But that wasn’t all he took.
Bedeckt. She could have been happy with Bedeckt. She thought back to that one night, that drunken tumble in an alley in Neidrig. Morgen ruined that, killed her one chance at happiness.
What about Lebendig?
Stehlen crushed the thought.
Morgen stole her chance at being with Bedeckt. He was the reason Bedeckt killed her, was the reason she was here in this eternity of grey death.
She owed the little bastard for that too.
Killing Morgen was not enough. Murder wouldn’t balance the scales of justice. For that she must steal from him, something for each of his thefts. And then she’d kill him. God or no, I’ll be his death.
What an arrogant shite, wearing a man’s body he hadn’t earned. A stupid little boy who knew nothing of the world. She imagined the surprise on his face when he realized she’d killed him.
No one steals from me.
Ignored by both men, Stehlen circled the table to stand behind the godling. He smelled of soap and bleach. Peering over his shoulder, she watched him pick flakes of blood from his hands, which he kept hidden from Wichtig’s sight. She understood. This was a manifestation of delusion, driven by the boy’s need to be clean and his guilt at the murder he committed. Guilt is a weakness. Even morons like Wichtig and Bedeckt understood that.
Much as Wichtig poked at her for being a minor Kleptic, she knew the truth. She was powerful. She could take anything from anyone if she wanted it badly enough. Stealing lives was the ultimate theft.
Someday they’ll catch me. Someday they’ll punish me for my crimes. It wasn’t fear, it was a prayer. Her entire life she’d been ignored, invisible. Someday they would see her.
Stehlen took three items, small, wood and warm, from Morgen and pocketed them without a glance. It didn’t matter what they were, that wasn’t the point. They’d been his, and now they were hers.
Hearing mention of Bedeckt and seeing the sudden spark of concealed hurt and rage in Wichtig’s eyes, she listened in on their conversation.
Bedeckt, Morgen told the Swordsman, abandoned them here in the Afterdeath and returned to life with a sack of gold. Wichtig pretended not to care but grief and hurt were writ plain across his handsome face. Unlike Stehlen, his own Geisteskranken power did not seem to have grown.
She listened as Morgen convinced the Swordsman to pursue and kill the old warrior. He led Wichtig like a man leading a stubborn donkey to water, tricking him with shiny distractions and promises that were—like all promises—lies. The man might be a Gefahrgeist, but Stehlen had never met anyone so easily manipulated. The boy wasn’t even subtle.
Stehlen caressed the stolen items in her pocket. Content with her theft she returned to stand behind Wichtig. She preferred his manly scent to Morgen’s harsh cleanliness.
“One last thing,” said Wichtig, pocketing the coins Morgen placed on the table before him. “Stehlen.”
Out of habit, Stehlen relieved him of the extra wealth.
What had he said? Fixated on her own thoughts, she hadn’t been paying attention. The blather of men and boys was seldom interesting. She replayed what snippets of conversation she heard. Morgen was sending Wichtig after Bedeckt but not Stehlen? That made no sense whatsoever. The idiot couldn’t find his own arse with both hands, a map, and two mirrors.
“What about her?” asked Morgen.
“She’ll be angry,” said Wichtig, and Stehlen felt the slightest warmth for the Swordsman. “And Bedeckt abandoned her as much as he…” That warmth grew. The self-centred fool was actually thinking of her? Was he upset at the idea of abandoning her? “She’ll be angry,” Wichtig finished.
He hides it, but he really does care.
“Are you afraid of her?” asked Morgen.
“Of course not,” said Wichtig, clearly lying. “But she might cause trouble for you here in the Afterdeath.”
“I’m a god,” said Morgen. “She’s just a Kleptic.”
Wichtig knows not to underestimate me. Stehlen considered returning the pouch of gold.
“You’ll make sure the hideous bitch doesn’t come after me?” Wichtig asked and that warmth died, strangled by hurt and hate. Stehlen barely managed not to knife the man right then and there.
“Of course,” said Morgen.
“I’ll do it,” said Wichtig.
They prattled on but Stehlen wasn’t listening. I’ll kill them both.