Chapter 66 THE THIEF'S MIDNIGHT MISSION
When night fell and Magnus got sick of plotting ways to get the talisman, he and Xyra had found a decent inn to stay in. It would just be for a few nights since he was determined to get the talisman quickly and then press forward. He was always in some kind of rush. He probably just wanted to finish his journey as quickly as possible.
Since it had been on such short notice, Magnus and Xyra hadn't been able to get separate rooms. Instead, they were sharing one that had two beds. The sorcerer was already fast asleep, his deep breaths being evidence of that. However, Xyra was still lying awake in bed. She seemed to be thinking about something. When she glanced over at Magnus, seeing that he really was in a deep sleep, she smirked and got up. As quietly as she could, she walked to the door and opened it, closing it in the same manner. Now she could leave without him knowing. She had a lot to do tonight. It was time to put her professional skills to good use.
She left the inn without a sound, her steps falling silent as she walked lightly. When she got outside, she began sprinting towards the governor's house. Everyone was asleep by now, so she would have no problem getting to where she needed to be. However, sneaking in would be the hard part. The guards were probably light sleepers. Just the slightest sound would wake them. That or maybe they were paid to stay awake at night. Either way, it wouldn't be easy. Luckily, there was always another option. She just had to find it.
The mansion eventually came into view, and she quickly ran to it. She stopped at the front doors and then began to walk, making her way around the huge structure. She was looking for anything that looked remotely like a second entrance. Every place she had ever snuck into had a secret entrance. Once she found it, things would be made easier. That's why she had been looking around so much, after all. She had memorized the inside during their tour. Information like that always came in handy, and she had a feeling that it would all come down to this. She had only been preparing.
Eventually she found what she had been looking for. It was an open window. The only problem was that it was up a bit too high for her to reach. Even if she jumped, she wouldn't reach it. There was a way though. She still had all those spells she had bought from the Sorcerer's League. However, now that she knew what they were made of, she felt sick just thinking about it. This was her only shot though. If she wanted to help Magnus, she was going to have to use them.
She fished around in her pocket for the vial she wanted. She knew what shape it was; it was only a matter of finding it. Her hand finally rubbed against the glass container she had been looking for. She pulled it out, a small smile crossing her face. With this one, she was going to have to be careful. It would only last for a few minutes. She didn't hesitate though and threw it down on the ground. Almost instantly, her body lit up with a white light, and she jumped into the air.
She took flight, the levitation spell allowing her to move freely in the air. She quickly went to the open window and peered in. Even though the room was dark, she could see that it was empty. The door was open, leading to the hallway. It was dark as well. She was sure that everyone was asleep. That was definitely to her advantage. She could see well in the dark, and she knew this house pretty well thanks to the tour that the servant had given.
Touching down as softly as she could, the spell ended. She was now in the room, and she didn't waste any time going to the door. Even though she was running, her steps were still silent. She was light on her feet, allowing them to slide just slightly so as not to make a shuffling noise or a tapping one. This was her field of expertise. Stealth was one thing she knew how to do properly. She had a reputation for never being caught. That had been soiled at one point due to a bounty hunter, but hopefully she would be able to recover and get her run of good luck back. As of late though, her luck really hadn't been so great.
When she got into the hallway, she sprinted, keeping her eyes and ears open for the possibility of a guard on patrol. If she remembered right, she wasn't all that far off from the governor's office. In that office was his display case, and there she would be able to get the talisman. It was a simple task really…as long as she didn't get caught.
After a few turns and a few close calls with patrolling guards, she managed to reach the room she had been looking for. So far so good. She placed her hand on the door and slowly turned the handle. Pushing it open with the greatest of care, she slid through the smallest crack she could manage and then closed it again. The room was pitch black. She was really going to have to be careful not to bump into anything. If she remembered right, the display case was diagonal from her position, and all that was in her way was a pillar. That was easily avoidable though.
She went over to the glass display case, her fingers sliding over it. There had been a latch to lift somewhere that opened a small portion of it. She felt around for it, her hand touching just about everywhere. It wasn't that hard to find though. Her fingers easily sought it out, and she flipped it, allowing the glass covering to hang down on its hinges. She reached in carefully, feeling around for the object of her entry. This man really did have a lot of trinkets in the case. She could feel the hilt of a sword, some huge gems which were a bit tempting to take too, but she was on a mission. Magnus already disapproved of this anyway. She didn't need to push her luck.
Finally, she found the crucifix-shaped talisman, a smile crossing her face. She was over halfway done with this little visit. All she had to do was get out without being caught. Things were never that easy though.
"I knew you would try something," stated a smug voice, one she recognized quickly. Even in the dim lighting, she could make out a figure sitting in a tall chair at the desk. He had been so quiet when she had entered that she hadn't even noticed.
The man stood up from his desk and turned to face Xyra. It was the governor, a toothy smirk plastered on his fat face. He took his hand and raised it to his lips, blowing enough to get a whistle out, and a loud one at that. In only a matter of moments, the doors were thrown open. The nearby patrolling guards entered, instantly going towards Xyra. She backed up until her back was against the display case.
"It was nice of you to come," the governor stated. "I figured the two of you would pull something like this. Just where is Mr. Coleman?"
"Not here," she told him, trying not to show any fear. "I came on my own." Only after the words had left her mouth did she realize how dumb she had been. Without the threat of Magnus, these men weren't going to show any restraint. She didn't even want to think about what could happen. Maybe I should have listened to Magnus after all… How am I supposed to get out of this?