves’ Guild.” He bowed like a courtier.
Xander called upon years of etiquette training and bowed as his mother taught him. “Xander Kane, my lord, at your service.”
Kaylin managed an awkward curtsy. “Kaylin, honor to meet you sir.”
Kraven smiled. “Excellent, now that we’re all acquainted let’s head over to the guild hall and you two can meet the day boss and see if he has any assignments for you.” He made a dismissive gesture and the enforcers guarding the alley slipped away.
Xander and Kaylin followed Kraven out of the alley and turned north. After they’d walked a couple blocks Xander said, “I’m not much of a thief; my skills lie more in the realm of combat.”
“That’s no problem.” Kraven glanced at him and grinned. “We have an opening for a new enforcer.”
Xander laughed, pleased Kraven didn’t hold a grudge.
----
L oaded wagons came and went from warehouses in the bustling merchant’s district. The curses and grunts of laborers filled the air as the wrestled heavy crates. Kraven led them to a large, well maintained warehouse with a sign over the door that read Olin’s Import and Export. Inside crates of all shapes and sizes filled every shelf. There was an office to the left as you entered, but Kraven ignored it and continued to the rear of the building. About ten feet from the back wall someone had piled crates almost to the ceiling. They followed Kraven behind the crates and he bent down and lifted a hatch built into the floor. The boards fit so well Xander hadn’t even noticed a seam.
The stairway led down into the darkness. Kraven took a glowstone from a vest pocket and rubbed it until the light grew bright enough to show the way.
“The guild hall is underground?” Xander asked.
“This is the back door. There are half a dozen passages like this scattered around the city. Watch your heads as the ceiling is quite low.” Kraven indicated they should go first then closed the trap door behind them.
Kraven took the lead at the bottom of the stairs. He led them down a rough hewn tunnel. The older man had to walk bent over, but Xander and Kaylin only bowed their heads. Xander counted three hundred and twenty-one steps before they reached another set of stairs going up out of the tunnel.
“Wait here.” Kraven went up the steps and a few seconds later a muffled conversation drifted down to them. “Come on up.”
Xander went first just in case. The stairs led to a small, square room with a pair of guards armed with crossbows. If anyone tried to break in the two guards would have little trouble holding the narrow entryway. Neither guard looked threatening so Xander reached down and helped Kaylin out of the tunnel.
Kraven shut the trapdoor behind them.
“Hakim, does this sound fair to you?”
Hakim’s dark skin got darker. “That sounds fair, my lord, but it won’t be necessary. They’re telling the truth.”
“I suspected as much.” The leader sheathed his sword. “Why is it you ignored guild rules and tried to kill these two without even giving them a chance to join?”
“They’re kids; I figured they’d be of little use to us.”
“When they bested that lunatic you call a friend that gave you some indication they were skilled. What’s even worse they offered to join and you failed to accept and you attacked them again.”
“What about him?” Hakim pointed at Xander. “He killed one of our enforcers and hurt two others. Aren’t you going to do something about that?”
“That’s on you.” The leader said. “What did you think would happen? Did you think he’d stand there and let your men cut him and the young lady down? You’ll answer for your foolishness later. Now get out of my sight.”
Hakim left in sullen silence. After he’d gone the leader said, “I apologize for Hakim. He’s a poor representative of our guild. Where are my manners? I’m Kraven, sub commander of the Thieves’ Guild.” He bowed like a courtier.
Xander called upon years of etiquette training and bowed as his mother taught him. “Xander Kane, my lord, at your service.”
Kaylin managed an awkward curtsy. “Kaylin, honor to meet you sir.”
Kraven smiled. “Excellent, now that we’re all acquainted let’s head over to the guild hall and you two can meet the day boss and see if he has any assignments for you.” He made a dismissive gesture and the enforcers guarding the alley slipped away.
Xander and Kaylin followed Kraven out of the alley and turned north. After they’d walked a couple blocks Xander said, “I’m not much of a thief; my skills lie more in the realm of combat.”
“That’s no problem.” Kraven glanced at him and grinned. “We have an opening for a new enforcer.”
Xander laughed, pleased Kraven didn’t hold a grudge.
----
L oaded wagons came and went from warehouses in the bustling merchant’s district. The curses and grunts of laborers filled the air as the wrestled heavy crates. Kraven led them to a large, well maintained warehouse with a sign over the door that read Olin’s Import and Export. Inside crates of all shapes and sizes filled every shelf. There was an office to the left as you entered, but Kraven ignored it and continued to the rear of the building. About ten feet from the back wall someone had piled crates almost to the ceiling. They followed Kraven behind the crates and he bent down and lifted a hatch built into the floor. The boards fit so well Xander hadn’t even noticed a seam.
The stairway led down into the darkness. Kraven took a glowstone from a vest pocket and rubbed it until the light grew bright enough to show the way.
“The guild hall is underground?” Xander asked.
“This is the back door. There are half a dozen passages like this scattered around the city. Watch your heads as the ceiling is quite low.” Kraven indicated they should go first then closed the trap door behind them.
Kraven took the lead at the bottom of the stairs. He led them down a rough hewn tunnel. The older man had to walk bent over, but Xander and Kaylin only bowed their heads. Xander counted three hundred and twenty-one steps before they reached another set of stairs going up out of the tunnel.
“Wait here.” Kraven went up the steps and a few seconds later a muffled conversation drifted down to them. “Come on up.”
Xander went first just in case. The stairs led to a small, square room with a pair of guards armed with crossbows. If anyone tried to break in the two guards would have little trouble holding the narrow entryway. Neither guard looked threatening so Xander reached down and helped Kaylin out of the tunnel.
Kraven shut the trapdoor behind them.
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