Two days wasn’t enough time for Maven to thoroughly research every item we scored from the Fae-Hunters, but she did a cursory test on each one and scribbled down the results, along with her best guess as to how we can use them. Most of the itemsare designed to trap the Fae, so they’re not useful for breaking into Annordun unless we run into resistance.
As a group, we’ve agreed not to use any of the Fae-Hunter devices unless we’re in dire need. It’s better to do things the normal, human way if we possibly can. Maven isn’t even sure how Fae-Hunter magic will function inside the fortress. There could be monitoring devices or active spellwork that might detect the use of magic inside Annordun and sound some kind of alarm. Just in case, we’ll need to proceed with caution and use the items sparingly, if at all.
The bulk of Maven’s time was devoted to tracking down anything she could find about Annordun in her books about Faerie. Unfortunately, since the fortress is a fairly recent establishment in the Fae realm, there isn’t much to go on. But she did manage to find a booklet on famous buildings of Faerie, which contains a rudimentary sketch of Annordun as it looked during its planning stages. We have no assurance that it looks the same now, and the sections of the fortress are labeled in nearly illegible bits of scratchy handwriting.
I spread the map on our planning table, taking a final look at the layout of the fortress. The island on which it lies is eye-shaped, with a pointed tip at the north and south. The fortress roughly follows the shape of the island, in that it’s oblong, with two outer walls and an inner keep. At the north end of the keep is a circle designating a watchtower—or at least that’s our best guess.
“You know what that drawing looks like.” Flex peers over my shoulder, gnawing on one of his lockpicking shims. “It looks like a vagina. With the tapered bits at the north and south, and the layers, and the round bit up top... doesn’t it?”
“Oh my gods, Flex,” I exclaim. “Get your mind out of the gutter and take mine with you, because I thought the same thing!”
We burst into laughter, while Maven rolls her eyes. And for a moment we’reusagain, our crew before Scriv arrived, before he started eyeing me like I’m a broken bridge spanning a chasm he wants to cross.
“I’m glad you’re all feeling so jovial.” Scriv rises from the bench where he was sitting. “Seems ill-timed, seeing as we’ll be standing in another realm soon, and a dangerous one at that.”
The smile slips from my face. “I understand the danger.”
“Good. I’d hate to think that our dauntless leader was rushing headlong into this job out of desperation or madness.”
An uncertain silence falls as the other Javelins glance at each other.
“We do our best work when we operate from a place of joy and trust,” I tell him. “Maybe that makes us a little mad. I’d rather be mad than malignant.”
He stares at me with real poison in his gaze, but I break the eye-lock almost instantly. Holding it would only ratchet up the tension and put us all in the wrong frame of mind for a heist.
“Final prep, everyone,” I announce. “We know the general layout, and we’ve got some magic at our fingertips thanks to the Fae-Hunters.”
“Thank you, Fae-Hunters,” says Flex with a theatrical bow. “May you rest in peace.”
“Rest in ashes is more like it.” Scriv smirks and casts a cutting glance at me.
I shift my gaze, determined not to have this conversation with him again. During our raid of the Fae-Hunter’s hideout, he, Flex, and Boulder killed the two hunters who were present, instead of tying them up and blindfolding them like I ordered. At Scriv’s direction, Boulder carried the bodies to the bakehouse next door and stuffed them into the largest, hottest oven.
When my team returned to the wagon with the loot, they didn’t tell me what happened at first. I only found out about thekillings when they began making jokes about “baked goods.” I rebuked them for not following orders, but Scriv said, “Are we not allowed to defend ourselves? Would you rather let our marks survive while we die? Is that how the Javelins operate?”
It didn’t matter that he was willfully misinterpreting what I said. The others joined their voices with his, and I had to walk back my rebuke. The damage was done. I wasn’t there, so I couldn’t contradict his claim that they killed the men in self-defense.
I’m determined to take more of an active role this time, and I’ve made sure everyone knows it. I’m not just the girl with the schemes and the network of underworld contacts. I’m not just a worrier and a planner. I can pick a lock almost as fast as Flex and knock a man out as effectively as Boulder, if not as quickly. I can pull my weight.
I pick up my pack, mentally running through its contents. Like me, each of the other thieves is carrying a few of the Fae-Hunters’ items along with their regular gear. We’re all dressed in tight-fitting, pliant black clothing that’s both warm and breathable, fashioned by a seamstress who goes by the name of Lace among the criminals of Belgate. She tailored an outfit for each of us, suited to our particular skill set. We all wear her clothing as our first layer, then add jackets, vests, capes, or coats on top of it depending on the requirements of the job we’re planning to do.
When it was my turn to put in my order with Lace, she asked me several questions, looked me up and down, and sent me away without even taking measurements. Weeks later I received word that my outfit was ready. It was softer than I ever thought a thief’s gear could be, durable and resilient as well as comfortable. The shirt cups my small chest, providing just enough support. The pants have multiple pockets and severalintegrated straps that I can cinch tighter to provide support in various areas or use to attach knives and tools.
Somehow Lace knew that I hate seams with a passion. The shirt and pants are practically seamless, so impossibly smooth that I’ve always wondered about her true parentage, even suspected that she might have Fae blood in her veins. How else could she create such a perfectly tailored garment without taking measurements? I don’t even know what the fabric is—it doesn’t feel like the typical cloth one might find at a market or at a dress-maker’s shop. Whatever its source, it hugs my body just right and glides so gently against my skin that I’m able to focus on the job at hand without the subtle frustration ofseamseating away at my brain.
I fasten my hooded cloak over my other gear. While buckling one final strap, I survey my team. The other Javelins all seem to be ready for the job. Goggles in case of wind, sleet, or glare. Iridian crystal sticks that we can shake to produce flameless light. Climbing gear and thin, tough rope. Kits for mending wounds. Knives, brass knuckles, throwing stars. Maven’s mini-crossbow and Flex’s poison rings. Scriv’s pack is stocked with his glass-cutters, ventilation testers, and other gadgets.
Earlier this morning, Maven slipped a stone in my pocket that she thinks is spelled to lend extra strength, grant wishes, or provide luck. None of her tests on it yielded anything conclusive.
“I’m giving it to you, but don’t try doing anything with it unless we’re in a really dire situation,” she advised.
I agreed, resolving to leave the stone in my pocket unless I’m literally on the brink of death.
Maven doesn’t accompany the crew on every job. Since she’s our resident researcher, antiquities expert, and appraiser, there’s always work for her to do back at the Hearth. But she’s indispensable for this job. We’ll need her expertise if we’re tosurvive in Faerie. And while she doesn’t climb as well as the rest of us, she’s a strong fighter with a powerful punch. I’ve seen her choke out a man with her thick thighs, and her skill with a crossbow will come in handy if we run into any guards.
Judging by what we’ve learned, Annordun is guarded only by powerful magic aimed at keeping out all Fae except the Stewards. But we can’t rule out the possibility of other defensive measures, or a species of guard we don’t expect. Faerie is, after all, a land notorious for its strange creatures.
We take a moment for last minute checks—testing blades, tightening straps, and securing our packs. We’ve kept the load as light as possible, leaving plenty of space in our packs for treasure. Boulder’s pack is stuffed with extra bags that we can fill with valuables and tie onto his back. As the biggest and strongest member of the team, he’s capable of carrying large amounts of loot.
