Lucky - by Erin Latimer

Master Thief

            This was a level of game that was way over my head.

            I fidgeted, uncomfortable with how intense his gaze was. “What do you want with me?”

            “I need your help,” Kiran repeated. “I need your luck.”

            “For what?” I narrowed my eyes at him again, stopping myself from saying what I wanted to, which was “no way”. I didn’t want to get mixed up in anything big.

            “Sit down,” Kiran gestured at the bed. “It’s sort of a story that needs telling, and it’s a long one.”

            I eyed him a suspiciously, and Kiran sighed. “I’m not going to do anything. Just sit down.”

            When I continued to stare at him stubbornly his mouthed firmed into a line, and his eyes glittered. “Please sit.”

            It was not a request. The intense light in his eyes had flicked on in an instant, and it made me nervous enough to make my way over to the bed on wobbly knees and sag onto the side of it, staring up at him resentfully.

            “So I sat, now what?”

            Kiran’s face went carefully smooth again. “My apologies, I’ll try not to snap at you in the future. It’s just…time is of the essence, it’s important that you begin to cooperate as soon as possible.”

            I folded my arms over my chest and glared at him. “Why should I?”

            “Because,” he said evenly. “I am the only thing standing between you and a very pissed off Boxcar. There are three very large, very angry men outside this tavern as we speak. You won’t be able to get out of this building alive, never mind out of town.”

            I scowled at him. “So…I do what you say, or you throw me to the sharks.”

            He quirked one dark brow at me. “That’s a rather mercenary way of putting it. I would say, your cooperation in exchange for my protection.”

            “A rose by any other name,” I snarled back at him.

            He gave me an infuriatingly charming smile. “I don’t think you’ve used that saying quite right.”

            “Well aren’t you eloquent,” I spat at him, and flinched back when he leaned closer and narrowed his eyes at me. “I’m surprised you even know that word.”

            “Bastard.”

            “Mouthy bar wench.”

            We stared at one another for a split second, and I didn’t know if I wanted to throttle him, or shove him onto the bed and straddle him. Maybe both…

            Finally he said, “Well, can I trust you not to stab me as soon as my back is turned?”

            No. “Yes.”

            “Good.” Kiran threw himself down carelessly on the other side of the bed, making the rusted springs shriek. “I’ll tell you what we’re going to do now. I’ll tell you the plan.”

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