A Thief In The Night

Demar had healed the wound and dressed for the task ahead...dark clothing under a black cloak. He belted his rapier to his side as he selected a few scrolls to carry with him. He then cast the spell of tracking on the throwing dart \'Now...point the way to your mistress\' he said as he walked out into the rain

She quickly hid the book in a cleverly concealed hiding place, then called for her servant... she was bathed, perfumed, her nails coated with a deep red lacquer, dressed in a Chiton of matching red with gold embroidery on the hem. It laced over the shoulder, and from hip to just below the arm in a wide lace patter leaving inches of her skin bare except for the crisscrossing of the silk cords, and from the end of the lacing was open to the floor. About her hips was placed a wide golden girdle of delicate filigree plaques. Gold graced her upper arms, her slim delicate ankles were belled with golden anklets and tiny bells so that her walk was musical... as was her voice when she spoke.. more gold graced the lobes and sides of her delicately pointed ears... lastly she allowed the servant to delicately shade her eyes, stain her lips a dark rich red color and then she was ready. She dismissed the woman and went down stairs...

Demar stalked along the city streets...following the draw of the spell as e neared area of the city that the idle rich spent their time...gambling houses...courtesan lairs...dance halls...he was being drawn into the heart of it all

It was amusing, she thought as she entered the grand salon smiling and talking with the men and women there as she moved to her usual corner of the room... in the two years she\'d been here, she\'d rapidly become one of the most sought after Courtesans among the idle rich and nobles... And it gave her the perfect source for her information...\"

Demar watched as the dart spun about...stopping in front of the bright lights of the Silken Glen...the finest house in the city...he walked in and bowed to the girl attending the door who quickly took his cloak and apologized that he was soaked

Jade took her normal divan and arranged her skirts into a seductive display of skin and cloth... her hair trailed over her shoulder to the floor in a graceful black waterfall, and she knew that it wouldn\'t be long until she had her pick of men... Though she was hoping that the Lord Admiral might have been here tonight... still he most likely had not been able to get away from the Prince\'s party... pity.

Demar thanked the girl and handed him his blade...etiquette forbade him to keep it. He cast a quick spell to dry himself as he stepped into the common room and looked about...searching for his mark

She smiled as the Delaney Twins approached, and laughed softly at their initial query.

Demar saw her before the tracing spell even took effect. She was the most beautiful woman in the entire room. His breath caught in his chest for a second as he saw her politely chatting to a set of twins. She was a Courtesan? Were else could she hide in plan sight he thought as he made his way closer...staying behind people so not to be seen

She laughed and chatted, her eyes merry and bright, another man joined the circle about her, all of them vying for her attention... and she gave it to them, as each would speak, she would focus on them, and it was as if for that moment, the others did not exist... she was charming and witty, and at a challenge from one of the men, proceeded to make up a very witty and risqué poem right then and there...

Demar listened off to the side...her poem was quite amusing. He needed to find some way to get her alone...but that was obvious. He walked over to were the young lady stood in attendance...handing a large sum of coins in her hand and pointing to Ariel and whispering...then went to the private room...dimmed the lights and waited

The girl spoke to Jade... she nodded, but remained a few moments longer among the bright young men surrounding her before politely excusing herself, promising more another night, then walked with the delicate chiming of tiny gold bells and a lithe grace to the private room, closing the door behind her and letting her eyes adjust to the darker room... Her pupils widened, and she resisted a grin... she\'d give him this, he was fast... she pretended to look about the room in the dim light for the man that had summoned her...

Demar tossed the bloody spike at her bare feet \'you forgot something...and took something that did not belong to you...return it please and I will trouble you no more\'

She sighed and moved to sit in a chair. \"I\'m afraid I cannot do that, Demar. I already have a buyer for that book... I stole it on commission... one of your fellow mages wanted it, I stole it for him.\"

He glared at her...turning away from her in anger \'So that’s how the game is played.....fine...keep it then…but trouble me and my family no more....you were not informed of all the facts in your fathers demise it seems\'

\"Do you know what happened that day? I came home from the Apprentice\'s Hall to find my home a smoldering ruin. My father and all the servants along with anyone else that had been in the House were slaughtered... The Triad was already there... I was declared Anathema along with my House. Stripped of all rights to practice magic and forbidden to do so on pain of death. I was told nothing. Given no help. Tossed out like so much garbage into the street. Not one of Father\'s friends or allies would help me... I starved for weeks, subsisting on what I could scavenge. Everything I know, I learned for myself... And that book is the price for learning who it was set the greater daemon into my father\'s house...

Demar turned on her \'So you lump my father into this mess...you blame him? Did you never know WHY he lost his seat on the Triad?\'

\"No, I don’t. And I don\'t know that I care. I’ve grown hard and cold in the last 15 years... I\'ve had to... I would have died if I hadn\'t been taken into the Thieves guild... And perhaps one day, I\'ll be Guild Master... I learned from one of the best thieves in the city. But even for that dear old man, I couldn\'t give up my revenge, and I wont... not even for you.\"

He keeps his back to her \'MY father was against that they did your family...he was to strong to go against...so they voted him out\' he said as he listened to the hate in her voice

\"Perhaps he was against it, but he did nothing to stop it... And its continued, to one extent or another... hasn\'t it? Lesser mages disappear one here a few there... and not just from the City... One of your precious mages is doing blood magic. Using his own kind as sacrifices to raise his own power and to feed his or her demons. And one day, you\'ll wake up and you\'re father will be gone like mine was... My father was a Creator Adept. A Great Mage in his own right... He lived here because this was the city he was born and raised i And And he loved it here... Unfortunately, he came home to die.\"

Demar turned to look at her \'Hardly...my father has no power left...you know why...he used it...he nearly killed himself trying to banish the demon summoned to kill your family...my father is broken shell...near mindless....so ware your words of hate!\' He yelled in pain

She sighed. \"No. I didn\'t know that. I\'m sorry. But it explains a lot.\" she looked at him for a moment. \"Come upstairs, I\'ll return the book.\"

He sighed \'Keep it...I can replace it\' he said with some venom...turning from her and slowly walking towards the door...stopping for a moment

She rose and walked towards him, touching him hesitantly. \"Please.\" she said softly. \"I know how rare that book is. There were only half a dozen copies ever made... Father had one and it was destroyed... Come upstairs and let me give it back.\"

He flinched slightly...the shoulder still tender from the healing. He turned \'What of your buyer?\'

\"There is more than one way to skin a cat, Demar. That was only the easiest. Perhaps you will tell me what else I should know and apparently don\'t know about this matter as well.\" she turned with a thought and picked up the throwing spike, before returning to stand by the door with him.

He bowed politely and respectfully to her as he opened the door. Smelling her exotic scent as she walked past in her own bubble of sweet music...he followed