James Galloway - The Tower of Sorcery

"Sometimes you scare me, Kerri," Tarrin told her.

"Why?"

"It's almost frightening, how smart you are."

She gave him a shy smile. "I'm glad someone appreciates me," she told him.

There was a knock at the door, and Binter opened it to reveal Allia. "I am sorry I am late," she said in the common tongue, scurrying in. "Alloran would not let me leave until I master multi-flow weaving. I am exhausted."

"It's not easy, is it?" Keritanima asked in Selani.

"Not remotely," Allia agreed. She sat down on the other side of Miranda, who put aside her embroidery and began to listen to them attentatively. Like Tarrin, Allia accepted Miranda and the Vendari without question. They trusted Keritanima's judgement.

"Miranda, I need the plans," Keritanima told her.

"Yes, your Highness," she said calmly, standing up and retreating to the communal closet linking Keritanima's room with hers. She returned as Keritanima moved over to the bed, and helped the fox Wikuni spread them out. On the large rolled parchment were detailed plans of the Tshaped building known as the Hammer Cathedral. The hammer and scales were the symbol of Karas, and they had built their main cathredral in that shape and places a huge sculpture of a set of scales at the head of it to honor the god.

"Alright, this is our target," Keritanima said in a brusque, businesslike manner. "There are three rooms that we'll have to check out. Here, here, and here," she said, pointing to rooms within the "heads" of the hammer shape. "These two are linked by this secret passage, but we'll have to cross the cathedral's open passages to get to this one. We'll enter through this servant's door here," she said, pointing to a door in the left branch. "We should be able to reach the secret passage that links to this room easily and without attracting attention. We'll check out these two rooms, then go through these secret tunnels so that we have the smallest amount of open area to cross," she explained, tracing her clawed finger along a series of dashed marks that ran through the cathedral's walls. "That will put us in the third chamber without putting ourselves at too much risk. After we're done, we leave through this servant's entrance," she concluded, pointing to a door that mirrored the one through which they wound enter. "Tarrin will carry our loot. I'll take point, and Allia will bring up the rear. We'll use your little trick to get over the fence, Tarrin, but Binter will be there when we return to help us get our loot onto the grounds quickly."

"You think you can manage landing after I get you over the fence?" Tarrin asked.

"I'm not a china doll, Tarrin," she said with a teasing smile. "I may look like a little slip of a girl, but I know how to land after falling some distance. Trust me. I'll be fine."

"I have worked with her on the field, Tarrin. She is capable," Allia assured him. "She is much stronger than she appears."

"Why thank you, Allia," Keritanima said to her with a grin. "We'll leave on the first bell after sunset. Dress in clothes suitable for sneaking around."

"That's it?" Tarrin asked. "That's the plan?"

"That's the plan."

"I thought it would be more complicated."

"The simpler a plan is, brother, the easier it is for it to succeed," she told him patiently. "Our only real danger is getting caught out in the open in the cathedral. For something like a simple break-in and theft, I hope things will go smoothly and easily. They have priests and acolytes up and moving at all times, so we'll get our share of excitement." She looked at Miranda. "Did you pack my skulking clothes?"

"I'll have them ready for you, Highness," she assured her. "I've also got the sacks you asked for. They're in my clothes chest."

"What would I ever do without you, Miranda?"

"Let's hope you never have to find out," the mink said in a lilting voice, a gentle smile on her face.

"Indeed," Keritanima agreed with a toothy grin. "Alright, we'll meet on the Knight's field on the first bell after sunset," she told them.

"I'll be there," Tarrin assured her.

"As will I."

"Pray to your Goddess, Tarrin," Keritanima told him. "We may need her help before all is said and done."

"I thought you said this would be easy."

"I said I hope it will be easy. I'm a cynic, brother dear. I'm sure something will come along and ruin my elegant little plan. It's best to be ready for it now, than scrambling to cover it when it happens."

"Things should go well," Miranda assured them. "It's such a simple plan that it can't help but to succeed. I'll have the books you want here when you return, Highness."

"Is everything ready for us?"

She nodded. "The tents you asked for are where you wanted them to be in the maze. I had some trouble getting the waterproof chests in there without arousing suspicion, but they're waiting for you as well."

"What do we need those for?" Tarrin asked.

"We have to put this stuff somewhere , Tarrin," she replied. "We can't very well just stick in our rooms. Nobody ever goes into the courtyard, and nobody will disturb it if we hide our booty in there. Put it in waterproof containers and throw some good waterproof canvas over it, and it'll be just fine. A good thief is as ready to dispose of his loot as she is ready to get it. The longer you hold stolen goods, the better chance others have of pinning the crime to you."

"That makes sense, I suppose," Tarrin said dubiously, noticing the bright, eager look in Keritanima's amber eyes. She liked stealing things.

"Trust me. I've done this before."

"That's what scares me."

"You," she said, slapping him on the forearm.

"Is she like this at home, Miranda?" Tarrin asked the mink curiously.

"No," she replied. "She's worse."

" Miranda! "

"It's the truth, Highness," she shrugged. "You don't have to do all the things you do. I can do it, or find someone to do it for you. You just enjoy the game."

Keritanima gave Miranda a withering look, then she laughed ruefully. "Alright, alright, I do like being a sneak. It's much more entertaining than listening to my father's teachers rant about history and etiquette, and it keeps me ready for Jenawalani and Veranika's assassins." She looked to her maid again. "Do you have my diversion ready?"

Miranda nodded. "They'll never know you left, your Highness," she assured her, scratching her little pink button nose absently.

"What diversion?"

"Oh, just a squad of Royal Marines getting into a very nasty brawl," Keritanima said with an evil smile. "They'll provide us with a good ten minutes to get out of here unseen."

"You're scaring me, Kerri," Tarrin said.

"What?"

"Is there anything you can't arrange?"

Keritanima laughed. "I couldn't get the Keeper married," she said with a wolfish smile. "So I guess there are some things that I can't manage."

"All in all, deshida , I prefer her having the skills," Allia said with a slight smile. "She makes it much easier for us."

"True enough," Tarrin agreed. "I think I want to get something to eat before we go."

"Dar is waiting for us anyway," Keritanima shrugged. "Let's go eat. We have a long night ahead of us."

Miranda halted Tarrin as he left behind his two sisters, and he stopped to see what she wanted. "Watch her," she said in a low voice. "She sometimes loses her head on these little excursions. She can be too impulsive. Keep her focused on the plan."

"I will," he promised. "Why don't you come with us and eat? There's always room for one more."

"Maybe next time," she said with a cheeky smile, a smile that enhanced her almost insufferable cuteness. "I have some errands to run."

"Well, alright. Hope they go well."

"Oh, they will," she said with a smile, letting Tarrin leave the room. She looked to Binter and Sisska, and they all traded a calm, knowing look. Binter moved with surprising quiet as he moved to shadow the Princess, keeping an eye on her, and Sisska closed the door behind him. "We have much to do, Sisska," she said in a calm, businesslike tone.