The Unknown Thief

Part 9

Chapter 9

Aubrey narrowed her eyes at the smiling man.  He looked a little too happy with himself.  For once, she wished she could pass her curse off on the man just to understand what was going through his mind.  She tucked her brown hair behind her ear, and froze, realizing that she stood before him in her true form.

Immediately, her hair darkened along with her eyes, and she was Abe again.  Nathaniel sent her a disappointed look.  "I like the other better."

"Yes, well," she stopped, not being able to think of any valid excuse. 

"Well?" he questioned with a smirk.

She shrugged.  "I like to keep that part of myself to those in my family."

"I think you are lying."

"That would be nice," she mumbled before shaking her head at him.  "I do not want others to know my true looks.  It makes it more difficult to gain friends when they know who I am.  My family does not care what I look like; I will always be the same person."

"It makes sense," he agreed.  "How do you do that?"

"It is a magic that has always come easy to me," she explained.  "I just picture the way that I should look and change myself accordingly."

"Have you ever," he paused as if he was contemplating his question, "turned into a person you knew?"

She was shaking her head before he even got the words out.  "I would never do that."

"Why?"

"It is an invasion of privacy, and it causes more harm than good."

"You did not seem to care for harm when you stole my painting."

She rolled her eyes at him.  "Ainsely returned it."

He waved a hand dismissivelly. "I wanted to know why you do it. Your brother did not tell me why."

"Ainsely," she whispered while narrowing her eyes at the wall to her right.  Walking over to it, she ran her hand over the stones before she found the one she was looking for.  Tapping on it twice, a small opening appeared in it.  "Ainsely," she said into it.

Something crashed on the other side of the wall.  She heard Ainsely mumble a curse.  "What is it, sister?"

"Oh, were you busy?" she questioned with humor.

His frustrated groan echoed through her room.  "Yes, now would you please tell me what it is you want so I can get back to my lovely quest."

She crinkled her nose in disgust.  "I am on the other side of the wall."

"It is why father made the stones so thick."

Her disgust tripled.  "Fine, I wanted to ask you to stay out of my matters."

"What matter?" he asked absentmindedly.

"The painting," she hissed at him.  As soon as the words left her mouth, Daisy uncurled herself and hissed at the wall.  She glanced down at her dragon with a smile.  Daisy always sensed her anger.

"He came from a powerful family.  You could not afford to have them chasing after you."

"Not your decision."

"Someone has to look after you, and our parents want to let you deal with it yourself."

"Why do you not take heed of their actions?"

He chuckled, but she knew the chuckle was not for her.  "What would be the fun in that?"

Her anger doubled.  She was attempting to have a serious conversation with him, but he just ignored her.  She opened her mouth, ready to yell at him, when a hand closed over her lips.