"We don't kill the competition," Lilah says. "We absorb it. So the Ouroboros eats its own tail in an endless cycle."

  "Get over yourself." Mamoru rolls his eyes. "Could you be more dramatic?"

  "Be nice," Izumi shushes him. "I've always wanted to be part of a Guild."

  "I can't just become a thief!" I exclaim.

  "Hiyori, you were hiding a demonic communication device from us. I don't think anything you say about legality is going to matter right now." Izumi is blunt and it hurts. "Even if the demons are the lawmakers, they're still the ones who got us all into this mess."

  "I was going to tell you about it."

  "When?"

  "I don't know," I answer truthfully. "I was looking for the right time." 

  "Quarrel in your spare time," Chey interrupts, her ears twitching irritably. "We've just extended the greatest invitation you could receive and all you can think of is squabbling amongst yourselves like some rowdy pups."

  "I'm in," Izumi says, jumping track without hesitation.

  "I'll think about it," Mamoru acquiesces. "It's definitely profitable."

  I hesitate again. "Tell me what you expect of us first."

  "The initiation isn't simple, and it won't be easy," Lilah says. "Our leader has something big planned, and if you can help us with it, you're in. If you fail, we'll pin it on you and take our leave."

  "That still doesn't explain—"

  "Stop being so impatient. You have no concept of dramatic tension."

  "I'd like to know what I'm signing up for before I sign up for it." I plant my feet in the ground firmly, crossing my arms. "I'm not going to blindly agree to—"

  "It's an undercover operation," Lilah says, shutting me right up.

  Correction: I'm going to blindly agree to whatever she has to say.

  Mamoru laughs as my posture changes completely. Izumi looks like she's holding back her own laughter. I hate how they know me so well already. Still, I'd rather they poke fun at me than hold a grudge against me for keeping secrets.

  "The puppet of a king will be welcoming some foreign diplomats for a dinner party in the castle," Lilah continues. "And the local lords are invited. They plan to present him with some sort of valuable item, and that’s what we’re looking for. I'll be going back to Windwood on my own and attending the party as a guest. We'll take you three as my personal valets and the rest will pose as hired help."

  "Windwood knows who we are. That won't work," I respond, automatically detecting the inconsistencies in the fake backstory.

  "I'll say I hired you."

  "You really won't let us bring you back? What's your excuse for disappearing going to be, then?"

  "I'll—"

  "You're terrible at this," Mamoru interrupts.

  "You still got caught," Lilah retorts.

  "Only for you to invite us to join you."

  "Shut up," Izumi says, covering Mamoru's mouth with a hand to emphasize her point. "Hiyorin has a point, though. Let us bring you home."

  "That's not my home," she insists.

  "Back to Windwood," Izumi sighs.

  "Fine. But not a word of this to him."

  "Of course not."

  "Then it's settled." Lilah begins pacing as she explains, “I’m glad to see this working out. We've been keeping tabs on your group since you arrived in Cha. We also want to see what you're really capable of."

  "Didn't you test us enough with that duel?" I ask.

  "Not nearly enough."

  "That only scratches the surface of what there is to learn about a person," Chey says. "Anyway, it's our leader who's really interested in you."

  "Who is he, anyway?" Mamoru asks with a frown. "I'm not joining forces with someone who won't show his face."

  Lilah and Chey exchange a look. Are they concocting some kind of lie to tell us, to keep us in the dark about as much as possible? They hold all of the cards; giving out their leader's identity would be a point in our favor.

  "Our leader prefers to operate out of the shadows," Chey says vaguely.

  "Okay, I'm with Hiyori now," Mamoru says, shaking his head. "Enough with the cryptic bullshit and out with the truth."

  "We've never met them. They communicate with us exclusively through a messenger. We’re meeting with them tonight to confirm the details." Lilah looks a little ashamed. "We're in the lowest echelon of the Guild."

  "So you're telling me that you're the rookie Thieve's Guild?" Mamoru's eyes flash with anger. "They didn't even think we were worth some of your senior members?"

  "If—" Lilah fumes. "When we pull off this job, we'll be on the fast track to promotions with the best of them. The branch of the Thieves' Guild in Cha might be the biggest in the kingdom, but we're only a fraction of that group."

  It did seem weird that such a far-reaching group that prided itself on secrecy was comprised of so few people operating out of a single building. Maybe they kept their identities secret from each other for a reason. It would be a lot harder to rat someone out if you didn't know their name or face.

  "This is every bit an initiation for us as it is for you," she confesses, her freckled face finally burning with embarrassment. "Are you happy now?"

  Mamoru smirks. "Very."

  "Lilah, we'll do it," Izumi says. "You just need to be upfront with us."

  "I'll tell you everything," she agrees.

  "Thank you."

  “Now, let’s all get some rest. Come with me, I’ll take you to your new rooms.”