Chapter 25

"Alright, this is your one and only chance. Do you remember everything I told you?" Gaius asked and I nodded.

"No feeling anything for them, be casual if they notice you, and bail if suspicious grows so you aren't caught red handed."

"Exactly, if they think you're up to no good, find someone else to steal from and give no indication that you were going to steal from then. Now," He stopped before we got around a corner. "Who are you willing to trust with our little secret?"

"Um…" I wasn't planning to tell anyone about the skill hunt until I knew for sure. "Whoever won't get mad at me for making them my experiment?"

"Well, they are all going to get a little mad at this. So, pick one you don't mind having sour thoughts about you for a while."

"I don't want anyone to have sour thoughts about me."

He sighed. "Fine, I'll pick someone." He thought about it for a second or two before a grin started to form. "And I think I know someone that might actually enjoy the experiment if you fail."

"Eh?"

"Come on."

I sighed and obligated, it was probably going to ruin any friendship that I was going to make with whoever Gaius had in mind to be my experimental victim. We wandered through the halls at a quick, silent pace. Eventually, we made it to a grand, open door and Gaius snuck inside before I could ask where we were. I followed and stopped as I gawked at the walls and shelves. There were so many books – a small… something grew in my chest as I looked at the shelves and walls. The structure of the shelves, the books that sat on them, the very beauty of the room all complimented each other in a way that I was sure I only dreamt of. I could live here. A small tap on my arm drew my attention out of the fantasy of reading all the books. Gaius indicated to keep moving. To my scholar instinct's disappointment, I did as I was told and followed him deeper into the library. We walked along the aisles and were about to turn a corner when Gaius stopped. I looked up at him with confusion as he turned to me.

"Your task; get Miriel's sack of money."

"Miriel's!" I squeaked out in a whisper. "She'll kill me if she found out."

"Or she'll grow interest in your brain and will want to study you."

"That's the same thing!"

"That's your target." Gaius finalized. "Do it, or don't. I don't care as long as you pay up with a bag of candy."

I went to open my mouth to say something, but closed it instead. The least I could do was try. Even if it meant being Miriel's lab rat for the next forever.

"Think about it this way," He started peeking around the corner. "She'll only want to study you if you get caught. So, don't get caught."

"There are about a million reasons on why this is a terrible idea."

"Yep, so don't think about it."

I gritted my teeth as I nodded. I looked around the corner to see Miriel looking at books on a high shelf holding a few in her arms. I looked over her attire and saw the pouch Gaius was talking about barely sticking out of her cloak. I narrowed my eyes and wandered silently over to her. If I did this right, I wouldn't be her experiment, so if I did it right, I could live… no pressure. As I got closer I realized that her pouch was tired to her cloak and sighed silently. Of course, it had to be tied. I looked back at Gaius, who waved with a grin. Bastard won no matter the outcome. I rolled my eyes and turned back to the task at hand. I held my breath as I neared, keeping to her blind spot, and knelt slightly. She shifted back and forth on her toes like she was unsure of what she wanted to read or was just looking for a book. Perhaps I was lucky that she was distracted, made this whole first attempt, that much easier. Suddenly, a small noise came from down the aisle and she snapped her attention to it as I moved to keep in her blind spot. She turned back to the books after a moment and I moved back into position. Maybe she wasn't as distracted as I thought she was. I took the moment I had to slip my fingers into the tie, loosened it without pulling on her cloak, before swiftly grabbing the coin sack. I gripped it so it didn't jingle and placed it into my pocket. I took a few small steps back. Sticking my hand in my pocket with the sack, I sped away, sneaking my way back to the book shelf. I rounded the shelf and saw Gaius at the other end, exactly where the noise had come from earlier. I frowned as walked over to him and waited into after we got out of the library and in a relatively safe, quiet place before I threw him the pouch.

"What the hell was that?!" I asked, frustrated, but keeping my voice low.

"What was what?" He replied with a question as he looked in the pouch.

"You almost got me caught."

"You almost got yourself caught. If I hadn't showed you that Miriel was always paying attention, you would have failed, miserably."

"But-" I stopped as I realized that he was probably right. "You do have a point."

"Of course, though I have to say, that was pretty smooth. I'm actually impressed, even I wouldn't dare steal from a person like Miriel. Unless, I had to."

"Asshole..." I muttered.

"What was that?"

"How did I do?" I asked not motioning towards the fact that I insulted him.

"Not bad. Your speed, even with the distraction, was pretty quick."

"Was it? It felt like minutes had gone by…"

"You were there for a few seconds, and then you were gone. Technique was good, though the best way to solve a problem like that is to actually get them distracted by you or something else, so they don't notice you undoing their pouch or reaching into their pocket."

"That would have been nice to know… I could have scared her. I'm quiet enough."

"You are quiet… are you sure you don't remember anything about stealing. Maybe perhaps stalking or assassination?"

I shook my head, though the thought of someone else point out the very question that Gangrel asked was a little unsettling. "None."

"I see…" Gaius was silent before shrugging. "Well I'm off to get a bag of candy. I'll return what's left to Miriel later saying I saw a kid take it earlier."

"That kid better not be named Mychaila…"

"Nope. Now you should probably go. Robin or Lon'qu should be ready for your lesson by now."

"Probably." I agreed. I waved as I started to walk down the hall with no direction in mind.

"Before you so…" Gaius called out and I tuned to him.

"Eh?"

"You practice your skill on any of the shepherds without permission, my permission, I will tell someone."

I smiled. "Don't worry about that, I like living right now. Next time I practice this skill, it will be on a poor bastard that thought he could stop us from saving Emmeryn."

"It better be."