"My name is Demetra, and this is my bodyguard, Rodrigo Antan, a master of martial arts," the girl said, glancing sideways at her companions and slowly, with dignity, sipping tea from a porcelain cup. "I’m a sorceress from the Temple of Tornir in Derelz. I’ve already passed the exam for Magister status, and now I’m traveling to gain experience. I came to the temple before I was even a year old. My parents lived, I think, in Petista... but it doesn’t matter, as I never knew them. Only my uncle visited me, bringing news from the outside world, since in the temple we heard nothing—just studied. He told me I had simply been left with the monks, since I was an illegitimate child, and my mother had rushed to get rid of me after birth. One way or another, I was found to have abilities. They decided to train me in working with magical creatures. A tremendously complex science, and in our time, mages of this specialization are extremely rare..."

  "I know..." Ashley sighed. "We’ve heard. Nine people in Aktida... I think every one of them died in the battle for Mainor near Romenford. And there are eighteen in Vaimar."

  "Exactly. So, I’ve been training since the moment I arrived at the temple—seventeen years now. The spell to summon a protector creature is very complex and requires years of training. And finding and training a somewhat powerful beast is even harder. Usually, they train snow leopards, tigers, land-bound turands, there were even cases of mages taming liches. But for me, they decided to get a dragon. Working with it is a nightmare, but the result, as you see, is impressive. They were looking for a red or blue one, but then they found a silver egg in the Southern Province—the mother was dying, and they couldn’t save her. No others remained. They smuggled the egg to Vaimar, where the temple acquired it, and I’ve worked with this dragon all my life, for as long as I can remember. Silver dragons are the strongest of the still-surviving kinds. I was the temple’s pride..."

  "And you've already passed the exam?" Yuf asked skeptically.

  "At the end of winter. After that, I was supposed to go to Arctarium for service in the Guild, but first, Rodrigo and I were allowed to travel and see the world. That’s how we ended up in the Eastern Province."

  "But why did you go to Tepei-Kuon at all?" Atgard asked in amazement. "All of Aktida is aflame with war!"

  "We couldn’t avoid it..." Demetra lowered her head. She hesitated a little and said: "My uncle... He lived in the Eastern Province. Moved there in 1440, first lived in some town deep in the forest, south of Boreain, then entered the service of Saelin. At the Citadel."

  "What?!" Kairu exclaimed in shock.

  "The Citadel!" Demetra repeated. Rodrigo remained silent, sipping his tea reluctantly. "As majordomo. That was a long time ago! Saelin at the time spent all his time in the laboratory, immersed in his research, and my uncle managed the household, bought food, hired servants, and handled the professor’s affairs quite well... until recently. I think it was 1451 when Rodrigo and I left the temple and visited my uncle at the Castle—Saelin saw me, asked about the temple. He was interested in how the abbot was doing, how our hermit Konrad was faring, and then admitted that he had loved visiting the temple many years ago and had many friends there. This time... we were sure everything would go smoothly, especially since we were traveling across Aktida in spring, passed the battle of Mainor in Asternia, then had a quiet spell long enough to cross the Flyliene east of the Mountains and go through Tepei-Kuon. That’s when the patrol caught us. The carriage was taken to the Citadel, and Saelin received us... My uncle was still working for him. I was horrified by what was happening in the Eastern Province and in his Castle... I told him so, and he laughed for a long time... But within the fortress walls, we didn’t know armies were on the move and a battle for Boreain was approaching. Saelin didn’t sleep, looked pale, thin, and more terrifying from the endless work, rarely left the lab. And then, a week later, we realized, that we were prisoners in the Citadel. Saelin refused to let us go. There was a fire... in the chaos, we managed to steal a carriage and our mail horses... And we got lost. Tried to get back to the road for a long time, pursued by the professor’s hounds... only five days ago did we reach the road and immediately turned toward Onklag. We hoped for your hospitality... and it turns out we were right. Thank you," she said suddenly, "Rodrigo and I couldn’t have fought them off this time."

  "You're lucky to have such a bodyguard," Viggo muttered, glancing at Antan’s stone face. Demetra gave a faint smile.

  "You’ll be safe with us," Ashley promised. "Saelin wouldn’t dare try to take Onklag... unless he sends his entire army to Estogil."

  "Thank you," Demetra repeated.

  "Atgard, did you send the letter?" Joanna suddenly asked.

  "Of course," Atgard grumbled. "With my legs, all I do is run through the woods... I only followed you after I reached the servants’ lodge and sent a messenger to the nearest post station, where he should be sent north by carriage. If there’s no trouble crossing the Flyliene, the letter will reach the county of Anzerrat in two weeks."

  "You said you’ve been to the Citadel twice?" Kairu asked Demetra slowly, still deep in thought.

  "That’s right. Why?"

  "Then," Kairu said quietly, as if afraid to lose the chance, "you must know the layout of the Castle. And whether it’s possible to get inside without using the main gate. And where Saelin might store valuable blueprints... and artifacts. You could help with that, could you?"

  The girl’s face changed. She was clearly surprised by the question. But even so, she slowly and hesitantly nodded.

  ***

  The skies above Onklag were shrouded in smoke from fires. One after another, skirmishes between Aktida and Tepei-Kuon flared up along the riverbanks. Rumors were spreading that the army of Emerlun had no intention of surrendering and was preparing to break through to Boreain once again. There was also talk that the generals were already just a couple of weeks’ march from the Citadel and were planning to storm the fortress before the main forces arrived at the city walls.

  Deserters were hiding in the inns of Onklag. They were the ones bringing news from the front, and the news was grim. No rumors came at all from the western front, although fierce battles were raging there as well. Meanwhile, a political crisis was brewing: according to the runaway soldiers, the king remained on the throne solely thanks to the victories of Ringus and Geonar. A rebellion was fermenting in Mainor, and the underground party of The Cassians was gaining strength.

  The heat was deadly. July scorched Onklag under the rays of a massive sun, and the only salvation was the now shallow river flowing through the county, as well as the beer and ale constantly brewed and sold in the surrounding villages.

  But time went on. The blazing July was drawing to a close. And on one of the evenings in the final days of the month, the tower’s loud chime announced that someone had crossed the Veil from the direction of the northern road. A few hours later, a guest appeared on the doorstep.

  Standing at the door, smiling, was a Nocturn with umber-colored skin, curly jet-black hair, and a mud-streaked travel cloak that revealed glimpses of light armor beneath. In the courtyard, servants were unsaddling his horse, laden with massive packs. He resembled Remiz somewhat, but was shorter, stockier, and lacked the mask of composure that Remiz wore. Without delay, he embraced Ashley, kissed her hand with a graceful bow, shook Roger’s hand, and upon seeing Atgard, his face lit up as he exclaimed:

  "Atgard! Old man! My friend! You moldy, limping deck of bones! I must say, you’ve picked quite the time for a friendly visit! I set out the very evening I got your letter. Fortunately, Wellinda and the kids are safe in evacuation in Asternia. But damn it, it’s suicide to cross the Flyliene during a war!"

  "It’s worth it," Atgard grinned, pulling him into a bear hug. "Thank you, lad. Thank you for not forgetting your teacher and making time for his grumbling and rambling. But we truly do need your help."

  "Say no more." Anzerrat let Ashley take his cloak, left his boots in the hallway, and stomped straight up the stairs, the others hurrying after him. "Ashley, I can still sleep in the same room, right? Great. Atgard, I owe you more than I can ever repay, and you know that. I only have my title because of you. So why the hell are you surprised that I’m ready to go through fire, water, and hell again at your first call?"

  "Thanks," Atgard smirked. "Alright. Let’s get to the point. This is Kairu, Viggo, Remiz, Joanna, and Yuf. To be blunt — they need the services of a thief. A specialist in palaces and castles."

  "Now, hold on a minute." Anzerrat instantly grew serious. "I’m not a thief, gentlemen… sorry, I can’t remember all your names right away. I’m not a thief. I’m just a top-class undercover agent."

  "Maybe," Atgard said dryly. "But facts are facts. You exposed the Thieves' Guild. And during that investigation, you had to play the thief — making plans, sneaking through walls, even doing time in jail…"

  If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  "That happened," Anzerrat admitted. Ashley opened the door to his room. "Looks like I’ll be paying for my sins in the halls of Aktos. Gentlemen, allow me to change into this wonderful robe… and take a bath. Thank you, Ashley. But I doubt I’m here to be executed for stealing."

  "No," Yuf replied calmly. "We need your help… as a top-class undercover agent."

  ***

  Half an hour later, they were sitting at the table in the living room, listening to the distant sounds of battle. Rodrigo stood grimly in a corner, listening to Kairu’s account. Anzerrat watched Atgard calmly.

  "Nonsense," he said with feeling, after Kairu finished — the story concerned only recent events and the first attempt to steal the diamond. "This is madness… Ten years ago, the Fighters' Guild wrapped up the Thieves’ Guild case, and I, having forgotten the name of the Stranger, became a law-abiding citizen. And now they want me to go back to thieving, to sneak around and steal something again! Never thought I’d see that character return to my life! Irony… cruel irony…"

  Atgard chuckled.

  "We all understand that," Yuf said quietly. "But your support is crucial. Everything you can offer. Of all of us, only Joanna has experience stealing from large estates, but even she doesn’t know how to get into a Citadel surrounded by walls and a garrison. But you can help devise a solid plan. Or do you want a new world war to break out?"

  "Do I look like an idiot?" Anzerrat asked. "Of course I get it! Let’s do it. Strangely enough, we hold all the trump cards. We just have to learn from our mistakes. From a thief’s point of view, your previous plan was hopeless, and it’s a miracle you even made it out of the Castle and got to Estogil. No doubt, Providence intervened in the form of the escaped prisoner Demetra, who was being chased… and that same Providence will help us on the second try. We need to proceed carefully to avoid casualties. So. First off, a skilled thief studies the victim’s habits down to the last detail… in our case, Saelin. Where is the diamond?"

  "In the laboratory," said Kairu.

  "They’ve probably moved it already, just to be safe. Where else in the Castle are there secure spots?"

  Kairu turned to Demetra.

  "There’s no place safer than his private quarters," she said. "Even my uncle wasn’t allowed in there—only the professor’s personal servants, two of his long-time, trusted men."

  "Ashley, the blueprint!" Atgard ordered. Ashley quickly waved her hand, and the cabinet beside the fireplace swung open its glass doors. A sheet of paper, a quill, and an inkwell flew out and landed softly on the table. Kairu unrolled the paper scroll; Anzerrat, Atgard, Roger, and Lainter leaned over the blueprint that Demetra had drawn from memory a few weeks earlier.

  "This is the donjon hall," Demetra explained once again, guiding the quill over the parchment. "Here is the entrance to the laboratory—it’s in the annex. Upstairs is a room for tools, spare retorts and components, and a hatch leading to the roof. On this side, the second floor has a corridor, Saelin’s quarters and the servants’ rooms. These are guest rooms, and here are the majordomo’s bedroom and office. Next to it is a bathroom. This staircase leads to the dining room, and beneath it is a corridor that leads to the back entrance. That’s how they used to deliver reagents, ingredients, and materials to the lab…"

  "We escaped through it," Kairu murmured.

  "You got lucky. It’s usually locked with some very good locks… These are the cellars—they go almost as deep as the tower is tall. It’s a whole labyrinth down there. One corridor heads east and seems connected to the dungeons… I’m not sure; I never went that far in. The only exit is into the inner courtyard, right behind the tower. This used to be the food storage, but it was moved to a separate building in the courtyard. In its place, they built a hangar with iron statues."

  "Machines…" Atgard grumbled. "He’ll come up with anything now that he’s got free energy. As for the cellars, I think I know where they lead. East of the Citadel there’s a plateau, where they’ve now built factories and centers for metallurgy and chemical production. Between the plateau and the Castle, there are old buildings—warehouses, hangars, and even a boiler house with a pipeline that used to carry waste from the Castle into the sea. They were probably connected to the Castle by an underground tunnel. I’ve been there, but it never occurred to me that the passage might lead into the tower. The only question is whether Saelin has forgotten about that passage or destroyed it."

  "That gives us a chance," Anzerrat concluded. "I didn’t expect a lead this good… Let’s say we sneak into the cellars and reach the inner courtyard. A skilled thief could easily slip out and find a hiding place. If the exit is here," he leaned over the blueprint, "then… it's doable. When does the patrol leave the fortress?"

  "Nine o’clock," Joanna said. "I remember that clearly. Exactly at nine."

  "Most likely, no one will be watching the hatch in the rear yard at that time, so we could safely get out and dash for the wall. And if you reach the wall, your hands are practically free. You could pick a window, use a rope with a hook, even climb to the top of the highest tower—if, of course, you have the stamina—and sneak through a crack. Let’s keep thinking. Saelin’s windows face this way… too far from the cellar. So, we climb here, into the majordomo’s window on the second floor."

  "The windows are closed," Atgard reminded him. "Glassed, with thick wooden frames…"

  "Not a problem for a professional. First of all. And secondly, they’re not always shut. The heat is unbearable. It won’t let up by late August when we reach the Citadel, and in this kind of weather, no one can live with the windows closed. Demetra, are there any ventilation shafts in the tower?"

  "I’ve never seen one."

  "There aren’t any," Rodrigo chimed in. Everyone turned to him. "The Castle is very old, much older than Saelin himself. It wasn’t designed with them. But the windows are open during the day, from seven in the morning until nine in the evening. And again, when Saelin goes to the bath at around ten, for fifteen minutes, his servant, the lame Ogralm, opens all the windows to air things out, starting with the corner one. That’s his own room. He opens Saelin’s windows too… although the door is locked with a key at the time."

  "No matter," Anzerrat waved him off. "The corner window works for us too. If we time it right and slip past the servant, we can reach Saelin’s room, get inside, grab the diamond, and leave the same way. Rodrigo, are you sure?"

  "It’s his long-standing habit. He did the same thing last time we were there."

  "Perfect," Anzerrat rubbed his hands together.

  "There are lots of servants in the Castle," Kairu pointed out.

  "Getting past them is no problem. Trust a professional. Besides, I’m sure that after the June incident, Saelin doesn’t let anyone into that room—maybe just Ogralm. Though someone will have to play bait, distract the staff at the back door or in the dining room. After your last reckless stunt, Saelin will fall for it. He underestimates you, thinks he can catch you with his bare hands—and that’ll be his mistake. I think three of us will be enough—we don’t need a crowd; the job’s too delicate. I’ll take Yuffilis with me for backup… and Kairu. The rest of you wait nearby with the horses, ready to get out fast. There’ll be a chase, we’ll need hiding places… and the dragon might come in handy too… This is dangerous. Are you sure you want to go through with it?"

  "No other way," Kairu said. "It’s the only option."

  "Then let’s refine the plan. I’ve given you the concept—now we’ll work out the details, think through every possibility. Keep the blueprint out—we’ll need it…" Anzerrat was clearly caught up in the thrill of it. He was even sweating as he explained the idea.

  "Told you," Atgard grunted, "everything works out when you give the job to a real pro. You’ll have the Lake of Aktida. You have my word."

  "Just proves there’s a silver lining to every cloud," Ashley smirked. "A long stay among criminals leaves a mark, but even that can be turned to good use… Let’s get to work, gentlemen."

  ***

  They worked all day. And all evening. After a quick dinner, they only retreated to their bedrooms when it was no longer possible to keep their eyes open. The next morning, planning resumed, while Roger went into the village to buy the items Anzerrat had ordered for the job: ropes, blades, knives, hooks, and the rest of the arsenal that served both ordinary people and professional thieves well.

  They kept thinking the entire next day. And half the night. Rejecting some ideas, accepting others, forming hypotheses, calculating every second.

  They finalized the plan and went to their rooms, knowing that the very next day they would gather again in haste and set off for Tepei-Kuon.

  Kairu lay on his bed, remembering the triumph written across Anzerrat’s face. He devised the heist like he was solving a math problem, and rejoiced just as much when he found the one correct solution. The others fully shared his joy. Kairu could see it and understood that, in that moment, they didn’t care whether Woody would be the only victim of this mad venture, or if there would be more. But Kairu remembered too well how he had carried Rita away from the Citadel, how he had cradled the dying Woody Miles in his lap, how Joanna had foretold her own death… He couldn’t understand what it was all for.

  We were supposed to work together, do you understand? We should have been allies, damn it!

  Saelin’s voice rang in his ears.

  I can tell you the whole truth. If you come with me right now. And together we’ll stop this war.

  People had died before his very eyes. It was time to end it. Time to take matters into his own hands. Otherwise, all the deaths would remain meaningless. He struggled to understand—and couldn’t; he knew Joanna would never answer another of his questions; and if that was the case, then only one possible solution remained.

  ***

  The next morning, Kairu didn’t feel rested. He didn’t feel like a hero going into a deadly battle, nor a thief about to commit the grandest crime of his life. The night before, he’d struggled to fall asleep, deep in thought, but had ultimately reached a conclusion and made up his mind.

  They would obtain the Lake of Aktida. No one else would die.

  The unbearably hot July had given way to August, which was in no hurry to cool down. In a few weeks, far from here in the Southern Province, the rains would begin and usher in the approach of autumn, just like the one last year in Nalvin. In the Western Province, a sudden chill would sweep in from Vaimar, bringing the first breath of winter. In the Northern Province, long-awaited coolness would arrive, the time of harvest—the best time, the velvet Asternian September.

  On the evening of August twentieth, the travelers made camp for the night in a cave on the shore of a pond hidden deep within Tepei-Kuon’s wilderness. It was nine in the evening. After a silent dinner, during which Anzerrat made Kairu and Yuf go over the plan again, down to the smallest detail, they lay down in the cave. The fire was put out, and a sleepy calm briefly settled over Tepei-Kuon.

  Kairu lay with his eyes half closed. The raid was scheduled for the next evening, but he had no intention of waiting that long. During the journey, he’d had time to think, and now he had drawn up a plan of his own.