Ereptus never wanted to be responsible for anyone but himself, so when an old friend asks him to escort a special young girl to safety he's less than pleased about the idea. The girl isn't too keen herself, finding the handsome thief untrustworthy...
They rode out of town early the next morning. The sun had only just shown its face, and Rain was so tired that she didn't bother keeping her distance from Ereptus. She shamelessly used his back as a pillow and almost fell asleep leaning against it. For once they rode in companionable silence, and Rain felt more at ease than she had her whole life. She wasn't sure when it had happened, but she trusted Ereptus.
"Tell me about your life," she suddenly blurted out.
"What?" Ereptus seemed surprised.
"Tell me about your life," she repeated. "Why did you become a thief?"
He seemed uncomfortable with the subject. "It wasn't a choice, really. It was the only way to survive. Like you, I once lived on the streets. Well, I suppose I still do in a way as I don't have a place to call home. Only now I steal enough to rent a room for the night most of the time."
"And to buy fancy clothes," Rain pointed out, tugging lightly on his fine tunic. "I never would have guessed from the way you dress that you're homeless. Or a thief."
"That's the point." She could feel him chuckle as much as she could hear it, with her body still against his on the horse. "Dressed like I am, I can easily get into better quality inns and talk to the wealthy people. That's the way to make easy money. I don't steal enough to save up, just to live a comfortable life."
"That sounds nice." Rain sighed.
"You will not end up like me!" Ereptus snapped, almost making her jump off the horse. Peeves peeked out of her tunic, hissing and growling.
"Why not?" Rain asked, calming the little reptile by patting him tenderly. "It seems like an easy way of living."
"You can have a much better life. You have the gift of magic. Gaylen is making sure that you're getting the help that you need to learn to control it. I don't want you to waste his effort by living on the streets and stealing what you need."
"I don't have any money," Rain pointed out. "How am I supposed to pay for room and board?"
"Get an honest job."
"Who would hire a lonely girl?"
Ereptus seemed thoughtful. "Some would. But I don't even know if this is an issue. The Sorcerers may even give you room and board. I know little about them and how it works when they find new people gifted with magic. It's not exactly an everyday occurrence."
Rain didn't reply. Instead, she leaned her head against his back, nuzzling into his tunic. If needed, she would steal again. She'd been decent at it, even if she hadn't had to do it as much the last few years. Living with Gaylen had meant she had food most days, and she'd only stolen now and then to help him out.
They spent the next few days getting to know each other better, and in Rain's opinion, they were becoming good friends. Ereptus told her more of his life as a young boy on the streets, and she told him what she remembered of her early years, living with an abusive, unloving father. Now that he was no longer grudgingly allowing her along, she found that he was very charming, something he definitely used to his advantage in thievery.
One evening she watched with fascination as Ereptus started a companionable conversation with an innkeeper, stealing the man's coin pouch, to later pay for their room with the very money he had just stolen. She'd struggled to keep her face straight when the thief had even tipped the grateful innkeeper.
The longer she spent with Ereptus, the more she was learning to like him, and as the days passed, she couldn't help but hope for a different end to their journey.
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