Honor Among Thieves: The Druid's Call

Contents Cover Title Page Copyright Contents Preface Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Dedication Acknowledgments Other Titles About the Author Landmarks Cover Cover Title Page Contents Start Copyright Print Page List v vi 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 vii 283 284 ii 285 287 295 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 All characters in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. All Wizards of the Coast characters, character names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof, are property of Wizards of the Coast LLC.
 Wizards of the Coast, Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, their respective logos, and the dragon ampersand are registered trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the U.S.A. and other countries.
 © 2023 Wizards of the Coast LLC
 © 2023 Paramount Pictures Corporation
 All rights reserved.
 Published in the United States by Random House Worlds, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.
 Random House is a registered trademark and Random House Worlds and colophon are trademarks of Penguin Random House LLC.
 Hardback ISBN 9780593598160
 Ebook ISBN 9780593598177
 randomhousebooks.com
 Book design by Alexis Capitini, adapted for ebook
 Additional editorial by Allison Avalon Irons
 Cover illustration: Alice Duke
 Cover design: Ella Laytham
 ep_prh_6.0_142813758_c0_r0
 
 
 Contents
 
 Cover
 Title Page
 Copyright
 
 
 Preface
 
 
 Chapter 1
 
 
 Chapter 2
 
 
 Chapter 3
 
 
 Chapter 4
 
 
 Chapter 5
 
 
 Chapter 6
 
 
 Chapter 7
 
 
 Chapter 8
 
 
 Chapter 9
 
 
 Chapter 10
 
 
 Chapter 11
 
 
 Chapter 12
 
 
 Chapter 13
 
 
 Chapter 14
 
 
 Chapter 15
 
 
 Chapter 16
 
 
 Chapter 17
 
 
 Chapter 18
 
 
 Chapter 19
 
 
 Chapter 20
 
 
 Chapter 21
 
 
 Chapter 22
 
 
 Chapter 23
 
 
 Dedication
 Acknowledgments
 By E. K. Johnston
 About the Author
 
 
 
 
 In her parents’ defense, they did try. They didn’t do a very good job, and they definitely gave up the moment things got difficult, but they did try.
 And that is how the tiefling Doric survived babyhood.
 
 
 
 CHAPTER 1
 The sharp twang of a bowstring had a way of attracting attention. Arrows could be quiet if they were fletched properly, and a well-trained ranger could move through a pile of dry leaves without making a noise. But some things were just unavoidable. If you were going to take a shot, you had to be sure your aim was true, because you might not get another chance.
 Doric’s arrow went wide, and the herd of deer that she and her fellows had been diligently tracking split up in a panic and melted into the trees.
 “That was better!” said a chipper voice beside her. Torrieth could always be counted on for encouragement, even when Doric wasn’t in the mood for it. It was the foundation of their relationship and had been since the first time the slender, dark-haired elf had laid eyes on her.
 Doric crashed through the brush to retrieve her arrow. She didn’t even try to be quiet, and her tail thrashed at the low-growing shrubs in the underbrush. She looked up and saw a snowy owl perched above her. Even the owl looked judgmental. She stuck her tongue out at it, but it didn’t react.
 “We can’t eat what we don’t shoot,” Doric pointed out, returning to her friend’s side.
 “There are plenty of deer,” Torrieth told her. “Maybe the others will have better luck.”
 Doric wanted to tell her that it wasn’t luck. It was skill, and it was a skill that she couldn’t seem to master no matter how long she practiced. She knew the other hunting parties were positioned so that after she screwed up, they’d be able to take advantage of the panicking deer. Her incompetence was part of the plan, an example of how she was able to contribute. She hated that.
 “You know,” Torrieth continued, “no one expects you to be out here. You don’t have