In Huck's Hands

Bonus Chapter: Revita V/ Once Upon'a F***'d Up Night

The Summer Mansion loomed over the ancient city of Taka'Buriti like a malignant growth, its ebony walls gleaming in the harsh desert sun. Revita V, a lithe figure with sun-kissed skin and round eyes that flashed like polished copper, crouched in the shadows of a crumbling alleyway. Her mismatched heritage was a cocktail of Vascan, Tahuli, and Buritian blood existed both a curse and a blessing in this cesspit of a fief.

The fief's sole river gurgled nearby, a ribbon of murky brown cutting through the dusty landscape. Its waters promised escape, but Revita knew better. The flesh-eating eels that called it home were just as deadly as the Vascan guards patrolling the rugged streets.

"Oi, Rev! You gonna make your move or what?" hissed Jax, her partner in crime for this escapade. His Tahuli accent was thick, a reminder of the oppression that simmered beneath the city's surface; never fully learning the Crimson tongue was an easy and common way to show one's discontent for the elite.

Revita shot him a withering glare. "Patience, you slack-jawed moron. You want to end up decorating the mansion's gates?" She jerked her chin towards the many severed heads that adorned the imposing entrance, a grisly warning to those who crossed the fief's Vascan overlords. Each spike retaining its own gorey adornments of deceased individuals gaping maw.

Jax swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing nervously. "N-no, but we've been sittin' here for hours. The sun's about to set, and you know how it gets after dark."

Revita did know. The Summer Mansion fief was a powder keg of criminal activity and political intrigue at the best of times. But when night fell, it transformed into a labyrinth of dangers that even she, with all her skills, was wary of navigating. "Fine," she growled. "Let's go over the plan one more time."

The scheme was simple enough: infiltrate the Summer Mansion during one of Prince Dennis' infamous revelries, liberate a few choice valuables, and disappear into the circuitous streets of old Taka'Buriti. Simple, but far from easy.

As Revita recited the details, her mind wandered to the events that had led her to this moment. Born to a Tahuli mother and a father of mixed Royal and Buritian blood, Revita had never truly belonged anywhere. Her Old World heritage, a closely guarded secret, connected her to the royal family, but it was a link that brought more danger than privilege.

From an early age, she'd learned to rely on her wits and her fists. The streets of Buriti were an unforgiving teacher, but Revita had been an apt pupil. By the time she was twelve, she could pick any lock, scale any wall, and talk her way out of or into almost any situation.

Now, at twenty-two, she was known in certain circles as one of the most skilled thieves in Eastern Buriti. But reputation was a double-edged sword in a place like this. The more famous you became, the bigger the target on your back.

As night fell, the sounds of debauchery began to echo from the mansion. Revita nodded to Jax. "It's time. Remember, we're in and out. No heroics, no unnecessary risks." She pushed her short copper hair to the side, eyeing the moving figures beyond the glass windows.

Jax grinned, revealing a mouthful of teeth stained red from chewing Coca nut. "You worry too much, Rev. This'll be easier than stealing sweets from a baby." The man nudged her with a pointed elbow while spitting disgustingly to the floor.