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Kerrigan crouched in what remained of the warehouse's second story. Fire had destroyed most of the building during the winter and Kerrigan's group had moved in shortly afterward. The warehouse had become their bolthole. It was the safest place for now since Nebanezzer was on the warpath over the score he lost last week, thus creating the need for them to lay low. Furious over the debacle at the docks, he had demanded Kerrigan's head and that of any unfortunate follower of hers that Nebanezzer's men could catch. It had not been a good time at all for the young Guildmistress and she was growing weary. Pacing the charred floor, she leapt down to the first floor and her violet eyes glanced up through the ruins at the setting sun.
"I will have to decide soon," she whispered to herself as she chewed over the information that had reached her. A score, and a nice one at that; a merchant was expecting a large shipment of gems from Ogrekvannia and had gathered a great deal of currency. Almost too sweet, it smelled of a trap, but as she looked around the smell of desperation hung in the air like a pall. They were already half starved and now most of what they had went to Tayla. Kerrigan glanced over at where the deathly pale girl laid. She was still so weak. The healer had tried to insist on keeping Tayla, but Kerrigan would not hear of it. It irked the thief bad enough that she owed the healer for the aid to begin with without adding to it.
"You're going aren't you?" The question broke her thoughts as Tayla's twin brother and her second in command came up behind her.
"Can I afford not to?" Kerrigan answered back with a frown as she turned to face Toral.
Toral was only a year younger than Kerrigan, and his light blonde hair and blue eyes spoke of a different future than of a thief if fate had been kinder. Now, he stood, looking stern with his hands resting on his hips. "You're not going alone."
Kerrigan snarled, and glared at him, her hand drifting towards the dagger at her belt. "Not your choice, unless you plan on challenging me."
Toral quickly rose his hands defensively, though holding his ground. "We're not Ravenclaw anymore Kerrigan. We don't need to be at each others throats, and we both know it could be a trap."
Kerrigan nodded folding her arms over her chest, it seemed both were unwilling to back down. "You're right...... it is probably a trap, all the better I go alone. They'd be looking for a group, and I might slip in and out before they notice. If they do, all they get is me, and if that happens you can look after the others."
Toral opened his mouth to argue more, then shut it. He had seen that look and stance from Kerrigan before, usually with the older Ravenclaws with which she was having a disagreement. Her mind was made up, and outside of challenging her there was not much else he could do, and challenging her was out of the question. He had seen too many take that route with Kerrigan and they walked away with nasty scars to show for it...if they walked away at all. Sighing with defeat, he spun and stomped away from her, grumbling loudly. "Fine have it your way, go alone for all I care."
Kerrigan watched his back with a frown as he walked away to sulk in a corner when Tayla's soft voice drew her attention. "He likes you Kerrigan."
Kerrigan's brow furrowed before turning to face the ailing young girl. "Toral? Likes me as in a crush? Tayla you must be joking." Kerrigan's face softened as she laughed. While Toral has been loyal to her thus far, Kerrigan knew that he had a presence in their small guild and suspected that he'd leap at the chance to replace her should such a chance itself.
Tayla was feeling better but was still too weak to sit up without struggling. Propping herself up against the wall, she added. "Kerrigan, I know my brother. He picks at you because he likes you. You haven't seen him do that with anyone else, have you?"
Kerrigan hadn't, but she wasn't sure if she should trust Tayla's words. She and Tayla had had their differences in the past. There was a sort of competition between them on Tayla's part in that Kerrigan was in control, a position which gave her some degree of attention that Tayla coveted. Tayla's jealousy had created more than one problem for Kerrigan and once had potentially put the whole group at risk. The young guildmistress shook her head and growled softly, both for herself as much as for Tayla. "I don't have time for this now. I have a job to do, and people to take care of without this nonsense." She stormed off with a dark cloud following her, causing several of her guild to scurry out of her way.
Tayla whispered softly to herself as she watch Kerrigan leave, lightly cradling her injured side. "There is more to life than the 'job' Kerrigan. I hope you learn that before a dagger finds your side, or back."
Kerrigan slipped into a darken corner of the warehouse out of the sight of the others. Her talents were her secret, and she only used them when working alone .... or in desperation, like when Tayla had been stabbed last week. It had been a big risk for her, but the healer did not see them arrive and Tayla was too far gone to remember anything. With a wave of her hand, a round purple disk, matching her violet eyes, appeared in the air before her. It amazed her as always as she reached out to touch it, sending soft ripples across the portal's surface as if it was water. Stepping through, she disappeared from the crumbling warehouse only to step out of the portal's twin on the roof top opposite the score. She waited as the sun finally set and the moon began to rise, watching the simple brick building. Finally, a single light appeared in a front window, only to be quickly shaded by whoever was inside.
~~One guard at least, maybe two.. this gets better and better.~~ Either they were confident that they were safe, or it was a trap. ~~Not much choice.~~ With a sigh, Kerrigan climbed down a back stairwell into the street. Looking both ways, she quickly ran across, one shadow melting into so many others. Creeping to the rear of the building, her eyes adjusted easily to the dim light. Barely a sound escaped as she made short work of the lock. Taking a deep breath and holding it, she opened the door. ~~Come what may, in for a penny, in for a pound.~~