The Lion & The Thief (Creatures of Domhan na Rùin #2)

1. Chapter One

Chapter One

C olette smiled at the massive blood red ruby that lay before her on a black velvet cushion.

All was quiet around her as she took a moment to admire her latest target.

It twinkled in the moonlight, its depths dark and alluring.

She reveled in its beauty, and found herself wishing, if only for a moment, that it was not just a means to an end.

Her poison of choice had done its work incapacitating the guards; one deep breath was all it took, and they would sleep for a day. Still, she preferred to be quick once she acquired her targets, just in case that frustratingly competent Captain of the Guard happened to be on her tail.

Colette took the gem in her gloved hands, slipping it into a nondescript black pouch and tucking it into a deep pocket she’d sewn inside her shirt.

As she turned to make her way back down to the kitchen to slip out the same window she had entered through, she noticed a small writing desk on the far wall.

The room was a study, she could tell; the walls were lined with books and prized possessions displayed in cases like the ruby’s.

She walked over to the desk, laid with fresh cream-colored parchment and elegant feather quills. A pot of ink soaked up the ambient glow of the desert moon that snaked in through the windows.

Colette wasn’t sure what came over her, but she found herself reaching for a quill. She scrawled a note on the top piece of parchment.

Captain,

You certainly are determined to catch me. Perhaps you should find a better use for that intense focus?

Kindest regards,

Your Jewel Thief

Colette nearly let out a laugh. She was certain the Captain of the Guard would be absolutely livid at her flippant attitude as she eluded capture once again.

She hesitated a moment, wondering if it was wise to goad someone with the Captain’s ruthless reputation, but what was life without a bit of levity?

She left the note on the desk and glided back through the halls of yet another mansion she could add to her running list of successful jobs.

The weight of the ruby tucked into her shirt pocket had Colette feeling a mix of relief and triumph.

Slipping out into the night, she let the ambient sounds of Zhava City fill her mind.