The Dragon's Sword

Prologue

The thief tied up her long, wavy brown hair into a high ponytail and secured it into a bun with two rusting metal needles. She slung her worn leather bag over her shoulder and readjusted the sleeves of her black catsuit. Taking a deep breath, she silently slid down a rope from the roof to the window on the fourth floor.
The sun set behind her in brilliant colors as she worked on picking the lock, lighting her dusty tanned skin with a rosy glow. Her nimble fingers worked tirelessly, inserting themselves into the wooden lock and finally, with great flourish, twisting until the thief heard a satisfying click.
Quietly sliding her slim body through the window she looked around at the massive room around her. Smiling she began opening drawers and lifting expensive, vibrant paintings revealing poorly hidden cupboards and looting their contents.
The room began to dim as the bright colors of the sunset began to fade until all the thief could see were faint gray outlines of the velvet furniture. She lit a candle she found in a drawer and the small light reached around her as she looted from room to room until she came to the study.
She stepped into the room and her candle cast shadows around he room and lit her face with an erie light. The thief lifted the candle higher and her mouth dropped open slightly at the sight of hundreds upon hundreds of golden coins stacked onto each other on the dark, wooden desk. Greedily she slid them off of the desk and they clinked together as they dropped into the leather bag already brimming with treasure.
Then she noticed the letter.
A crisp white letter on the corner of the desk that she somehow missed.
A letter addressed to her.
With shaking hands, she set the candle down, gasping as it tottered a bit. Then, she grasped the studded letter opener lying on top and slid the flap open. Slowly, panic rising in her, the thief pulled the note out and began to read by the dim light of the candle:
Dear Eryn,
Congratulations, you've managed to steal from one of the richest men in Stonewald. I assume you've found your reward. Yes, the gold is all yours.
Now, as to why I am writing this letter. To put it bluntly: I have a job for you. Much more gold awaits you if you agree. If you are interested, meet me here when the town clock strikes noon. If not, you may go about your life and I shan't bother you again.
I hope you enjoy the many treasures of my house, I assure you, I have many more.
Goodnight Eryn, I hope to see you soon.
Eryn read and reread the job offer, her eyes widening. Not once did the letter offer any idea who the writer was. She suddenly dropped the paper as if it burned her. She clutched her leather bag to her chest protectively, heart hammering in her chest. She couldn't meet this man, she shouldn't. She could take the gold and leave, she didn't ever need to think about this again.
But if there was more gold involved... How could she turn it down?
Slowly a sly smile spread over her face.