Lucid Waking

The Den of Thieves (IV)

        Devin was starting to wake up; the awareness was melting softly into his thoughts. I reached his side with breakfast and then jumped up onto the chair. I would have enough warning if the king came in. Devin coughed and sat up to look around the room. His mouth was dry, but I had placed his breakfast somewhere he would see it and he took up the meat hungrily. I watched him carefully, though I knew he was ignoring me. He was very good at closing the connection. He smiled at me, though, and reached out to scratch me behind the ears. Then he started eating and pretended not to know me.
        “It’s not my fault,” I said to him pushing hard our connection.
        “I don’t want you to screw this up, again.” His voice broke clearly into my thoughts. I jumped down from the chair in case I was too distracted from our conversation to notice someone coming in and catching my faux pas.
        “Again? It seemed to be John’s fault, not my own. Or if you really want to be picky, blame yourself for thinking you’d be all right.”
        “Mia, I don’t want to think about it.”
        “Well, then don’t think about it. But stop closing the connection if you don’t want to screw this up tonight. Besides, the bestia seem to be very suspicious of two connected not speaking to each other.”
        “How do they know?”
        “There is a way to figure out if two are talking through eye contact or facial expression and nonverbal communication—its as if two beings are talking without saying anything. When you get older, you’ll know. But for now, take if from me, please, that it is better to have a healthy open connection at this point. And trust me that I won’t screw things up. When have I so far?”
        “Give me a minute,” he smiled, “and I’ll think of something.”
        “If it takes you that long, I think you’re in safe hands.”
         He reached his hand out and petted the side of my face.
        “You’d best get clean,” I said, pulling away, “you don’t know where we’re going and we might need you presentable.”
        “Whatever,” he said, getting up. He walked out of the room into the main part of the cellar and snuck outside to the water pump outside. I told him to be careful, but he just told me there was no one out but the cows. I curled up underneath the throne and waited for him.
        I wasn’t prepared for a little white mouse to open the door and scuttle across the floor to my location. I recognized her instantly as Luna, but I decided to continue pretending to be asleep when she came. She cleared her throat daintily.
         “Miss Miaka,” she said and waited.
         I opened one eye. “Yes?”
         “King Diego wishes to meet with you over lunch today. He says he has some information to give you and all of us should be present.”
         “If I must,” I said and Luna gave a little gasp.
         “Of course you must! No one says no to the king.”
         “Of course they do,” I said smiling. “Most don’t live to tell the tale.”
         Luna squeaked before scuttling off in the other direction and almost heading straight into Devin’s boot. New boots, I should say. I sputtered an apology as the mouse ran off back towards the King’s chambers.
         “What was that about?” he asked. He was still sopping wet, so I let him stay in the corner where he couldn’t get me wet.
         “The menagerie wishes to speak politics,” I said. “Where did you get those boots?”
         “They were sitting outside.” He turned his ankle and admired them proudly. “They weren’t covered in cow cakes, so I thought they were good.”
         “I hope they’re not the king’s,” I said.
         “The king wasn’t there. If they are, I’ll just tell him I took them so no one would get suspicious.”
         “It’s your life on the line,” I said.
         “Well, why don’t you go look and see if he’s missing his shoes,” Devin said bitterly. “But my feet were cold and I didn’t want to get them dirty.”
         “What about your other boots?”
         “They’re too small for me.”
         “I hope these work just as well.”
         “I don’t see why not,” he said. “They’re not that much bigger than my feet.”
         “Well, triple knot the laces before we go on that job. And don’t get any more clothes. I don’t want you to trip.”
         “Fine,” he said paling. I could tell I had said the wrong things, but I couldn’t take it back. I put all the faith I had in those boots to stop my mind from worrying. Perhaps it would make him less jumpy. He did seem to relax a little bit as he practiced hanging onto the wall to see if the souls would slip. They did work almost perfectly, but he compromised the little slippage with the muscles in his legs and arms.
         “You’ll be fine,” I said honestly. The door opened just then and an ash-haired boy entered the room.
         “There you are,” he said. “John was wondering where you stayed the night.”
         “I’m sorry.”
         “No, it’s all right,” he said. He extended his hand. “I’m Edward.”
         Devin shook the boy’s hand. “Devin.”
         “I know,” the boy walked over to the table where the food was and sat on it. “You could’ve stayed in the bunks.”
         “I don’t think the King would’ve—”
         “Not with Jack; we’ve got cots on the other side. Some people of the den stay there.”
         “I didn’t know—”
         “You could’ve asked.”
         I glanced around the floor while this conversation was going on and noticed that beside me, they were alone. I wasn’t sure if Edward noticed I was there, but I thought it odd he didn’t bring Osirus while he was awake. But it wasn’t that odd. Luna probably left John to go invite me to lunch and I’ve left Devin to hunt or stake out certain areas. I watched the door for the snake.
         “I don’t think the King or his court would have liked me asking where I could have slept last night.”
         “How’d you get in here anyway? It’s usually locked.”
         Devin reddened. “I picked it.”
         Edward laughed. “A thief through and through. Except that I’ll have to find a new lock, you seem to show good potential.”
         “Thanks,” Devin said puzzled.
         “Anyway, just thought I’d say hello.”
         “Ok.”
         Edward waved on his way out and left the room as silent and dark as before. Devin waited a little while before leaving the room. I followed after him. He was brushing his hand against the wall and scuffing his foot against the floor gently, brushing bits of dirt away from the brick. Then he pushed against the wall and it gave way in a quiet little scrape of stone on stone.
         “This place has got to be full of doors,” he said under his breath.

“Not much between despair and ecstasy”

The Den of Thieves (IV)