The art of thieving

Chapter 9

A/N - I know I've used this meme before it just seems appropriate.

Iniko and Karliah entered the cistern cautiously. Iniko stayed in the shadow and waited. She needed a moment before showing herself. 

As Karliah walked forward through the door, Vex, Brynjolf and Delvin drew their weapons at her. 

"Please. Lower your weapons so we can speak.." she pleaded. Brynjolf scoffed at her plead. 

"Give me one good reason not to kill you where you stand." he hissed. 

Iniko stepped out of the shadow. "Bryn.." Delvin and Vex gasped, taken aback. Sapphire nearly screamed from across the room. 

Brynjolf stared for a moment, face full of relief. Suddenly his face hardened and he swung his blade carelessly at the girl who was slowly approaching him. It slit a small cut in her neck, she gasped and took a step back. 

"How do I know you're not working with that murderer?" he spat. "I thought you were dead! We all did! How could you just do that to us, eh?" she stepped back behind Karliah, still taken aback. 

"Just.. listen." she muttered. The two thieves behind him sheaved their weapons, Brynjolf took a moment and did the same. 

"No tricks. Or I'll cut you down where you stand." he scowled at the two. 

Karliah wasted no time in their sudden decision to listen, not wanting them to change their minds. 

"I have Gallus' journal" she handed it to Brynjolf who snatched it off of her. "I think you'll find it's contents disturbing." she finished. 'At least Mercer isn't here' 

Brynjolf took a few minutes to read it. Iniko wiped the blood off her throat. Did he really not trust her? Did he really believe she'd do something like that? Anger filled her, she'd never betray the guild. This was her family. She trusted these guys with her life. She'd go to Oblivion and back for these guys. Did they really just throw her away like that? 

"No. This- it can't be true. I've known Mercer too long.." his eyes widened as he read the pages. 

Iniko spoke up. "It's true. All of it. Why would he lie?" she spat. Karliah looked up at her, she'd put the pieces together that this was the man she loved. 

"Mercer has been stealing from the guild for years. Right under your noses. It's all true." Karliah tried to explain. 

Brynjolf slammed her journal shut, making a few members jump. "There's only one way to find out if they're telling the truth." he stared coldly into Iniko's eyes. "Delvin. I'll need you to open the vault." 

Delvin frowned as they made their way to the other side of the room. "Wait just a blessed moment, Bryn. What's that journal say?" 

"It says Mercer's been stealing from us for years." he finally tore his cold gaze away from Iniko. A part of him wanted to hug her, to kiss her. To thank the gods she was alive. But another, stronger, part of him told him that she'd just appeared with the woman who murdered his father figure. It told him she was working with her. She was a traitor, a spy maybe, this whole time. 

He didn't want to believe Mercer had been the actual traitor. He couldn't. But he couldn't but the two down without giving them a chance. He was pissed but he wasn't unreasonable. 

Finally, Delvin tore him away from his thoughts. "How can Mercer open the vault? You need two keys to open that thing." only three of them had a key, him, Delvin and Mercer. He couldn't of stolen it from them. Even a master pickpocket can't pickpocket a pickpocket.