Pathline by Kaede Lazares

on, but she always noticed when it was off.  The edges of the black stone that hung at the bottom of the necklace had become worn from regular use over the years.  She hadn't thought about it in a while, but the memory of how she got it still made her smile.  It was odd really, having Rook here; it felt like her worlds were colliding in a strange way.  She felt torn... between who she'd been with Rook, who she was in the agency, and who she let herself become around Marcus.  She wasn't sure which one was the real her in the end.  She took the necklace off, observing the etched silver rune in the center of the pendant , running her fingers over it. 
    When her and Rook were young they 'd survived by taking whatever odd jobs came up.  Sometimes that had meant working for something other than money.  There was an old woman who used to live alone in the neighborhood; she had a hard time getting around so she would often hire Rook or Rune to help her out around the house.  She didn't have much money, so she would usually pay them with old trinkets she had laying around her attic.  Rook would in turn take the trinkets to the local pawn shop and haggle with the shop owner to try to get the most money for them.  Rune would sometimes go with him to look around the shop and admire the assortment of items that found their way there. 
    On one such visit to the pawn shop Rune had been wa ndering around looking through the shelves while Rook went to haggle with the shop owner for that week’s grocery money.  She was halfway through a shelf when she 'd noticed the necklace.  It was hanging between a battered pocket watch and an odd pair of earrings in the shapes of ice cream cones.  It was the most unique necklace she'd ever seen, she didn't recognize the mark on it but something about it looked magical to her adolescent eyes.  She was still admiring it when Rook finished his haggling and came to get her.  As soon as she realized he was next to her she turned away from the necklace and they headed out.
    About a month later, when sh e came home from a job helping out at the local laundry mat, she found a small package sitting over the covers of the old mattress she used for her bed.  It was wrapped in wrinkled tissue paper and tied with a piece of black yarn.  When she sat down to open the package she was shocked to find the necklace she'd been admiring in the pawn shop.  She didn't know how much it must have cost; she'd avoided looking at the price tag on the visit since she knew it would be out of her budget.  She only later learned from others that Rook had spent the time since that day working every possible job he could find in order to earn the money to buy her the necklace.  He had noticed her longing when he'd found her looking at the necklace, he knew she'd never ask for it since they had more important expenses to focus on, but he'd wanted her to have it.  She'd hardly seen him that month; he was always out working some job or other.  She'd been worried that the man who let then stay in the attic above his stockroom must have raised the weekly rent he charged them.  She'd asked Rook about it, but he'd told her that everything was fine.  When she saw the necklace she realized why he'd been working so much lately, and felt equally guilty and elated .  She put the necklace on hesitantly and went to look in the mirror they had hanging in their bathroom.  It made her feel special to have it on, but the feeling was bittersweet. 
    When Rook came home that night, late as usual, she waited up for him.  He was surprised to find her still up ; then noticed that she had the opened package sitting on the edge of her bed, with the necklace sitting in the center of the tissue paper.  She got up and hugged him as he walked closer. 
    "You really shouldn't have done this Rook; we can't afford it, is this why you've been working yourself to death lately?" 
    Rook pulled away f rom her and lifted the necklace. "I didn't