The sentinel holding its chain glanced right through her and cuffed the beast on its head.
She gave the hellhounds a wide berth. Animals sometimes sensed her presence, even though their owners saw nothing. Sometimes it was fun to mess with them, but tonight she was focused on her task.
The laughing guests passed inspection and moved through the gate, with the thief right behind them. She paused for a moment to appreciate the glowing spectacle before her.
Constructed of gray stone, the three-story home was bathed in the light of torches and colored fire bulbs. Torth’s Northern mountains loomed beyond, a wall of darkness at the back of the fortress. Guests walked briskly along the lighted path to the massive wooden front door, which a waiting butler flung open.
Guards everywhere equaled brawn. Guests everywhere equaled chaos. Sebastian chilling outside with explosion spells? Perfect setup. The thief smiled as she darted across the threshold before the door slammed shut. She may not be clearly visible at the moment, but she was very much corporeal, and the door was as thick as her thighs.
She made a beeline for a dark hallway. Finding it empty, she released the shadows surrounding her. Walking around as a murky shape at a crowded party would be too conspicuous, and she needed to get into every room, looking like a regular guest.
She ran her fingers through her short blond hair and smoothed them down her clingy black gown. The slinky dress would allow her to fit right in with the snooty crowd, but the high slit on the side meant she could run if she needed to.
They were all here to ogle Mulvari’s stuff. Art, weapons, jewelry. Much of it locked in bespelled cases. Most of it acquired illegally, but no authority could seem to gain any traction on Mulvari.
The thief exited the hallway and walked into the marble-floored foyer, smiling at a waiter who offered her a drink from a tray of bubbling glasses. She shook her head demurely and stepped around him, her black heels clicking on the hard floor. The four-inch platform sandals gave her a rare boost—she was all of five feet four inches tall tonight.
Gods, she loved dressing up. She never got the chance. She had a stash of beautiful stolen clothes and nowhere to wear them. That didn’t happen often when you moved constantly and worked to never draw attention to yourself. Modest didn’t begin to describe the way she and Sebastian lived.
She walked down a hall lined with framed paintings and metal sculptures, and found a room full of weaponry. Spears, swords, shields, and arrows hung on the walls. She gave a passing appreciative glance as she exited. Some of them would be handy in her line of work. But that’s not what she was here for.
A loud burst of laughter echoed from a room full of stone carvings, and there she spotted the host. Tall, handsome, confident, and an idiot. Mulvari stood before a handful of guests, telling them how he acquired the pieces in the room. All lies , she guessed. He had others do his dirty work.
He looked up and his gaze settled on her. Piercing, like he was trying to place her.
She smiled, but didn’t linger. He wouldn’t recognize her, but then again he wouldn’t recognize half the guests here. No reason to push her luck.
She walked to the next room and her breath caught. Here. Case after case of glittering jewels. The room’s lighting was dim, and strategically placed fire bulbs brought out the beauty blazing in each precious bauble. The thief didn’t have anything like this.
One case caught her eye, drawing her like a magnet. Inside lay a pair of chandelier earrings, gold strands covered in tiny emeralds and diamonds. They looked heavenly. A girl could wear those and a garbage bag, and still be the belle of the ball.
Guests flitted around her and she moved on when two females came close. They chatted as they gazed at the priceless treasures in front of them, their conversation having nothing to do with Mulvari’s display.
She gave the hellhounds a wide berth. Animals sometimes sensed her presence, even though their owners saw nothing. Sometimes it was fun to mess with them, but tonight she was focused on her task.
The laughing guests passed inspection and moved through the gate, with the thief right behind them. She paused for a moment to appreciate the glowing spectacle before her.
Constructed of gray stone, the three-story home was bathed in the light of torches and colored fire bulbs. Torth’s Northern mountains loomed beyond, a wall of darkness at the back of the fortress. Guests walked briskly along the lighted path to the massive wooden front door, which a waiting butler flung open.
Guards everywhere equaled brawn. Guests everywhere equaled chaos. Sebastian chilling outside with explosion spells? Perfect setup. The thief smiled as she darted across the threshold before the door slammed shut. She may not be clearly visible at the moment, but she was very much corporeal, and the door was as thick as her thighs.
She made a beeline for a dark hallway. Finding it empty, she released the shadows surrounding her. Walking around as a murky shape at a crowded party would be too conspicuous, and she needed to get into every room, looking like a regular guest.
She ran her fingers through her short blond hair and smoothed them down her clingy black gown. The slinky dress would allow her to fit right in with the snooty crowd, but the high slit on the side meant she could run if she needed to.
They were all here to ogle Mulvari’s stuff. Art, weapons, jewelry. Much of it locked in bespelled cases. Most of it acquired illegally, but no authority could seem to gain any traction on Mulvari.
The thief exited the hallway and walked into the marble-floored foyer, smiling at a waiter who offered her a drink from a tray of bubbling glasses. She shook her head demurely and stepped around him, her black heels clicking on the hard floor. The four-inch platform sandals gave her a rare boost—she was all of five feet four inches tall tonight.
Gods, she loved dressing up. She never got the chance. She had a stash of beautiful stolen clothes and nowhere to wear them. That didn’t happen often when you moved constantly and worked to never draw attention to yourself. Modest didn’t begin to describe the way she and Sebastian lived.
She walked down a hall lined with framed paintings and metal sculptures, and found a room full of weaponry. Spears, swords, shields, and arrows hung on the walls. She gave a passing appreciative glance as she exited. Some of them would be handy in her line of work. But that’s not what she was here for.
A loud burst of laughter echoed from a room full of stone carvings, and there she spotted the host. Tall, handsome, confident, and an idiot. Mulvari stood before a handful of guests, telling them how he acquired the pieces in the room. All lies , she guessed. He had others do his dirty work.
He looked up and his gaze settled on her. Piercing, like he was trying to place her.
She smiled, but didn’t linger. He wouldn’t recognize her, but then again he wouldn’t recognize half the guests here. No reason to push her luck.
She walked to the next room and her breath caught. Here. Case after case of glittering jewels. The room’s lighting was dim, and strategically placed fire bulbs brought out the beauty blazing in each precious bauble. The thief didn’t have anything like this.
One case caught her eye, drawing her like a magnet. Inside lay a pair of chandelier earrings, gold strands covered in tiny emeralds and diamonds. They looked heavenly. A girl could wear those and a garbage bag, and still be the belle of the ball.
Guests flitted around her and she moved on when two females came close. They chatted as they gazed at the priceless treasures in front of them, their conversation having nothing to do with Mulvari’s display.
Similar Books
