Guild of Thieves (Book 1) ✓

𝓒𝓱.9 ~ 𝓝𝓸 𝓡𝓮𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓷

Two days passed and there was still no sign or word from Digger. Caine paced back and forth like a tiger, counting every second that ticked by while he waited impatiently. The door to the Meeting Room opened, and Caine stopped pacing and held his breath in anticipation. Has Digger finally returned from his mission?

To his disappointment it was not Doug, as a thief entered and closed the door with a sollen expression. Caine knew something was wrong when Finn stood silently before him looking nervous to speak.

"Well? What news do you have?" Caine asked impatiently. "Spit it out Finn!"

The young man inhaled sharply before looking the leader in the eyes. "Digger didn't make it...the mission was unsuccessful and the job was incomplete..."

Caine cursed under his breath, not expecting his top thief to not return.

Finn explained how Digger was dragged away by Guards before he made it inside the castle. One of the Lord's recognised the thief who stole his sigil ring. The whole time Caine sat at the desk, disgruntled by the news.

Caine silently said a prayer for Doug, knowing the man would be executed for his crimes. The man's sacrifice would not go unnoticed, instead it would be seen as a lesson and a learning curve for the other thieves. Not wasting any time he chose the next thief on the deadly mission.

"Tell Hudson I would like to talk to him." Caine instructed.

"Yes sir!"

Finn left the room in a hurry. Arianna entered before the door closed, and she did not look happy with the Leader of Thieves. Caine prepared himself for the lecture he was about to receive from his wife.

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"How could you!?" Arianna shouted at Caine.

"How could I what?" He asked, as if he didn't know what she was mad about.

"How could you be so heartless!? You just lost your right hand thief and now you are planning to send the next one on the insane mission!" Arianna couldn't believe the man who sat before her. "Your greed will be your undoing Caine!"

"Are you finished?" Caine asked with a huff. "I do care about losing Digger...I was going to hold a ceremony for him tonight. He wasn't just a pawn to me, he was a friend."

Arianna stood silently, unsure what to say to his response. Maybe she had been wrong to call him heartless...

"And summoning Hudson? Tell me you aren't going to be sending him on the same job Caine!?" Arianna stared at him, reading his eyes when he spoke.

"I was actually sending Hudson and a couple of the others to gather more herbs for you." Caine said, handing her a piece of paper with a list.

~ Lunaroot
~ Dandiweeds
~ Thyme Berries
~ Redburn Flowers
~ Candomonian bark

Caine smiled and added."Then tomorrow night, I was going take you and Jezamine out for dinner!"

This surprised Arianna as Caine has been avoiding her since their daughter's arrival. She couldn't tell if he was being serious or if this was just a small part of a bigger plan. Instead of speaking her doubts she just smiled and kissed her husband on the cheek before leaving the room and returning to baby Jezamine.

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Caine lied to Arianna about sending Hudson on the same mission as Digger...

He did plan to send the thieves to gather medicine for her, but when he took her out to dine at the Red Heart, Hudson would try to retrieve the Royal Jewels. Caine didn't plan to stop until the gemstones were his.

Digger being captured was a sacrifice Caine was willing to pay, and their would be more sacrifices to come. But the way Caine saw it - if the thieves didn't want the job, they wouldn't accept it. Doug accepted the job without hesitation. He knew there was consequence if he were ever caught, the same as Hudson. Which proved his point about wanting to complete the mission for the large payment Caine has promised.

"Will you do these tasks for me?" Caine asked after explaining the plan to Hudson.

"I will see to it at once. I won't fail you." Hudson replied to the offer.

The thieves were willing to do anything for Caine, as long as they were paid and he kept his promises to them. None of them knew he was making profit from their rewards and ripping them off.

"Get the job done and I promise you, you will be rewarded for your accomplishments!" Caine grinned at Hudson, pleased the man was eager for the job.

By the end of the week, Caine could become the richest man in all of Arondale. The thought gave him chills of excitement.

"One last thing...don't tell Arianna a word of this or I will have your tongue!" Caine warned the man, not wanting to hear another earful from the woman.

"Yes Boss!"

Hudson left the room, joining the others to mourn Doug and his sacrifice. Caine joined them shortly afterwards, finding Arianna in the centre of the thieves giving a speech.

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"Doug was a dear friend of mine and a very frequent patient at the Apothecary. He was a good thief despite his many injuries and his sacrifice will not go without vain!"

Arianna held up a chute and the other thieves who cheered in agreement. All except Caine, who stood on the balcony overlooking the gathering below. Instead the man watched her like an eagle in silence. Eventually he made his way downstairs to be by her side and held Jezamine for the first time ever which made Arianna nervous.

"What are you doing?" She hesitantly asked.

"I thought I would finally meet our daughter." Caine smiled down at the child who stared up at him in confusion, instantly causing Jezamine to cry.

Arianna watched Caine's face change to disgust, handing her back the baby. Jezamine stopped crying when she saw her mother's face come into view. Arianna felt better holding Jez in her arms.

Caine silently disappeared into the crowd and she watched him disappear into the night, wondering where he was going.

She was starting to feel afraid of the man she married...feeling as though he has changed from the thief she first met that day in the Apothecary. Arianna planned to leave the Guild with Jezamine and leave Arondale, getting away from Caine and his insane ambitions of gaining the Royal Jewels. Doug would only be the first of many to be sacrificed. She had to get away.

Leaving would not be an easy task...which is why she needed to do this in secret, without Caine knowing about her plans. Arianna made a mistake five years ago when she fell for the Leader of Thieves...

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Caine walked through the streets with his head down in concentration, finding himself standing outside the Lion's Den. Entering the tavern, he ordered breakfast and an early morning beverage, enjoying the liquor more than the food.

The tavern became his daily place to visit since the arrival of Jezamine, the daughter he planned to train and make his prodigy. The girl would be better than any thief in the Guild or the entire kingdom.

Caine stared absently out of the tavern window looking at the castle, day dreaming of the Royal Jewels being in his possession. He would not stop until the vision became a reality.