It was a risky deal. Steal from Chalwood Manor and join the thief's gang, or back out and die by Carlton's hand.

"Deal." I said firmly. Drue repeated what I had said. 

"Well then," Shade said smiling, "Welcome to our camp." He turned to the girl. "Escort Ky to his new room and introduce him to the area."

She glowered at me as she marched past and I followed her out of the room. She seemed pretty angry, but I couldn't tell if it was at me, Shade, or Drue. Her green eyes were blazing and her dirty blonde hair was whipping back and forth in the ponytail she had it in. 

"So," I began, initiating a conversation. "What's your name?" 

"Oh just shut up!" She said. I guess I was the one that she was mad at. "I should have never...Ugh...I should have killed you on that alley." 

"I haven't done anything completely wrong yet, haven't I?" I stated. She looked at me.

"You don't understand, Ky. If we go rushing off to some house, the Thief will be extremely angry. And if he's angry, we're all in trouble."

"But if we pull this off," I said, "then he'll be more impressed."

"Do you actually believe we can pull off a heist like that?" She asked.

"I think we actually might."

We walked the rest of the way in mostly silence. She pointed out the different buildings that I had noticed on the way here. Then led me to a side wing in the cave. Before I realized what was happening, she had me locked in the prison cell. 

"What's all this?" I asked.

"It's rules. We can't trust anybody until they prove themselves or are part of the gang. Even then, we have to lock up some members sometimes and let them cool off."

"So when am I going to get out." I asked.

"If you manage to escape from here," she said while tying my wrists, "which no one has ever done, then your abilities might be believed and we'll attack the manor. If not, well, have a nice life." 

"Thanks for the tips." I said leaning over the bars, "I'll see you in a few minutes."

"Sure thing." She said laughing. The girl walked out of the room. Tucked safely in my palms was a hair pin. When she was getting the rope for my wrists, I grabbed the pin off of her head and hid it safely. Now for my tied hands. I had learned to untie my wrists after numerous brawls with shopkeepers, thugs, and bullies in the alleys. After working the rope off my wrists, I leaned over to the key hole, and stuck the pin in it. I moved it around, hearing everything click in place, then swung the door open. 

I hid in the shadows of the giant rock structures and tried to find the girl. She was talking to one of the members by the dining hall.

"Yea," she said, "the boy is locked up in the cell. I just waiting for him to give up."

"No one can get past you, Leah." Said the man. Leah. Her name was Leah. I waited until the man had left and followed the girl down the path paved down the middle of the cave.

I caught up to her, then said, "So, your name is Leah." Her head jerked around and she stared at me, mouth agape. 

"How did you..." Leah began. I shrugged my shoulders. 

"So now do you believe me?" I asked her.

"Yes." She responded. "I'm going to tell Shade."

I followed her to Shade's room and she told him of my escape, one that I was pretty impressed with. 

"Hannaleah," he said, "Escort Ky to his real room and release Drue from his prison. Tomorrow we will head out to the Manor."

As we left, I arched my eyebrows. "Hannaleah?"

"It's my full name." She said. "Shade is my dad." I stared at her for a moment. They both did have the green eyes. 

"So is it a father-daughter organization?" I asked.

"No, he's second in command, and really wants to be the leader. But the Thief is more powerful and is better than he is."

"Speaking of the Thief, where is he?" I asked, hoping I would get a decent answer.

"He's on a trip. Said he's looking for some new recruits and has a special job that he needs to do. He'll be back in a couple days."Of course! He had to be planning the assassination of the royal family. I myself never liked the royal family, but if I didn't want to die, then I would have to do the job.

"Here's your room." Said Leah, pointing to a wooden frame with a sheet on it. It wasn't Chalwood Manor, but it was better than the orphanage. "I'll see you in the morning." She left the room.

I sat on my bed, planning our attack on Kenswick's Manor.