The Unknown Thief

Part 7

Chapter 7

She drew herself further back into the shadows, hoping that the guard wouldn't notice her.  Sending a whisper into the night, she asked the house to hide her.  The stones against her back shifted causing her to fall back.  Expecting to hit the cold ground, she was surprised when her body connected with another.  The tail that was constantly wrapped around her leg, unbound itself as Daisy hissed at the stranger.

Glancing up at the man, Aubrey let out a sigh.  Out of all the people her childhood home would bring her to, it had to pick him?  She still looked like Abe, so the man would not recognize her from earlier, but that did not mean she wanted to run into him.  She pushed herself away and turned with narrow-eyed look.  "What are you roaming the halls at night for?"

He raised an eyebrow.  "I could ask you the same."

"But, you did not," she pointed out.  "Now, please answer the question.  Why are you in my halls?"

"Your halls?" he said with a smile, and she immediately saw the mistake of her words.  Understanding crossed his face, making his smile widen.  "You felt familiar."

"You have only touched my hand," she mumbled, "and I am perfectly aware that it had been my back touching your front.  My hands did not touch yours."That is not what I meant. Although I have to admit, I liked having you pressed against me," he told her with a smirk, letting her know that this man was confident.  He thought he could get any one he wanted.  It would be fun to crash all of his hopes.

"What did you mean then?  You said that I 'felt' familiar, though you are not familiar with my body."

"The hum around you," he said while reaching a hand towards her cheek.  Holding her breath, she waited for the contact.  The tip of his finger trailed down her chin before he stopped.  The touch was barely there, but she could feel the electricity behind it.  Taking a step back, she shook her head.  The man had too much magic; it was the only way to explain the dazed feeling she felt, or the electricity that ran through her.

"Yes, it is definitely you, my little thief."

Anger coursed through her.  "I am not little."

"Have a height problem, do you?"

Daisy, picking up on her anger, shifted closer to Aubrey and let out a little cough.  The man looked down in disinterest before his eyes widen in realization.  "Your dragon," he gulped.

Aubrey took a step back while the man swatted at his clothes.  "Yes, she is my friend, one that happens to be very protective and one that obviously does not like your clothing."

"Put it out!" he hissed while pulling his shirt off. 

Aubrey stopped for a minute to admire the view as the man patted at his pants with his now charred shirt.  "Use magic."

He glared up at her.  "If I had that kind of magic, do you think I would not use it?"

"You do," she said in confusion while waving a hand at him.  The flames immediately dispersed.  She didn't tell him that if Daisy had tried, the fire would have been unstoppable unless the dragon herself stopped it.

He looked down in amazement.  "How did you do that?"

"Are you serious?  You are," she said in wonderment.  How could the man not realize the power that he held?  Was he really that clueless?  "You just let it flow.  To start off with, you have to concentrate on what you're doing, but after a while, it just becomes natural."

"How long have you known this?" he asked while motioning his had in the same way she was earlier. 

Wincing, she stepped towards him and grabbed his hand.  "Do not just wave your hand like that if you do not know what you are doing.  To answer your question, I have worked with magic since I was a child.  It is part of me.  Why do you not know more about it?  Did your family not teach you?"

"The land did not recognize me," he said with surprisingly no emotion.

She looked at his eyes and saw the emotion that he was trying to hide.  He was disappointed, and Aubrey had a feeling that it was more in himself than it was his family.  "Then you were not where you belonged," she told him with total conviction. 

"Your brother said the same," he told her with a laugh.  "Do you look like him?"

"What do you mean?" she asked while lifting her free hand to her face, self-consciously.  Pulling out of his grip, she straightened her shoulders.  "This is how I look."

He shook his head at her, a smile still planted firmly on his face.  "You're using magic.  I don't know how I know, but I do. It's easy to detect around you."

"No it is not," she denied.  She had worked with her magic for a long time; she had learned how to mask it, and this man should not be able to detect it as easily as he did.

He reached his hand out once more, but she stepped back to keep him from touching her.  "I'm sorry," he mumbled.  "I just wanted to prove it to you.  It is surrounds you.  The odd thing is that I did not see it before."

Aubrey mumbled a curse, realizing what had happened.  It was Cora's consequence.  He was somehow connected to her in an irreversible way.  Aubrey had not realized how connected they were.  "That is my fault.  I have friends that intervene when they think I am in need of help.  They do not think of the repercussions."

"What friend?" he asked while glancing down at Daisy in suspicion.  At least the man was not afraid of her any longer.

"A gypsy," she replied, "which explains my disguise."

"Ah, yes.  That does explain the color and clothing.  I met a gypsy today, she was not the most forthcoming woman, but she was interesting."

"Cora," Aubrey supplied absentmindedly while glancing around for more guards.  They would not give up yet; they would keep the hunt going until she reached her brother's chamber.

"You know her name?  How do you know her name?  Wait, are you Abe?  Is that the name you use?"

She nodded.  "Yes, and do not worry.  Your life may be tied into mine, but the only one who can hurt me is me.  Quick, tell me why you were roaming the halls.  I must be on my way."

"I was looking for you," he mumbled.  "What were you doing?"

"Playing a game," she replied before shoving him into a wall.  His mouth opened in protest, bust she slammed her hand over it before he could mumble a word. Pressing her body into his, she waited until the footsteps left before taking a step back.

"A game?" he asked while following her movement.

She nodded.  "I have to make it to my brother's chamber.  Whoever catches me gets a reward."

"And who created this game?"

"Me, of course," she told him with a large smile.  "It helps me with training.  My father taught me a lot growing up, but his guards taught me just as much.  If I can get past my father's men, there is nowhere I cannot go."

"Including my manor?" he asked, but she could hear the humor in his voice.  He wasn't angry, but that did not keep her from wincing at the reminder of what she did.

"I will return the awful thing if you would like."

He waved a hand dismissively.  "Your brother returned it earlier."

"Ainsely," she mumbled with a twinge of anger.  "We will continue this conversation at a later date.  You should be able to find me when you need to, now that we are bound.  Oh, and you did well," she said while darting down the hall.

"What did I do?" he yelled, causing her to run faster.  How could the man not notice how the halls were now lit?  How could he not notice that fire came from each lantern on the wall?  How did he not realize that it was his power that lit them?  The man was powerful.  Something Aubrey better remember.  

***new bookcover on the side by FreesiaLockheart***