(eng) Liz Braswell - Twisted Tales 01 by A Whole New World

Author:A Whole New World [World, A Whole New]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

ALADDIN ALLOWED HIMSELF a few moments of being alone and relaxing a little; he practiced mincing down the street the way he imagined girls did, robes curling about his feet. Abu chittered happily, sensing the change in his friend’s mood.

“You make a pretty believable girl,” someone drawled from the corner.

Morgiana stood there, arms crossed, watching his antics with a raised eyebrow. She had taken off her disguise and now wore her usual pants-and-top outfit.

“So do you,” Aladdin quipped without missing a beat.

“Idiot,” Morgiana growled, walking over to help him out of his costume.

“I mean, not as believable as that other girl. She was amazing. Where did you find her?”

“Her name is Pareesa, and she is one of the most skilled thieves in our little band. Also? Shut up,” Morgiana said pleasantly. “A man who has the attentions of an attractive royal princess should probably keep his eyes to himself.”

“I’m just kidding, Morgiana. I really only have eyes for Jasmine,” he said seriously. Then: “No offense.”

“None was ever taken. You’re too skinny for my liking, anyway. Put some meat on your bones and then we’ll talk.”

They walked down the street as casually as two thieves could, shoulders occasionally bumping like they didn’t care, eyes searching out quick exits just in case.

“We’ve missed you, you know,” Morgiana said eventually.

“I…missed you, too,” Aladdin admitted. “I just wish…”

“Yes, yes, we weren’t professional thieves. Mr. High-and-Mighty,” Morgiana said, rolling her eyes. “We just do what you do—and refined the process a bit. Neither one of us has the moral high ground, Aladdin. The law treats all kinds of theft equally.”

“I never cared about the law,” Aladdin said. “Only what my heart tells me.”

Morgiana shook her head. “It is very easy to steal only what you need to eat and live when you are a strong young man. The starving three-year-olds and dying grandmothers cannot steal to eat. So we steal extra, and, yes, coins and jewelry.”

“Do not tell me all those trinkets in your cave are just for your destitute charity cases,” Aladdin said, but with a twinkle in his eye.

“I’m not denying that I have bigger plans and a penchant for moving shiny objects,” Morgiana said with a shrug. “I’m just saying that we aren’t as purely evil as you think us, Aladdin. There are shades of gray and goodness to us as well.”

“I never thought you were evil, Morgiana. Just that you made bad choices.”

She laughed. “Now you sound like my mother. When she was, ah, clearheaded.”

Aladdin smiled. Was it possible to be friends with someone you didn’t agree with?

They turned a corner, and with thieves’ instincts, both immediately shrank back into the shadows.

There was a tent set up ahead in the wide street. It was squat and square, black and red: Jafar’s colors again. The angular, evil-looking symbol from the coin was painted on its side and flew on a pennant at the top. A long line of people, hot and desperate-looking, snaked away from the tent and down the street.

“What’s this?” Aladdin asked uneasily.

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