With a steady hand, Renae began picking the lock to the first door, as per Sera’s instructions. Her sense of hearing was heightened as her heart pounded away in her chest. The dining area was much quieter now that the guards were gone. All Renae could hear was a mixture of angry voices which were scolding softer apologetic ones and the sounds of plates and utensils clattering. Finally hearing an audible click, Renae carefully opened the door and snuck inside. Gently pushing her back against the door to close it, she now found herself in the castle’s lower library.

The room was dark and the lanterns, which were mounted on the walls, were unlit. With the only light in the room coming from a small, barred window which stood high above the ground, Renae quietly began tiptoeing around. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness with every step, allowing her to navigate the room more easily. She breathed in the smell of the old leather books as she passed by numerous bookcases, occasionally running a rough hand over the embossed spines. Even though she could barely navigate the room without bumping into another bookcase, she happily bounced on her tiptoes with every step. She briefly fantasized about a life in which she and her two best friends could live like nobility: a life in which they would never worry about food nor shelter ever again. Her heart filled with warmth as she recalled memories from their past. Even though several years had passed and she was no longer as malnourished and weak as she once was, Renae remained short and scrawny next to others her age. Yet Andyr and Sera never doubted her abilities as a picklock and showed her a kindness which she could never repay.

As she found the railing, Renae quietly ascended the winding steps. The window in the upper library was much larger, and she looked outside onto the ocean, before continuing her journey through the library. As she grazed over the books on the shelves again, she reminisced about her ‘thieving adventures’ with Sera and Andyr: some big schemes, some small, petty thefts. If every single one of their escapades had been recorded in a book, they would have shelves upon shelves filled with stories as well. She smiled to herself, noting that she’d call the work something like The Thieving Three.

Finally reaching the door, she placed her ear against the cold door and listened for movement outside. Hearing nothing on the other side, she gently pulled the handle towards her and shrugged when it didn’t budge. She quickly got on her knees and located the keyhole underneath the handle with her fingertips. She reached for her lockpicks and carefully inserted them into the opening. She bit her lip as she fiddled with the lock in the dark. Removing the lockpicks from the keyhole, she clenched her jaw.

“Why the hell is this lock so different from the one downstairs!” Renae thought as she wiped sweat from her brow, “I need to hurry up, damn it! I don’t have time for this!”

She took a deep breath before she reattempted to unlock the door. This time, she slid the flat-headed tool in and closed her eyes after she inserted the hook-shaped tool. She lightly tapped the top of the keyhole and felt three areas – pins – which she could push upwards. These three pins stood between her and a life of luxury. Feeling the weight of the pins in the lock, she carefully pushed the tip of the tool upward, pushing the three pins upwards, which resulted in a soft click. Letting out a satisfied sigh, she hastily removed the tools.

Crack.