Distrust

Aoric clawed at the black haired dishevelled man's hand. He dug his short nails into his skin as he opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water. No air reached his lungs as he slowly began to feel his muscles give up. His flailing slowed down as his vision blurred and darkened.

He kicked the air and used the last bit of air in his lungs. "…please…"

His weak, fading voice seemed to snap the black clad woman out of whatever thoughts she was lost in. She glanced at him, then at the dishevelled man. "Let him breathe, I never told you to kill him."

The man let go of Aoric's throat, and the young man collapsed on his hands and knees. Gasping for air, he wheezed and coughed as his lungs burned and his chest ached. Suffocating had to be the worst way to die, he decided right then and there.

"Now," The woman's voice sounded. "Tell me more; how do you know you found the right case? What if what you found was something different?"

Aoric wheezed and took deep breaths. His throat burned and the man's grasp was sure to leave a bruise.

"Speak!" The woman's voice reminded him of the snap of a whip. "Or do you want to be harmed?"

Aoric raised his head to glare at her. "You are the worst employer I've seen." He wheezed. "The case had two empty spots next to the documents, the velvet was caved in two spots – one in the shape of a vial, and the other, a blade." He paused and gulped. He was so thirsty, he could kill for a glass of water. He waited to rest his throat for a moment, then continued. "It was a wooden case the same size as you described, and it had a small, delicate silver lock." He slowly pushed himself off the ground and leaned on the wall. Kneeling before that woman and her brute left a horrible taste in his mouth.

"Where is it?" She asked after a short while of silence.

"I left it there."

As soon as the words left his mouth, the dishevelled man gnarled, taking a step forward. Aoric quickly raised his hands. "Please just listen first!" He exclaimed, fearing for his life again. "You said you absolutely needed the vial. If I stole the case yesterday, I'd never be able to sneak back in later for the vial!"

"Did you search the entire house?" She asked. Aoric shook his head. "I didn't have the time. I had to leave soon after the bells of the cathedral tolled." He coughed and noticed his cloak soaking in a puddle on the ground. "Ah, damn." He reached for the cloak and took it in his hands. "Great…" He mumbled.

"Did you come across the owners?"

Aoric shook his head. "I think the mansion was empty." He rubbed his throat and neck. "Look," He sighed. "I get that you don't trust me, it's normal." He shot a quick, meaningful look at the dishevelled man. "I'll try to find the vial."

The woman raised her chin. "I don't trust you, that is true. Show me your back."

Aoric hesitated. "Excuse me?" He asked, confused. What the hell did this woman even want from his back?

The woman didn't repeat her words however, she simply tilted her head to the side, and the dishevelled man stepped towards Aoric. "Ok, ok!" Aoric cried out. He quickly unbuttoned his shirt and turned his back. "Happy?"

The woman remained silent for a moment, but then let out a soft chuckle. "Yes, you can get dressed now." Aoric didn't need to hear those words twice. He buttoned his shirt back up, though the damage was already done. He shivered as the cold win blew against his face. "You are all weird." He breathed out. "I'll try to find the vial."

"Find it and bring it to me." She said with a faint smile on her lips. She turned around and walked away. The dishevelled man followed her quickly, leaving Aoric alone in the alleyway.

The young man's knees gave out as soon as they left his vision. He collapsed on the ground, his back leaning against the wall, and hugged his knees. The drizzle was slowly getting stronger, turning into actual rain. He hugged his legs and leaned his head against his knees.

He was wet, cold, had little money left and his chest and throat continued to hurt. Once he was done with this job, he would never step into the city again, he promised himself. He let his body rest a while, then forced himself to get up. An inn, he needed to find an inn, and a hot bath. He wondered f he could pick some people's pockets, but with his hands slowly going numb, it wasn't too likely.

"Never again." He whispered to himself.

"You did what?" Irene exclaimed.

Ivy chuckled. "Well, I checked him for marks, and he didn't have any, so I let him go." She dried her hair with a towel as she spoke. "You should have seen him – he was terrified!"

Irene rolled her eyes. If course he was terrified, who wouldn't be terrified of someone almost choking them to death. "So, he wasn't marked? He didn't get turned?" She asked to make sure. Ivy nodded. "He's a perfectly normal and surprisingly capable human." She said with a smile. "He said he snuck into the mansion already." Her expression turned darker as she retold the young, little thief's story.

"I see." Irene mumbled once her sister's words ended. "At least this proves they only have a single vial left." She added, looking at the brighter side of things. "It's normal he didn't find it yesterday – they were busy using it to kill the two."

Ivy nodded. "I didn't tell him of the murders." She hesitated. "I don't think he'll finish the job if he learns about murders."

Irene shot her sister an odd look. "You think murders of others is too much, but almost suffocating him is normal?" She asked with disbelief. Her sister couldn't truly believe that, could she?

Ivy just chuckled. "Does it really matter?" She threw the towel on her bed and stretched her arms. "I'm off to meet Xavier, we'll talk again later, ok?"

Irene sighed. "Yeah, yeah…" She wondered about this Xavier person again, but asking Ivy wasn't going to do much, so she quickly gave up on the idea.

"Oh, and Irene?" Ivy said before she passed through the door. "I can see why you chose him. He's adorable when he's terrified.

"Shut up!"