The Unwitting Thief

Chapter 5d - A Dangerous Path

Thomas trailed after Avelyn as she went from store to store. He had become the designated mule, carrying everything as she strode ahead of him, ticking off the list of things she needed to get off her fingers as she went.

He loved watching her as she bartered with the merchants, bringing each of them to their knees, financially of course, although he had seen her hand twitching towards her weapons belt more than once in response to a stray or lewd comment.

She was a social chameleon, constantly reacting and changing based on the character in front of her. It was amazing to watch her, but it made him feel strangely jealous when she turned on her charm to bring the price down with some of the men.

He still didn't know where they would be going, having not understood a lot of what had happened during the meeting before. He also hadn't had a chance to ask her, though even if he'd had a chance he probably wouldn't have said anything. Knowing wouldn't help him, and asking would only make him seem stupid and ignorant.

While she was distracted, bartering with an older woman, who seemed more resistant to her charms than some of the others, over her range of herbs, Thomas felt a hand slam down on his shoulder.

"There you are! We have been looking all over for you!"

Thomas felt a huge wave of relief flood through him as he turned around to see Jeff and Wez stood in front of him.

"Who's the pretty red head you were staring at?" Jeff made a move to walk towards Avelyn, but Thomas panicked and pulled them both away from the old woman's stall and into a nearby alley.

"What the hell Thomas?"

"Shh!" Thomas peeked out of the alley, and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Avelyn still focussed on her task, although he knew she would notice his absence sooner rather than later. After all, he was holding all of her purchases.

Jeff was unimpressed with being shushed. "Who are you hiding us from? Is it that girl?"

Thomas turned back to his friends, "Look, I don't have much time, but I am so glad you found me!"

Wez looked at him, worry etched into his face, "I don't like the sound of where this is going."

"Martin's sending me on a job, I have to leave the city for a bit. I need you to help me out here, can you talk to Samantha and cover my payments to Andrea until I get back?"

Jeff scoffed, "Let me see if I have this straight. You get to leave the city, leaving us to work without you, and on top of that you want us to pay your bills for you? Why do we get the short end of the stick."

Wez elbowed Jeff in the ribs, "I think you missed the part about Martin sending him on a job." Wez looked even more concerned now, "Thomas those things usually never end well, what does he want you to do?"

"I'm heading to some ruins somewhere, I can't remember where, with a group of Travellers. Martin wants me to gain their trust, find out what I can about them, and make sure they come back to the city after they find whatever it is they're looking for. Then he'll take it from them."

Thomas didn't mention the crystal. He didn't want to tell them anything really, it would make them worry too much, but if he had told them nothing then their imagination would have filled in for him.

Wez was tongue tied and Jeff's jaw had dropped.

Jeff got his composure back first, "Travellers? Seriously? You? How're you going to manage that?"

Thomas had thought the same himself, but he felt defensive as he heard it from someone else, "I've already been invited to join them, actually. So you don't have to write me off straight away."