Chapter 1B:

Not too far from the alleyway where we had been waiting stood a local tavern that usually attracted a heavy crowd at these late hours. Today was no different.

One of the most frequent visitors to said tavern was Brigadier General Ragan Linder, the head of the capital’s guard force, or in short - the Head Guard. He was already in his late forties and evidently sick and tired of his job, so he spent his nights drinking with the local patrons. It was no secret - everybody knew that.

Elandor decided to use this to our advantage and steal the Head Guard’s master key of the palace.

Stealing a key from an aging drunkard may sound easy on paper, but in reality, not so much.

First of all, Brigadier General Linder was known to be very sharp, even after drinking. Secondly, He was accompanied, at all times, by fellow guards that remained mostly sober throughout his drinking nights. No one knew for sure if the guards were invited by Linder himself or assigned directly by the king.

Why would the king decide to send guards to keep an eye on Linder instead of just forcefully retiring him? It’s a good question, and the answer is surprisingly simple. Everyone assumed that the Head Guard, in his thirty years of service, had collected enough dirt on the king to spark a revolt if it were ever revealed. But that’s beside the point. The important part was that the guards were there, constantly surveilling their commander.

Joven was keeping an eye on Elandor in the tavern in case things went south, while Frenkie and I were on standby as a secondary backup if both of them got into trouble. I wasn’t sure how much of a difference we could make if push came to shove, but it was a personal request from Elandor, so I went along with it.

Considering we were never needed, and Joven’s mostly calm expression, it seemed like Elandor managed to pull this one on his own. Again.

We followed Joven behind the tavern where an ecstatic Elandor was waiting for us, spinning what I assumed to be the master key on his index finger.

He was in his late twenties, tall but not imposing, and his broad shoulders and lean frame exuded both strength and resilience. His chiselled features were highlighted by his piercing sapphire-blue eyes, while his rich blonde hair fell in loose waves, framing a face marked by a strong jawline that had a hint of bristles. His charismatic smile, accompanied by a set of dimples, added warmth to his already endearing personality. He wore a white buttoned shirt, and a set of black trousers. All covered by his signature black trench coat.

We hadn’t seen him for two weeks after he suddenly left on what he called ‘important business,’ until he returned yesterday and told us that tonight was going to be the night.

His smile grew wider as he saw us approaching.

“Would you hide that key already?” Joven said, panic evident in his voice. “Do you want us to get caught before we even start?”

Elandor chuckled. “You can breathe, my dear friend. No one is going to come here anyway, and those who might, would be too drunk to remember any of us.”

Frenkie continued walking straight up to Elandor, and the latter gave him a friendly, almost brotherly, hug.

“Did you grow even taller while I was gone?” Elandor asked him, a playful smile on his lips. “Any more than that and we’ll have to stop calling you Frenkie and switch to Frenk.”

Frenkie laughed wholeheartedly. “I’ll start calling you Elandie when that happens.”

Elandor laughed as well and gave him a playful punch in the ribs. “Respect your elders, punk.”

“Where are the twins?” Joven interrupted the moment, his tone impatient.

“On their way.” Elandor replied calmly.

“Well, they’re late.” Joven grumbled.

“They’re just kids, Joven.” Elandor said, his tone serious.

“They’re not kids anymore, Elandor.” Joven retorted. “Besides they’re in this with us. You can’t give them free passes because they’re young.”

Elandor shook his head. “They’re late because I asked them to bring me something from the base.”

Joven looked surprised. “What are they bringing?”

Elandor smiled and placed his index finger on his lips. “That’s a secret.”

Joven suddenly looked a bit nervous. “It’s not reassuring to know you’re keeping secrets from us. Especially tonight.”

Elandor ignored his words as he approached me and put his right arm around me. “What about you, lil’ genius? How are you doing on this beautiful night?”

His voice was soothing, as if he could tell I was nervous, so he tried to calm me, even though I still hated the nickname.

“Could’ve been better.” I admitted, ignoring the nickname he gave me.

“Heard you got caught in a demonic breach incident while I was away.” he said, reminding me of a rather tense situation I found myself in, about a week ago.

Demonic breaches were gates to the realms of Hell, that would spontaneously appear around the kingdom. They could emerge in neglected alleys, on the busiest of streets, or even inside someone’s house. Through those breaches, hellspawn would emerge and do what they did best – feed on humans. Human souls were always their main goal and kidnapping people to their realm was just a step toward achieving that. Most of the time, the guards arrived in time and dealt with the problem, but there were occasions when some people disappeared through one of those breaches and were never heard from again. For centuries, these breaches didn't even exist, as it was believed that Hell was destroyed after the last demonic war hundreds of years ago. However, the hellspawns have somehow found a way to return. Lately, these breaches became more frequent, and there was no real solution from anyone in the kingdom.

“Yeah.” I nodded. “But there weren’t many hellspawns that passed through, so I don’t think there was ever any real danger.”

“Nonsense.” Elandor dismissed my words. “Hell’s kind are always dangerous. Were you harmed? How did you get out of there?”

“Axel Bane.” I muttered under my nose.

“Ho, ho, ho.” Elandor laughed exaggeratedly. “It’s surprising that the great ‘Dragon’, Sir Bane, actually got his hands dirty for a change. Did you get an autograph?”

I frowned, slightly disgusted by the question. “Of course not. Who do you take me for? Screw him and the other champions.”

Elandor laughed before turning serious. “You still think we’re way out of our league today?” he asked and I immediately nodded.

Perhaps I would’ve been more at ease if I actually knew the entire plan of our heist, but Elandor was so secretive about it. He only told me that he would need me to lockpick the treasury’s lock.

“My father always used to say ‘Elandor, you should always aim higher than what your mind tells you to. Only that way you’ll truly challenge yourself and reach the greatest of heights.’” he said.

Aim higher than what your mind tells you to? Maybe if you’re a law-abiding citizen that could work. Heck, even then the kingdom would strip you of everything through taxes. But for a thief? Sounds like a one-way ticket to an untimely demise.

“Sounds wise.” I lied, trying to change the subject.

“Didn’t you tell me your father was a poor shoemaker all his life?” Joven asked, his voice filled with doubt.

Elandor rolled his eyes. “He was, but that’s not the point. He also used to say, ‘Do as I say, not as I do.’ Besides, it wouldn’t sound nearly as motivational if I told everyone he was a shoemaker.”

Frenkie laughed, while Joven just shrugged. “Then sorry for ruining your speech.”

It didn’t look like he was sorry.

Elandor shifted his focus back to me. “Anyway, listen, I know this whole idea sounds scary, but I need you to believe in me. I thought everything through, and if I tell you we can do it, then we can do it. Okay?” he asked while locking his gaze with mine. It was calming and reassuring. So much so that I was willing to drop all my worries and follow him to the ends of the earth.

“Okay.” I replied calmly, feeling more assured.

He smiled softly. “Great. I need you to be sharp tonight. You know your role. Once we reach the heart of the treasury, your lockpicking skills would be the difference between success and failure.”

He talked about it like it was a given that we’d even reach the palace’s lower levels, let alone the treasury. He hadn’t exactly explained how we’d get inside the palace, but every way I could think of involved facing and outsmarting many guards on our way.

I wish I had his confidence.

“Won’t the master key open the treasury?” I wondered out loud.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

He shrugged. “I’m not sure, but I assume it won’t. I don’t believe the king trusts Linder that much.”

Our short talk was interrupted by the twins’ arrival, which was loud as usual.

“It doesn’t make sense, Will! Why on earth would you add honey to a cabbage soup?” Ren asked, her voice filled with disbelief.

She was the younger half of the duo. She was relatively short and had a lean stature. Her short, raven-black hair was tied in a messy ponytail that framed her sharp features - a pair of amber-coloured eyes. Freckles adorned her nose - the result of countless hours spent under the sun. She was wearing dark, form-fitting clothing that allowed for seamless movement, and fingerless gloves which were more a fashion choice rather than anything else, while her boots were worn but sturdy, perfect for navigating the bustling streets and evading the pursuing guards.

“It makes perfect sense!” Will shouted back.

Will was the elder twin, which he enjoyed reminding his sister of very much. He was standing at an average height with a lean build as well, his posture a bit lanky. His short black hair fell onto his expressive hazel eyes, a subtle scar on his forehead right above the right one. His hands were dug deep inside his brown jacket as he walked.

“Gods, I can’t believe we’re related.” Ren covered her face with her right hand as she shook her head.

“At least there’s something we can agree on.” Will rolled his eyes at her.

“Keep it down!” Joven shouted at them, an angry look on his face.

They lowered their volume but kept bickering, including the rest of us in their conversation.

“Frenkie, buddy, please tell me you’re with me on this one.” Will almost sounded begging.

Frenkie chuckled. “Well, honey in soup does sound controversial, but I think we can all agree that Will’s cooking is insanely delicious. So, if he says that adding honey to a cabbage soup is good – I’m with him on that.”

Will looked like he won the grand prize of some competition. He rushed over to Frenkie and high fived him with his left hand, while still keeping his right one in the pocket of his jacket.

Ren looked at me for support, making a puppy-face. “Help me here, Luca.”

“Adding honey to a cabbage soup sounds like a cardinal sin.” I found myself blurting out almost immediately.

Elandor wasn’t the only one who had an influence on me in our group…

After just a few months with the Blood Moon Foxes I could already tell I was falling for her. At first, I thought it was just a childish crush, since she was the only girl I knew, but after a while, I realized it was more than that. She was smart, pretty, a good thief, and she was also around my age. Did I ever try to make a move? No. Was I planning to? Of course. Maybe next week. Or month. Or…I don’t know…

“Thank you!” She said triumphantly, a wide smile spreading across her face.

Elandor walked over to them with a grin of his own. “Kids these days...You think adding honey to a cabbage soup is controversial? What about adding salt to a watermelon? You have no idea how much it intensifies the sweetness!”

“Salt to a watermelon?” Will echoed out loud. “Now that’s crazy.”

“Seriously, Will? It’s the salt on a watermelon that bothers you, and not the honey in the cabbage soup?” Ren said in disbelief.

I exchanged glances with Joven. It seemed like we were the only ones serious, and perhaps nervous, about our upcoming heist.

Elandor put his arm around Will and led him to the side, away from us, while Ren and Frenkie seemed to continue discussing something.

I wouldn’t say I was an outcast in our group, but my personality didn’t exactly made me very approachable and what was considered ‘friendly’. That’s why, even after three years, it always felt like I was the odd one out. Besides Joven, of course. But Joven wasn’t even weird. He was just way older than us. Plus, he had a family of his own. No wonder he found the rest of the group annoying and obnoxious.

I didn’t mind being the quiet one. In stark contrast to my street-living days, with the Blood Moon Foxes I had guaranteed food, and a roof over my head. And even if I wasn’t very talkative, or extroverted, it didn’t mean that I didn’t enjoy the guys’ company.

Elandor always said that I should try to be more sociable with the rest so…I tried, approaching Frenkie and Ren. It was either that or standing still and quiet next to Joven.

“So, get this – crushed peanuts.” Frenkie said, excitement filling his voice.

“Yes?” Ren asked, waiting for a continuation.

“Fried bacon.” He continued.

“Are you getting somewhere with this or are you just naming different foods?” Ren asked, confused.

“Together.” He finished his idea.

Ren exchanged a few glances with me. I had no idea what he was talking about.

“I wouldn’t say that adding crushed peanuts to fried bacon is that weird, Frenks.” she said. “On the contrary, it sounds pretty good.”

“I agree with Ren on this one.” I said, trying to weave myself into their conversation.

“You sure?” Frenkie asked, puzzled. “I always thought I was a weirdo for mixing them.”

Ren looked at me and smiled. “Oh, you are a weirdo. But for different reasons.”

I smiled back instinctively.

“Yeah. You’re probably right.” Frenkie nodded, his hand rubbing his chin thoughtfully, before turning to me. “What about you, Luca?”

I was so used to staying quiet in most conversations that I was surprised he addressed me. “What about me?” I asked.

“What’s your weird go-to food?” Ren asked, still smiling.

When I looked at her smile, I felt all my worries melt away. I almost forgot we were going to rob the kingdom’s treasury tonight.

I shrugged, thinking of a good answer that might impress her. “I don’t know if it’s weird, but I really like adding jam to a cheese sandwich.”

“Jam on a cheese sandwich?” she echoed, a surprised look on her face, and I immediately thought I’d ruined all my chances with her.

“But, like a sour jam or sweet jam?” Frenkie asked way too seriously.

I had already revealed my weird taste palette, so I might as well stay true to myself. “Sweet jam. Strawberry, to be precise.”

Frenkie looked deep in thought.

Ren chuckled. “You know what, that might actually work well together, now that I think about it.”

Okay, that went better than expected.

I grinned with confidence. “Of course, it does. Been eating that for the last two years now.”

She smiled playfully. “Then perhaps you can make me one of your famous jam-cheese sandwiches when we get back from this heist?”

I felt my heart skip a beat. She was one year younger than me, but it seemed like the harsh life on the streets had taught her many ways to use her female charms.

“S-Sure.” I managed to say and immediately felt so embarrassed.

Just ‘sure’? What is wrong with me? I should’ve been more playful and said something like ‘Definitely. Let’s turn this into a breakfast. I know a good spot where we can go.’ Now I don’t even know if she was aiming for a date or just asking for a sandwich.

Before I could continue scolding myself further, Elandor called us.

“Okay, gather up.” He said as he and Will returned from their secret chat. I assumed Will handed him whatever Elandor asked the twins to bring and wondered what it was? And why all the secrecy? My street-survival instincts kicked in as my brain began calculating all the possible scenarios for this. I stopped myself before too long. Old habits die last, but there was no reason to mistrust Elandor. He already proved to be a great friend and leader, and if he wanted to screw me over, then he had three whole years to do so.

All of us walked over to Elandor, and together we formed a circle.

“So, as you know, tonight is the night we pay a visit to our dear king’s treasury.” He said, excitement filling his voice. “Does everyone remember our plan?”

Remember our plan? Was I the only one who was left in the dark? I looked around and saw that everyone shared my confusion, which was scary and reassuring both at the same time.

“I only know the part you told me about.” Will said and I was glad that I wasn’t the only one in this exact predicament.

“Exactly!” Elandor said, enthusiasm heavy in his voice. “I intentionally told each and every one of you only a single piece of our plan to prevent it from being leaked if any of you got caught by the guards beforehand.”

Did he really think any of us would turn into a rat to save our skins? Perhaps he didn’t fully trust us. And I don’t blame him. If my survival were at stake, could I guarantee my silence? I didn’t have a solid answer to that.

“Will you reveal the full plan now?” I asked.

Elandor smiled. “Nah.”

Everyone, except Joven, seemed even more confused.

“Only Joven and I know the full plan. Let’s leave it at that.” Elandor said. “You would just have to trust me and follow my lead. Think of me as your musical conductor.”

“Musical conductor?” Frenkie asked, confused.

“Yeah, it’s that guy that waves his hands in front of an orchestra.” Ren explained.

“He doesn’t just wave his hands.” Joven snapped, disdain clear in his voice. “He orchestrates. He brings the music to life.”

“Hmm…I thought the musicians bring the music to life.” Ren said as she rubbed her chin in a thoughtful manner, obviously trying to get on Joven’s nerves.

“I thought the same.” Will agreed, joining his sister.

“Looks like we’ve found another thing you can both agree on.” Elandor said teasingly.

He pulled out his pocket watch and checked the time before making his serious expression. “Is everyone ready?”

I gulped down my nervousness and nodded as the rest, seemingly more confident, agreed to begin as well.

Elandor reached for his coat’s pocket and pulled out a ring made completely of some dark mineral.

“Is that what I think it is? Is that what you had them bring you?” Joven asked in awe.

“It is, my dear Joven.” Elandor smiled. “But it’s very old. We can only use it for two travels - in and out. Nothing more.”

“I had no idea you got your hands on a black tourmaline ring, Elandor.” Joven said nervously.

Black tourmaline? I never heard of that mineral and couldn’t help but wonder what unique power it possessed.

Elandor shrugged at Joven’s words. “I had no idea, either. Up until last week I thought it was an onyx.”

“Well, that changes our plans entirely, then.” Joven said.

“No.” Elandor said, his voice sharp and commanding. “Nothing changes.”

“But – “ Joven wanted to refute his words, but Elandor hand-gestured him to stop.

“The only thing that changes is our entrance and our exit, Joven. You’ll just have to roll with me on this one.” He said.

Joven looked like he had more to say, but he was cut by Will before he could continue.

“Wait, so what does black tourmaline do again?” Will asked the question which I also had on my mind but was too anxious to ask.

“Did you already forget? Gods, you’re so stupid.” Ren said and I could feel my heart shrink. It’s a good thing I didn’t reveal my ignorance.

Will’s expression turned to annoyance. “Oh, yeah? Like you remember.”

“Of course, I do.” Ren replied confidently.

“Then, tell us.”

“Teleportation.” Ren said, a triumphant smile on her face.

Elandor nodded in approval and Will now looked more angry than annoyed.

“I need each and every one of you to put a hand, foot, finger, tongue, preferably not tongue, on me.” Elandor commanded. “Or else, you won’t be teleported to the palace with me.”

We all proceeded to comply with his demand. I approached him last, so the only spot on his body which was vacant, was his legs. I crouched and put my right hand on his knee.

“Three, two, let’s go.” He quickly said and as he finished his words, we were in some large garden, surrounded by tall black metal bars. Behind the bars I could see familiar buildings.

The transition was so instantaneous, it disoriented me for a moment as my surroundings shifted right before my eyes. It seemed like I wasn’t the only one, as all, except for Joven and Elandor, fell on their rears.

I scanned my surroundings. I was here not too long ago. On the other side of the bars...

It was Willox’s main square, right in front of the royal palace, which meant we were inside the palace’s grounds - the back garden, to be precise.

“I think I’m going to throw up.” Will said as he covered his mouth with his hand.

“You’re such a baby.” Ren teased him, but before he could respond, she quickly turned around and threw up into a bush beside her.

Her brother didn’t even have time to celebrate his small victory as he immediately joined her.

“Why not teleport us inside the treasury?” Frenkie whispered thoughtfully.

I shrugged. “Maybe he needs to visit the place before he can teleport there.”

“Right you are.” Elandor nodded at my words, smiling.

“It’s still surprising you were in the palace’s back garden, Elandor.” Joven pointed out.

Elandor chuckled. “Oh, yes. It was the summer of last year, or the one before that, I think. I had a quick fling with one of the maids here.”

“Really?” Will asked after he finally managed to pull his head from the bush.

Elandor just smiled. “Who knows? A real gentleman never tells.”

“No guards?” Frenkie asked as he looked around, and I noticed he was right – the garden was completely empty.

“It’s their switching routine now, right, Joven?” Elandor asked, though judging by the tone of his voice, it seemed he already knew the answer to that.

“T-That’s right.” Joven replied quickly.

I walked toward Ren to check on her.

“Are you okay?” I asked, and she gestured to me with a thumbs up.

Shortly after, she was already on her feet. “I’m good, let’s move.”

Elandor smiled. “Let’s.”