You can read the previous chapter here!
“We’re here,” breathed Candace as she rushed through the side door of the estate. She ran into the living room and laid Asp out on the couch. Candace turned to Oslo, who was sitting with the rest of the gang over drinks. “Trouble,” Candace said, holding up her bloody hands.
“Explain,” said Oslo, scowling.
Candace tried to catch her breath. “The teapot from that job two years ago, the dwarf who fingered the curator?”
Oslo nodded.
“She came back, and she was talking about how what she did wasn’t right. She was going right for the guards. She was saying she was gonna turn Asp in when I did it. She had someone with her. I had to do her too.” Candace’s voice sounded normal, hardly elevated.
“Anybody see you?” Oslo asked.
“I’m almost sure we were invisible,” said Candace, tending to Asp.
Oslo gestured Candace out of the way and got in Asp’s face. “Hey, Asp!” he called. “Anybody see you?”
Asp didn’t reply. She didn’t move. Oslo stared at her as though he couldn’t tell if she had registered anything that had just happened.
“She’s in shock,” said Candace, her voice downcast. “Maybe the worst I’ve ever seen. She’s somewhere else.”
“Well, that’s not great,” said Oslo, frustration mounting in his voice. “I got word that the armored cart schedule is changing. They’re afraid of getting hit, so they’re going at night now. The last trip around here for a while is tonight, in fact. I think our plan is ready. I say we go tonight.”
“With Asp like this?” asked Jehosaphat. “It’s her job.”
“What if this hadn’t happened, and we had to knock off the wagon guards?” asked Oslo. “She’d be flopping around on the ground ‘in shock’ while the rest of us worked. Maybe it’s for the best.”
Jehosaphat looked like he had more to say, then reconsidered. “A vote, then?” he said, tired.
“Now’s the time, folks,” said Oslo, trying to inspire confidence. “Who’s with me?”
Oslo raised a hand. Gregorio did too. Then Dancer, and Gunther.
“One more and we go,” said Oslo, glancing around. “Anybody?”
Candace glanced down at Asp and cautiously put up a hand. “I think we can do it.”
“Then let’s get moving,” said Oslo decisively. “Be ready in five.”
Everyone but Candace left the room. She knelt to Asp on the couch. “Hey, honey, you in there?” She held a bloody hand up to Asp’s forehead. “No fever. Just shock. You’ll be okay,” she said with a smile. “We’ll be back with treasure–it’ll be such a nice surprise.” She kissed Asp on the forehead, smearing the blood her hand had left there. “Rest up. Love you,” she said, and walked to the kitchen to wash the blood from her hands.
Inside of Asp’s mind, she was not nearly as quiet as she was externally. She felt herself hurtling through space, unsure of whether she was falling or launched or rising, her direction changing every few seconds. And as she slipped into catatonia, she began to materialize into a different self–a self she used to know, a self she had worked so hard to forget.
-
“Heather, c’mon,” shouted Nicole in glee. “My mom says we can take Lumpy for a walk!” She came running down the front steps of her house to Heather’s.
“Yay!” cried Heather. “Lumpy time!” She joined Nicole in the space between their houses and did a celebratory dance. Nicole waved her over, and Heather followed over to the fence around Nicole’s backyard, where a bulldog was sniffing at a tall patch of grass. “Lumpy!” Heather cried. The dog looked up at her and barked before running over for attention. Heather reached through the fence and scratched Lumpy’s head while Nicole slipped on the leash.
“This way, Lumpy!” said Nicole, leading the dog into the street. She turned her attention to Heather. “My mom says we’re having my uncle over for dinner tonight, except he’s not really my uncle.”
“What does that mean?” asked Heather. “Not really your uncle?”
“He’s like my mom’s friend, but she says uncle,” explained Nicole. “I don’t know,” she admitted, shrugging.
Heather nodded as though this made perfect sense. “Grown ups say weird stuff. When I’m grown up, I’m only gonna say things that make sense. Hey, how old do you have to be to be a grown up?”
Nicole pulled the leash back a bit. “Slow down, Lumpy.” She turned to Heather. “I dunno. I think it’s different depending on who your parents are.”
“Well,” said Heather, counting on her fingers, “I’m six now, and one day I’m gonna be a grown up and do whatever I want.”
“You’re little for six,” said Nicole, shaking her head in disapproval. “I’m six too, and I’m way taller than you.”
“My dad says our family is a bunch of late bloomers,” said Heather, shrugging. “That means I’ll be taller when I’m older.”
“We’re both slightkins, Heather,” said Nicole as though Heather were being foolish. “Neither of us is going to be actually tall.”
“That’s true,” said Heather, thinking this over. “Lumpy parade?”
“Lumpy parade!” shouted Nicole.
Heather ran out in front of the dog and began waving her arms and stepping in time, occasionally making musical sound effects with her mouth. Holding up the leash, Nicole performed her own variety of dancing and contributed mostly complementary music. They got a goodly number of curious stares which they didn’t notice at all.
“Whatcha doin?” asked a dirty dwarven boy as they passed.
“Lumpy parade,” they said together, as though that explained anything. They passed him by without further comment.
They rounded the corner. “Wanna see if we can get free candy again at the sweets shop?” asked Heather.
“I don’t think that will work again,” said Nicole, her shoulders slumped. “The lady seemed pretty mad last time.”
“But if we bring in Lumpy, she’ll just want to pet him and be happy and give us candy.”
“I dunno,” said Nicole skeptically. “Maybe we could go to the toy store.”
“Toy store,” repeated Heather as though it were a religious term. “Yeah, let’s go to the toy store.”
Nicole grinned as only children do. “Okay, let’s take Lumpy back. C’mon, Lumpy!” She turned into a narrow alleyway that would lead back to their houses more quickly. At the end of the alleyway was a bearded human man in a long black cloak. With his back against one wall and his feet braced against the bottom of the other, he was blocking their way.
“Good morning, ladies,” said the man, scratching at his beard. “That’s a nice dog. What’s her name?”
“His name is Lumpy,” said Nicole, her chin turned up. “Can you move your legs? We gotta get through.”
“Lumpy’s a good name,” said the man with a smile. “I have a dog too. Wanna meet him? His name is Happy.”
“That’s a weird name,” said Nicole.
“Isn’t Lumpy a weird name?” countered the man.
Nicole pointed at the bulldog. “Does he not look lumpy to you?”
The man considered the dog and shrugged. “Fair enough. Do you want to meet Happy?”
“Maybe later. We’re going to the toy store,” said Nicole, all passion. “C’mon Heather, let’s go.” She turned towards the man. “Can you move your legs now?”
“Have fun at the toy store,” the bearded man said, smiling. He stood up straight so that the girls could get by.
“Okay bye,” called Nicole. They passed the man and turned back towards their houses.
As they arrived back at the space between their houses, Nicole turned to Heather. “I’m gonna put Lumpy away and feed him. Meet back here in five?”
Heather nodded and ran up the steps into her house. In the front room, her mother was sewing patches onto her father’s clothes. “Me and Nicole are going to the toy store,” Heather said, excited.
“Don’t do that,” her mother replied. “You know we can’t afford anything like that. It bothers the shopkeeper to have you kids in there poking around and not buying anything.”
Heather frowned. “We’re not bothering him. We’re just looking,” she argued.
“Heather, you’ll understand when you’re older.” Her mother had stopped sewing and was looking at Heather. “But for now,” she said, returning to the mending, “I need you to trust me.”
Heather smiled. “Okay, I trust you.”
“So you won’t go to the toy store?” her mother asked.
Heather held one hand behind her back, her fingers crossed. “I won’t go into the toy store.”
“Good,” her mother said, already focused again on her sewing. “Now go have fun with your friend.”
Heather dashed back out into the street and waited for Nicole, holding her crossed fingers in front of her and laughing.
-
“Did you see the one that had the spinny part?” asked Heather, amazed.
“I don’t think so,” said Nicole, her mind reeling. “But did you see the pink and blue one? It was, like, a doll with a big white hat?”
“Yeah, I did,” said Heather, wonder in her voice. “Too bad he kicked us out before we could see everything.”
“It’s too bad,” mourned Nicole. “I wish there was a way we could make him think we were different people.”
“Maybe if we got different clothes?” suggested Heather.
“I don’t know if that would be enough,” said Nicole, shaking her head. “We’ll come up with something.”
“Hello again, ladies,” said the bearded man from a nearby alleyway. He gestured into the shop they had just left. “Did you enjoy the toy store?”
“We got thrown out,” explained Nicole. “The shopkeeper says that we can’t come in again unless we have money.”
“Do you not have money?” asked the man. “I have some extra money.” He rubbed his thumb and finger together.
“You want to give us money for a toy?” asked Nicole, her eyes widening.
“I don’t see why not,” said the man. “Let’s go in there and see if the shopkeeper doesn’t change his mind.”
“Yay!” yelled Nicole and Heather, charging back into the store.
“Get out!” yelled the shopkeeper, a bony old elf. “I thought I just told you–”
“No need,” said the bearded man, entering the store. “I told them I’d finance a trip in here.”
The elf shrugged. “As long as somebody’s paying.”
“Alright, now, girls,” the bearded man said, kneeling down. “I want you to agree on one toy. Take as much time as you need.”
The girls squealed and ran side by side, commenting on every toy.
“So cute!”
“Look at how shiny!”
“Oh my gods, does that light up?”
Twenty minutes later, the entire inventory surveyed, they returned to the bearded man in the middle of the store.
“Have you decided?” he asked.
“Almost,” said Nicole. “It’s between this,” she said, holding up a colorful stuffed animal of a kitten, “and this,” she added, lifting a little wooden ship in her other hand.
The man looked to Heather. “Any input here, little one?”
“I like the kitty,” Heather said, her eyes wide.
He smiled. “I’m going to pay for the kitty. You two come up with a name.” He turned and began conferring with the shopkeeper.
“Bubbles?” suggested Nicole.
“Princess?” countered Heather.
“Lady?” tried Nicole.
“Baby?” offered Heather.
“Wait, wait–I got it: Lumpy Jr.,” said Nicole.
Heather’s mouth hung open in reverence. “It’s perfect,” she managed after a moment. “Lumpy Jr.,” she repeated.
The man turned from speaking with the shopkeeper. “Did I hear that right? Lumpy Jr.?”
“Yeah!” shouted the girls.
The man shrugged. “Whatever you say. Hey, so did you want to meet Happy?”
“Maybe later,” said Nicole, staring down at the stuffed kitten’s multi-colored coat. “We’re having my favorite for dinner tonight! Shepherd’s pie!”
“Lucky,” said Heather, fighting to not sound too envious. “We’re having soup again.”
The man eyed Heather in curiosity, then looked back to Nicole. “Maybe tomorrow, then,” he added. “You two enjoy your time with Lumpy Jr.” With that, he strode out of the store.
“Let’s introduce Lumpy Jr. to her brother,” gushed Nicole.
“I thought Jr. meant son,” said Heather, following her out of the store.
“But I’m Lumpy’s mom and Lumpy Jr.’s mom, so they’re brother and sister,” Nicole explained.
“Okay,” said Heather without further question. “Let’s go!”
They ran from the store, Lumpy Jr. clutched tight in Nicole’s hands, laughing maniacally all the way.
-
Another day had dawned, and Heather once again ventured from her house to meet Nicole. They had agreed that Nicole would keep Lumpy Jr. last night; tonight would be Heather’s night, and she was quite excited to have a stuffed animal for the first time.
Nicole emerged from her backyard. “Lumpy’s fed,” she said, holding Lumpy Jr. in her arms. “Where do you want to go?”
Heather considered the question. On mornings like this before Nicole had moved into the neighborhood, Heather would go to the local bakeries and restaurants to see if anyone had anything extra to eat, but since Nicole had moved in, she had taken to adventures that were more fun-oriented than nourishing. However, on this particular morning, Heather’s stomach was rumbling fiercely. Soup is never enough. She wanted to suggest finding food, but didn’t know how, exactly; Nicole didn’t know how poor Heather’s family was.
“Are you hungry?” started Heather.
“Not really,” said Nicole, turning up her nose. “Hey, let’s go to the marketplace!”
There’s plenty of food in the marketplace, thought Heather. We can have fun and I can get something to eat. “Okay, let’s go!” she cried.
They took off running to the marketplace, laughing all the way. People noticed them and got out of their way, some laughing with them and others grumbling. They arrived at the edge of the marketplace, and Nicole led them further and further towards its center. Bright colors, dazzling patterns, exotic scents, a commotion–the market was a place of wonder for Heather. It seemed to her that here, all the normal world was revealed to be quite ordinary, and the stuff of real life was in the market. It made her feel more alive.
Nicole sniffed perfumes, touched cloth, and ogled the sights. Heather tried to keep up, always keeping an eye out for a moment she could slip away and ask a vendor for a scrap for a hungry girl. She watched in interest as money changed hands for dozens of reasons before her eyes, insensible to each transaction individually.
“A clock!” cried Nicole, pointing. Heather pressed in and looked. There was a rudimentary clock on a table amongst baubles and knickknacks; it ticked steadily away, two movements for each second. Its persistence impressed Heather.
“Girls!” said a voice. Heather turned. It was the bearded man from yesterday. “I see you brought Lumpy Jr. along,” he said with a smile, approaching them.
“Oh hi,” said Nicole, barely paying attention to him. “Look at this clock!”
“Quite a sight,” said the man, impressed. “Hey, I brought Happy with me. Wanna meet him?”
Heather shrugged. Lumpy’s nice, but some dogs scare me. They don’t always just want attention like Lumpy.
“Okay,” said Nicole after her interest in the clock waned. “Where is he?”
“Just over here,” said the man, scratching his beard. “I tied him up right over there.” He started off towards the edge of the marketplace.
“Let’s go, Heather,” said Nicole, following the man. “I wonder if Happy would like Lumpy.”
They wandered past a number of booths. Towards the edge of the marketplace, Heather noticed a slightkin baker at a small stall. She watched as Nicole followed the man a few paces further to a beautiful husky in an alleyway, and Nicole began to pet the dog in long strokes. Heather turned back to the baker and approached.
“Excuse me, sir?” she said in a small voice. “Do you have any scraps?”
The slightkin man looked down at her. “Not particularly, no.” His tone apologized even if he did not.
Heather glanced towards Nicole. She was petting Happy and talking to the man. Heather turned back to the baker. “Do you–I’m sorry, sir–do you think I could have just a bite?” she asked. “I’m mighty hungry. I haven’t had bread in weeks.”
“Oh, child,” said the slightkin man, weary. “This city–what it does to people,” he muttered. “Here,” he said, handing her a round of grainy bread. “Don’t eat it all at once, or it’ll hurt your tummy.”
Heather bit gratefully down on the bread. “Thank you, sir,” she said through a mouthful of it. “Thank you.”
She turned. Nicole had followed the man into the alley. It looked like he was trying to show her something. Heather could only see that much because she was at the right angle, but she couldn’t make out whatever he was pointing to. It seemed Nicole couldn’t either, because she stepped closer to the man to look. He darted his arm towards her stomach, then turned and ran, Happy following close behind.
Heather furrowed her brow. It looked like Nicole was sitting down. Heather approached, eating her round of bread. Now that she was closer, she could see that Nicole was talking, but too quietly to hear. She got within a few feet of Nicole and listened closely.
“–so get a blanket, she would say, if you’re cold, get a blanket, but I’m so tired that I don’t want to get up, and I don’t even know where a blanket is, and my hands are so dirty,” Nicole rambled. “So dirty,” she repeated, holding up her palms for Heather to see. They were slick and dark red.
Heather looked at Nicole. She was clutching Lumpy Jr. to her stomach. Lumpy Jr. was discolored. When they bought her, she was mostly purple and blue, but now she looked almost black.
“Heather, I’m tired,” mumbled Nicole, her voice small and weak. “I’m so sleepy now, sleepy now.” She lifted Lumpy Jr. from her lap, and Heather could see that Nicole’s midsection was soaked in blood. “Won’t you bring me a blanket, because blankets are for sleeping and cold . . . Goodnight,” she murmured as she faded away.
Heather stared in helpless horror at her friend. The bread fell from her hand. She let out a scream.
I’m sorry, Nicole, she thought from outside herself. I’m so sorry.
-
Asp came to. She was in the living room of the estate. She was alone except for Rose, who was licking her cheek. Asp gingerly lifted the kitten off of herself and sat up.
That was a bad dream, she thought. Not a dream, I guess–it was bad to remember. She recalled Candace and Wanda and Marina in the alleyway and cringed. I still feel a little numb. Where is everybody?
The side door swung open. The gang streamed in, Annabel and Gunther carrying a metal chest. They placed it on the table in the living room.
“Look who’s up,” said Oslo happily. “Recovering nicely?”
“What’s the chest?” asked Asp.
“Were you really out that hard?” asked Oslo, an eyebrow cocked. “I got inches from your face and told you we got word of the wagon moving. We hit it.”
Asp cocked an eyebrow. “You hit it?”
“It went perfectly to plan, honey,” said Candace, sitting down next to Asp. “The guards have no idea what happened.”
“You shoulda seen Jehosaphat, squirming on the ground like he was dying,” cried Dancer. “I had to keep reminding myself that it was an act.”
“You should talk,” said Jehosaphat, chuckling. “That lift off the Ronan'el guy? I almost forgot what I was doing when I saw that.”
“It’s a good thing we had two burly people to help me move this thing,” said Candace, kicking the chest. “Whatever’s in here, they really didn’t want people getting into it. The lock alone seems like it weighs twenty pounds.”
“So,” gloated Oslo, “any bets on what’s inside?”
“Treasure,” said Gunther, a wide smile behind his beard. .
“Some kind of invention,” guessed Jehosaphat. “Something brand new.”
“Something priceless,” countered Annabel, “that’s what matters.”
“Kyrn,” said Oslo, gesturing to the lock on the chest, “do the honors.”
Kyrn nodded and pulled a few tools from the back pocket of her britches. She inserted the tension wrench and worked at the tumblers with a probe. After a minute of sliding this way and that, she wiped her scaly forehead. “This is a complicated one. I don’t think I’ve seen this many tumblers before.” She worked for another minute, and there was a sudden thunk from inside the chest. “Whew,” she said, relieved. “That was rough.”
“She’s unstoppable,” said Oslo, smiling. “Crack it open. Let’s figure out what we stole and who we stole it from.”
Kyrn lifted the chest’s lid. It fell back. Inside the chest was a pure metal housing which fit perfectly around the object in the middle. Red velvet lined the area where the object fit into the housing, and the chest’s lid had the same structure in inverse. The object was a regular geometric shape made up of pentagons. It lifted up out of the chest and into the air, and in a tinny, mechanical voice, it said, “Hello, Orchid.”
Asp sighed. “Well, shit.”
You can read the next chapter here!
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