Prologue

My name is Sinclair and I was born on the street. I do not remember my mother and never knew my father. I was raised mostly by various thieves. By ten I was one of the best pickpockets and could pick any lock. By fourteen I was one of the best thieves in the city.

I had an edge over the others because I could see the signs magic left. Oh, I was not a mage or wizard but seeing the signs of magic let me avoid traps that caught others. I was eighteen when I met the mage Silver.

I was feeling a little bored and it had started to rain. The mage shop was quaint with glazed glass windows. I slipped the lock easily and stepped in avoiding a magic trap on the floor. I looked around before crossing to look through a doorway. All the items in the shop were showy with gems. I was not working and did not really need money.

What drew me through the doorway was a study with a few bookshelves. A comfortable chair in one corner almost seemed to call me. I crossed to look at the books in one of the cases and pulled one down. I looked around before moving to the chair and sitting. I relaxed and leaned back before opening the book.

I ignored the tiny figures that roamed around and began reading. It was several hours before I stopped and reluctantly closed the book. I was tempted to take it with me but I did not really want to damage it in the rain. I stood and put it back before petting the small black onyx dragon on the shelf and turning towards the door.

I slipped out of the shop and even took the time to lock the door behind me. I went back three days later after stealing a rich merchant’s money chest. I entered the shop as easily as before and headed back to the study. After I was seated in the chair an amber griffin landed on the arm. I caressed it before opening the book and going back to reading.

An hour later I looked up to see the mage leaning on a staff across the room. I was caught and was not going to temp fate by trying anything. The mage looked ancient but strangely he had a sense of strength about him. He smiled, “That was a very good book.”

I glanced at it in my hands, “It has been so far.”

He gestured around the room, “All the gems and other expensive things and you ignored them to sit and read a book.”

I shrugged, “I was not interested in stealing anything.”

He smiled, “And yet you are a well known thief.”

I looked at him closely, “You know who I am?”

He straightened, “Of course. I would have come to introduce myself before but I was ... occupied.”

I grinned, “Some new fantastic spell?”

He laughed, “More like a bit of boring alchemy.”

I closed the book and stood to put it back on the shelf, “You know my name...”

He bowed and gestured to the second doorway into the study, “You can call me Silver.”

We went through a comfortable looking living area and into a small kitchen. He gestured to a small table and I sat as he went to the stove and poured hot water into two cups. He sat across from me and the cup of tea seemed to slide across the table on its own. I sipped it and smiled before looking at the mage, “So I take it you are not upset that I was reading one of your books.”

He shook his head, “I do not mind. Tell me, how would I go about using your services?”

I looked at him carefully, “Why would a mage need something stolen?”

He smiled, “More like returned.”

I nodded, “Tell me who, where and what and I will look at it to see how much to charge you.”

He smiled again and started talking. I listened while I sipped my tea and finally gestured for him to stop and stood, “Give me a day or two.”

I walked out thinking about the duke he wanted me to steal his charmed amulet from. I knew it would not be hard since I had already been in his manor. I crossed the city using shadows and hidden ways.

I stood outside the walls of the duke’s manor and just looked at all the light. I finally grinned and moved to the wall as I slipped on the tight kid gloves. This was going to be one of the hard parts because the wall top was covered with broken glass.

I pulled myself up and ignored the glass as I looked onto the grounds on the other side of the walls. I lifted higher as I turned my hands to put all my weight on the palms on the very edge of the wall. I slowly rotated my body over the wall and went to one hand before placing my other on the other edge of the wall top.

I shifted my weight to that hand and moved my other over. I slowly lowered my body to the wall and climbed down. I crouched in the shadow of the wall before moving across to the wall of the manor. I moved along the wall to an inner corner and placed my back in the corner before starting to climb using pressure from my feet and hands.

When I reached the roof I paused while guards walked by below me. I reached up and swung out before pulling myself up onto the roof. I moved slowly and carefully to the far end of the roof before lying down and looking over. I scooted out almost to my waist as I reached down to the roof vent.

It took a couple of moments to work the vent loose and then I wiggled back as I pulled the vent up onto the roof. I set it down on the roof before turning around and lowering myself down and into the vent opening. The attic was hot and pitch black so I carefully lit a black taper. The black candle gave off a dim black or dark blue light but it was enough for me to see by.

I carefully moved through the attic until I came to the hatch that led down into the house. I listened before setting the candle down and opening the hatch. I blew out the candle and slipped it into its pouch before hanging from the edge of the hatch and pulling it almost closed. When I dropped to the hall it made a slight noise.

Chapter 1 »