You can never have enough money

The Tenebrises’ coffers were never filled. Roads needed maintenance, a wastewater treatment plant was under construction, their supplier for medical equipment inflated the prices… there was no end to places that required money. So the siblings sensibly opted for a reduction in allowance. In the stolen wallet was Hale’s, along with some of Ernest’s and Auretta’s (given to the second child for budgeting as he was the least prone to impulse purchases) pay-off after scrimping and saving for a long time.

And now they finally arrived at the long-awaited capital after many twists and turns! Even if Hale did split the money into unequal thirds to safekeep in case this very incident occurred, most of it was in the wallet and he’d get it back at all costs.

“Hoo…” Hale tried to control his heavy breathing.

The street rat was gaining lead despite her smaller stature and shorter legs. For the first time in his life, regret for rejecting Ernest’s invitations to work out together hit him. When Hale followed the little girl who disappeared round the corner, he was faced with two choices: a wider, more populated lane, and a dark alley. An answer was derived by consulting the data in his head and Hale started running again. Memorizing the maps came in handy. The alley looked secluded but would shortly lead to the one of the attraction hot spots. The thief might seek to blend in with the crowd there but this was the capital where every patrol group had at least one adept. The girl didn’t seem stupid enough to send herself into the lion’s mouth.

The familiar dirty robe was caught in Hale’s line of sight as expected. Every time he drew near, she slipped away as if there were eyes on the back of her head but Hale knew that there was nowhere for her to run now.

“...!” She reversed the moment she perceived the dead end but Hale was already blocking the exit. The girl put her hands in the robe warily.

Hale didn’t let his guard down either. Cornered rats bit hard. “Just give it back and we’ll have nothing to do with each other. You can even keep the money for the flowers, yeah?”

He tensed for a moment when the girl pulled something out but relaxed when he saw that it was his wallet which she threw on the ground. Just as he bent to take it, the little girl darted around him. Thankfully, he was prepared.

“My patience is limited,” Hale grabbed his infinitely lighter wallet with one hand and her robe with another. “Since you like stealing so much, I’ll give you a chance to steal from the guards. I assure you it will be an unforgettable experience.”

The girl struggled but maybe that chase sapped all her energy because Hale didn't have a hard  time holding her. “Wait, I’ll give you the money but it isn’t on me now!”

“Speak to the guards; I’m not interested in your little tricks,” Hale snorted, calculating the quickest route and dragging her along.

“Let go! Mother is still…! No, don't go this way. Turn at the other alley!”

“It’s not like I’m sending you to the slaughterhouse… you’re just going to get a week’s probation at best.” The law was very lenient on the underage, one reason that made children a favorite of exploiters.

“... Too late."

“Hands ‘ff da girlie, boy.”

They must have been making too much of a commotion. And attracting attention was never a good idea in a shady area like this.

Damn it. Watching the kid’s pupils dilate with trepidation, Hale decided the man was bad news. He pulled her and ran but an impact to his back sent them sprawling before they got far. The boy’s head cooled the more dangerous things got and he ignored the burning pain in his body, standing up shakily.

The man with a dirty sneer pulled his lifted leg back. Beneath the dense body hair were bulging muscles and judging from his earlier speed, Hale wasn’t under the illusion that they could force their way out.

And the situation was only getting worse.

“This young master came at the perfect time,” the owner of the slightly high voice was a squinty-eyed man followed by a bunch of thugs. His eyes scanned Hale and saw that while his clothing was of a rough and poor material, his hands were smooth and unblemished, a sign that they never had to work hard. The boy’s eyes were a rare molten gold and Python knew just the people who would be interested in this commodity.

“We’re still lacking some children. They will do,” He signaled the hairy man.

“Wait, Mungo!” The little girl Hale pulled behind his back had come forward at some point, “I’m your most dedicated girlie, remember? I always brought back bigger coins than the other Mice.” She hid the reluctance in her heart and gave the hairy man a pouch ingratiatingly, “This is my tribute for today.”

Hale’s mouth twitched. Who said the money wasn’t on her? This liar!

Mungo weighed the pouch, his mood slightly elevated. He had some impression of the girl. She made a good punching bag and her mother was a beauty.

But Python cut off the man’s hesitation, “Do you want to stay in the dingy slums for the rest of your life? If this shipment goes through, you can live like a king in the upper districts.”

Hale tsked inwardly. These men are speaking openly because they knew there was no escape for the children. He adjusted his clothes, shaking off the dust with a feigned calm. “My family has a tradition of placing tracking spells on children when they go out. Of the knights that came with us is a swordmaster. He’s a duplicitous guy and very good at pissing people off but his skills are true. They must be on their way; you can stay here if you’re dying to meet them.”

“Nice try. I don’t know if your family has a swordmaster but they certainly didn’t put a tracer on you.” A magic crest flashed on the back of his hand, a sign that the man was a spellcaster. Vines wrapped around the kids, and the sharp thorns that were buried deep through their skin discouraged struggling. “And by the time they find you, we’ll be long gone.”

Hale fought the binding anyway, and watched his blood soak the filthy pavement. “The Pact forbids trafficking and all culprits will face the death penalty of three generations!”

“Let us worry about that, thank you.” Python bowed theatrically and ordered, “Mungo!”

The giant man loomed over Hale and the girl.