Opportunities

Sixteen: There Is a House

There was much to be done in the coming weeks. I would travel with Othrelos to the Imperial City, to lay my claim on Dareloth’s house, and on the pleasant apartment maintained for the Guildmaster on its top floor. Fathis would develop from pleasant to almost worshipful, willing to go to almost any lengths to please me. On my say, that also meant going to great lengths to please Othrelos.

I would “promote” Amusei to steward of the house, a job where he could feel important to the Guild but get into little trouble. I would consolidate piracy into the Guild, to the profit of everyone involved. Eventually, I would also discover that Mazoga really didn’t harbor a grudge against thieves in general after all, and once she knew the truth about me, she would end up employed as my personal bodyguard. Out of friendship, she said, because with her that trumped everything.

Family is what you make of it.

First, though, I brought the cowl back to Othrelos and his Anvil house.

It was lovely now, even better than Velwyn had promised. Perfectly clean, and refurnished with tastefully expensive things. Much easier to see now how spacious and lovely the house actually was, with balconies overlooking the heart of the city.

I held up the cowl between me and Othrelos, and it eliminated the thought of asking about anything else.

He knew about the curse: I could see it in his face. It was another of the things we all knew now. It was one of the great legends within the Thieves’ Guild, how the cowl of the Gray Fox had once been under a curse, and how Corvus and I had broken it.

“It’s mine,” I said. “I haven’t put it on yet.”

He nodded and looked sympathetic. “Are you scared?”

I didn’t want to say it. “A little. I don’t – I don’t want to put it on and lose you. And lose everything.”

He stepped in and touched my arms. “Say his name.”

“Corvus Umbranox.”

He smiled encouragingly. “There, you see. It should be fine.”

“There’s that should be again. I don’t like it.” I sighed. “But I suppose I should find out for sure.” I glanced into his eyes. “Love you, O.”

“Love you, Lum. It’ll be all right.”

“I hope so.” I pulled the gray leather and fabric over my head and looked for the first time through the eyeholes. I could feel the magicka humming around my face as I looked around the room. I felt very sharp, very aware. Very light, as if I could carry half again my own weight on my back. Good for a big take, I imagined.

“Well?” I said at last.

Othrelos blinked at me. “Well what?”

My heart skipped. “Who am I?”

“You’re the Gray Fox.”

I thought my chest might explode, but luckily I noticed the glimmer in his eye, and he the daggers in mine, and he relented. “Luminara Flavius.”

“Ugh.” I relaxed into his arms. “That was really awful of you, you know.”

“I’m sorry. It was too obvious not to.” He gave me a squeeze. “Now that that’s out of the way, how do you like our house?”

“It’s lovely.” Then I actually thought about what he’d said. “Ours, is it?”

He nuzzled up under the cowl and kissed my neck. “I’m asking.”

Funny how my neck seemed to able to send tremors through the rest of my body. “I suppose it could be our house,” I purred. “If you wouldn’t rather move into my little ship’s cabin in a cave.”

“With your pirates?” he smiled against my throat. “I’d rather not. More privacy here, and more room.”

“Suppose you’re right. Then I suppose we live here.” I brought my lips to meet his.

That was the last time we talked about the cowl, the Guild, or pirates for days.