Bound by Prophecy

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Shelter

Emily didn't take my hand, but she did move to walk beside me. I wasn't sure it would have worked out that way if not for the mention of her sister. She had to be starving, so when we crossed in front of a shop that was actually open, I deposited her between two brick columns beside the storefront window.

"Stay here, I'll be right back."

She glanced up at the sign hanging above us before giving me a raised brow. It read something like "tobacco,""spirits," and "open all nite," in heavy script. I didn't attempt an explanation.

This wasn't the busiest part of town and I knew pickings would be slim, but that didn't stop me from grimacing at the selection of foodstuffs inside what had to be the dirtiest display case I'd ever laid eyes on. I took the last two plastic-wrapped packages that I assumed were sub sandwiches and three bottles of water to the counter, where I added a handful of jerky sticks from a wire display rack and took one deep breath before looking up.

The cashier was old in a way only a hard life can make a person. His grayed hair stood in thin tufts that were likely once curls. His skin fell slack and wrinkled over hollow cheeks, and his eyes were downcast and uninterested in me. I reached forward, as if sliding my merchandise closer, and then grasped the ashen skin of his mottled hand. His eyes shot to mine and I prayed the gift hadn't left me.

I didn't like to steal. I earned my living where I could. Where the Council had let me. But right at this moment, I didn't have much choice. I stared into his eyes and focused my energy on hypnotizing him with both sight and touch. His pupils flinched an instant before his face relaxed, and I tried not to lose myself in the relief that it had worked.

Two minutes later, I was back in the street with Emily, who examined the shape of my brown paper sack. Apparently satisfied it couldn't possibly be a bottle of liquor, she followed me the three more blocks we had to walk for what passed as a hotel.

Like the package store, the hotel didn't list a name on the exterior of the building. Flecks of faded white paint had long since been swept away, leaving the word "rooms"checked with the red brick beneath it. I glanced sidelong at Emily, expecting at least some sign of protest, but she seemed beyond that now. She waited by the entrance while I acquired a key, and then trailed numbly behind as we climbed the seven flights of stairs to the room. When we finally made it inside, she fell into a chair without so much as a glance at the questionable stains marking the cushion.

If I had been a psychopathic killer, her mood would have taken the fun right out of it.

I secured the door and briefly glanced out the window to assure myself of an escape route before I joined her. I resisted the urge to apologize as I sat two bottles of water on her side of the small round table between smashed gray-brown globs of hardened chewing gum.

"Drink," I said, and she straightened a bit as she came out of her trance to take a bottle.

When she'd finished about half without heaving or any of the other terrible scenarios I'd formed in my head, I unwrapped the first sandwich and surreptitiously sniffed for signs of rot. I was fairly certain it was ham, and there didn't appear to be much for toppings, which made me feel moderately better about handing it over. Emily took the offering without question and I sat my own sandwich and water on my side of the table before dumping the remaining contents in the center. The three jerky sticks didn't look out of place in our sad little situation.

The pain in my shoulder had dulled, but I knew it wouldn't fully heal until I'd slept, and that was the last thing I could do here.

I became aware of Emily's stillness and glanced over to find her watching me, half-eaten sandwich rewrapped and lying on the table. She was clearly exhausted and probably traumatized, but alive.