IT. IS. HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*parties* Ha! You peoples still don't know what's here! :P Hm...to tell, or not to tell...*ponders* Okay, not that you'll really care, but my chapter 1 is about to be posted!!! :D I'm sure most of you aren't nearly as excited about that as I am, but you'll get over the disappointment eventually. :P
So, without any further rambling from me, Chapter 1 of my novel, currently titled, Rael's Redemption.

P.S. Some of this hasn't really been edited yet, but I'm posting it anyway. Deal with it. :P

Chapter 1

It was rare for the guild to receive an assassination order. Rarer still was a request to have a certain member carry out said assassination. Even more rare for the guild to obey that request. And of course,
the requested member would have to be me. I hated these jobs. But I did what was asked of me, so here I was in a dark bedroom in the middle of the night, stalking some sleeping old man.

I walked towards the bed, poised for action, and pulled my favorite knife from its sheath. I looked around. All was dark, all was quiet; everything was going just how I wanted…but as I approached my mark, I had a strange feeling all was not as it should be. My skin prickled in a way that I had by now learned meant danger. Upon closer observance, what should have been a body in the bed was oddly proportioned, with arms and legs sticking out at wrong angles.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I had been set up. There was only a dummy in the bed, I was getting no money for this job, and I might not escape with my life. Yes, I always assume the worst; it’s just how I am.

Forcing myself to be calm, I ran through a mental list of escape possibilities. Deciding the window would be the best way out, I started towards it only to turn and look back at the bed. I had to be sure. No money meant I wouldn’t be eating for the rest of the week and I couldn’t take that chance. Of course I could just steal something, but being paid to steal something for someone else is different than stealing for myself.

When I was about four feet away, knife raised, I felt a tingling across my legs.

“Blast.” I said through clenched teeth. I really hate magic.

I held still, hoping I hadn’t triggered, only brushed the magic line. That I wasn’t dead was a good clue, you could never be sure what tricks a magician put into his toys, but I was lucky today.

I stepped back slowly, then sprinted for the window which was looking better by the second. I threw myself at it, hoping I would survive the fall. But I didn’t go through.

My head hit a barrier that set my short hair on end and sent tingles up and down my body. I take back what I said about hating magic. I loathe it. Magic is what people pay too much for, that gets honest folk in trouble and ruins people’s lives! Well in my case, maybe not so honest, but still…

I swirled around looking for another escape route. Nothing. I would have to go back through the house. Catapulting myself down the stairs, relieved to have left the room alive, I was rather careless. What I mean is I didn’t notice that I’d walked through a cord of magic till I felt the spark of it on my skin. Double blast.

I might as well go on now. With no regard to my surroundings, I dashed through the house. As I was running, I noticed something sparkly on a table ahead of me. A necklace, glittering in the light coming from the window.

In passing, I grabbed it, knowing that if all else failed I could maybe get enough money for it to survive the week. Sticking it in my pocket, I smiled as I saw the door straight ahead. I hurled it open and threw myself outside. Right at the feet of the provost guard.

I picked myself up, dusting off my clothes. “Evening, Jarret.”

“Rael.”

“Well, I’ll just be going now…” I said, as I turned away.

“Not so fast, Rael. You know the guild can’t protect you from this. You were seen leaving a house that is not yours. A house we got a tip on tonight.”

“You have nothing on me! You saw me leave the house…big deal!”

Jarret motioned to his law enforcing cronies who started towards me with a look in their eyes that told me I would be spending the night in a jail cell, whether I put up a fight or not.

“Rael Avongara, you are under arrest for murder.”

“But I haven’t killed anyone!”

He raised his eyebrow at me.

“Tonight,” I amended.

He laughed. I glared. And I won. He stopped laughing, and looked me in the eye. “Rael...if my men go in there and find a body, you will be arrested, and there’s not much the guild can do about it.”

“Let them go in! I don’t care!”

Jarret’s men moved inside the building, but of course he had to stay and watch me. I wasn’t worried though; I knew they wouldn’t find anything inside the house. For once, I was innocent.

I tensed as one of the men came out from the house, a grim look on his face.

“Uh, Sir, I think you might want to see this,” he said, nervousness making his voice shake.

My confidant stance did not alter in the slightest. They were probably just trying to make me uncomfortable enough to confess to the crime they thought I committed. Well, I wouldn’t give an inch. I was sure of my innocence, and they could act all they wanted to; they weren’t going to get a response from me.

They disappeared back inside, but not before one of Jarret’s henchmen stationed himself at my side. I could probably escape, but I couldn’t take the risk of him getting lucky. I hadn’t done anything, so I was going to wait right here, and make them apologize for ruining my night.

They finally reemerged from the house and, marching right up to me, (honestly, you would think that by now they might have learned something about personal space!) they clapped irons around my wrists, before I could even think of reacting.

“Rael Avongara, you are under arrest for suspicious actions…and…uh…arguing with a law enforcing officer.”

“Give it up, Jarret! You’re finished here. You know you didn’t find anything wrong inside the house! I demand to see my guild leader!”

I smothered a laugh as Jarret’s face went purple…it was not a good shade on him.

“Very well,” he muttered, and I smiled in triumph. There was no way he could convict me for something like this; I had already won, and he knew it. The problem would be the paying citizen who just might be unhappy that the job he’d paid me to do had not been accomplished.

Maybe I would offer him the amulet in exchange for the payment. A stone that large must be worth something! At least, I hoped it was.

When we reached the guild, there was some trouble getting in. Our sentries weren’t too happy about having to let members of the elite city guard inside thief headquarters. Several times they shot me questioning looks, and I knew if I but nodded my head, the provost guards would soon have a serious fight on their hands.

But I didn’t. If I had been guilty, it would have been another story, but I wasn’t, and that made all the difference. We walked through the thick, oak doors and into the guild hall. The vaulted ceiling made our footsteps echo loudly. Not what you’d expect from the home of those who devoted their lives to being silent.

We walked through the halls, Jarret looking straight ahead, but the guards looked around in wonder. I smirked. Obviously, they weren’t used to such grandeur. And the Hall was grand.

A fountain gurgled in the foyer, and huge, marble pillars lined the walk way. Intricate tapestries hung down the walls, depicting beautiful landscapes, intense battles, and start crossed lovers. Yes, it was magnificent. A perfect place in a city full of the opposite.

I was marched through the long hallway, and right up to the door of the guild master’s office. Jarret hesitated, then knocked.

“Come in.”

The voice shouldn’t have been audible through the heavy oak door, but it was…something that had always mystified me. Jarret inched the door open, looking almost afraid to enter the office. He looked at me, saw the smirk I’m sure must have been evident, then squared his shoulders and stepped inside.

“Jarret,” said a surprisingly sweet voice. “What a pleasant surprise.”

“Wish I could say likewise, lady.”

“Do you now.”

“Right. Well tonight, we caught Rael here coming out of a house we got a tip on.”

“Was anything missing? Did you find anyone dead?”

“Ah, no ma’am,” Said Jarret, sounding a little less sure of himself.

“Then why are you taking up my time?”

“Uh…begging your pardon, lady. I just…we…well, we wanted to make sure personally that you knew. She should be dealt with.” “Thank you, Jarret. I will take what you’ve said into consideration. You may leave now.”

“Ah..uh, yes, lady. G-Goodbye, lady.”

With that final, stuttered farwell, Jarret turned and fled down the hallway. I tried to cover a giggle that was forcing its way out, but failed, although it was immediately silenced by a stern look from the guildmaster.

“Begging your pardon, lady.”

“Rael.”

“It’s not my fault! The place was magicked, not to mention they got a tip.”

“I don’t blame you, Rael. Jarret’s an idiot to have brought you to me with such pathetic evidence. I’m just glad you didn’t show up with more of your street children.” She said, rifling through some papers on her heavy, oak desk.

I blushed. Because of my own history, I tried to take care of the kids who struggled to make it off the streets alive. Some of the worse off ones I brought to the guild to do odd jobs for the thieves, and hopefully so they could become a thief themselves.

“None today, Lady.”

“Good.” Was her only response, but even though she complained about it regularly, I could tell she approved.

I took a moment to study the lady. Tall and slender, the guildmaster would be perfectness itself, were it not for the small scars that covered her body. They were similar to the marks the snaked their way across my own body, but I was not ready to ask her how she had come by hers. None of the other thieves knew either, and no one had dared to ask her.

She was dressed in the standard guild uniform, with her blonde hair pulled up into a loose bun. Not much older than I, her face was stern, but you could tell that despite that, she smiled often.

Finally, I broke the silence. “Lady…if I could go now?”

“Yes, of course, dear. One final word though: You know you’ll have to tell your benefactor that you failed tonight. I’m assuming you have some sort of compensation…?”

“Yes, lady. Of course, lady.”

“Good girl. Now, you may go.”

I performed a quick bow, then turned and hurried out of her office. Despite having a motherly attitude towards all of the members of the guild, the guildmaster still had a harsh side that came to the surface when things did not go as planned.

When I was sure no one was looking, I pulled the amulet out from under my shirt. Jarret was really an idiot not to search me. Always search a thief.

The medallion should have been warm from being so close to my body, but it still felt cool to the touch. Surely it had to be worth something; at least enough to pay my benefactor.

As I walked down the hall, I saw someone who made instantly made me smile. “Rory!”

““Rae! How’d your job go tonight?” She yelled down the hall as she hurried towards me.

I winced. “Don’t ask.”

“That bad, huh?” She asked as she threw her arm around my shoulder, pulling me towards our room.

“Worse.” I answered. Okay, so it wasn’t really as bad as all that, but I was annoyed, and it sounded good at the time.

She raised her eyebrow at me, and I feigned a hurt expression. “You don’t believe me?” I teased.

“Come to the room, and tell me about it; then I’ll make up my mind.” She said as she flashed me a grin.

I smothered a laugh as she pulled me along. Rory was the best friend I’d ever had; she put up with every single one of my odd quirks.

Pushing open the door to our room, I immediately collapsed on my bed. Staying up all night was beginning to take its toll on me.

Rory perched on the edge of my bed. “So, what went wrong?”

“Pretty much everything.”

Rory tapped her fingers, almost glaring in my direction, and I had the feeling she wanted me to be more specific. I sighed then continued. “I was set up. The house had trip lines all through it, and there was nobody in the bed. Luckily this caught my eye as I was heading out.” I pulled the amulet out from beneath my shirt again, and tossed it at Rory.

“I don’t recognize the metal, or the stone.” She said, turning it over in her hands.

“I know, neither do I. I’m hoping it will be enough to satisfy my benefactor…if not, I don’t know what I’ll do.”

“Aw, you know everyone here would give a bit if you couldn’t pay; everyone loves you!”

“They just know if I got kicked out, they’d get a whole lot less entertainment.” I said, laughing.

“True.” Rory agreed, a grin making her beautiful face slightly impish.

“Hey!” I shouted, as I gave her arm a playful punch. “You’re not suppose to agree!”

Rory’s face was comical as she tried to pull the laughter inside, and replace it with a stoic expression. “Right. My apologies.” She managed before breaking into another giggling fit. I might have rolled my eyes.

When she’d pulled herself together, Rory stood up straightened her clothes. “Well, it might have been a long night for you, but I didn’t get a job, so I have work to do.”

She tossed me the amulet, and left the room, shutting the door behind her. I sat there, turning the strange piece of jewelry around in my hands, still marveling at how cold it felt even after being held. It was certainly a mystery, and one I was determined to solve.

~ Calleigh