Maji Born

20 - Breaking Back In

Devarak swung a leg over the window ledge and ducked in through the window of his home. He hopped down from the kitchen counter and quietly closed the window once more. Glancing around he noted that it looked almost the same as when he had left. Almost. Clearly, his landlady had been snooping through his things, thinking that he wouldn't be able to notice the slight shift in his possessions. 

 The tea towel he had left folded on the tap was folded in half lengthwise not width-wise and the rug at his front entrance was upturned just slightly and shifted forward, she wouldn't have been able to replace it upon leaving. She had a spare key which accounted for how she had gotten in, but not why she had entered.

His landlady, Lerica was also an innkeeper, she thrived on gossip and traded it to those who paid her. She had grown up impoverish and had joined one of the many whispering street guilds, they had trained her in the art of theft and the art of lies, and she had, in turn, passed this information along to Devarak. He had shown up in front of her inn, chilled from the whistling wind and bruised beyond recognition.

She had taken him in, fed him, found him warm clothing and given him a job behind the bar. He had been ten at the time and had refused to tell her where he had come from. She had tried over the next sixteen years to pry it out of him but Devarak had kept his secret and at some point, her inquiries became more of a habit than an actual inquiry. After the first year waiting tables and pouring pints, Lerica introduced Devarak to one of her employers. A tall woman with long yellow-gold hair and bright blue eyes.

"This is my help. Devarak." Lerica had said, "He's lookin' to learn my craft."

"I'm charmed. You can all me Brean Blackhart. I run the Silver Sickles."

Devarak had peered out from his place at Lerica's side timidly and listened as they made their dealings, not knowing that he was speaking to one of the most notorious guild leaders in all of Panorila. It had taken him ages to perfect the art of theft, but Lerica had taught him well. She would be proud of his success with the Ardaer stone, but as with any job he was sworn to secrecy and could not share his heist with even his surrogate mother. This was why he had chosen to sneak in rather than come in the front door.

Devarak riffled around under his mattress searching for his log and the cash he had been saving. He had a feeling that he wouldn't be home for a long while, if ever. He was going to take what he needed and leave his space for Lerica to rent. He would leave a note. She would understand. Wouldn't she? He pushed aside the niggling feeling of guilt and began gathering up his things into the small leather bag Lerica had gifted him on his fifteenth birthday after his apprenticeship had reached its conclusion. He lay the small jar of coins in the bottom and began tossing clothing in on top.

Knock...Knock... Knock...

Devarak whipped around at the sound and heard a key in the lock. Then a short woman, with grey-green heavily lidded eyes and tightly plaited greying hair entered. She was dressed in a simple green apron and soft cream tunic and brown trousers. She smiled at the young man as he stared at her, caught in the act of leaving.

"You're going for good then," she said, a hint of wistful acceptance in her tone. Lerica had never had her own children, Devarak had been the closest she had gotten to it. She had married for love as a young girl and lost her partner to illness only three years later. Somehow she had never been able to move on.

Devarak didn't answer the question immediately. Instead, he countered her query with his own.

"How'd you know I was here."

She gave him a tight-lipped smile.

"A mother always knows." Then she flashed him her signature crooked grin, showing off three gold teeth, "besides I have people watching the house."

"Figures." Devarak said, "Yes. I'm going. At least for now." He said this sheepishly, turning away from Lerica to continue packing.

"Your last job must have paid well then. I will remind you that I have yet to see a penny from you for rent in months, not since you left. You're lucky I didn't rent your rooms out."

Devarak sighed and dug in the bottom of the leather case for the jar.

"Catch." He tossed it to her and continued, "That should cover what I owe you."

"More than enough." She said, admiring the Ginu and Sintre that half-filled the glass jar. "Where are you headed this time?"

"I can't disclose that Lerica. It's part of my current job. But I promise to write to you once I'm settled and tell you all about my arrangements."

"I'm holding you to that son." She said.

Devarak closed the case and gave the woman a one-armed hug, she stood just below his shoulder.

"I do believe you have gotten taller again. Never thought that could be possible." She remarked, releasing him and straightening his tunic, "You take care of yourself alright. I worry about you."

"I'll be fine. You take care of yourself too." Devarak said, taking in the sight of the bags under her eyes and the slight grey undertone to her skin. As an afterthought, he leaned down and planted a small kiss on her forehead.

"See you around mother."