After successfully making the potions, he went upstairs for a bath while the others slept. He took care to be quiet, so he didn’t wake them.

He sat in the warm water and his thoughts drifted. How conscious was his codex? What other secrets did it contain? What were the different lights in his magic?

He lay back in the tub and sighed. Puzzles for another day.

What he couldn’t put out of his mind was Victor. It nagged at him during every waking minute. The last of his family gone… the man who’d taken him in and raised him all these years.

Every time he closed his eyes, his mind conjured images of the worst things he could imagine.

He rubbed his tired eyes. He’d gone without sleep before, but alchemy drained him in an entirely different way.

His bones ached, but it was easier to deal with what could be happening to his uncle when he was working on finding and saving him.

He rubbed the bridge of his nose and turned his racing mind onto what needed to be done. He went through plans, possibilities, and contingencies in his mind as he lay in the bathtub for hours.

It was as close to sleep as he could manage.

He left feeling refreshed, even if only temporarily. He donned his armor and buckled his rapier in place once again.

He went downstairs and pulled out his codex.

His magic sight had faded, and he could read it without the brilliant light of the magic it contained getting in the way.

He flipped through the pages looking for anything that might aid him in his search. Anything that could make him stronger, deadlier, or more capable.

Should he ask the codex for help again? Would it listen? It felt insane to talk to a book, but maybe it could help a second time?

Adelia came down the stairs, snapping him out of his reverie.

“Didn’t sleep again?” she asked.

“No,” Connor said, “don’t worry so much, you’ll get wrinkles. I’m fine.”

“You should at least eat something,” she said.

“Yes, mom,” he said.

She opened a cupboard, then another… and another. She stomped her foot and huffed. “Do you have any food in this place?” she asked

“I keep it all in the pantry with preservation crystals to keep it from spoiling,” he said, “I came back to rotten food once… never again.”

She rummaged around in the pantry. “Your supplies are running low. It won’t last the three of us long,” she said.

“I never thought I’d be using this place like I am now. We can make a supply run at some point. I’ll see what I can do after Vadik and I get back from The Shadowcloaks,” he said.

Adelia made bacon and eggs with toast in large helpings.

Unfortunately, she burned everything.

It was only now as he wolfed down her atrocious food that he realized just how hungry he really was.

The fact she was a terrible cook actually made him feel rather smug. Finally, he was better than her at something.

The two of them chatted a bit and snacked on some sandwiches that Connor made.

He didn’t want to risk her somehow setting the cold meats on fire.

He felt like he had the world on his shoulders and that he would be crushed beneath it at any moment. But, having his friends with him somehow made it bearable.

Adelia pulled down part of her mask to eat, but she turned away, so he still couldn’t see her face.

Would she keep her promise and show him her face when all this was over? He couldn’t help but wonder.

He was used to her strange desire to keep hidden at all times, but he still wished that she would trust him as he trusted her.

She polished off the last sandwich and pulled her mask back up. “I’d better meet with Korvac,” she said.

“Be careful out there,” Connor said, “I still don’t like the idea of any of us moving around in daylight… not even you.”

“Don’t worry, I can take care of myself. And, I promise you, if there’s so much as a trace of The Syndicate, the slaves, or Victor out there… I’ll find it. Nothing those bastards can send will stop me,” she said.

She strode out into the morning light like death itself clad in leather.

A few minutes after she left, Vadik strolled down the stairs, already neatly groomed and clean-shaven.

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

“About time you got down here,” Connor said, “we have work to do.”

“Did you find something to help us get into Bvorn’s office?” Vadik asked.

“I think so… hopefully, I’ll pick the lock in a fraction of the time now. Won’t know until I try though,” Connor said.

“So… we’ll only find out when we’re in the middle of the guild hall, surrounded by Bvorn’s men, with no explanation as to why we’re standing with our picks in the Guild Master’s office door?” Vadik asked.

“My picks. You keep your picks out of this,” Connor said, “but yes.”

“Joyous,” Vadik said.

“Are you sure you can get me into the guild hall and up to Bvorn’s office?” Connor asked.

“It shouldn’t be an issue. I haven’t picked up anything to suggest they even know about Victor or you. Maybe Bvorn does, but if so he’s keeping it to himself for now. I also haven’t put Davison’s contract out on you yet.

“So, with any luck, they won’t jump us the second they see you. Probably best you keep your hood and mask up anyway. Just in case. With me there to vouch for you, it shouldn’t be a problem.

“We can just walk in through the front door. If we time it right, Bvorn won’t even be there. I can stand watch outside his door, so you don’t walk out when someone is there to see, and then we can leave the way we came once you’re done,” Vadik said.

“That’s it? It sounds too easy somehow,” Connor said.

“That’s under the assumption they don’t know I’m not their double agent. If they do, they’ll throw us in the dungeon and torture us for the rest of our miserable lives. Still sound too easy?” Vadik said.

“Not so much,” Connor said, “when is the best time to get into Bvorn’s office? When will he be gone and for how long?”

“He’s getting a delivery of slaves from a new seller today. He’ll want to check on them personally. He should be out all day,” Vadik said.

Connor nodded. As much as he hated slavery, freeing Victor was the priority. Once that was done, they could see about the slaves.

“I don’t like the idea of moving about in daylight hours,” he said, “but if it’s our best chance to get into Bvorn’s office, we should take it.”

“We’d better get moving then. The guild hall is a fair walk away, and the sooner we get there, the more time you’ll have to search his office before he gets back,” Vadik said.

“Alright,” Connor said. He fished around in his bottomless bag and handed Vadik a vial.

“What’s this?” Vadik asked.

“It’s a potion. It’ll heighten all your senses. I figure we’ll need every advantage we can get,” Connor said, “take it before we go. It’ll be a bit disorienting when it kicks in, but it fades fast. If it runs out, let me know, and I’ll give you another one.”

Vadik held up the potion. “What did you put in this exactly?” he asked.

Connor sighed. “Just drink it before we go,” he said.

The streets were busy. People ran about on errands and merchants hawked their wares at the top of their voices.

Connor pulled up his hood, his eyes scanning everyone around them.

“I wish I’d thought to bring a disguise,” he grumbled.

“Just be glad it’s cold enough to get away with having your hood up. If it wasn’t, you’d stick out like a sore thumb out here,” Vadik said. He started whistling a cheerful tune.

“How can you be so relaxed?” Connor asked.

“I have to be,” Vadik said, “I’ve been constantly surrounded by people that’d kill me if they knew what I was up to. I can’t afford to look tense. Besides, I’m not the one The Chamberlain wants to murder with a rusty fork.”

“That’s a fair point,” Connor muttered. He took a deep breath and straightened his back.

“That’s not bad,” Vadik said.

“Thanks,” Connor said.

“I’m still better though,” Vadik said.

Connor ignored him and focused his attention on their surroundings. Up ahead, an official was putting up wanted posters.

Posters with Connor’s face on them.

“Great,” Connor said dryly.

Vadik tore one of the posters down. “I guess it isn’t a surprise,” he said, “he already tried to post a bounty with the city’s underworld. He must want you badly.”

“I just hadn’t expected it so soon… do you think this changes anything?” Connor asked.

“I doubt it,” Vadik said, “The Shadowcloaks don’t like dealing with the city guard any more than bribing them to stay out of the way. If anything, you being a wanted man might make them less suspicious. We’ll have to keep an eye out for guards and any upstanding citizens though.”

Connor nodded, but his eyes stared at another wanted poster of someone he recognized.

Dael.

The man he’d helped escape the palace dungeon. He tore the poster down and read it as they walked.

Vadik read the list of crimes listed beneath Connor’s name. “You’ve been busy,” he said.

“Obviously I didn’t do any of those things,” Connor said.

“So you didn’t assault a guard, or aid and abet the escape of another criminal? What about arson?” Vadik read aloud.

Connor thought back to his trial with the wizard and, and his escape from the dungeon.

“Well… maybe I did some of it,” Connor said, “but it’s taken out of context.”

Vadik chuckled. “I think they have everything on here,” he said, “murder, attempted murder, theft, highway robbery… and here I was thinking you didn’t leave the city much. You never tell me anything. I thought I was your friend.”

Connor rolled his eyes.

Vadik continued reading. “What’s defenestration?” he asked.

“It means to throw someone out of a window,” Connor said.

“You’re kidding,” Vadik said.

“I swear it’s the truth,” Connor said, “I think Davison just had them put down everything and anything. I haven’t pushed anyone out of a window… at least not recently.”

“What were you doing in a brothel?” Vadik asked.

“What?” Connor said.

“Look right here,” Vadik said. He pointed to one of the many crimes listed on Connor’s wanted poster.

Connor frowned. “I don’t think that’s even physically possible,” he said.

I’ll give these palace guys one thing, they’re awfully imaginative…” Vadik said, “what’s that one you’re looking at?”

“It’s someone I was forced to help escape on my way out of the dungeon,” Connor said.

“Oh? What’d he do?” Vadik asked.

Connor scrunched the paper in his hand. “He was a murderer, a rapist, and a demonologist that started a demon worshiping cult,” Connor said. His voice like ice.

“Maybe they were just trumped-up charges too,” Vadik said.

“Unlikely,” Connor said.

He balled his hand into a fist, and the paper crumpled even further. He’d have to make this right…

The Shadowcloaks guild hall managed to look even worse in the daylight. The cracks and pitted walls stood out amid the crumbling paint. The whole building seemed infected.

The guards glared at them as they approached. Connor pulled his mask up a little higher.

“Gods, you look suspicious,” Vadik muttered.

“You’d rather bet on them not knowing who I am?” Connor whispered.

The guard looked at Vadik and then at Connor. “Bringing a friend?” the guard said.

Vadik gave a brilliant smile. “What can I say? People love me,” he said.

The guard grunted.

“Is Bvorn here?” Vadik asked.

The guard shook his head.

“Any idea when he’ll be back?” Vadik asked.

The guard shrugged. “Dunno,” he said.

“Right… good talking to you as always,” Vadik said.

The guard grunted.

The two of them walked past the guard and into the guild hall.

Where the outside looked decrepit and worn, the inside was reasonably well maintained. Men and women drank, played cards, or talked all around them. It wasn’t much different from The Stars of Night

On one level Connor knew that it should be similar. They were both thieves guilds after all, but he had still expected it to be… he wasn’t sure what he expected, but something different.