The Necromancer

Chapter 1

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Pan hissed. "She looks a little... unsuited for excitement." Peter chuckled softly. The two boys peered through the third story window of the rich town house, watching the girl organizing her ribbons by color. Pan peered at their instructions hastily written on the piece of paper, illuminating them with the flame in his hand.

"Come on, you don't have a better idea. Besides, it looks like she could use a creepy guy knocking on her window late at night dragging his unconscious brother. In fact, get on with making yourself look injured or I'll do it personally." Pan mumbled something about how it was unfair that he had to be the one who got injured before letting out a hiss of pain. Peter crawled over the sloping roof and tapped on the pane. The girl looked up, startled. For a second her eyes scanned the room, finally landing on Peter, just outside in the darkness. Her eyes widened and she started backward in surprise. Holding his hands up to show he meant no harm, Peter smiled and tried to look friendly. She raised her eyebrows. Peter gestured to the window latch. The girl, satisfied that he wouldn't immediately hurt her, folded her arms and shook her head. Peter scowled and put his hands together in a pleading motion. Pursing her lips the girl considered for a moment before waving her hands, telling him to back up.

Peter backed up quickly and watched as she unlatched the window and pushed it open, a hairbrush was clutched tightly in her hand. "Who are you?" The girl hissed, her blue eyes cautious.

"We need your help!" Peter said, his eyes widened in fake panic, giving him a young, innocent look. The girl raised her eyebrows.

"Who is 'we'?" Peter hauled Pan's body onto his knees and tried to prop him up so that she could get a good long look at the hole in his arm. It oozed blood and for a second it looked like she was going to be sick.

"My brother is hurt. Can you help us?" Peter bit his lip and Pan groaned a little. The girl stared at them for a moment.

"Alright. Meet me in front of my house in a minute." She shut the window without another word and pulled the curtain closed. Pan sat up as soon as she was gone.

He picked at the fabric around the wound. "Ugh! This feels like submerging my arm in the fires of hell."

Peter chuckled. "How do you know that?"

"Right. I forgot. You're the one crawled from the fiery depths to get here in the first place." Pan grinned, showing all of his teeth. Peter gave him a withering look.

"I am the very image of a glorious angle."

"Ha. That's a joke. Maybe an angle of the devil." Pan muttered and swung himself down from the roof using his uninjured arm. Peter followed. Pan pretended to collapse into Peter's arms just as the front door of the town house opened, letting the girl out. Peter stumbled under Pan's weight and the girl rushed forward to loop his other arm around her neck and heave him up.

"Is there a place we can take him? I have some bandages if we can put his somewhere warm," she said.

"Does the tavern work for you?"

"The Hermit?" The Hermit was the main inn and tavern in the city and had a good reputation. The owner also happened to strongly dislike both the boys.

"Nah. The Mason Pub." The girl raised her eyebrows but nodded. The two of them struggled with Pan's deadweight. Peter could tell he was deliberately making it hard for them and he made a mental note to make him pay for it in the near future.

The Mason Pub was old, with a creaky doorstep and a weathered front. Most people avoided it because of the exterior, but the inside was warm and bright, with a fire blazing in the hearth and a man quietly strumming the guitar in the corner. He nodded to them when they entered, but made no move to help them. Peter dumped Pan onto a bench and sat across from him. The girl dug in her bag for a moment before pulling out a length of gauze, some alcohol, and strips of cloth. She moved her gaze to Pan's arm... and froze. The fabric was still soaked with blood, but there was no wound. She looked up in surprise and her eyes met a pair of bright green ones. They held hers for a moment and then Pan's face broke out into a grin.