The Orphan and the Thief

Chapter 5: Hair from a Unicorn

The next day didn't start off any better, as far as Melena was concerned. She didn't feel remotely well rested and from the dark circles under Toad's eyes, she wasn't the only one.

"I'd like you to tell me the truth."

Toad looked up from his bowl of congealed porridge and shriveled blackberries.

"Truth about what?" he asked.

"The truth about last night!" said Melena. "You said you were Jack's number one and turns out he kicked you —"

"I wasn't —" Toad began hotly.

"Toad, don't bother lying to me. Why would that smelly gorilla say those things if they weren't true?"

Toad chewed his bottom lip. It looked angry and swollen but was no longer bleeding. Melena wondered if there was any murtlap around. She could use the sap for his lip, though it wouldn't do anything for the sickly bruise on his cheek.

She watched him shift uncomfortably, still picking at his porridge.

"Jack ... Jack tossed me out 'cuz ..." he took a great shuddering breath as if this was costing him something terrible, "'cuz I ain't ... I ain't any good at stealing. There. Satisfied?"

"What are you talking about?" said Melena, bewildered. "You stole our breakfast."

"Food's different. I've always been able to steal food." He sounded thoroughly miserable about it. "Whenever I try to steal something important, I make a mess of it."

"Like at the apothecary?" Melena asked. He certainly hadn't made any attempts to be quiet then.

"Nah, I've done worse," Toad admitted. "Loads worse. The final straw was when I got Lynch caught and thrown in jail. That was too much for Jack. Doesn't matter that Lynch probably got out two days later," he added bitterly.

"Why do you say that?"

"Because Lynch can pick any lock," said Toad. "He probably took a nice long nap before picking his way out."

Melena didn't know what to say to that.

"So," said Toad, hitching a grin back onto his face with difficulty, "fancy finding that unicorn?"

After forcing down what they could of their uninspired breakfast Melena and Hazel headed out, but Toad, saying he'd forgotten something, dashed back inside the inn. What he could have forgotten, Melena had no idea.

"Got it!" he gasped, rushing past the foul-tempered owner back to Melena.

"I don't see anything," said Melena, looking him over.

"Which way's Holly-Harp, eh?" asked Toad, so brightly that Melena narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"This way, I think," she said slowly. He bounded forward and walked at such a jaunty pace that Melena wanted to laugh. Hazel clambered up Melena's back and curled around her shoulders, like a green collar to a fancy coat.

When the inn was out of sight, Toad dug inside his coat and pulled out a large wedge of cheese.

"That crone was keeping the good stuff! Had this hoarded away in her pantry, along with these goodies."

In his pockets Toad had stashed away another smaller (and far more pungent) block of cheese, three cured salami, a hefty bag of nuts and dried fruit, one loaf of seedy bread, and a fat jar of jam.

"Serves us the nasty wolf eel and keeps the fine dining to herself," said Toad, closing his coat.

"How did you know she had all of that?" asked Melena, torn between amazement and frustration, watching him break off a great chunk of cheese.