Page 71 of Realm of Thieves

I take in a deep breath. “Let’s go.”

The entrance to the cave is only about twenty feet across, and the only sign that anything could be in there is the grooves left in the dirt at the entrance from carts and footprints.

I walk in front of Andor and step inside, following the curve to the right. The way is fairly level at first, going past various checkpoints that most people won’t even notice. About twenty feet inside, just as the light from the outside starts to fade, the first torch appears.These torches burn all hours of the day, lit by a crew within the city known as the City Watch. They’re in charge of the lighting, as well as providing the safety within the walls.

In the dark shadows that occur between the torches, you can always be sure that someone is watching you even if you can’t see them. Many crevices in the lava rock run deep into the sides of the tunnels and men are often stationed in there, ready to rush you with their swords out if needed.

But they recognize me, and I assume that they aren’t too worried about Andor either since no one comes out to stop and question us.

“Watch your step,” Andor says. “I just stepped in something sticky.”

I glance at the ground to see faint streaks of something white that glistens in the torchlight, then reach up and grab Andor’s shoulder, pulling him down.

“I suggest ducking for the next few feet,” I say, going into a stooped walk beside him.

“Why?” he asks as he bends over, staying closer to me now.

“Remember I mentioned slug webs? I suggest you don’t look above you for the next bit.”

Naturally Andor does what I’ve told him not to do.

“What the fuck are those?” he says in disgust.

I don’t have to look up to know what’s above us. There are cave spiders and many other types of insects in the lava tubes, but it’s the slugs that are the worst. They build giant sticky webs across the tunnels, with some of the slugs growing up to several feet long.

“They aren’t dangerous but the webs can leave a nasty rash,” I tell him. “And I’m sure Feet would be delighted to know that the aphrodisiac tea he’s coveting is made from the webslime.”

Andor grimaces. “Thankfully I don’t need any of that.”

I can’t help but give him a wry smile. Based on his actions (or lack thereof) from last night I would have thought he could use a bucketful.

When I’m sure it’s safe, we straighten up again and keep walking down the torchlit tunnel. We’ve been walking for at least twenty minutes and are about to head down the grand staircase to the first part of the city, when suddenly two figures step out in front of us, each coming from either side of the tunnel walls. Andor instinctively goes to the short sword at his waist, but other than that he doesn’t seem all that surprised. Knowing his heightened senses, he probably knew they were there.

“Halt,” one of the guards says in the Freelander accent, making it sound like another language from the Common Tongue of Dragemor. “Who goes there?”

“Brynla Aihr,” I tell him, doing the Freelanders sign across my forehead. “Niece of Ellestra Doon, fourth quarter, lower tenth.”

“Ah yes, the thief and her dog,” the guard says. He’s wearing a mask made of blackened bones, and though I’ve probably encountered him many times before, it’s hard to tell who he is. “And who is he?” He eyes Andor.

Andor opens his mouth, but I am quick to speak.

“This is my cousin, Lothare. I just got him out of Lerick.”

“Is that so?” the guard says, peering closely at Andor as the other guard starts circling us from behind, eyeing his clothes. Luckily Andor is dressed as most Eslanders might be, and there’s nothing marking him as a Norlander.

“Your name is Lothare?” the other guard asks, sidling up close. I wait with bated breath, expecting Andor to stiffen, to make a move for his sword, but to his credit he remains still.

“Lothare Doon,” Andor says, his Lerick accent flawless. Still, I won’t breathe a sigh of relief yet.

“And you’re willing to give up the good life and live one of darkness?” guard number one says, testing him, his face right up in Andor’s.

“I would rather live a life of darkness if it means my freedom,”Andor says, his voice like steel. “What good is light if your soul is in the dark?”

That answer seems to satisfy them because the guards nod in unison.

“All right,” the second says. “Welcome to the Dark City, the land of the free.”

They both move to the sides to let us pass and do the sign of the Freelander on their foreheads.

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