Stolen

The Boy (3)

A/N: Just in case it wasn't clear, the Moonlark is 23 years old, Tam, who is in this chapter, is 22, Fitzroy 24, Alvar is 29, Biana is 21, and Aaron is 17. Dex is 26, and Marella is 25.

Moonlark's POV:

I open a window in the large mansion that I plan to steal from tonight, since they won't be needing the excess money. My footsteps silent on the marble floor as I walk around Dex Dizznee's office. He's a rich person who specializes in inventing weapons for the Vacker family. He's constantly in his office tinkering with some device that can destroy the world, or some invention that tickles people to death, something just as dramatic, thanks to the Vacker Family Flare, as Aaron likes to call it.

Tonight, though, Dex and his wife Marella were at a fancy, rich restaurant, probably ordering their feast for their stupid anniversary. I have all the details about Dizznee. I want to make sure this heist goes perfectly, unlike the last one, which had a few hiccups that I overcame. After some mysterious person stole my bags of gold, I ran out of money quickly, and I need to refill my stock.

I rummage through some papers on the desk - drawings of more inventions - and go straight to the safe located in the far end of the room. I scoff, looking through the vault and grabbing bags of gold, probably collected from years of being a skilling inventor. Honestly, how obvious could this guy get? It's insanely cliche, but it makes my job a hundred times easier, so I'm not complaining.

Suddenly, I hear footsteps behind me. Are they back already? Grabbing a few more bags, I shut the safe and turn to face the person behind me whom I fully believe to be Dex Dizznee.

But it's not Dex Dizznee. Instead, I'm looking at a boy about the same age as me, in his mid twenties, with silver bangs and a dark expression on his face.

"What are you doing here?" The mysterious boy asks.

"Umm... I could ask you the same question, if I cared," I sass back.

"Uh, okay? No need to be so rude about it," He mutters under his breath. He reaches into the safe and grabs three bags of gold. Immediately, I know that this is the person who stole from me, who took my bags of gold. I feel a familiar rush of anger, and before I can stop myself, I burst out, "I want my money back. Now."

The Boy stared at me. "I spent it all," he replies, turning back to the safe.

"You stole it yesterday," I retort. All he did in answer was shrug. I had only just met this man, but he was already so infuriating. All I wanted to do in that moment was break a bone or two of his, see how he liked feeling helpless. The only reason I came here was because I had mouths to feed that weren't mine, while he was probably living it up in luxury similar to the wealthy, and as a low-life thief, no less.

Rolling my eyes, I head over to the window I entered from. As I look down, I spot a carriage with the king's seal on the side. They're here.

"We have to get out of here," I tell The Boy, who was still taking more and more money from the safe. Seriously, how much did this guy need? Or a better question would probably be, how much did he want.

"Why?" He asks, clearly not willing to listen to me.

"Because unless you want to be sent to the gallows, we need to get out of here right now." she snapped. His eyes widened, and stood to follow her.

"Too late, Moonlark," A voice cut in. Prince Fitzroy, in all his glory, stands in the doorway to the office, looking stupid as ever, completely out of place wearing a tux around a ton of tech. Behind him, a man with strawberry-blonde hair and periwinkle eyes fidgets. Dex Dizznee. I wonder why he looks so uncomfortable. Why isn't he jumping with joy that the 'thieves' were caught before they robbed him like all the other wealthy citizens of Eternalia would?

Smirking at Prince I'm-About-To-Throw-Up, I inch away from the window and face him. If I was gonna get caught because of this Know-Nothing Boy who also happened to have stolen from me, I was fully prepared to throw him under the bus for it.

"You look well, princeling," The Boy speaks before I could rat him out. The prince frowns at him.

"And you are?"

The Boy frowns back at him. "You know, the Moonlark" he spat her name like a curse, "isn't the only thief in Eternalia. I'm just her shadow around here, aren't I?" he asks. He continues, "Maybe an actual shadow, judging by the confusion on your face." He steps out in front of her, and the prince looks like he's seeing The Boy for the first time. The Boy notices this, and scoffs, shooting me a glare full of hatred.

Dex Dizznee steps forward as well. "Thank you, your majesty, for catching these criminals. If you could please step out so I can count the money they stole, and make sure nothing is missing?" The prince glares at him slightly, but seems to think twice before arguing. Nodding curtly, he leaves the room, slamming the door behind him.

Dex Dizznee rushes over to me. "You need to leave, now. The driver of the carriage down there is a friend of mine. He'll take you somewhere far away. Stay low, and don't come back here." Someone enters from another door that I didn't notice before. I assume it to be Marella Dizznee, Dex Dizznee's wife. She smiles, and hands me a cloak and a bag of food, then the same to The Boy.

"Why are you helping us?" I ask, accepting the food and clothes. Dex smiles sadly at me.

"Because I know what you do. What both of you do," he adds, looking at The Boy. Then he ushers us out the still open window, wishing us good luck.

If I had a choice, I'd leave The Boy to die in that house, but I don't want to slow down my own escape, so I don't say anything and follow him out. As soon as I jump down, I try to run for Havenfield, but The Boy grabs my wrist and swiftly drags me into the carriage, slamming the door behind me. He looks ahead to the driver, who, to my immense surprise, is the guard who had stopped me. He introduces himself as Wylie Endal, and, without another word, starts the carriage.