Narlissa Quickhands, half-elf and master thief, peeled back the cloth covering the stolen amulet for the hundredth time to check it was still there. It was. It was glowing, too, and she replaced the cloth quickly and hoped no one had seen it. The streets were busy this afternoon and alive with the gossip of a robbery at the baron's mansion. No one knew what had been stolen but they all said that the baroness was distraught at its absence.
Narlissa smiled to herself to hear the rumours. She knew what was missing because it was in her hands right now. Yet she was not in the clear. She had to find someone who would know how to dispel the cantrip that caused it to glow. Duncyn had said it would not be difficult to do but she did not know enough about magic to guarantee that was the case.
So instead she hurried through the village. She was conflicted. She could try and find a wizard further away who would not have heard about the robbery and therefore be less likely to report her as a thief but then she would have to carry the amulet with her for longer and risk being discovered with it glowing and giving her away. The other option was to find someone local to minimise the time she spent with it glowing in her possession but that risked her finding someone loyal to the baron who would report her to the guards. Of course, the third option was to throw the amulet away but she was not going to do that now.
Narlissa instead lowered her head and carried on walking. She had a shawl about her head today as she was trying to make sure no one would recognise her. Her red hair was covered and more importantly so were her pointed ears. She had been told her eyes were a lovely shade of brown but that was common enough that no one would take notice.
Soon she came to the edge of the village and the more run down houses and shops that marked it. Whilst she did not know what was here precisely, she had always found that hedge wizards preferred to operate on the outskirts of towns and villages rather than in the centre. She guessed it was their desire for seclusion contesting with their need to earn money that stopped them straying too far into or away from the settlement.
Looking around, she saw a sign marking an alchemist's shop and moved towards it. It was as good a bet as any. Pushing open the door she found the place small and dingy, with potions lining all the shelves.
No one was here so she cleared her throat and called out. "Hello?"
Shuffling sounded from the back of the shop and a cloaked figure walked into view. It stared at her a moment before waving her in and she shut the door behind her to stand by the counter.
"What can I do for you?" a voice said beneath the robes and Narlissa found herself wary.
"I have a... cantrip I need dispelling. Can you help with that?"
The figure laughed. "You think I am a wizard, half-elf?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "I do not know, sir. That is why I am asking." Subconsciously Narlissa clutched the bundle in her hands tighter. She was not about to have the amulet taken now.
The figure shrugged off their cloak then to reveal a man likely in his late-thirties. He was tall with dark skin. Brown eyes shone out from beneath a mane of brown hair. He was dressed in a plain blue robe and from what Narlissa could see of him he was slender but not bony, and she guessed he stood at about 6'2".
"I apologise for the show, m'lady," he said with a gracious bow. "But I have had too many unfortunate incidents in this shop recently. I find such an imposing entrance usually scares off the troublemakers. I am Malcolm."
Narlissa smiled, relieved to see such a friendly face. "I am Narlissa. Pleased to meet you." They shook hands briefly.
"Well what can I do for you?" the man she now knew as Malcolm said after a moment. "I can indeed dispel many cantrips with the right time and effort."
"Have you heard of the the theft at the baron's house?" she asked, testing the waters.
The wizard laughed. "I have! What great sport. I hope they stole everything. The true criminals are the nobles, after all."
Narlissa grinned. He would not report her. She held out the cloth bundle and the wizard took it, slowly opening it with an intrigued look. His eyes opened wide as he saw the glowing amulet within.
"You are the thief!" he said, looking up at her.
She nodded, preparing to grab the amulet and run if she felt he would change his mind about calling the guards.
Malcolm grinned. "Excellent. I shall help you with this, of course. It is good fun."
He stepped to the back of the shop, disappearing round the corner. Narlissa edged after him.
"Do please follow me," he said and she did so hurriedly, not wanting the amulet to be out of her sight for too long.
What she saw took her breath away. Malcolm had shed his blue robe and was standing only in the cloth pants he clearly wore beneath. He might have been in his late-thirties but he still looked amazing. He had his arms raised above his head and a magical glow seemed to hover in the room. The amulet lay on a pedestal in front of him and as Narlissa watched he stretched out his arms towards it. Sudden power leapt to the amulet. It stopped glowing immediately.
Malcolm lowered his arms and the magical force disappeared, and then he passed the amulet to Narlissa. She clutched it tightly, making sure it was still intact, and a relieved grin broke out on her face as she realised it was still in perfect condition. Only now, without the spell that gave her away.
"Thank you, Malcolm," she smiled.
"It was nothing," the dusky wizard bowed back.
Narlissa reached for her purse. There was not much gold left in it but she hoped she had enough. "How much do I owe you?"
A grin stretched across Malcolm's handsome face. "For such entertainment? You owe me nothing, Narlissa. Your theft of that amulet and the subsequent distress it has caused the baroness is payment enough."
Narlissa giggled at that. It was nice to have her work appreciated by someone.