With everything ironed out with Maya, the rest quickly fell into place.

  Connor, Maya, Adelia, Vadik, Illyian, and Korvac all sat around Korvac’s table going over the few remaining details.

  “After going through those in the guild and the handful from Illyian’s side we have fifty-three people with the skills and loyalty we need, not counting the six of us. A few even have a direct motivation to see The Syndicate destroyed,” Connor said,

  “the core idea remains the same. We’ll split into two groups. Korvac you’ll lead the larger group, consisting of six wizards, Illyian, seventeen people skilled with bows or crossbows, and twenty-two others.

  “Illyian, you know the most about magic, excluding Maya, so it’ll be your job to direct the wizards. Korvac is going to have his hands full as it is. It’s up to you to use the wizards as effectively as you can. Remember, The Syndicate will almost certainly bring out wizards of their own.

  “Korvac’s group will first secure Zauberer itself and then make their way in through the secret passage. We don’t know how the slaves will react to your presence, so it’s best to assume they’ll be hostile. Incapacitate them if you can, kill them if you have to. In a perfect world, we’d save them all, but we may not have that luxury.

  “You’ll want to take up positions on the catwalks and choke points. Stir up as much commotion as you can and keep The Syndicate tied up and distracted for as long as possible.

  “While Korvac’s group is busy with that, the rest of us led by myself will sneak in through a different entrance. It’s the only other one I know of, and it should be far enough away from Korvac to serve our needs.

  “From there, we’ll make our way to where Victor is being held. Maya will remove his collar, and the slaves’ if possible. If she can’t remove his collar when we find him, we’ll subdue him if needed, get out, and remove his collar when possible.

  “We have no idea how these damn things work, or exactly what they have in terms of defenses, so it’ll be up to all of us to adjust and react as best we can.”

  “Are you sure we can’t we take more with us? I expect the ones you’ve chosen are too loyal to the guild to refuse the mission, but there’s still a chance someone will, and it’s fewer than I’d like as it is,” Korvac said.

  “I’d love to. Believe me, I would, but it just isn’t worth it if we can’t trust them. The Syndicate have us outnumbered. If something leaked to them… we wouldn’t have a chance. I don’t expect you to invade the facility. I just need you to draw them away and keep them distracted.

  “Everyone we’ve picked is highly skilled, and the wizards should help you immensely. I know it seems too few, but as long as they don’t know we’re coming they’ll be spread out, and it’ll take them time just to respond to your attack.

  “When they do, they’ll be out of our way. No matter how many they send, I’m sure you can hold them back if you use the chokepoints. That’s the important thing. You just have to hold their attention. As for getting them onboard… we don’t want anyone who isn’t all in here. If we don’t get one or two, we’ll just have to make do. I think I can get them motivated to join us though,” Connor said.

  Korvac nodded, but his eyes looked far away.

  “I understand your worries, but with Chamberlain Davison’s power play, I dare not bring in the guard, and we don’t know who we can trust in this guild. We have to be careful. Even if we brought everyone, they’d crush us if they knew we were coming.

  “With small groups, we can cause a commotion, slip in, grab Victor and get out. Once that’s done we can get rid of The Chamberlain and bring in the army if that’s what it takes. We’ll wipe these bastards out, but for now, we’re outnumbered, and our strength lies in surprise and misdirection. I need to know that I can count on you,” Connor said.

  Korvac looked at Connor with a grim expression and nodded. “You can,” he said, “let’s get it done.”

  “That’s the spirit. Do you have somewhere we can gather and prepare the men while making sure nobody slips out? I don’t want anyone going anywhere until this is done,” Connor said.

  “I do,” Korvac said.

  “Excellent,” Connor said,” show us where it is.”

  ***

  They left the guild and Korvac led them through the dark streets and into a warehouse surrounded by others that looked exactly like it.

  “I use this building as a base for special operations, or anything sensitive. What do you think?” Korvac asked.

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  Mattresses lay in rows on the cold, stone floor, and heavy iron doors marked the only exits. It was large, bare, and everything in it was visible from everywhere else at all times. The bathrooms were the only place with a hint of privacy, and they lacked windows or any other means of leaving the building.

  Nobody was going anywhere without their knowledge.

  “It’s perfect,” Connor said.

  “I’m glad you approve. All that’s left is to gather the rest,” Korvac said.

  “Adelia and I will do that. Illyian already called in everyone from his end to meet us at the tavern so it won’t take us long to collect everybody. Best not to have your men running around fetching people. It’ll be suspicious enough when we gather them up as it is.

  “Besides, everyone in The Stars of Night is used to us walking around and chatting with people by now. The guild is packed. We’ll tell them we found somewhere for temporary relocation. It’ll fit in nicely after we’ve spent so long under the guise of checking on everyone,” Connor said.

  “Have it your way then,” Korvac said.

  “He usually does,” Vadik said.

  It didn’t take long for the two of them to gather everyone, and soon Adelia and Connor ushered in the last group.

  They shut the heavy iron door behind them, bolted and locked it.

  Nobody was going anywhere until this was done.

  Korvac stood in front of everyone they’d assembled with Maya, Connor, Adelia, Illyian, and Vadik behind him.

  “I’m glad you could all join us,” Korvac said, “as you’ve no doubt gathered, you’re not here for the reasons you were told. Truthfully, we have a very important task ahead of us. A task brought to us by this young man who will fill you in on all the details.”

  Connor hesitated, a fake smile on his lips. A fight to the death in an alleyway was always easier than public speaking. He was no leader…

  “Go ahead, Connor,” Adelia whispered, “you’re better than you think.”

  Her words gave him a sense of confidence that wasn’t his own, and he stepped forward.

  “Good evening, ladies and gentle-thieves,” he said. His audience chuckled, and he continued, “As Korvac said, you’re not here to hide away from our enemies. You’re here because we’re going to strike back at them. They’ve dared to attack us, and now they shall pay the price… in blood!”

  They’d been paying attention at the start, but his words sparked an entirely new level of interest from his audience, and their eyes gleamed with a bloodthirsty sheen.

  He smiled. So far so good.

  “You all know that The Stars of Night is under attack by bastards that think they can come to our city and take what’s ours! They’ve gone so far as to target our friends! Our family! How many of you have lost someone you care about to these curs?” he said.

  A few hands went up, and then a few more.

  “Don’t you want revenge?” he asked.

  “Yes!” shouted several in unison. Many others nodded as well.

  “That’s good,” Connor said, “because that’s exactly what I’m giving you. I found where they’re hiding. I found where they’re keeping those they took from us.

  “I have seen where right this second they work as slaves! Now is your chance to join me in freeing them. To coat your blades with the blood of our enemies! For our friends! Our family! And our guild!”

  They cheered and looked at him with expressions that bordered on fanaticism. Even those who hadn’t lost as much, like those from Illyian’s side of things, were caught up in it. They were all eager to spill the blood of their enemies, rescue their friends, and save their city.

  Now to bring it over the edge.

  “But, I am far too generous just to give you a chance at revenge. A chance to strike back at those who took your family! Your friends! A chance to make our glorious city a better place! To that end, the reward for the successful completion of this job… will be one hundred gold pieces.”

  They looked around at the wizards and one another and muttered. It was easy to see they assumed the wizards would get more, as was standard. But, even with that, the guild’s cut, and the division between the rest of them it should still mean almost a gold piece each for just a single job. Maybe more, and maybe less in some cases.

  It wasn’t bad. Not even for the wizards. Gold was worth a lot after all.

  Connor smiled and added another word, “Each.”

  The room went dead silent.

  “How do we know you can afford that?” asked one of the men.

  Korvac stepped forward before Connor could answer.

  “I assure you, Ribald that this young man can afford it,” Korvac said.

  It sounded unbelievable, but with their Guild Master to vouch for him, nobody could argue. It was the opportunity of a lifetime. More gold in a single job than most had seen in their life. Even for the wizards, it was a mind-blowing sum.

  “I’ve lost friends and family,” said a female thief that Connor recognized from his earlier interviews as Eva, “I would gladly kill those that took them from me for free. What’s the catch to this deal? No deal is this good without a catch.”

  “There is a catch,” Connor said, “it’s dangerous, and some of you may die. If you die on the mission, your share will be paid out to whoever you wish. Friends, family, or anyone you want however you want. So, you will each make a will of sorts in case that happens.

  “I will also only be paying the full amount for a successful mission. If it still seems too good for you then remember that this is personal. They took someone from me just as they have from many of you.

  “What would you do to get the ones you care about back? How far would you go? Because of the importance of this mission, no-one may leave this room until the mission is underway. If you refuse to go, you will have to remain here until it is done. I will not risk warning our enemy. I want them dead.”

  Many looked even more eager and bloodthirsty than before, and a few more were lost in thought.

  No doubt, most of them would go without any money, but what he offered was beyond generous, and his terms were fair.

  Connor stepped away and gave them time to talk among themselves and think about what he’d said.

  “Not bad,” Korvac whispered.

  “Let’s just hope this works, and we get Victor back,” Connor said.

  After Connor’s speech, nobody turned down the mission. They were all too fired up by a lust for revenge, loyalty, or greed.

  It was expensive, but that mattered little.

  What he’d offered wouldn’t even make a dent in Victor’s gold storage. He could pay it just from what he had in his bag right now.

  The power of an alchemist’s transmutation was frightening.

  He couldn’t wait to return to his somewhat peaceful life and learn all about it from Victor.

  Soon… soon he would have his uncle back.

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