The Road West

The Thieves Guild, written by Ja Kerr, Chapter ninety one, The Road Worst. Raylan stood outside the door to the guest quarters. He raised his hand to knock, then hesitated. His knuckles hovered an inch from the wood. He wasn't afraid of the council anymore. He wasn't afraid of Sacks or carch, but this, this terrified him. He knocked. Come in. Her voice wasn't sharp or commanding. It was soft, expectant. Raylan opened the door. Rebecca wasn't packing, She wasn't sharpening a knife or studying a map. She was sitting by the window, watching the last of the twilight fade over the ashes fields. She wore the red dress, but she had thrown a simple shawl over her shoulders, softening the edges of the dangerous color. She turned as he entered. Her face lit up, not with a smirk, but with a genuine, relieved smile that reached her eyes. You're alive for now, Raylan closed the door behind him. The room felt warm, a sanctuary from the cold stone of the rest of the tower. He noticed that he no longer asked for permission to enter, and as always, Rebecca was comfortable enough with him not to care. The vote is done and a tie. Allard was advising Polo and put forth one of our captains who had infiltrated the guild. Raylan walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. I didn't vote for him. Ah, now this is interesting. I must know your thought process. Because it is a tie. The guild will choose their own guild master, or I should say, the captains will choose. Rebecca grinned that result could not be any more Raylan than if I had scripted it. She stood up and walked over to the bed to sit next to him. I'm proud of you. You have once again chosen the path no one with any hint of political understanding would choose. She laughed, and it was the best thing Raylan had heard since he had found out that Allard was alive. I am leaving with you. A lad will hold the guild together. He is stronger than any of us. That is not true, but once again I appreciate your humility. Maddening as it may. Be, Rebecca nudged Raylan with her shoulder. So you chose me over ruling ness. It was true, but Raylan didn't necessarily want Rebecca to know. That I'm choosing knowledge over ignorance. Something is happening, and operating in the dark is dangerous. I want to know why the road was blocked. I want to know why a city would choose to forget its own magic. There are so many things I want to know, and so many things we all need to know. Raylan took Rebecca's hand, an overt gesture that he wasn't even sure meant anything. It just seemed like the right thing to do. You told me the wand was the key. You told me the answers were in Pietro's study. I believe you. I believe in you too. The air was thick with something that Raylan wasn't sure he was ready for. He let go of Rebecca's hand and stood pacing as he talked. I used to dream of Callisto, the Glittering Prize. I thought it was just a story, a place where the streets were gold and no one told you what to do. But ray found it on a map. How many of my other dreams are real, My dear Raylan. All of your dreams are real, but they often come with a price. Callisto is real, but it sits across a desert, a single brutal road, enticing many to take a journey that few survive. Raylan stopped and looked Rebecca in the eyes. I guess my whole life has been chasing my dreams and ignoring the price. This will just be one more example of that. Raylan nodded at Rebecca. You will need to change into your riding clothes. It is time to head west. The podcast Alchemy production