Empire of Deceit

Chapter 3: A Job Goes Wrong

"Wake up, loser."

I scrunched my nose and rolled myself to face away from him.

"We have to find a present for Indigo."

I continued to ignore him.

"You know, I really think I should introduce Gideon to my friend Kenya. It really seems like they'd get along great."

Silence.

"I'll get you five raspberry Danishes if you come."

"What are we getting her?"

"No idea yet, but..." opened my right eye to see him grinning at me.

"No."

"You don't even know what I want to say."

"You want us to go to Asher Loughty's house, steal the ring he took back right off of his fiancée's finger, and bring it to Indigo so she can burn it and finally have peace. Oh, and leave a letter telling him off as a jackass that's missing out on the best Naiad in the Isles."

Ares readjusted himself so that he was no longer lying on top of me, but now sat on the edge of my bed. "Uncle Ajax taught you how to pickpocket."

"He taught both of us, but you were too busy paying attention to Augustus Relish."

Ares smiled at the memory. "By Clen, he had the best ass."

I scrunched my nose. "Nah, that was Camila Miracle."

"Agree to disagree."

I sat up and sighed. "When are we going?"

Ares hopped off my bed and tossed some clothes my way. "Now, before daylight."

I glanced out my window to see that it was indeed still night. "I hate you."

"You'll get over it," he sang as he left my room.

I looked at the clothes in my hand. Black robes, leather bracers, leather shoulderpads, and a leather... corset? Chestplate? Anyways, it was all basically an outfit I had long ago promised Duchess Nikita I would never wear again. But this was for Indigo...

Ares met me on the rooftop. He grinned as he climbed up. "And for a second I thought you had outgrown it."

"Haha," I said, shaking my head as I shifted in the overly baggy clothing. "If the Duchess finds out about this, I'm dead."

"She won't. You're too good to be caught."

"If Indigo even finds out I had anything to do with this—"

"She won't. No one will." Ares placed his hands on both of my shoulders. "Now, are you gonna wrap that thing up?" He held out a strip of black cloth.

I looked at the black tattoos on the back of my left hand. The only reminder of where we came from. Taking the strip of cloth, I wrapped it steadily around my palm, around my thumb, and made sure none of the markings could be seen.

Ares waited for me to meet his gaze. "Let's go get Indigo her present then."

"Well, actually, we need to, um, see Yuri first."

I pulled the cowl over my nose. "Fine, but no flirting."

Ares grinned, pulling up his own. "No promises."

We began the run, side by side, and with each step, energy began to course through me faster and faster. My hands tingled, the marks, even under my clothes, shined gold in the night. I had forgotten how good this felt, and it was frightening. I could not go back to this life.