A Year and a Day in Old Theradane by Scott Lynch

Theradane, a city of deep magic, ruled by a council of eternally feuding wizards. Theradane, a city of opportunity, where bold dreamers brave the fallout from the wizard wars to make their living. Theradane, a city of sanctuary, where wanted criminals from all over the world can pay a fortune to secure a safe place for their retirement.

Amarelle Parathis, the Duchess Unseen, one of the greatest thieves in history, was surviving such a retirement until she accidentally offended the powerful sorceress Ivovandas. Now Amarelle and her crew of brilliant misfits have a task: secretly steal an object of power from a rival wizard every bit as dangerous as Ivovandas. The object? A city street, hundreds of yards long, upon which thousands of people tread day and night. The stakes? Their freedom, very possibly their lives. The deadline? A year and a day.

Amarelle and her friends will need every minute of it...

Originally published in the 2013 anthology ROGUES, this...