Page 3 of Gifted Thief
She stiffened. She’d thought that once she was out of the Clanlands, she’d be free of the Sidhe. Less than five minutes into her escape and already they were being discussed on the radio. That didn’t bode well.
‘What Clan are you?’ she asked.
The man flicked her an amused look. ‘I’m not with any Clan. I don’t hold to those Sidhe ideas.’
She frowned. ‘But everyone’s in a Clan.’
He laughed. ‘No, they’re not. I’m Clan-less. I don’t follow their rules. If that bothers you, you can still change your mind.’ He gestured towards the door.
She glanced outside. ‘No. I’m here now.’
He pointed downwards. ‘Seatbelt then.’
The girl stared at her new benefactor. He frowned and repeated the word. Finally understanding, she hastily pulled the seatbelt across her body, clicking it into place. With a satisfied grunt, he re-started the engine. ‘Anyone asks,’ he said, ‘you’re my niece, alright? We’re on our way to see your grandparents.’
Confused as to why anyone would care, she bit her lip and nodded. He opened the glove box and rummaged around, then tossed her a faded baseball cap. No less baffled, the girl put it on, tucking her hair inside. Her stomach had a strange squirmy sensation that she didn’t like very much.
Less than half a mile down the road, when the talking on the radio had given way to a jazzy song, blue-and-red flashing lights appeared and the man threw her a meaningful glance. The car rolled to a stop and the unsmiling face of a uniformed policeman appeared.
Certain that this was for her, she squeaked and shrank back in her seat. While the police might technically be considered Clan-less and they certainly had no jurisdiction within the Clanlands, their wages were paid out of the twenty-four Clans’ pockets. There was no doubting where their allegiance lay.
‘License and registration.’
The man calmly handed them over. The policeman inspected them briefly then turned to her. In a fit of desperation, she burst out, ‘We’re going to see my gran. She’s sick. She needs us.’
The policeman’s expression softened. He waved them on, already focusing his attention on the car behind them.
Once they were safely away, the man spoke, glancing at her in the mirror as he drove. ‘That was good work,’ he said. ‘A bit shaky but the improvisation was clever.’ He nodded. ‘It’s been a real stroke of luck meeting you. Perhaps we can help each other out. I’m Taylor. What’s your name?’
The girl, eyes wide and hands clenched tightly in her lap, took a deep breath. ‘Integrity,’ she said suddenly, her voice clear. ‘My name’s Integrity.’
Taylor laughed aloud. In fact three hours later, when they finally pulled into a dark Aberdonian street, he was still laughing. It was a long time before she realised why.
Chapter One
You have to do bad shit to get ahead. Taylor had told me that a million times and for a long time I’d bought into it. After tonight, however, things were going to be different. A new leaf and a new me. That was what I was planning.
I’d been thinking about it for a long time but since I’d received the letter in elegant, handwritten script demanding my appearance at the Sidhe court, I felt I had no choice but to step up my plans to vamoose out of the city. I didn’t want anything to do with those bastards. Not unless it meant ripping them off. Frankly, I’d rather head down to the Lowlands – and the Veil – than venture near the Clanlands.
At least Taylor had promised that my final hurrah was going to be a straightforward job. ‘In and out,’ he’d said. ‘The place will be empty.’
‘You know I’m leaving after this one,’ I reminded him. Not that it was likely it would have slipped his mind but with Taylor sometimes certain points bore repeating.
‘Of course, of course! As if I could forget.’ His eyes took on a knowing look that I chose to ignore. ‘You’ll miss it though. You won’t get many thrills from tramping around the countryside.’
‘It’s not tramping around the countryside. It’s mountain rescue. I think saving lives will be thrilling enough.’
He grimaced at that. ‘You’ll be bored.’
I simply smiled back. We’d had this conversation often enough in recent weeks. My mind was made up and even he couldn’t change it.
‘I’ll always be here,’ he said. ‘If you do want to come back, that is.’
I hugged him impulsively. ‘I might not come back to work but I’ll always come back. You’re my family.’ I meant every word. We’d had a few rough times over the years but who hadn’t? Taylor had been there for me when no-one else was, even if his motives weren’t always pure. I worried about him more than he’d ever know.
He looked abashed at my heartfelt words and ran an awkward hand through his hair. It was no longer the carroty mop he had when I first met him all those years ago. Now it was more silver, far closer in colour to my own locks, which still drew curious looks and the odd question about my ancestry, even amongst the Clan-less underbelly. For the most part I shrugged them off.
It was a very long time since I moved in Sidhe circles. I crossed the road to avoid passing close by any of my kin, no matter how distantly related they were. And one of the reasons I was leaving Aberdeen was because they’d contacted me.
