Gilly Flower Writings

Thieves Heaven

By Kathryn Evans

The rain pelted down on the dark streets; freezing rain that held the chill of winter that was fast approaching. Ryana had given up trying to stay dry, as she hurried along the streets, now her only thought was to find a fire and some place out of the rain, which fell in drops as big as acorns. The hood of her cloak no longer kept her head dry, and her fingers felt numb where they clasped the cloak in front her.

She sighed with relief when she finally found the big stone building with the sign of a black angry-looking bull swinging above the door. ‘The Black Bull’ painted in barely legible letters, proclaiming itself an inn. Ryana pushed open the door and nearly choked as a wave of smoke hit her from inside. She forced herself all the way in and surveyed the common room.

It wasn’t a particularly large room. It had about a dozen tables with benches all around, and a large hearth on one wall. Nearly all the tables were filled and busy serving girls managed to weave expertly through the crowd. One of the serving girls stood on a bench near the hearth singing to the great enjoyment of the crowd.

Ryana quickly spotted a tall man in a long white apron, whom she took to be the innkeeper, standing along one wall and watching to make sure everything was running smoothly. She eyed the hearth longingly, but forced herself towards the innkeeper first.

“Excuse me, master innkeeper,” she said after making her way over to him. “I’m in need of lodging for the night. Do you have any empty rooms?”

Cool gray eyes looked down on her, he was a good head taller than she, and seemed to take in everything about her. She was sure she looked more than a little pathetic. She had pushed her cloak back to reveal a bedraggled red dress that was soaked through from the rain, and her long black hair that was just as wet and gave her the appearance of a drowned rat as it clung about her. It also didn’t help that she had always been incredibly slim, and so looked more like a starved, drowned rat than anything else.

The innkeeper looked her up and down and then seemed to dismiss her and turned his attention back to watching the room, saying only, “Rooms aren’t free, and there is no space in the stables.”

Ryana couldn’t keep herself from glaring at him, but she pulled the money pouch from her belt and jingled it slightly to get her point across. At the sound of coin, the innkeeper instantly turned his attention back to her and this time looked down with a smile across his face.

“Forgive me, miss,” he said in a tone that was just a fraction more friendly than previously. “I did not mean to offend, but too often folks come in without a copper on them and expect to be given room and board out of charity, without a thought of paying like honest people.” His tone made Ryana think he had probably never practiced charity in his life.

“The room?” she said as calmly as possible. She was cold and tired and did not want to spend any more time in his company than she had to. “And I’ll also take hot bathing water and a tub if you have it.”

He let his eyes flicker to her purse, as if trying to decide how much it contained, before answering. “Of course. I’ll have the tub set up right away. If you like, we also have beef stewing for supper?”

Ryana shook her head to show she would not like any supper. She was not sure how long her coin would hold out, and she had gone without supper before.

He nodded and then whistled shrilly enough to be heard over the din of the common room. None of the patrons seemed to notice, but within moments a pale haired serving girl hurried over to where they stood.

The innkeeper gave the girl instructions, and then she quickly led Ryana to a room on the ground floor. The girl left and then quickly returned with two men carrying a large wooden tub with a sloped back which they set down in the middle of the room. Ryana patiently waited as the tub was filled with hot water from the kitchen, and as soon as it was full and she was alone in the room she threw her travel bundle on the bed and looked around the room. It was a small room, occupied only by a bed, which was really just a pallet, and a little table that held a tallow candle. The rest of the room was almost completely taken up by the tub that sat gently steaming. There was no window, which Ryana was actually glad of, and she only wished the door had a lock.

The steaming tub reminded her how wet and cold she still was and she suddenly shivered. She could hear the thunder outside, and that only made her shiver more. She remembered too well the last time it had thundered like that. She could still hear her father’s angry cries as he woke to find strangers in their house. She could still hear the pounding of feet down the back stairs to the street, and her brother’s shouts as he pursued them. And all too clearly could she remember seeing the still shape of her brother’s body laying in the street, pounded by the rain that washed his blood away into the gutter.

She felt herself begin to shake, and irritably told herself to stop. She had only been on her own for less than a day, and already she was quivering like a lost child. How was she to avenge her brother if she couldn’t even spend a night on her own without shaking?

Without hesitating any longer, she removed her cloak, pulled off her soggy boots that were caked in mud, and stripped off her dress. Now she did shiver from the cold and damp, and quickly climbed into the steaming water of the tub.

The hot water seemed scorching after the cold, but she let herself sink into it, absorbing the heat into her chilled bones. The tub was just deep enough that the water came up to her chest, but by letting her feet dangle over the side, she was able to immerse herself to the head. She let the dirt from traveling soak off her body and out of her hair. She let the heat of the water drown her thoughts, and for a few blissful moments it seemed to wash away the taint of the world, leaving her peaceful and content.

Only once the water had cooled significantly did she attempt to scrub the last of the dirt away then stood up from the tub and, for lack of a proper towel, wrapped herself in her cloak. She picked up her travel bundle, set it on the small table beside the candle. She undid the ties and after a little rummaging she pulled out a small bronze mirror that fit easily in her hand, and a pair of scissors that had once been one of her mother’s prized possessions. She also pulled out her wooden comb and quickly ran it through her hair, and then she very hesitantly picked up the scissors. She willed her hands to stop shaking, though they still trembled slightly, and with one hand she took a handful of thick black hair, and with the other raised the scissors. A single snip, and she let the hair fall to the floor. For a long minute she stared at the pile of black on the floor, partly horrified at what she had done, partly proud that she had done it. Still hesitant, but no longer trembling, she made quick work of the rest of her hair, until it fell just short of her shoulders and across her eyes, obscuring her vision slightly.

She set down the scissors on the table and picked up the bronze mirror. She hardly recognized her own reflection. Slanted green eyes were mostly hidden by long bangs, and the short hair seemed to emphasize her broad jaw and wide cheekbones. She couldn’t help the full mouth, but she tried as much as possible not to pout it. Nor could she help her smooth cheeks, but she looked young enough that perhaps that wouldn’t be an issue. With luck, she thought she would be able to pass for a boy of about fifteen, only two years younger than her actual age.

She set down the mirror beside the scissors and pulled out the clothes she had kept in the bundle: a tunic, vest, jacket and pair of trousers that had belonged to her brother. All the clothes were slightly too large for her, but that was exactly what she wanted. For the first time in her life she thanked the gods for how flat-chested she was, and surveyed herself in the mirror again. She doubted her own mother would recognize her now.

She gathered up the hair and discarded it, trying to avoid looking at it as much as possible. Her dress she left in a heap next to the door; she wouldn’t need it again, and perhaps one of the chambermaids would find it useful. The bath water was now cool, but she didn’t call someone to take it away, they could easily do that after she left in the morning. She packed away the mirror and scissors in her travel bag again, then blew out the candle and lay down on the bed without bothering to undress again.

She lay in the dark, listening to the thunder and the pound of rain on the window, thinking about what she intended to do. At times the thought scared her enough she thought about returning home. But then the thunder reminded her why she was doing it. Reminded her of her brother’s body lying in the street, a thief’s dagger plunged into his chest. She would have revenge. Her parents could sit at her aunt’s cottage grieving for one child, perhaps now for two after discovering her gone, but she would not rest till she found revenge for her brother’s murder.

Absently, she ran her fingers through her hair, and felt momentary shock when it stopped just short of her shoulders. Unbidden tears came to her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. Then she laughed, mocking and a little bitter. Everything that had happened, everything she intended to do, and now she cried for a girl’s vanity. Her brother would be laughing at her if he could see her now. But if he could see her, then she wouldn’t have been here anyway, would she?

“Oh, Janya,” she whispered into the night, and then the thunder drowned out all noise as she wept into her blankets.

            *                       *                       *                       *                       *                       *          

By the next morning the rains had stopped, though heavy clouds still hung low in the sky. A thin layer of frost encased the world as Ryana left the inn, hugging her jacket about her against the cold. Her boots crunched on the ground as she hurried along the frost covered streets. There were few people about at this hour, but she was glad to see she earned only passing glances. Perhaps this disguise would work after all.

She quickly left the little village behind and was on the road down to the city. Already she could smell the salt taste of the sea on the wind, and the less pleasant smell of fish from the docks. By the time the sun was reaching it’s full height, Ryana crested a hill to look down on the city of Tanam, the city she still considered her home.

Situated on the edge of Zenen Bay on the island of Kalion in the Calshone Sea, Tanam was one of the most prominent trading cities in all of the Islands, as well as one of the largest. Its harbor was filled with all number of different kinds of ships, from small merchant boats to great three-masted vessels that were said to travel all the way around the world and back. The city itself was centered around a great market place called Baralin’s Square, named for the founder of the city. It was said that a person could buy anything imaginable in Baralin’s Square, if they only know the proper places to look.

Ryana’s father’s shop had been located on one of the many side streets that led off of Baralin’s Square, just a few blocks down from the square itself. Now the shop sat empty and closed up, their apartments above it also boarded up, until her father was able to find someone to buy it. After thieves had killed Ryana’s brother and stolen nearly all the family’s savings, they had not been able to afford to remain in the city.

The sun was warm, despite the cold breeze off the bay, but Ryana kept her heavy coat buttoned up and tried to slouch as much as she could as she started down the road into the city. She didn’t think anyone would recognize her, but even so, she kept her face down and let her short hair cover her eyes, though it obscured her vision a great deal. The guards at the gate didn’t look twice at her, and neither did anyone else that she could see. Once she was several streets into the city and still no one seemed to pay her any attention she began to relax a little, even unbuttoning a few of the top buttons of her coat that threatened to choke her.

 Content that her disguise was working as well as she had hoped, Ryana turned her thoughts to the next part of her plan, perhaps the hardest part.

For all her planning, she still wasn’t sure exactly how she was going to find the thieves who had robbed her father and killed her brother. Being the only daughter of a well-respected merchant had shielded her from most of the darker side of the city, but now it was the darker side that she had to join if she hoped to avenge her family.

Ryana shivered, hoping it was just from the cold sea breeze, and set off into the city.

            *                       *                       *                       *                       *                       *

As night fell on Tanam it found Ryana trudging down the darkening streets, despair and fatigue turning her feet to lead so that they dragged at her. All day she had combed the city, listening even for the tiniest whisper, and had learned nothing new. She had spoken to every rumormonger she could find, but had been unable to get them to tell her what she wanted. She had been careful not to ask too many questions, not wishing to draw attention to herself, but it all seemed futile now.

The sky above hung low and heavy with dark clouds, seeming to mirror her disposition, but she barely noticed the cold wind that tugged at her jacket and blew her hair wildly about. She wandered, unseeing, through the streets, trying desperately to decide what she would do next. It seemed pointless to spend another day wandering around Tanam, asking questions of anyone who looked the type to associate with thieves. Yet what else could she do? She wasn’t even sure she was asking the right questions. Trying to find a particular group of thieves in Tanam was like trying to find a particular squirrel in the forest. Growing up she had heard that there were entire ‘guilds’ of thieves, though they perhaps did not function like guilds of other varieties.  They were bands of men that ruled over particular sections of the city, and it was considered as good as death for a freelancer or another guild to trespass on their territory. The stronger the guild the more territory they covered.

Ryana was sure that it been a guild that had robbed her family, there had been too many of them for freelancers. But how would that help her get closer to them? How would she even find them, when most people in the city would know where to find them and would therefore avoid them at all costs?

She shook her head, she was too tired to think about this now. What she needed now was to find some place to stay for the night, and maybe something hot to eat.

She looked around her and was a little startled to find night fully enveloping the street except for the few lit street lamps. As she looked around she thought she saw something behind her, but as soon as she turned around it seemed to vanish.

Just shadows playing tricks, she thought. But she hastened her step anyway.

She knew enough of the city to realize she wasn’t in the best part of town, too close to the docks and too far from any of the gates where the city guards patrolled. And the fact that anyone she came across wouldn’t know she was a woman was only small comfort. Hoping she had not completely lost her sense of direction, she turned down a street she hoped would eventually bring her to Baralin’s Square. Again, she thought she saw something behind her. She didn’t turn around this time, but instead kept her head down and tried to make it appear she hadn’t noticed. This time the shadow did not disappear.

She tried to walk as calmly as possible, not quickening her step, but not walking slower than she had to. The shadow kept following her. She reached a hand inside her coat, hoping it looked like she was only trying to keep her hands warm, and grasped the dagger she had tucked into her belt.

At the next street she came to she turned the corner, but instead of continuing up the street, she pressed herself hard against the wall and waited for her ‘shadow’ to catch up. She silently berated herself, telling herself she was a fool to try and confront anyone in this city who would want to follow her. But she still waited, pressed against the wall, as calm as ice. There was a street lamp on the corner, casting ruddy shadows on the street, but she prayed she would be able to catch her stalker before they would have a chance to see her.

She didn’t have to wait long before a shape, no larger than she, turned the corner. As quickly as she could, and without much thought, she launched herself at the skulking shape, and soon had him pressed against the wall, with her dagger at his throat.

Ryana knew her own strength well enough to be rather shocked at how easily she had pinned him to the wall, until she studied the face revealed by the ruddy street lamp.

A boy who had to be a couple years younger than she looked up at her. Thick red hair peeked out of a dirty hat that sat atop his head, and large green eyes stared at her without the slightest hint of fear. Had they been standing straight beside each other he would barely have come up to her shoulder, and, even as slender as she was, she probably could have easily picked him up as one might pick up a kitten.

“Why were you following me?” she asked, trying to ignore her shock. She didn’t let him go, but she did ease up a little where her dagger pressed against his throat.

“Just curious,” he said, a little too innocently for her liking. He didn’t struggle against her, instead he leaned against the wall as if there of his own choosing. “You’ve had a busy day, talking to a lot of people, seeing a lot of the city, I was just a little curious to see what you’d do next.”

“Have you been following me all day?” This time some of her shock did creep into her voice.

“Only since a little after midday. It’s obvious you’re looking for something, and I thought I might be able to help. But first I thought I would see if I could figure out what you were looking for, and whether it would be worth my time to help you.”

She did take away her dagger now. Whoever the kid was, he wasn’t going to slit her throat, not yet anyway. “And exactly what kind of help can you offer me?”

“Depends what your looking for,” he said, rubbing his neck a little, probably to see if she had drawn blood, which she hadn’t.  “You see, I deal in all kinds of information in the city. Anything you want to know, I probably know it. You can call me Fox, everyone does.”

She glanced at his thick red hair and couldn’t help a little smile. Trying to keep her voice as calm as possible, she said, “Call me Jerran.” She had never been very good at lying, but she knew she was going to have to get used to it as soon as possible if her plans were going to work.

He cocked his head a little as he looked at her, and for some reason those green eyes made her very uncomfortable.

“Alright, Jerran,” she thought she heard a hint of irony in how he said the name. “Why don’t you tell me what your looking for, and I’ll see if I can help?”

“I’m looking to join a thieves guild,” she was proud of how calm her voice sounded.

Fox whistled, and she thought he looked at her a little differently, though she wasn’t sure whether that was good or bad. “New to the city, and already you want to join a guild? Rather ambitious aren’t you?”

She wanted to tell him that she had been born and raised in this city, but of course ‘Jerran’ was new to the city, so she bit her tongue.

“Well,” Fox said, scratching his head thoughtfully. “There are a few guilds near the docks that are always looking for new members. The docks are dangerous enough that the guilds there will take anyone with enough courage to want to join.”

“Not the docks,” she said, a little to hastily from the way he looked at her. “I was hoping to work in the merchants quarter.  Maybe to the south of Baralin’s Square?”

“South of the Square? That’s Valana’s territory. His guild is one of the more prosperous, and for a reason. Valana only takes in the best, and that’s why he has control over one of the richest areas in the city. You really are ambitious if you think you can get into Valana’s guild after less than a day in the city.”

“Valana,” Ryana barely whispered the name, but that whisper held all the hate and anger and grief she had felt for weeks. Now she knew the name of the man who had at least ordered the raid, if not been there himself, and caused her family so much grief. She had barely heard the last of what Fox had said, but she forced herself to pay attention again. “I have to join Valana’s guild, I don’t care what it takes.”

Fox looked at her, as if sizing her up. A boy that young has no right to look so knowing, she thought.

They both turned at the sound of raucous laughter drifting down the street. Despite the early hour, Ryana should not have been surprised to find drunks in the street already.

“Perhaps we should continue this somewhere else?” Fox suggested, and, without waiting for agreement, started down the street. Ryana had no choice but to follow, replacing her dagger inside her jacket and quickly buttoning it up against the cold.

They walked down several streets until Fox finally stopped outside an inn. Above the door hung a painted sign of a man peering over a ledge, and underneath was inscribed ‘The Worlds End’. Ryana thought the name a little ironic, but said nothing as Fox pushed open the door.

The common room was spacious, and made to appear more so by the whitewashed walls and ceiling. Tables and stools scattered the room, and the layer of sawdust on the floor was still more or less clean. There were two lit hearths at opposite ends of the room, and beside one a man sat playing a little wooden flute, it’s tune just barely rising above the din of the room.

Fox led her to an empty table near one corner of the room, far enough from the other patrons that their conversation would not be over heard.

Seen more clearly in the light, Ryana judged the boy perhaps a year or two older than she had originally guessed. He was dressed similarly to her, though his clothes were even more ill fitting than hers. His trousers were slightly too large and were held up by a length of rope serving as a belt, and his jacket looked as if it had been made for a man twice his size while his shirt seemed just a little too tight. Ryana noted with some amusement that he seemed to carry himself like a man twice his age and size. But then how else does a boy like him survive in a city like this, she thought, more than a little sadly.

They had barely been sitting more than a few moments when a tall serving girl with dark red hair came hustling over to the table. She wore a friendly smile, but her dark gray eyes were narrowed at Fox like a hawk on its prey.

“You were supposed to be back over an hour ago,” she said when she reached them. She barely seemed to notice Ryana. “I know you like to think you have your own life, Fox, but if you don’t help in the kitchen every now and then Mistress Mizel is going to throw you out. And where will I be then? I’ll have to work twice as hard as I already am just to make sure you get food, and that’s not even worrying about where you’ll sleep at night. Don’t think old Mizel won’t know if I let you sleep in my room.”

“Della, can we talk about this later,” Fox said, rather calmly for a boy who was being publicly scolded, when she finally paused for a breath. “I have some business at the moment.”

The red-haired girl blinked, suddenly seeming to notice Ryana. She frowned at Fox one last time before saying to Ryana, “your pardon, I don’t know where my manners are tonight. Can I get you anything?”

“Just some supper, please,” Ryana said, trying to keep her voice low and her head down. She didn’t like the way the girl kept smiling at her, and she had to keep reminding herself that she was supposed to be a boy and should probably be flattered at the attention. All the same, she was relieved when the girl hurried off to the kitchen.

“That’s my sister, Della,” Fox said after she had gone, as explanation. “She tends to worry a little too much about me. But that’s not what we’re here to talk about.”

“Tell me about Valana,” Ryana said.

“Marcus Valana, while his guild may not be the strongest in the city, he is well respected, as thieves go. His guild is smaller than some, but that’s because they have enough talent that they don’t need sheer numbers to make a profit.”

“How do I join?”

“Well, that’s where it gets complicated. First you have to make contact. Then you have to find some way to convince Valana you are good enough for his guild. And trust me, that will not be easy.”

“Can you help? Introduce me or something?”

“I might be able to,” Fox’s attitude was calm, but his green eyes were calculating as they watched her. Ryana resisted the urge to pull her jacket closer and rake her hair across her face more.

“What do you want?” she asked, as calmly as she could. She knew she didn’t have much money, but she was willing to do whatever she had to to get to Valana.

Before he could answer, Della came back bearing a stew-filled bowl and a large wooden mug. Though Ryana’s stomach growled at her, she ignored the stew as she waited for Fox to answer.

“I’ll do what I can to help you,” he said once Della safely away from the table. “In return for some answers, ‘Jerran’.”

Ryana felt a shiver down her spine, and her hands were cold, despite the warmth inside the common room. “How much do you know?” she asked quietly.

“Know? I know very little. I’m guessing your name isn’t Jerran, since that is man’s name, which I’m also guessing you are not. And, by your rather dejected look, I think I’m right. Now, if you will tell me who you really are, and why you are so set on joining Valana, I’ll see what I can do to help you. Deal?”

Ryana’s stomach now felt like lead, but she saw no choice but to tell the truth. She looked around to make sure no one was close enough to hear, and even though there was no one closer than ten feet she still lowered her voice. “My name is Ryana Sairden, the daughter of Halth Sairden who not long ago owned a cloth shop in the city. Three weeks ago my father’s shop was robbed in the night, but they didn’t just stop with the shop. They also broke into our family’s home above the shop, and found my father’s store box where he kept our entire family savings. In the space of a single night they practically beggared my family, the shop was destroyed and they took every coin they could find. And when my brother tried to chase them down, they put a dagger in his chest and left him to die in the street. I came back to the city, dressed like this, because I want to avenge the wrongs done to my family. The city watch all by ignored my father when he brought it to them, so I’m the only person who will be able to get justice.”

“And you plan to just walk up and place a dagger in Valana’s chest and then all will be right in the world again?”

“They killed my brother, nothing will ever be right in the world again. And no, I don’t think it will be that easy. I’m disguised like this so that I can join Valana’s guild, and hopefully be able to get close enough to him that I will be able to… to do what I have to do. Now will you help me or not?”

Fox frowned at her a moment, and then stared around the common room, obviously trying to make up his mind.

Ryana tried hard not to bite her lower lip. She had not meant to tell anyone so much about her plan, or any of her plans for that matter. But now that she knew whom she was hunting, she couldn’t see how she was going to get to him without Fox’s help. He obviously knew more about the city than she did. She would not even know Valana’s name if not for him.

“It won’t be easy,” said Fox finally. “But I think I can get you into Valana. After that you will be on your own.”

Ryana nodded, her heart giving a small leap. She had not realized how relieved she would be to have any kind of help.

“Now, with the guild wars, Valana has been losing a lot of men lately, so it will be easier to get him to take you in.”

Ryana did not understand when Fox talked about guild wars, but she listened patiently as he explained all she would need to know if she was going to survive among a guild. She even managed to eat some of the stew Della had brought.

As the night progressed the common room quickly filled, and then gradually began to empty again after only a few hours. Ryana guessed it well past midnight when Della came over and sternly told them it was time to find their beds.

Ryana was led to a small room on the second floor, where she didn’t even bother to light the candle or undress, simply falling on the pallet bed and crawling beneath the blankets. She wasn’t yet sure if she could trust Fox, but neither was she foolish enough to believe that she could do this without his help. He had already proved vital to her plan by giving her knowledge of the city that she would need if she was going to survive.

Before falling asleep she went over the plans she and Fox had made that night, turning over every detail to see how it might fail and what she could do to prevent that failure. But when sleep finally took her, it was with a hate filled grimace on her face and the name Valana on her lips.

            *                       *                       *                       *                       *                       *

Ryana followed Fox down the narrow side street, the tall buildings making the late afternoon sun cast long shadows.

She tugged restlessly on the wool cap that seemed to make her ears constantly itch. Fox had given it to her to aid her disguise, and after looking briefly at her reflection in a shop window, she had to admit it was working. She no longer even resembled the girl who had left her family’s country house only five days ago.

Ahead of her Fox stopped outside an alleyway. To Ryana it looked no different than countless others, filled with empty crates and barrels, until two men stood up silently from the shadows. Ryana almost jumped in surprise, she had not even noticed them until they stood up.

Both men were tall and broad of shoulder, and one had an ugly white scar down one cheek. Yet they both greeted Fox companionably, though they eyed Ryana warily, and waved him down the alley. Only with effort did Ryana keep herself from flinching under those cool looks.

Fox entered the alleyway without hesitating and Ryana quickly followed. They stopped again a short way down at a small wooden door. Fox gave two knocks on the door, then one, then three more before the door opened.

A girl with dark hair and blue eyes that seemed too large for her face peered at them from behind the door.

“Tell Valana I have a new recruit for him,” Fox told her.

She eyed them both up and down, then nodded and closed the door again.

Neither of them said anything as they waited, Fox had explained earlier that it might take them some time before actually seeing Valana. Ryana shivered and pulled her jacket closer, though the day was not all that cold.

Finally the door opened again, all the way this time, and a young man greeted them. He had pale blond hair, gathered in a short tail at the back of his neck, with dark blue eyes and a face that seemed used to smiling a great deal. He was taller than Ryana, and slender despite broad shoulders. Ryana had to keep her breath from catching at the sight of him, and firmly reminded herself why she was here.

The young man seemed barely to glance at Ryana, yet she was sure those blue eyes had captured every detail of her, before turning his attention to Fox.

“So what is it you bring us now?” the young man asked Fox.

“You said you needed new blood, I’ve found you new blood,” Fox answered nodding at Ryana. She wished he had found a different term to use, the mention of blood made her shoulder blades itch, as if she could already feel a dagger waiting to be plunged in. She would not, could not, trust these men any more than she would trust a smuggler with a customs agent in a dark alley.

The blond man was looking at her again and she forced herself to meet his gaze. After a moment the man smiled, but at Fox not at her.

“You might actually have done well this time, Fox,” he said, stepping aside so that they could enter the building.

Fox stepped lightly inside, with Ryana close behind him, before the young man closed the door. It was dark inside, and even though the alley had not been bright it took Ryana’s eyes a moment to adjust. When they did, she saw they were in a little hallway, with doors on either side, which eventually led into what appeared to be a large common room. The dark haired girl from before stood against one wall, obviously waiting for them to pass so that she could resume her position at the door.

The blond man led them into the large common room, which looked to be twice the size of any common room Ryana had seen before. It had a high ceiling and was ringed by a balcony the led to the second floor, with stairs along the back wall. Two huge hearths were placed on opposite walls, though neither was lit at the moment. The only windows were on the second floor, the stone walls on ground level were blank except for a few wool tapestries.

All over the room men lounged on benches and chairs, in large or small groups or by themselves. Some smoked long wooden pipes, or chewed what Ryana assumed to be the prized tobacco that came from the Mainland. The rattle of dice echoed from several different games and she even saw some men holding the painted paper cards that were becoming so popular in the city.

They followed the blond man to a table near the center of the room, where several other men sat talking. He took a seat on one of the benches, propping his feet on a stool, and turned those cool blue eyes to regard Ryana.

“Who’s this, Valana,” one of the men at the table said. “A new little urchin trying to play with the big boys?” all the men at the table laughed, including the one they had named Valana.

Ryana felt a pit in her stomach. This was Valana? He couldn’t be more than a few years older than she was, and while he seemed to be respected, he didn’t look the type to lead a band of thieves.

“What’s your name, boy?” the blond man asked her.

“Jerran, sir,” she answered, hoping he didn’t notice the quiver in her voice.

“And do you have any experience thieving, young Jerran?”

“Not exactly, sir. But I have quick hands and quick feet, and I’m a fast learner.”

She didn’t like the way those blue eyes kept watching her, she felt as if her very soul was being laid before them, and there was nothing she could do to protect herself. She tugged the felt cap lower on her forehead and tried not shuffle her feet.

Fox was chatting with some men at one of the other tables, and at any other time Ryana would have laughed to see the boy talk like an equal to men easily twice his age. Even as he talked with them, he also kept a close eye on Ryana to see how she was doing.

“What is this, Reilly?” a voice said behind Ryana. She turned to find a tall man with graying brown hair looming behind her. There was a hard look about his face that Ryana did not like, that was only part due to his angular jaw and square nose. He carried himself with deadly ease, and had an aura of command about him. This was a man who expected to be obeyed. Out of the corner of her eye, Ryana saw Fox tense at sight of the man.

“We have a new recruit, father,” the blond young man said. “This is Jerran, Fox found him for us.”

The man barely glanced at Ryana. “Is he capable?”

“No experience, but I think he can be trained. Maybe Shay could take him.”

Now the man did look at Ryana, and she couldn’t keep herself from flinching under those hard blue eyes, hard and cold as ice. “Very well,” he said to the blond man, though his eyes never left Ryana. “But not Shay. I think it’s time you learned how to train. Get him set up with a bunk, than see his to training yourself.”

 Without another word the man strode away, mounting the stairs to the balcony and then entering one of the doors. As soon as the door closed the common room seemed to relax again, though Ryana had not even noticed the tension.

Ryana exchanged a brief, but startled, look with Fox. Neither had expected acceptance so easily. Ryana didn’t need Fox’s brief nod to know the man had been none other than Marcus Valana.

“Well, that’s that, then,” the blond man said with a sigh. He had called the man father, which explained why he had also been called Valana. For some reason Ryana felt angry with Fox for not telling her Valana had a son.

“Does that mean I am a member now?” she asked, a touch softer than she intended.

“I suppose it does,” he said, standing up from his place at the table. “You can come with me, and we’ll see if we have a bunk for you, then we’ll see what you can do.” He paused and turned to Fox, who had managed to place himself at Ryana’s elbow. “You did good, Fox, now why don’t you go mind your sister’s apron for a while. If the boy makes a prodigy of himself, you can be sure we won’t forget who brought him to us.”

Ryana gave Fox a look that was part gratitude and part terror. He only winked at her and gave her push after her new tutor.

            *                       *                       *                       *                       *                       *

Reilly Valana walked lazily through the crowd, the throng that filled Baralin’s Square flowing around him, yet he took as much notice as he would of leaves blowing around him. Only, Ryana had learned to recognize that walk for what it was, not lazy at all, but the walk of a cat stalking prey.

On the other side of Reilly walked a dark haired man named Shay, who was perhaps only a few years older than Reilly. Shay had habit of idly playing with a knife he kept at his belt that Ryana found a little disturbing, especially when he would suddenly look down in amazement as if he hadn’t been aware what he was doing.

Ryana walked beside Reilly, trying to mimic that lazy, dangerous walk, trying to keep her eyes on the man ahead of them. He was an outlander, and a merchant by his dress, and was easy to track by the tall fur hat he wore. Ryana had a suspicion that Reilly had personally chosen the merchant for her first target not only because the man was an outlander and probably had few if any friends in the city, but also because the man seemed constantly lost in thought and very unaware of what was happening around him.

Earlier Ryana had made a note of where he kept his purse, at his left hip just inside his heavy coat, and was now only waiting for the right moment. She saw the fur hat stop at one of the stalls that lined the square, and, at Reilly’s nod, she pushed her way forward.

The man was talking to the shopkeeper and examining a jeweled knife sheath. The press of people around the stall was tight, but Ryana had no problem reaching the outlander’s side. He was now gesturing emphatically, as much as the press of people allowed, as he haggled with shopkeeper. His unbuttoned coat flapped with every gesture. Ryana almost smiled at how easy it was.

A quick slice with the tiny dagger she had hidden up her sleeve, an angry curse to make it seem somebody had pushed her against the man, and then she was casually pushing her way through the crowd again, praying the shopkeeper wasn’t overly eager to sell that sheath.

She was just starting to relax when an angry shout came from behind her. She turned just enough to see the tall fur hat swinging wildly left and right to scan the crowd. Her heart beat faster and she tried to push her way a little faster than before.

She felt hands on her and suddenly she was being dragged behind an empty wagon. She was about to lash out with her dagger, she could feel the panic clogging her throat, when she recognized Reilly and Shay. Reilly grinned, flashing brilliant white teeth, as she straightened her coat and tried to regain what dignity she had.

“Not bad, boy,” Reilly said appraisingly. “Fella didn’t even notice the purse gone until he tried to buy that gaudy little sheath.”

Ryana beamed at his praise, as she always did whenever he gave the least little compliment. And then, realizing what she was doing, had to suppress a groan, reminding herself that she didn’t want these men’s approval. Not even Reilly’s.

Reilly gave her a clap on the shoulder, still smiling at her, and she had to suppress the near overwhelming urge to grin back like some kind of fool. Shay gave her only a brief nod, but that was as much of a compliment as she was likely to get from him, and soon they were weaving their way through the crowd again.

It had been two months since Ryana had joined Valana’s band of thieves. She had adapted quickly, which both surprised and scared her, and today she had finally been allowed to show her worth. In all that time she had only seen Marcus Valana a handful of times and always at a distance. He had never spoken to her beyond that first time, or even truly acknowledged her existence.

She probably would have lost herself to despair and isolation if not for Reilly, who had taken her under his wing and been her almost constant companion. It had been weeks before she had even allowed herself to admit that she liked being around him, and weeks more before she would admit that he was a decent man, despite his profession and lifestyle. She found herself thinking that he would have been great friends with her brother, Janya. But that thought always reminded her why she was there in the first place and turned her mind to grimmer matters.

Ryana and her two companions traveled quickly through the maze-like streets of Tanam, cutting through alleys and back streets, until they came to the large stone building that was Valana’s base. They went unchallenged by the two men at the mouth of the alley, and it took only seconds before they were admitted by the dark haired girl at the door.

“Did it go well?” she asked, making a show of speaking only to Reilly, though she kept shooting secret glances at ‘Jerran’.

“Of course, Lila,” said Reilly. “Did you doubt that our young Jerran would do well his first time out?”  Ryana desperately wanted to punch Reilly for the amused looks and barely contained laughter he always had when Lila was around. Ryana knew well the games Lila played, barely a year ago she had played the same games herself, and did her best to stay as far as possible from the dark haired girl.

Ryana pushed her way to the common room, giving Reilly and Shay dark looks for the amusement they hid so poorly. It was already late afternoon and the common room was crowded with men waiting for their evening meal and preparing to go out for the night. While most men were finishing their work for the day and returning home to their families, the thieves’ day was only beginning.

At a table near one of the hearths was a man with short graying hair and a nasty scar that ran along one eye. Avi Kaird was one of the longest standing members of Valana’s guild, and one of the most respected, which is why he alone was in charge of counting, allocating, and distributing every coin that came into guild hands.

Ryana walked up and handed him the purse she had lifted from the outlander merchant. Wordlessly, Avi opened the purse and reviewed the contents. Ryana had noticed early on that the gray haired man was never one for speaking unless it was necessary.

“So how did he do, Avi?” Reilly said from behind Ryana. Perhaps it was only because he was Valana’s son, but Ryana envied Reilly his ability to speak as an equal to any guild member. No one was above him, and it was rare he treated anyone is if they were below him.

Avi only grunted and shrugged his shoulders, meaning she had done neither poorly nor outstandingly well. Ryana felt a little miffed, she had been quite impressed with the weight of the purse herself, but Reilly nudged her ribs, distracting her before she could argue with the aged thief. Being the daughter of a well-known merchant had made her more outspoken than she had realized before coming to a place where it could mean having your throat slit for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. Reilly had spent weeks merely jabbing her in the ribs every time she tried to speak, which had broken her of the habit, but had also left her with very sore ribs. She was glad he now only resorted to gentler nudging.

Reilly nodded his head and Ryana followed him to an empty table closer to the other hearth, where Shay was just setting down three bowls of thick stew. Reilly took one bowl and immediately started to wolf down the hot stew. Ryana took her time a little more, allowing it to cool a little, though it still tended to burn her tongue. Shay whistled shrilly, and a pretty blond girl pushed her way out of the kitchen carrying three ceramic mugs. Her eyes flashed wickedly as she set the mugs down in front of Reilly and Shay, though she gave Ryana only the briefest look. Ryana was glad that not all the women associated with thieves shared Lila’s strange attraction. The look Shay returned to the blond girl was nearly as wicked, though Reilly seemed oblivious to her.

As she set down Shay’s mug he whispered something in her ear, which made her giggle and smile coyly at him before going back to the kitchen.

After that the three of them ate in silence, though Reilly and Shay would make comments every now and then. Ryana sat lost mostly in thoughts of her family. She wondered what her parents had done after she ran away, whether they were still looking for her, or had given up months ago. No doubt they had holed themselves up in her aunt’s cottage for the winter. And, as always, she thought of her brother, which made her think of Valana, which always brought her attention back to Reilly. She had seen so little of his father since joining the guild, that she had contented herself with the studying the son, hoping to learn something that would help her in her ultimate goal. But the more she understood Reilly, the less she hoped his father was anything like him, and the more she hoped it was still months before she had a chance alone with Valana. Months that she could spend at Reilly’s side.

As soon as Shay finished his stew he left the table, that wicked look still in his eyes, and made for the kitchen. Reilly and Ryana sat in silence for a while longer before Reilly said, “So, Jerran, do you have family anywhere?”

Ryana was surprised enough at the question she didn’t try to think of a proper lie as she answered, “Yeah, my parents live out in the country. I have, had, an older brother. He’s dead now.”

“I’m sorry. How did he die?”

Ryana didn’t think it was necessarily very smart to discuss this with Reilly, but his blue eyes seemed to look straight into hers and she would have done anything to keep them from looking away. “He was murdered.”

“Did you find the bastard who did it?”

“Almost. Reilly? Have you ever killed someone?” She bit her tongue just as she said it, but it was too late to take it back.

Reilly didn’t answer right away; instead he looked down at his hands where they rested on the table. When he did answer his voice was quiet and Ryana had to strain to hear him. “Once. On a job. There was this one merchant, who was giving us some trouble, refusing to pay dues like the other merchants, getting real cocky about it, too. My father wanted to teach him a lesson, before the other merchants in the area could get any ideas, so a big group of us went to rob the place. Not just the shop, either, my father wanted everything. I was in charge, and everything went well until the merchant’s son, boy probably a few years older than you, tried to act the hero. Followed us all the way to the street, and made a grab for me since I was the last out of the house.” Reilly’s voice got even softer now, and he talked as if to himself, like he didn’t remember Ryana was there any more. “I tried to push him away, but he kept fighting me, so I pulled my dagger to try and scare him away. But he rushed at me. And… I can still see him, lying in the street with my dagger in his chest. I was so frozen, if Shay hadn’t pulled me away I probably would have stood there until the city guard came.” He laughed, a little weakly, then and shook himself. “My father said the first time a man kills is always the hardest, and sometimes it gets easier and sometimes it doesn’t.”

Ryana sat there staring at him, feeling coldness to her very toes that no fire could ever warm. She stared at him as if she had never seen him before, wanting to scream and cry at the same time. Why? Why did it have to be Reilly? Why did he have to be one to have killed her brother?

A door on the upper level opened and Valana walked out. His face was as cold and impassive as ever, and he scanned the crowd downstairs only briefly before barking for Reilly to come upstairs. He didn’t even wait for an answer before turning on his heel to return to his room and closing the door.

Reilly sighed and pushed away from the table. “This could take a while. You should go get some rest, who knows what we’ll be doing tonight. Oh, and Jerran, good work today.”

Ryana watched him as he mounted the stairs and then took a deep breath before entering his father’s room. She couldn’t think about what she had just learned, didn’t want to think about it. But suddenly she felt disgusted by everything around her. She felt tired and alone and terribly homesick. She had to get out, even just for a while, so she got up from the table and pushed her way to the door, ignoring Lila and her secret looks.

She walked the streets of Tanam, barely noticing the descending twilight, until she came to The World’s End. The name seemed more appropriate than ever.

Inside she quickly spotted the tall, red haired figure of Fox’s sister.

“Hello, Della,” Ryana said, as calmly as she could manage. “Is Fox here somewhere? I need to talk to him.”

Della could obviously sense something was wrong, but didn’t comment except to say, “Check the stables, he’s usually out there hiding from Mizel.”

Ryana nodded her thanks and hurried out the back. She cut through the kitchen and just dodged the plump form of Keira Mizel, the inn’s mistress. She shot Ryana a dark look and Ryana couldn’t blame Fox for hiding in the stables.

She found him asleep in the stable’s loft, curled amidst the hay with his jacket pulled close about him. It didn’t take long for her to nudge him, none too gently, to wakefulness.

“What?” he asked, shooting upright and looking around for Mizel. When he saw it was only Ryana he relaxed a little and stretched his arms out.

“Fox, I need your help,” Ryana said, sitting in the hay beside him. “It’s been two months, and I’m no closer to Valana.”

“I told you it would take time,” he said, shrugging a little.

“I don’t have time,” she said, the desperation she felt much more apparent now. Her chest was tight and she was fighting down a lump in her throat. Her hands kept shaking and she tried to convince herself it was the cold.

Fox looked at her, sleep all but forgotten. He was still the only one who knew her secret, and so it had been him she had come to for the last two months when she needed to simply be who she was, without worrying she would make a mistake and blow her disguise. In those two months Fox had learned more about her than even she was aware. And, despite himself, he found himself considering her an actual friend.

“Please, Fox, you have to help me come up with a plan. I can’t stay there anymore.”

He nodded. “Alright. I’ve been thinking lately, and I may have already come up with a plan. I wasn’t going to speak to you about it until I had it figured out a bit more. But you know that next week is Midwinter’s Night? Well, Valana and his boys always have a big celebration, most guilds do. Lots of drinking and carousing. Valana does his fair share of drinking too, and about half way through the night he’ll be so drunk he wouldn’t recognize his own grandma. All you have to do is wait for him to wander off alone, then you can make your move.”

“You want me to kill a drunkard who won’t be able to defend himself?” Ryana knew that’s what she had spent months planning for, yet now the idea disgusted her.

Fox stared at her. “I thought that’s what you wanted?”

Ryana didn’t know what she wanted anymore, but she had practically given up her life for this and she wasn’t going to stop now. “Sorry, you’re right, and it’s a good plan. We’ll, I’ll, do it. Thanks.”

She stood up and started down the ladder to the stable below. Fox watched her go, not knowing what to say, not knowing why he wanted to say anything. Soon she would have what she wanted and then she would be able to go home. So why did he want to stop her? Why did he want to pack her in a cart and send as far from Tanam as he could? And why did the thought of her leaving make him so sad?

He pulled his cap low over his ears and jumped down from the loft, landing with a thud that startled the few horses. He glanced at the light coming from the door to the kitchen. Della might worry, but he needed time to think. He stuffed his hands in his coat pockets and began to wander the streets in the encroaching gloom.

            *                       *                       *                       *                       *                       *

Midwinter’s Night found the city of Tanam alive with revelry. Torches lit every snow-covered street, wreathes of holly decorated doorways, and music and merriment seemed to come from everywhere. The moon overhead was full and bright enough to cast shadows where the light of the torches didn’t reach, casting also a magical quality to the night.

Baralin’s Square was lit bright as day with torches and lamps, and it seemed all the city had refused their beds this night to fight away the winter. Revelers filled the square and spilled down the streets around it for blocks. Every inn and tavern was filled to bursting with patrons.

But among the underground of the city, there was a different name for this night of revelry. The thieves called it Trilyn’s Night, after a long dead hero among their brethren. It was said Trilyn had once stolen the crown off a king’s head and been three miles away before anyone had noticed the theft. The story went that he had traveled the Islands for years before he finally settled in Tanam, and that is was because of him that thieving had sprouted and taken such a foothold in the city. It was on a Midwinter’s Night that authorities had finally caught the thief, well into his sixties at the time, cornering him atop the city walls and forcing him to give himself up. Instead of surrendering meekly, Trilyn had only smiled at them, gave a little wave, and jumped into the sea, supposedly crashing against the rocks. No body had ever been found and Trilyn had risen up as a sort of folk hero, so that over eighty years later they still remembered and honored him.

Reilly wandered through the frozen streets, amazed as always at how bright the city could be. He had been raised in dark streets and alleys, yet he loved to see the city alight with such merriment. The rest of his brethren, including his father, would be celebrating back at their base. But Reilly liked to spend the night among the citizens of Tanam, to look at them as his fellows instead of his next job.

Reilly turned a corner and ahead he recognized the slight figure of Fox slinking along the street, his eyes fixed on someone ahead of him. It was considered ill luck to thieve on Trilyn’s Night, the night the most famous of thieves met his end, and so Reilly was intrigued as to what the boy was up to.

In the crowd of revelers it was no hard task for Reilly to track him, even as small as the boy was. Fox kept his eyes trained on whomever it was he was following, never looking behind. Reilly would have to speak to him about that.

They skulked through the twisting streets, a strange parade of stalkers and prey. Reilly never got a look at whom Fox was following, and not until they finally stopped did he realize their destination.

It was along Merchants’ Row, one of the streets that ran directly to Baralin’s square and where most of the shopkeepers had their homes and shops. On one side of the street stood a good sized, though not particularly large, stone building. The windows to the shop below were boarded up along with the door and there were no lights coming from the rooms upstairs. It had obviously been abandoned for months, though some of the more festive revelers had placed candles along the outside sill of the window and tied holly to the door.

Reilly had fought for months to forget this place, though he still had dreams, usually nightmares, about it. He didn’t have time for contemplation though as he saw Fox duck down the alley besides the building. Reilly followed silently, the people in the street paid no attention to him at all, until he came to the back door that led into what would be the kitchen of the stone building.

The door may have been locked at one point, but now it stood slightly ajar and Reilly could hear voices inside.

“Fox, what do you think your doing here?” someone said, sounding agitated and a little frightened. Reilly almost thought the voice sounded familiar, but he could quite place it. “Why were you following me? Please, don’t tell me your going to try and talk me out of this now, not after all this time.”

“Ryana, I don’t think you really want to do this,” Fox’s voice sounded almost pleading. It was obvious that this was a last resort. “Think about it, do you really want to kill someone? You’ll be no better than them.”

There was sound of footsteps, like one of them was pacing the floor. Then, “Fox, I can’t stop now, it’s too late. I have to finish it, and I have to do it tonight. Please, just go back to your sister, you can’t help me anymore.”

Reilly just barely managed to press himself into the shadows as the door flew open and a figure rushed out and down the street. He hadn’t seen the figure’s face, but he recognized the jacket and hat as belonging to Jerran, his young protégé.

Fox emerged a moment later but made no move to follow. He sighed and was about to head down the alley himself when Reilly grabbed his shoulder and pressed him gently, but firmly, against the alley wall.

“Fox, is there something you would like to share with me?”

            *                       *                       *                       *                       *                       *

Ryana hugged herself against the cold and pulled her hat lower over her ears as she fled her family’s former home. She tried not to think about what Fox had said, she tried to steel herself, but her stomach clenched and her knees felt a little wobbly.

She tried to picture her brother’s body lying in the street, tried to build the anger she had lived with for months. But now she just felt sick. She didn’t feel righteous anymore, she just felt scared. She gripped the dagger inside her jacket and had to swallow to keep her stomach from rising.

Lila opened the door for her and Ryana stepped in barely noticing the girl. The common room was full and noisy, the fires built high and casting ruddy light into every corner. Ryana could see Shay, the pretty blond serving girl perched on his lap, and there was old Avi with his face buried in a deep tankard. And there, sitting at a table nearest one of the hearths, was Valana.

He was surrounded by men but he sat silently in their midst, a tankard in front of him. He seemed lost in his own thoughts, though occasionally he would smile or even laugh at a joke told by one the men around him, softening his hard face for only a second.

Ryana sat down a few tables away and pretended to joke and laugh with the men sitting there, but her eyes barely left Valana. In all the time she had been among them, Ryana had rarely seen Valana in the common room with his men. Most of the time he was in his private room on the second floor, and was only seen coming and going. So he still remained somewhat of a mystery to Ryana. She didn’t know him the way she had come to know the other thieves in his ‘guild’. And she wasn’t sure whether that made what she intended harder or easier.

She noticed that Reilly was strangely absent tonight and for that she was grateful.  She had managed to avoid him for the last week. Ever since learning that awful truth. She had tried telling herself that it wasn’t true, that it was some sort of sick joke, but eventually she had had to admit to herself that Reilly had been telling the truth. That Reilly had been the one to murder her brother, her dear Janya. But it was still his father, it was Valana, who was responsible. Reilly could never have committed murder if not for the bullying of his father. And it was Valana who had ordered the sacking of Ryana’s home in the first place. It wasn’t Reilly’s fault. He had just gotten swept up in it like she had.

She jerked back to herself when she realized Valana was leaving his table. He stumbled a bit, more than a little inebriated, but laughed off the assistance offered to him. Ryana could just barely hear him say something about getting some air before he started to make his way to the back door. He moved a little unsteadily and as he passed her table she could see the slack, befuddled look on his face.

Ryana took a swallow from her mug of ale, the first drink she had had all night, and started after him. She waited for Lila to get distracted by one of the young thieves, a blond haired boy near Ryana’s age, before slipping silently through the door. Once her eyes had adjusted to the darkness of the alley Ryana could see Valana standing at it’s mouth, his back to her. The guards that customarily stood watch over the alley had been given the night off in honor of Trilyn’s Night.

Ryana blessed whatever god had given her such luck as she pulled the dagger from her jacket. As softly as she could she crept up behind him, barely breathing, her hands like ice. Valana just stood there, unaware of the danger that skulked behind him. He was watching the sky, his breath steaming before him, and humming slightly, though Ryana couldn’t tell the tune.

She closed her eyes and raised the dagger to plunge into his back. But her foot cracked a sheet of ice on the ground and Valana spun around, his drunken clumsiness forgotten. He grabbed her wrist but his feet slipped in the snow and ice and as he fell to the ground he pulled her on top of him. They grappled in the snow and somehow Ryana managed to stay on top, despite his superior size. He got his hands around her throat at one point but they were near the wall now and Ryana rolled toward it, trying to gather as much speed as she could. She heard a satisfying thud as his head hit the wall and the hands around her neck loosened. The roll had landed him atop her but he slid off as he clutched his head. Even in the moonlight Ryana could see speckles of blood on the snow.

Shakily, she rose to her feet, careful not to slip in the snow again. Valana was still moving in the snow so she kicked him, knocking him unconscious. She pushed down the horrified feeling inside her, feeling as if she wanted to vomit and cry at the same time.

She started to look for her dagger, which she had dropped when he grabbed her wrist, but then she felt arms grab her around the waist, pinning her own arms to her side. She started to lash out but then a voice in her ear said, “It’s alright, Ryana. I’m not going to hurt you, just calm down.”

She instantly quieted, more than a little shocked to hear her own name after all these months, and the arms around her loosened.

She turned around slowly to see Reilly peering down at her. She stepped back slightly and in the moonlight could clearly see his face, which seemed to mirror all the confusion she herself felt. But his eyes searched her face as if seeing it for the first time, which, in a way, he was. Finally he was able to see past the boy protégé who had been made his charge, and he saw the young woman who had forsaken her entire life to dwell among thieves only for the chance to avenge her brother. She had lost her hat and the night wind blew her hair wildly about, and suddenly it seemed impossible to mistake that feminine beauty for boyish charm.

In that instant their eyes met as if for the first time, and it seemed the moonlight was finally revealing their true selves, naked for them both to see. Reilly started to raise a hand towards her, but just then door to the building burst open and Shay stumbled out.

It took him only instant to see Valana’s body slumped against the wall, the blood in the snow, and Ryana’s dagger laying only two feet from where she stood. He gave a wordless howl, drew his own dagger, and leaped at Ryana.

“Shay, no!” Reilly shouted, jumping between them and taking a hold of Shay’s wrists. The two friends wrestled and Ryana could only watch in mortification until Reilly shouted at her to run.

As if released from a spell, Ryana found herself moving again. She didn’t even stop to retrieve her dagger, she simply ran, the cold wind blowing her hair and reddening her cheeks. Her breath steamed ahead of her, and she could hear the people in the city still celebrating Midwinter’s Night, but she just ran, following back streets and alleys. She wasn’t even sure where she was running.

Suddenly she heard a voice calling her name, her real name. She looked around. She thought she must be somewhere near the docks, from all the crates, boxes and bits of rope that were about. She couldn’t find the source of the voice at first, but then, up ahead, she saw Fox. She wanted to weep with relief, but stopped herself and instead trotted the rest of the way up to him.

“Did you…?” he asked when she reached him, his voice concerned but also a little frightened.

She shook her head, and was surprised to realize her relief almost matched his.

His shoulders seemed to relax a little and he even gave her a brief smile, but all he said was, “come with me. I’ve found a way to get you out of the city.”

As they moved through the streets Ryana quietly told Fox what had happened. When she was finished Fox didn’t say anything and they went the rest of the way in silence.

Ryana realized that they were in fact heading towards the docks. She wanted to ask Fox a great many questions but couldn’t think of any way to do it.

They finally stopped when they reached one of the smaller wharves. There were a great many small fishing boats tied there, vessels that could be piloted by a single person.

“Do you know how to sail one of these,” Fox asked her.

“More or less. My uncle was a fisherman, and my brother and I used to play in the harbor as children.”

“Good,” Fox said and moved to one of the smaller boats and began untying it. “You’re going to take this boat and sail as best as you can to one of the fishing villages up the coast. It shouldn’t take you long to reach one of the nearer ones. After that you can either move over land or take another ship somewhere.”

“Fox…”

“Look, Shay saw you, and when Valana wakes up he is going to want some retribution. You not only need to get out of the city, you need to get as far away as possible. Valana beggared your family just to teach your father a lesson, what do you think he’ll do when someone tries to kill him?”

“But Reilly…”

“Reilly knows what he is doing. And no one will know I’m involved, so I’m safe enough. But you have to get out of the city.”

She stood there silently for a few moments, not knowing what to say or even to think. Then she hugged Fox tightly and leaped aboard the little boat. It wasn’t complicated and within seconds she had it ready to go.

Fox stood there and watched her without saying a word. It could have been a trick of the moonlight, but Ryana thought she saw tears in his eyes, and felt her own welling inside her. Just as she started to pull away from the dock, Fox shouted, “Sakyan Klayson.”

“What?”

“That’s my real name. Sakyan Klayson. Della is the only other person who knows it, and sometimes I don’t even think she remembers. Don’t forget me, alright?”

Ryana couldn’t answer, tears choking her throat, so she waved goodbye one last time and headed out into the dark waves.

            *                       *                       *                       *                       *                       *

Ryana absently smoothed her plain gray skirt as she watched the light play off the waves. She still was not quite used to the feel of skirts again but was quickly remembering her femininity, after months of suppressing it. Her dark hair was gathered up in a little net so as not to draw attention to it’s length, and the gray dress she had stolen fit surprisingly well and even flattered her figure a little.

She had had to travel up the coast for four days before finding a town large enough to harbor ships that would travel to the other Islands. She had fled Tanam without any money to speak of and no possessions so she had been forced to steal whatever she needed. A fact that she regretted and made her sick to think of, but something she could not avoid if she was to survive.

At first she had thought of returning to her parents, trying to pick up the life she had left. But she didn’t think she was strong enough to face them, not after all she had done, and what she had intended to do. So it was that she had decided to try her luck as far from Tanam as she could get, which meant another island. Kalion was not the richest of the Islands, despite it’s rich trading industry, and she knew it would be easy enough to find work if she could only make to one of the more prosperous ones. The problem was getting there.

She had no money, no way to purchase passage, and she had not despaired so much that she would lower herself to a common streetgirl to gain that passage. She had tried to find work in one of the taverns in town, but it would take too much time to save enough money that way.

So she stood on the docks and watched the ships sail in and out of the harbor. She watched the waves and the sea and waited for inspiration to come. Something that would tell her what to do next.

“Excuse me,” a voice said softly at her shoulder. She turned around and her heart seemed to both stop and leap into her throat at the same time.

Reilly Valana stood there looking at her as if she were some nymph that might flit away at any second. He was dressed in a long, very worn, merchantman’s coat and a broad felt hat. He looked slightly haggard, as if he hadn’t slept in days. But those blue eyes that stared down at her were as clear and piercing as ever, and she felt herself melt under those eyes, suddenly not feeling the cold at all.

“What are you doing here?” she managed to get out at last.

“The details aren’t important right now, but after you ran so did I. Shay was mad with rage and probably with drink, and I think he would have killed me if he had had the chance. He had always idolized my father so, and anyone turning against him is enough to send Shay over the edge. I hid in one the villages outside town, hoping things would calm down. Shay must have exaggerated whatever he saw, because Fox brought me word that both you and I have been declared outcasts, and will be dealt with accordingly. Which basically means that if either of us are seen Tanam again, any thief is free to cut our throats and my father will probably reward him for it.”

“Oh, Reilly, I’m so sorry. I never meant for you be caught up in this. And now you’ve lost everything. Because of me.”

“Would you rather I had let Shay kill you?” he asked, giving her the shadow of a smile. “It’s of no importance now. What’s done is done. But now I’m left out here in the world, without a thought of what I’m to do next. That’s when I had a thought to come find you, make sure you were alright. It took me some time to figure out which way you headed, but I’m glad I finally found you.”

“You are?” Ryana’s voice sounded small and girlish even to her own ears, but she didn’t care about that right now. All she cared about was that she wasn’t alone any more.

Reilly didn’t answer her, instead he said, “I have a little money. Enough to get us both off Kalion. After that…”

“We can think about that when we come to it,” she said, tentatively taking one of his hands in hers.