“Mooooom!” a little girl calls to me, running up. “Ollie took my doll!”179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6s09Ni6PEr
I cluck my tongue and stand up, putting down the book I was reading on my porch. “Well, let’s go and talk to Ollie, then, Mel, shall we?”179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfaczUqIL0D
We walk around the house together, Mel’s tiny hand in mine. Her pointed elf ears are a stark contrast to her jet black wings, which some of the village kids tease her for, but she’s never shown that it gets her down. In the backyard, Klef is snickering with a young boy, also with elf ears and wings, and holding up a stuffed doll. “Oliver, Kleftis, just what do you think you’re doing?!” I ask, crossing my arms.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiNYzJOc5LH
“Nothing, Mom!” Ollie says, while Klef grins, unashamed.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoR9p1XH7Nm
“Really?” I ask. “Because it sounds like Klef is teaching you how to play thief, which may I remind both of you, is banned in my house.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy2xLCrckcc
“Yes, ma’am,” Ollie and Klef both say. Klef tosses the doll to Mel. “Here you are, my sweet little Melody. Sorry about that.”179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXuZW4JLgOw
“Apology accepted,” Mel says sweetly. “Not sure Mom is buying it, though.”179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXcn7Bp4jwR
Klef looks up to me. “No?” he asks.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG5UdRwE3RR
“No,” I say, walking closer. “I hereby sentence you to death by tickles!” I say, descending on him with quick fingers.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfPmeLqXwHM
“Hey! No fair!” Klef cries out.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2FYqMAPRUm
Ollie and Mel giggle and join me in the tickling. “3 against 1 is illegal!” Klef cries inbetween his guffaws.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJArENjbsn2
I stop and pull the kids off him. “All right, all right. What happened to start all this?”179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjCRGRC6P9O
“We have to talk about our parents careers in school and do a report,” Ollie says eagerly. “And Daddy was telling me about how he used to be a thief before he was a Campaigner!”179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBbtACgbs85
“They want to know our story, Ride,” Klef says, looking up at me.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡORFgwtzHVW
“Oh, I suppose their old enough to know the basics,” I say with a shrug. “The clean version.”179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJezBUre1hn
“Nothing less until they’re 13,” Klef agrees.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPTzjucAFEI
I sit down next to him on the ground and Ollie and Mel sit across from us eagerly. “Tell us everything!” Ollie exclaims.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKsApJ6TiNO
Mel nods. “Anything and everything you can!”179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfx3P9XhnZz
I look over at Klef and smile. “Okay. Well, the first thing you should know, is that many centuries ago, there was a group formed called the Crusaders. And while many people used it for good, some people used it for bad as well. Your father and I both used it for good, though, and there were some bad people who didn’t like that…”179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLPsl9WxJBb
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