Aetheria Falling

Avarice

Ava stood in the undercroft of the Nysaran Museum of Arcane Artifacts, monitoring her team's progress from the scrying crystal Briar had rigged to hijack the building's systems. The heist had been going smoothly so far. Ava's entry through a small window into the scrying room had gone unnoticed. Even now, Jack was posted as a lookout at the team's exit, disguised in the guard uniform he'd used to infiltrate the museum to allow Briar and Conrad entry.

Resisting the urge to use her vox—a magical communication device—Ava started to pace, but stopped when she realized what she was doing. She'd almost tripped over the unconscious guard at her feet.

Comon', comon'... Hurry up. What's taking so long?

Through the scrying crystal, Ava could see Conrad working carefully to pick the lock on the glass display case that contained their mark, an aegis seed, which meant Briar had finished the first phase by dispelling the ward surrounding the case. Like many other artifacts stored in the museum, the aegis seed was a magical rarity of fae origin. This particular artifact, however, was one of unsuspecting power. Once planted and fully grown, it would shield an entire fae community from human notice—but only if Ava and her team could get it to their fae client in Sylvanfall.

If the Arcanarium guards caught wind of Ava and her team, it likely wouldn't just mean imprisonment. Hexwardens were trained to shoot and ask questions later.

Ava was beginning to doubt Conrad's worth as she watched him work. Briar had vouched for the older man when she'd suggested his recruitment and had even offered up ten percent of her own cut to convince Conrad to join. For Briar, this was more of a charity job. Not that Ava could blame her, of course. The young mage was half-fae and had been promised sanctuary among the fae she'd been commissioned to steal for. As for Ava and Jack, it was all about the money, though Jack intended to send most of his cut to his estranged son, but only if he didn't blow it all at a brothel first. And if Ava was honest with herself, taking on the job had little to do with how much its success would boost her reputation. It was an excellent opportunity, and if everything went right, it almost guaranteed better job offers in the future. Plus, it would help some faefolk in need. According to Briar, Conrad was in too deep with his gambling debts and needed to take some pressure off—hence the haggling. Ava's gut told her not to trust him, but she trusted Briar. In all, everyone's goals aligned.

Anxiety replaced elation when Ava saw Conrad move away from the display case and hurriedly began putting away his kit. Though she couldn't hear them, she could discern enough to determine that something wasn't quite right. Briar was supposed to be disarming the alarm sigils inside the case, which they'd discovered during their recon when Ava and Conrad had posed as patrons. Briar looked confused and hesitant while Conrad abruptly gesticulated for her to remove the seed from its container.

Ava spotted movement on one corner of the crystal's many faces. A guard nearing Briar and Conrad's vicinity. She risked breaking the silence to warn them using her vox. "Briar, there's a guard coming."

Ava watched through the crystal as the guard rounded the corner of the larger display room connected to the one where Briar and Conrad were deliberating. They didn't seem to hear her.

Shit.

Ava switched channels. "Jack." She watched the big man, standing alone in view of the scrying crystal in the corner of the hall, hoping to see any sign of acknowledgment. She tried again. "Jack... Jack, do you copy?" She switched the channel. "Briar? Briar, come in."

All that came through from the other side of the vox was static.

She stooped to check the unconscious guard's vox. In theory, she could use it to communicate with Jack, who had a second one they'd stolen from the guardhouse in preparation for the job, which linked to Arcanarium channels. Another of Jack's tasks was to monitor chatter on the hexwardens' voxes, not use them. The moment, however, called for improvisation to the original plan.