“I have a way to get us in and out quickly,” Magpie says, her gaze sharp. “We can be down in the tunnels within the hour. If we don’t have the ring before dawn, we’ll come back and try again.”

“It’s cutting it too close,” I protest, even as I’m filled with desperate yearning. Goddess, if this could work, it would fix all my problems….

“We’ll be back before dawn,” Magpie repeats. “I swear it on Lark’s life.”

“Hey!” Lark cries.

“Now, are we doing this?” The guild master straightens, her shoulders going back. “Or is it all for nothing?”

Her words make my innards clench with anxiety. All for nothing echoes in my head. What if she’s right? What if we can get there and back before dawn? Hawk will never know, and I’ll be here for the Conquest Moon. It can all line up perfectly.

“Tell me how we’re going to get down there,” I insist. “Because the path takes hours to walk.”

“An artifact. I can’t tell you more without getting someone else in trouble.”

Strangely enough, hearing that fills me with confidence. An artifact. Of course it’s an artifact. That’s how she’s going to get us in and out quickly. Even though it’s risky, I have to do this. I have to. Even if I hate it. Even if it makes me anxious about the timing. We know where the ring was found. We can locate the other, bring it back prior to morning, and return before Hawk suspects anything. “I promised Hawk I’d be here for the Conquest Moon,” I say to Magpie. “No later than dawn.”

“Dawn,” she agrees. “I’m fine with that.”

It’s decided, then. Even so, I shift my weight on my heels and am aware once more that Hawk’s seed is dripping down the inside of my thighs. “I have time to change, I hope?”

Magpie nods. “Quick, though. You’re gearmaster for this particular excursion. I’ll pack everything that you need but we have to be gone as soon as possible. Someone’s meeting us at the tunnels to drop us in and we have to be there before he gets skittish.”

Right. There’s no time to waste.

Our packs strapped to our backs, weapons in hand, we file through the streets of Vastwarren in the darkness, heading for the fiercely guarded heart of the city—the entrance to the tunnels of the Everbelow. I’ve changed into my now-comfortably-familiar uniform and washed up after my interlude with Hawk, and my hair is bound into a tight bun at my nape, my spectacles cleaned of all fingerprints and smudges. My body aches with fatigue, but I’m not tired—my mind is racing.

I can do this. I can save my father’s keep. Save the people there. Save my bloodline.

Save my own neck.

This time, instead of cutting through the impressive guild hall, we move along the wall that surrounds the drop zone. We meet a stranger there, lurking in the shadows behind a shop that touches the brick of the tall wall. He emerges from the darkness with a rope ladder, gesturing that we should hurry. “If you get caught, it’s on you,” he says, handing it over and then racing away once Magpie presses a coin into his hand. “Luck to you.”

“Encouraging,” Gwenna murmurs to me, but she always gets sassy when she’s worried. Me, I just get an anxious knot in my gut that grows larger by the minute. “Hope you feel like climbing a rope in the middle of the night.”

“Well, it was part of the obstacle course,” I have to admit, watching as Magpie hooks it against the crenellation with skill. A moment later, Kipp scales the darn thing without pause. “They did try to train us.”

“So they did, damn it.” Gwenna makes a face and steps forward. “Fine, I’ll go next. Let’s get this over with.”

Despite her griping, Gwenna clambers up the wall with little effort, and disappears onto the other side. Lark and Mereden each go up, both with a fair amount of skill, and I’m proud of them for how far they’ve come. A month ago we wouldn’t have been able to manage. When it’s my turn at the rope, I’m not nearly as adept as the others. I manage to get about halfway up before my arms get weak and I struggle. Magpie climbs up behind me and shoves on my backside, foisting me over the edge of the tall wall. There’s another rope down the other side, and I manage to more or less tumble down this one without hurting myself.

It stings to know that I’m the least skilled of our Five, but when they pat me on the back and murmur encouraging things, I know they don’t care. We’re in this together.

Magpie gathers the rope and ushers us forward. “Come on,” she whispers. “Mind your step and stick to the path. If you fall into a pit, I’m not coming after you.” She points ahead. “Follow me to the drop.”

We creep after her, and I’m at the back of the group. I can’t help but feel that with the grounds deserted at night, it’s like moving through a cemetery full of open graves. The wide-open pits yawn in the darkness, and I imagine losing my footing and stumbling into one, only to fall to my death in the ruins of Old Prell.

Quietly, I hook a finger into Gwenna’s belt ahead of me. “Wish we’d roped ourselves together.”

“There’s something about this that seems off,” she tells me. “It feels weird. Wrong.”

I know what she means. Seeing the guild grounds deserted like this is strange. “Of course it feels wrong. We’re sneaking in after dark to steal artifacts and lying to everyone.” Poor Hawk is really going to hate me after this.

“Does Magpie seem a little manic to you?” she asks.

I glance ahead. It’s true that Magpie is highly alert right now, her eyes bright with determination. Maybe she’s eager to help us steal? Either that or she just wants this done quickly. “Perhaps we’re just not used to seeing her sober.”

Gwenna snorts. “That could be it, aye.”

As we cut through the massive, deserted yard, a light flicks on and I see a man’s face in the shadows. It isn’t until we get closer that I see he’s holding the same strange wand I saw previously. It’s the man who was using the portal wand to transport rock. He’s wrapped in a dark cloak and looks at Magpie nervously. “Is everyone here?”

“Yes. You know how to direct that thing to the drop?”

“Wait, we’re not lowering ourselves down in the basket?” Lark asks, confused. “Whyever not?”

“Because I bribed the portal master, that’s why.” Magpie gives her an annoyed look. “Just shut your mouth and come stand next to me.”

“But don’t I need to tie in with my Five?”

“Isn’t necessary,” her aunt tells her, gesturing that Lark should come to her side again. “Come on.”

“But—” Lark hesitates, glancing over at Kipp and Mereden, and then where I stand behind Gwenna. “I’m pretty sure the rules state—”

“The rules state a lot of things,” Magpie snarls at her, “including that you shouldn’t steal from the guild, but we’re not paying attention to that part, are we?”

Lark jerks back in surprise, wounded by her aunt’s tone. “Sorry. I was just asking.”

“I don’t think it’s foolish to be cautious,” I say, stepping forward. “And we’ve taught ourselves to tie together quickly. We can do so now.”

“Fine. Whatever.” Magpie gives a cross look to the portal master. “I hope you don’t mind waiting on this nonsense.”

He shrugs, uneasy. “You’re paying me.”

I don’t like this. I don’t like it because it makes me wonder how many others bribe their way into the Everbelow under the cover of night and steal from the guild. I don’t like that I would normally condemn such deeds and instead I’m about to break the rules myself. I shove down all those unhappy feelings and rope myself in, passing it along to Gwenna quickly. She ties herself to me, and then we go down the line until we’re all tied together and in position, Lark behind Kipp. Magpie watches us with annoyance, and then shakes her head. “Fine. Get ready to step through to the drop when he opens the portal.”