Guild of Thieves (Book 1) ✓

𝓒𝓱.31 ~ 𝓜𝓲𝓼𝓼𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓗𝓸𝓶𝓮

Arianna sat in the turret, staring off into the distance where the snowy mountains stood high above the clouds. Yesterday was Jezamine's birthday, meaning it has been eighteen years since she last saw her daughter and Caine, the man she loved but was trying to leave at the time.

A single tear slid down her face at the heartache she felt while missing home and Jezamine. There was nothing that she wanted more than seeing her daughter again. The thought of Jezamine was what kept her going, but it was also her curse. Arianna tended to get distracted while working because of her thoughts of home.

She was grateful to be alive, but sometimes she thought maybe it was better off if she had been executed instead of agreeing to serve the crown. How much longer could she go on living with this heartache everyday? Taking a final look around at the busy kingdom of Arondale, Arianna left the small turret, returning to the infirmary to work.

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Jezamine avoided her father for the next week, unable to look at the man in the same way after hearing Rodger's story. Caine was mentally unstable and she was starting to see the man for who he really was - a selfish, greedy man.

Ever since the stories around the fireplace she has not slept peacefully, her dreams haunted by the crazy man. How could someone sacrifice so many people's lives over some petty gemstones?

She has seen the list of people's names who were crossed off, including her mother's. Kaleb shared the paper with her once she learnt the truth about her father. Arianna died bringing her into this world...it was her own fault that she was motherless. Wishing her mother was there right now.

Jezamine sat on the rooftop of the Guild awaiting to hear news for her next job from Caine. The man promised it would be a high levelled mission which always meant big payment and Jez liked receiving big bags of gold. She liked to spoil herself buying new things while saving the other half incase of an emergency.

You never know when one might have to hightail it out of the kingdom...

Finn came and sat next to her, the man no longer able to talk thanks to Caine's cruelty. Finn never told her what happened for him to lose his tongue, and maybe it was for the best she didn't know. The last time she started to ask questions her father lost his temper. She was scared of what he might do if she tried asking questions these days.

She missed hearing Finn's voice, he was like a second father to her and he would know what to say in this moment to cheer her up. The man always knew the right words to say. Now all he could do was write on a slate board, slowly learning to sign language from a deaf woman who lives in the Town Square. Kita was her name.

In time Finn would be able to sign, but for now it was new to him. She knew he hated Caine just asuch as she did. She hated him more for butchering Finn.

Again, how could someone be so heartless?

Jezamine made a silent vow to be a better leader than her father and do better by the thieves. Until the day she inherited the Guild, she would tolerate Caine and his cruelty.

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Arianna worked day and night with Venus May and the other Royal Healers by her side. The flu was still spreading around Arondale at an alarming rate and people were dying because of their low immune system. As they were tidying the infirmary, a knight barged into the room carrying the young Prince followed by the King and Queen. Alexander was covered in blood and unconscious in the man's arms, his once clean hunting clothes were now tattered and torn.

"What happened to the Prince!?" Ari didn't waste time standing around, getting straight to work. "If I'm going to help the boy I need to know what I am working with!"