Read Online Thieves of Islar: Book One of The Heirs of Bormeer by James Shade - Free Book Online
Authors: James Shade
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enclosedgreen across the street from the spa n’ s southern edge. As his eyes adjusted to the light, he saw Jaeron and Avrilla waiting for him. They were on the far side of the river, not taking any obvious precautions to stay hidden.
What in Malfekke’s flaming arse? Then Chazd realized that there was nowhere to hide on the bridge. The walkway was well lit under the constant bask of the oil lamps in the towering structures. Uncomfortable out in the open, Chazd crossed the bridge as furtively as he was able.
His siblings were talking quietly together until Avrilla spotted his approach.
“How did it go, Chazd?” she asked in a low voice.
“Okay,” he said. “We didn’t have much there. Some extra clothes, a couple of daggers, lock picks, oils, and a few zecca .”
“We were worried. You took a long time.”
“You said we could be being followed and I should stay hidden.” Chazd looked around pointedly. “At least I took that seriously.”
Jaeron gave him a hard look.
“We didn’t see another way across the bridge. And Avrilla is convinced that no one was following us.”
“At least not this far,” she qualified.
“Still, standing out here doesn’t look good,” Chazd said. “You’re lucky no guard patrols came by.”
Jaeron nodded, agreeing with that. “You’re right. We need to go. Avrilla thinks we should get out of the city.”
“To where?” Chazd was frustrated by the lack of direction.
“I’m not sure, Chazd. We’ll figure it out when we get there. Can you get us past the guards?”
Chazd shook his head slightly at his siblings. He did not have a better suggestion, but he wanted to do something more direct. Knowing how the gossip on the streets spread, he figured it would be no later than morning and half the guards in Islar would be looking for them. If not for suspicion of causing the fire, at least for questioning about their leaving the scene and Jaeron’s dramatic escape through the window.
Jaeron and Avrilla had started away from the bridge. Chazd caught up with his brother and tapped him on the shoulder.
“Jaeron.”
Jaeron spun around with a grim look, exhaustion tucked behind anger and grief. Chazd backed off, hands perfunctorily giving the thief sign for ‘no challenge.’
“I just think it might be a good idea to avoid the main roads, even from here,” he said.
Jaeron’s brow furrowed even deeper but before he had a chance to respond, Avrilla intervened, interrupting their impending argument.
“Chazd’s got a point, Jaeron.”
Avrilla pointed ahead to well-maintained and more brightly lit neighborhoods. The streets of the Northgate Ward boasted affluent residences and routine patrols after dark.
“We probably don’t want to be seen leaving the city and there are always guards at Northgate.”
~
Jaeron silently berated himself for his lack of attention. He was not sure what bothered him more; his obvious misstep in attempting to leave Islar or the fact that Chazd had to point it out. He was not thinking clearly.
He let Chazd take the lead, trusting to his younger brother’s instinctual sense for which streets and alleys would provide the most cover with the least chance of encountering either guards or other thieves. They stayed in the dim patches, the spaces between bright cobblestone illuminated by oil-fueled street lamps and the shadowed darkness created by gaps between the buildings. Jaeron wondered about the illusion of protection and comfort behind the rows of darkened windows, now feeling that perhaps there were no safe places.
Jaeron halted their progress only once. He noticed Avrilla was struggling in silence with the heaviest of their loads. He gathered them briefly and shifted items between their bags and packs, taking the largest portion of the weight and bulk. Jaeron kept Chazd’s pack the lightest, compensating for a potential need for him to move quickly but remain stealthy. Then he nodded that they should continue.
Thirteen
D
What in Malfekke’s flaming arse? Then Chazd realized that there was nowhere to hide on the bridge. The walkway was well lit under the constant bask of the oil lamps in the towering structures. Uncomfortable out in the open, Chazd crossed the bridge as furtively as he was able.
His siblings were talking quietly together until Avrilla spotted his approach.
“How did it go, Chazd?” she asked in a low voice.
“Okay,” he said. “We didn’t have much there. Some extra clothes, a couple of daggers, lock picks, oils, and a few zecca .”
“We were worried. You took a long time.”
“You said we could be being followed and I should stay hidden.” Chazd looked around pointedly. “At least I took that seriously.”
Jaeron gave him a hard look.
“We didn’t see another way across the bridge. And Avrilla is convinced that no one was following us.”
“At least not this far,” she qualified.
“Still, standing out here doesn’t look good,” Chazd said. “You’re lucky no guard patrols came by.”
Jaeron nodded, agreeing with that. “You’re right. We need to go. Avrilla thinks we should get out of the city.”
“To where?” Chazd was frustrated by the lack of direction.
“I’m not sure, Chazd. We’ll figure it out when we get there. Can you get us past the guards?”
Chazd shook his head slightly at his siblings. He did not have a better suggestion, but he wanted to do something more direct. Knowing how the gossip on the streets spread, he figured it would be no later than morning and half the guards in Islar would be looking for them. If not for suspicion of causing the fire, at least for questioning about their leaving the scene and Jaeron’s dramatic escape through the window.
Jaeron and Avrilla had started away from the bridge. Chazd caught up with his brother and tapped him on the shoulder.
“Jaeron.”
Jaeron spun around with a grim look, exhaustion tucked behind anger and grief. Chazd backed off, hands perfunctorily giving the thief sign for ‘no challenge.’
“I just think it might be a good idea to avoid the main roads, even from here,” he said.
Jaeron’s brow furrowed even deeper but before he had a chance to respond, Avrilla intervened, interrupting their impending argument.
“Chazd’s got a point, Jaeron.”
Avrilla pointed ahead to well-maintained and more brightly lit neighborhoods. The streets of the Northgate Ward boasted affluent residences and routine patrols after dark.
“We probably don’t want to be seen leaving the city and there are always guards at Northgate.”
~
Jaeron silently berated himself for his lack of attention. He was not sure what bothered him more; his obvious misstep in attempting to leave Islar or the fact that Chazd had to point it out. He was not thinking clearly.
He let Chazd take the lead, trusting to his younger brother’s instinctual sense for which streets and alleys would provide the most cover with the least chance of encountering either guards or other thieves. They stayed in the dim patches, the spaces between bright cobblestone illuminated by oil-fueled street lamps and the shadowed darkness created by gaps between the buildings. Jaeron wondered about the illusion of protection and comfort behind the rows of darkened windows, now feeling that perhaps there were no safe places.
Jaeron halted their progress only once. He noticed Avrilla was struggling in silence with the heaviest of their loads. He gathered them briefly and shifted items between their bags and packs, taking the largest portion of the weight and bulk. Jaeron kept Chazd’s pack the lightest, compensating for a potential need for him to move quickly but remain stealthy. Then he nodded that they should continue.
Thirteen
D
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