Whooee. That was dicey! I gotta say though, that worked out fantastic. For me anyway.

Of course, because I had a very special thing in my paw. And I wasn't moving from Seth until I could make sure I wasn't going to drop it. Picking pockets as a cat without thumbs is thieving on hard mode. Thank little green apples for claws though. That and a week of practicing picking up rocks.

"And you can explain to me why you are covered in spiderlings," Selendrith said.

Caught you! I watched Duvessa and Booth with keen interest.

Owen was first. "Yeah, I owe you some apologies."

"We'll talk inside," Selendrith said. "Are you all right?" She asked Seth as she opened the door.

"A little bruised, but I'll be fine."

"Have a seat. I strongly suggest not trying to pocket anything again," Selendrith said. She led them to the seating area at the front of the shop and then left to go upstairs.

Duvessa, Owen, and Booth all sat on the sofa, while Seth took the chair. There was one chair left. I considered hopping over to it, but I wasn't sure about my grip on my new toy.

Duvessa was examining herself, clearly searching for crystal spiderlings. Owen was leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. He looked so guilty. Booth was leaning back with his arms and ankles crossed. This probably wasn't his first rodeo.

When Selendrith entered carrying a tray Duvessa asked her, "Will you be removing the crystal spiders? They are making my skin crawl."

"Not yet, no." Selendrith set the tray of red teacups and a red teapot on the low table and sat in the empty chair. "I didn't heat the water. I'm not spending my mana on you lot, so one of you will need to heat it."

"I will," Seth immediately offered. "What do I do?"

"Channel mana into this symbol here." She pointed to one of the four symbols on the teapot. Seth did as instructed and the teapot darkened.

"Keep going until it's red again," Selendrith instructed. "I have sand flower tea from Mariglade. It's my favorite."

When the teapot had turned dark red Selendrith told Seth to stop. She opened a jar and dropped a metal sphere into the pot. The silence stretched.

"Thank you for helping us, Selendrith," Seth finally said.

Selendrith nodded, but continued to stare judgmentally at the three on the sofa. "I'd like an explanation please. Why exactly did you break into my home and rob me?" She poured the tea.

"I'm sorry," Owen said. "I thought we were just gonna look around."

Note to self, Owen cracks under pressure. To be honest, his composure had been going to pieces for a little while now.

"We were looking into the connection between the pendant that was sold to Blaise of the Firesands, and with the loss of her ability to use magic that same day," Duvessa said. "I wanted to know if anyone had asked for the pendant to be altered or tampered with, and any communications that would indicate the kidnappers knew she would have been filling the pendant that day."

Selendrith's teacup clinked on the saucer. "So you believe my grandfather and myself have colluded with those people to remove a person's ability to do magic?"

"Of course not–" Owen started.

"Yes," Duvessa interrupted firmly. "I don't know what the connection is, but I came here to find it."

"Are you aware that all our records about that specific piece have already been requested by the Circle Tower?"

"I was not. Do you still have the records and may we see them?" Duvessa asked. She still held her tea, untouched.

"I am not inclined to show private business affairs to a pack of thieves," Selendrith retorted. "As it is, you are incredibly lucky my grandfather left town today. If he'd been here it would have been you going with the guards tonight."

Seth shifted and studied his tea. Then he looked up like he was going to say something but I stabbed him with a claw. Don't say it, kid. "Ow, Mau, watch your claws," Seth said quietly.

Wait a second. I just realized that no one brought me tea! Unacceptable. I eyed Booth's cup and debated taking it. Was stealing tea worth the risk of dropping my new toy? Tragically, no.

"You wouldn't have been successful robbing us anyway," Selendrith continued. "There are a variety of actions I can order the spiders to take, including returning anything stolen."

Duvessa and Owen both glared at Booth.

"I'm sorry, Selendrith," Seth said again. "Our friend Blaise won't be able to continue school without her power. Her family will be here tomorrow to take her home. We didn't have time to do this a better way."

Selendrith nodded. "If I'd said no I may have been more alert to you entering." She swirled her tea in her cup. "I can appreciate wanting to help a friend, and you've already done me a favor, Seth. I'll fetch the records for you." She set her tea down and went to another room.

Seth looked at the others. "You should all apologize."

Selendrith returned almost right away with a bundle of papers she handed to Seth. "Take a look. There's nothing there."

Seth read in silence for a bit until Duvessa said, "I'm sorry to have insulted you. I sincerely hope that my suspicions are unfounded."

"There may be a way for your friend to stay in school." Selendrith looked in her empty cup and put it back down. "She will need to learn mana manipulation and how to create a harvesting formation. Then she should be able to use the mana in the pendant to perform at school."

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Duvessa clapped happily. "Is that something that we can do? Who can teach her that?"

I could clap too. Learning mana manipulation? Woot!

"I don't see where the source material for the pendant was obtained," Seth interrupted, holding up a couple of receipts. "It looks like some information was redacted."

"It's there," Selendrith said. "I remember that piece because the material was so rare. A local merchant in the city got it for us."

Seth flipped through the pages again. "No, I don't see it here. This is where I'd expect to see it." He handed Selendrith the page.

She frowned at the page and then asked for the rest of the pages. "Some of these have been altered," she said.

"How can you tell?" Duvessa asked.

"Each page has a number written in pencil right there. But on this page, the number is in ink. This page was copied and modified," Selendrith said.

"Would the Circle Tower have done that?" Owen asked.

"I don't see why," Selendrith answered. "There's nothing remarkable here that needs hiding."

"Did it have the name of the merchant?" Seth asked.

"It did, and that's not here. But I remember him. He's a new supplier for us, by the name of Benjamin. He used to deal with ordinary materials," she gestured to the teapot, "and some minor enchantments. But he's started sponsoring explorer teams and said he might have some infused material soon."

Seth tensed up at the mention of Benjamin. I might have too, to be honest. But this wasn't proof of anything yet. Just a thread that might go somewhere, and might not. I didn't think the other kids knew the name of Seth's guardian.

"So, the documents were altered?" Duvessa asked. She tapped her lips thoughtfully. "We need to see what these look like in the Circle Tower."

Seth shook his head. "Do you know who you gave the records to?"

"I made copies to give them for my grandfather. They never had the originals," Selendrith said.

"Another mystery!" Duvessa declared. She stood up and put her teacup down. "I need to go make notes. It's late, and I am grateful for your hospitality." She gave Selendrith a little bow. "I apologize for the misunderstanding, invading your space, and breaking your spider. Your ideas on how to help my friend are greatly appreciated, and now I consider you my friend too." Duvessa gestured to the others. "Let us take our leave, and let our friend get back to bed. We can talk more at school." She was rubbing her hands together as she strode to the door.

Owen scrambled after her, Booth followed more slowly. Seth was watching Booth until they were outside.

"Wait," Selendrith called. "The three of you, stand right here," she indicated for Owen, Booth, and Duvessa to stand at spot just outside the shop door. "And close your eyes and keep them closed."

"Why?" Booth asked.

"Do you trust me?" Selendrith asked, the question directed at all of them.

"I do," Seth answered.

"I guess," Owen said.

Booth just hummed noncommittally.

"Of course I'll trust you," Duvessa said and closed her eyes. Because of course Duvessa was the type to completely trust the person she'd just got caught robbing.

Selendrith laid a white crystal box on the doorsill and opened it. She activated something inside it.

"Keep them closed for a minute," Selendrith said.

Tiny crystal spiders started crawling off Booth, Owen, and Duvessa. Booth choked back a shout and swatted at the spiders but they kept marching down and into the crystal box.

Duvessa giggled. "That tickles."

"Just keep them closed," Seth said. "I can tell you when to open them."

When the swarm had finally filled the box Selendrith examined the contents. "There's nothing missing. The spiders have left you all."

"Thank you, we really owe you one," Seth said.

"I was just repaying the favor I owe you, Seth," Selendrith said. Then she spun around and closed the shop door behind her.

Owen stared at the shut door and then down at himself. The night air had given him goosebumps, or maybe that was the memory of the spiderlings. "That was actually terrifying," he said. "I didn't even know there were so many."

"Let's just go," Seth said.

"That was a close one," Booth said.

"What were you thinking?" Owen demanded. "Actually taking stuff? We were supposed to be finding out who took Blaise's power, not swiping magic trinkets."

"No harm done, man. Don't get all twisted about it," Booth said dismissively.

Owen snapped his mouth shut and stalked ahead.

The four students walked back to school in mostly silence. It wasn't until they were halfway back that Booth finally asked, "So. Who exactly is that girl?"

"I met her during the Gauntlet and helped her out. I haven't actually talked to her since," Seth said.

"She knows us though?" Owen asked.

"Luckily," Seth said. "You'd all be in serious trouble if she didn't cover for you."

"Lucky it was just her and not the old man," Booth said.

"That wasn't luck," Seth said. "I got him out of the city."

Duvessa stopped and spun around. "You did what?"

"I knew this was going to go badly," Seth said. "You wouldn't listen to me. So I tried to think of what I could do to stop you from getting caught. One thing I thought of was for there to be nobody home to see you. So I had a courier deliver an invitation to an auction out of town for tomorrow morning. I didn't realize Selendrith would still be there."

"Wow, that's lucky you knew about the auction," Owen said.

Seth shook his head. "The auction is next week. I changed the dates."

"How about the guards? Is it luck you knew that guy?" Booth asked.

"No. I went to the barracks right after I left your room, Duvessa. I made an excuse to talk to one of the officers I knew, and I switched tonight's patrol plates on the schedule board when he wasn't looking. Nathan was supposed to be over by the west piers tonight, not the magic market. But the guy that was supposed to be here is an ass. He would have roughed up everyone and then demanded bribes. I bet the Skulls already pay him off. But Nathan did training with my brother and I knew he was an honest guy. I told him you all were helping me find my familiar, and asked if he could help me corner her."

"So you set it in his head none of us were in the shop before he even got there," Booth said.

"Right. And Mau could lead him to where we needed him to be." Seth shook his head. "It was the best I could think of, and it wasn't really enough. If Selendrith didn't cover for us, we'd all be done."

I dunno kid. It was a trainwreck with minimal casualties. I think you did fine.

Back in the dorm Seth used the light from his pendant on at its dimmest to change into his sleeping clothes. While he was occupied, I slipped out of the cord on my neck with my own pendant and put it down next to my new bestest prize, the skull key ring.

I needed to get that ring on that cord without thumbs.

And I'm talented. I managed it. I put a claw through the ring, and pulled a loop of cord through and then pulled the rest of the cord through that loop. Et violà.

I was a free kitty.

For a little while at least. This would only last a couple days and I was excited to try it out.

But not tonight. Seth climbed into bed and put the light out. I was sorely tempted to try out my new ring right now, but restrained myself. I knew staying was the right move when I curled up next to Seth and he gripped me much tighter than usual. As late as it was, it took him a long time to fall asleep. I'd been up for nearly 24 hours already myself, so I was looking forward to at least a couple of hours of sleep.