One Of Few

Chapter 6 - Sister

Sister. The word echoed through my mind as I stared at Tandie. He had a sister? What else didn’t I know about him? My eyes returned to the girl, and suddenly I saw it. The hair, the eyes, even the faint dusting of freckles; it was all the same. I could’ve guessed they were related if I’d thought about it.

    At my lack of response, Tandie bit his lip awkwardly and continued. “Arabelle, this is Owen. Owen... this is my sister, Arabelle.”

    Arabelle flashed me a grin that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Pleased to meet you, Owen. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

    I stared for half a second before replying. “Um, it’s nice to meet you too. I...” My eyes flicked to Tandie and back again. “Tandie hasn’t mentioned you.”

    A faint smirk appeared for a brief moment. “Of course he hasn’t.” I wasn’t sure what to say to that. She laughed, a light sound. “Goddesses, you are too funny.”

    My brow scrunched. “What-”

    “You’re just as awkward as Tandie says,” she said, cutting me off. Her face, carefully composed up to this point, broke into a large grin. “I like you.”

    Completely befuddled by now, I simply nodded. “Okay,” I said, though it came out sounding more like a question. In an attempt to regain my composure - if I’d ever had any - I turned back to Tandie. “So...” I began, wondering how to phrase it. “You have a sister.” Okay, not what I meant to say. But that’d work.

    He scratched the back of his head awkwardly. “Yeah... long story.” Arabelle looked at him, jabbing him with her elbow, and he yelped slightly. “Oi! Watch it,” he said with a hint of a glare. She simply smiled, and he sighed. “Anyway, she’s here as a... as a...” He stopped and took a deep breath. “I’ll regret this later, but she’s here as a recruit.”

    Immediately, I felt my eyebrows shoot up. Whatever reasons I’d thought up for him introducing me to her, that wasn’t one of them. Automatically, I started summing her up.

She was thin, lithe in a way that would be good for thieving. She held herself confidently, head high. This I wondered about, but I knew thieves like that, and they were some of the best in the business. Her face was innocent, unassuming, though her eyes still held a challenge. I wondered for a moment if she was older than I’d previously thought; innocent faces can seem younger. I dismissed the thought. It wasn’t important.

I thought back to when I’d first seen her step out; she was graceful, I decided, an attribute that would be useful. She was small, shorter than I was. Better for nooks and crannies, I thought. Tandie shifted uncomfortably, and I was brought back to the present.

“Sorry. Recruit, right.” So much for regaining my composure. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a slight smirk on Arabelle’s face. I turned to her. “So you think you have what it takes to be a thief, eh?”

She nodded confidently. “I think I have more than what it takes.”

I felt the corner of my mouth twitch in amusement. She was cocky. “Then show me what you’ve got.” I held my arms open wide, stepping backwards a bit, giving her room.

She faltered for a brief moment, and I eyed her, taking note of it. What would she do? Her eyes glanced towards Tandie, who had also backed away slightly. An area of five feet or so had been cleared around her, giving plenty of room for whatever she had to show me.

I blinked, and she smirked. She held up her hand, dangling what looked to be a silver ring hanging from a braided flaxen cord. My eyes widened and my hand flew to my throat, fingers scrabbling for the cord that should have been around my neck. How had she stolen that? She simply laughed as she swung the ring back and forth through the air.