Aine Crabtree - The Thief

I should have listened more closely, I berated myself. All his stories I’d thought were fiction, the bracer I’d resented him for. And then lost. My fingers curled in the fallen magazines. I should have trusted him more. I’d take it all back, everything I’d said, I’d ignore everything Bea and Tailor had ever told me - trade everything to have Gabriel here now. I punched the frame of the closet and the wood split.

I heard the latch on the door downstairs click open as if it were right next to me. My hearing had never been sharper. I jumped to my feet, heart in my throat. “Gabriel, I need you!” I shouted, vaulting over the stairs as I’d done against Hyde -

And skidded to a halt.

Meredith stood in the doorway. “Such abject desperation in your voice,” she commented, letting the door gently shut on its own behind her. “Not terribly attractive, kiddo.”

I almost cringed, hearing Gabriel’s pet name come out of her mouth.

“You’re fast,” she said. “Not all of them are, you know. Every Wolf is different. But every Wolf is also the same - agents of destruction, all.” She grinned at me. “You’re not 16 yet, so I can stop you before it gets out of hand. Pre-emptive strike,” she hit the ‘k’ sound hard, almost biting it off.

“I don’t hurt people,” I shot back.

“You will. I’m doing you a favor, kiddo - ”

“ Don’t call me that!” I roared, slamming my hand down on the counter. It shattered, spraying bits of glass across the stone floor.

Meredith quirked an eyebrow. “There’s that famous temper. Answer me this riddle before I dispatch you, though - what makes a man hunt six Wolves and hide the seventh?”

“What?” I snapped.

“I don’t know what Gabriel did before he started helping me with this endeavor,” Meredith said, sauntering closer. “In fact, I don’t remember the others at all. I don’t really care about them. Past is past. What I don’t understand is why he hid you . Why lie now? You’re not even his real child, that’s clear.” She tilted her head, regarding me. “You’re not doing him, are you?”

I stared at her, aghast. “Gross!”

“I never can tell with kids these days,” Meredith shrugged. “All these rubbish vampire stories in the cinema. But I’m with you, I think it’s creepy for a teenager to date a bloke who’s older than the London Bridge. Now,” she said, holding up a hand. A fireball smoldered in her palm, throwing grisly shadows around the tables and chairs. “Before I start to like you, let’s put you out of your misery.”

She hurled it and I dove behind the busted counter. Flames bloomed through the display case, and I shied away from the sudden heat. My fingers curled around a large, jagged shard of glass from the floor. Meredith advanced on me and I struck out, slicing her cheek. A spray of glowing blood arced out, splattering burning holes in the wall. I pushed past her, back into the dining room. An enormous fireball barely missed my shoulder and collided with the front door, transforming it into a wall of flame. I skidded to a halt, turning to see Meredith advance on me. My blood pounded through my veins. I hefted up a table, barely registering the weight, and hurled it at her, snarling. She fell, and I dashed up the stairs. Fire was swirling around her like a storm, melting the debris as she rose from it. The flames from the display case were eating their way through the kitchen, and it was only a matter of time before they found the gas line.

I froze at the top of the stairs, out of escape paths.

Meredith climbed the stairs slowly, the vortex around her igniting the stairs, climbing up the walls to the ceiling. She’d blocked me off.

“There’s a good Wolfie,” she purred, dark eyes reflecting the firelight. “Now hold still.” She reached out for me with a smoking hand.

My life was burning down around me, but I was not losing to this psycho. I leapt to the top of the railing and launched myself into the upper air of the atrium. I caught one of the hanging lamps, swung, and crashed through the stained glass window by the front door.

I heard the Ender scream in frustration as I hit the gravel in the parking lot, rolling several feet in tiny stones and shards of glass. I groaned - this was way worse than being beaten up by Hyde. I reached out a trembling hand, trying to push myself up. I had to run before she could get out of the building. All that had saved me so far was the fact that being a human volcano hadn’t made her strong or fast.

I started to crawl, adrenaline beginning to mask the pain. I had to find Gabriel. I didn’t know how, but he’d fix this. The cafe crackled and roared behind me, making the parking lot bright. Heat rolled off the building in waves. Everything we had was burning, but we could start over, couldn’t we? He’d always said we’d survive...that I would survive this...

I heard sound of Meredith’s boots crunching in the gravel behind me. I shivered from adrenaline and sweat, on my knees, a tendril of despair curling around my heart. I pushed myself up to my feet and stood to face her on unsteady legs. She brushed debris from her shoulders, looking at me with pitiless eyes.

“You’re brave,” she said. “It’s too bad the Wolf was born in you. I think I would have liked you.”

She reached for me, but then her eyes go wide as I’m pulled back. Gabriel?

Tailor pushed me behind him. Mac and Destin stood on either side of me.

Meredith groaned. “This just goes on and on! How many bodyguards do you have?”

“I’m not a bodyguard, I’m an English teacher,” Tailor said, unrolling a small scroll of paper. Strange symbols were painted in black across its surface. It reminded me of the holy seals I’d seen in Buddhist temples.

“That’s some scary paper, teach,” Meredith said, deadpan. “You know what paper doesn’t do so well against?” She flung out her arm and a fireball flew toward me.

Mac

We jump clear of the fireball, but Meredith’s goal had been to distract us so she could get to Camille.

Tailor throws the rectangle of paper, and it flies with unaccountable rigidity toward the Ender. Meredith is heading for Camille, and I’m the only one close enough to reach her.

“Camille, run!” I shout. I grab Meredith by the arm just as Tailor’s seal hits her across the shoulder.

“Damnit, Mac!” Tailor snaps.

The paper clings to Meredith’s tattooed skin like a wet bandage. In a flash, the seal goes up in flames. Smoke sizzles all the way down her arm and into mine. I bellow at the sharp pain; she curses, releasing me. Her arm hangs limp and she cradles it. The paper’s burned away, but the symbols on it have embedded themselves in her skin over the shoulderblade, twining and repeating in three rings around her right arm, overlaying the red flame pattern. I’m inches from passed out on the ground, smoke rising from my hand.

“Not again!” Meredith howls, rounding on Tailor. “That is it! ”

“For God’s sake, Dupree, wake up!” Tailor calls, backing away.

“Huh?” I stir, the searing pain in my hand gradually lessening.

“I’ve changed my mind,” Meredith seethes. “I think I’ll kill you,” she stabs a finger at Tailor, “ then the Wolf, and then the munchkin brigade, just to be safe.” A ball of fire materializes in her hand and her lip curls in a malicious grin.

“I wish you wouldn’t kill anybody ,” I say groggily, rising with my uninjured hand to my head.

Meredith freezes, eyes wide. The fireball vanishes as quickly as she’d called it into being. She looks at her empty hand in confusion. One of the three rings on her arm is fading.