The last floor was something Griem and Aylie didn’t expect. Walls draped with thick dark purple curtains and floor matching the same. There were no tables, no crowds of people, no...anything. Except for a single chair in the middle of the dark floor.

There was no teller beside the stairs. Why? This is the highest floor yet no one to guard what...ever this is.

Aylie unlatched the red velvet buckle from the stairs and proceeded onwards with Griem behind her. The echoes of their heels clicking through the room.

“This doesn’t seem right. Griem, hand me your dagger.” Aylie said, gesturing her hand forward.

“My dagger is probably in some beggar’s pocket, I didn’t have time to retrieve it.”

“Not your own, the dagger you picked up from the thief.” said Aylie, kneeling beside the chair.

Griem lifted up the hem of her dress until her abdomen was in full show. The golden hilted dagger buckled underneath her chest in a leather sheath. She unlatched one side of the pocket and let the dagger hang, pulling it out and handing it over to Aylie’s open palm.

She held the dagger up beside the weird patterned peg of the chair.

“We need to go,” said Aylie, a panic in her voice, “we need to go now.”

The curtains from the side opened up simultaneously, revealing a dozen or so crossbows lined, aiming for where we stood. The curtain in the front of the room opened up slower than the others, revealing a giant black and white painting.

“Aylie,” said Griem, back turned towards her with an outstretched hand, “dagger.”

She tossed the dagger from the blade to which Griem caught at the golden hilt, holding it sideways.

“Let us make for the stairs, there doesn’t seem to be any triplines.” said Aylie.

“Well if there are no triggers, something must be controlling the curtains.”

“This was a bad idea…” Aylie said, her lip quivering.

“You say that now! I’ve been telling you since the start that this was a suicide mission.” yelled Griem,

“It’s not a suicide,” whispered Aylie, “no, they won’t be so kind.”

A spotlight shined on the two thieves like a deer caught in the headlights.

“Kralia Teorassin, and Clark....Lemossi is it?” a deep voice came on from the speakers somewhere in the room, “What arrogance, using such high profile figures as a disguise.”

“I think you may have gotten the wrong idea, kind gentleman. Why do—”

“Spare me the quick tongue, Aylie. What you have done and what you are doing is sets a bad precedent.”

“Really? And what precedent may that be?” she taunted.

Though, is this really a time for arrogance? Griem would have tuck and rolled for the stairs hoping for the best. A stationary crossbow is only good for stationary targets. Right?

“The precedent that an officer of Helvin will be here trying to destroy everything I’ve built.”

Upon hearing those words, Griem turned around, holding the dagger towards Aylie like the time they first met.

“It seems your companion had no idea. Why don’t you tell her Aylie, how you are the highest ranking officer of the notorious thieves guild.”

Griem tightened her grip on the dagger and scowled at the tall thief beside her. She noticed the creeping smirk that became more apparent as time went on. Griem took a step backwards as Aylie tried to move forwards, however a bolt shot between them to stop her.

Griem had no idea if Aylie was sadistic or played her for a fool. She took another step back, no bolt. Aylie walked closer to her, two arrows shot out, Griem turned around and bolted towards the stairs, not looking back. She heard the crossbow launch again but this time, Aylie’s groans accompanied it.

Without another word escaping Griem’s mouth, she bolted for the stairs and slid down the railings. Leaving behind the bolt pierced Aylie in that forsaken place

Fuck it all.