Embers: Path of Fire Book One

Chapter 5: Once a Thief

It was raining and there wasn't anything to be done. Keenin was stuck inside. Alaban sat at the table crushing plants while Keenin sat in front of the fire. He had been told that he didn't need to do anything and Alaban had already taken charge of his usual job so Keenin figured he could at least keep the fire going.

The only reason he could think of to leave the house was to bring in more wood, but there was enough dry wood stacked inside that there wasn't a need. With his prospects for getting out to quickly pay the fee ruined already, all he had to do was think of where this money would come from. It wasn't a motivating position.

As he gloomily watched the fire, Keenin wondered if he could urge it to burn faster and he could almost see the flames jumping higher at the thought, but the logs disintegrated as slowly as always. He took the fire poker off its hook and prodded at the ashes in a continued attempt to stave off his boredom.

"Did those thieves say anything to you yesterday?" Alaban asked.

Keenin stopped harassing the flames and slid the poker out of the ash to hang back on the hook.

"I didn't see them," Keenin replied.

He looked over at the wood pile to select the next piece. Keenin wasn't always good at lying. He hoped that if he made himself look preoccupied he would be left alone. Alaban didn't ask further. He started coughing. Keenin looked over as the man rose from his chair and stood holding a hand against his chest. He continued coughing so hard that Keenin started to worry, but he couldn't think of what to do.

"The shelf," Alaban wheezed out before launching into another fit.

Keenin went over immediately.

"Lowest. Behind the jars. Give me the bottle."

Keenin pushed aside the jars on the lower shelf to expose a small bottle full of a yellow substance. He brought this over to Alaban who took out the stopper and drank down the liquid. His coughing eased up and stopped with a sign. Alaban breathed steadily once more.

"Are you going to be alright?" Keenin asked.

"Sometimes the pollen gets into my chest," Alaban explained.

He sat back down and started cleaning up the mess of discarded plants and powder.

"I think I've done enough today. And Keenin, you know you shouldn't lie to me."

"What?" Keenin said.

"About those thieves. You're not the only one who saw them. Since you came back in once piece I assume they wanted something."

"Even if they did say something it's none of your business," Keenin told him.

The old guy should have stayed out of it.

"When you're in my house it is my business and you're in my care," Alaban stressed, "Do you think that I want my house robbed or you killed while I'm off selling potions?"

Keenin wanted to say that it was Alaban's fault for making him stay, but Keenin was the one who had begged to replace the stolen goods.

"They wanted money," Keenin confessed.

"How much?" Alaban asked.

"What does it matter?" Keenin said frustrated.

He arranged the jars back on the shelf.

"I think I would prefer to give it than have it stolen," Alaban returned, as Keenin paced to the fire to brandish the poker against the flames.

"Then give them that dumb map."