Free I Know Lucy (The Fugitive Series) by Melissa Pearl

this.”
    She’d given her standard reluctant nod and headed off in the opposite direction. It had been 17 months since Marlin fished her out of the river and kept her warm that night. The next morning he’d given her a bruised banana and half an apple, asking her if she’d like to stick with him for a while. Her plan had been to stay for a few days and then ditch him in the night. But each night she couldn’t do it. Marlin kept her safe. He fed her, talked to her, during the warmer months he’d even forced her back in the water, teaching her how to swim properly. By the end of their first summer, he’d become the older brother she’d always wanted.
    They’d made it through four seasons together. They survived the heat, the cold, the wind, the rain. They’d eaten out of garbage cans, slept some nights under the stars and other nights under bridges or huddled against cold, stone walls in back alleys. They’d walked for miles, heading from one small town to another. Marlin had respected her wish never to hitch a ride. She was still too scared someone would recognize her. Sure, the news of her parents’ deaths had faded, but she still didn’t want to take any chances.
    She was no longer Lucy Tate, she had become…
    “Cyan,” Marlin whispered her nickname.
    “Over here.” She called into the darkness and listened for the scuffling of feet. He shuffled towards her and as soon as he was close enough, grabbed her wrist and tugged her across the dark field, away from the carefree chatter of the fairground.
    “How’d you do?”
    “Okay.” She shrugged.
    The idea of picking pockets both horrified and thrilled her. She hated that she was a thief. That someone was going to reach into their pocket and find their wallet gone, then have the drama of replacing everything. Reaching into her pocket, she fingered the gold bracelet. That lady was going to think she had forgotten to put it on after all. When she returned home, she would hunt for it and find it missing. Would she cry? Was the bracelet a gift from someone special?
    Lucy felt sick, but then came that smile. She hated that smile, but she couldn’t help it. She had managed to get that bracelet without the lady knowing. The art of pickpocketing was a skill she’d had to really practice. Marlin had taught her a couple of months into their time together. At first she’d outright refused to learn, but after three days of garbage scraps, Lucy was going out of her mind. She agreed to do whatever it took to get a decent meal…and so Marlin had become her Fagan and they were an excellent team.
    As her skills improved, they’d managed to get some decent cash. It never lasted long, but they’d get enough to spend a night at a cheap motel so they could shower and get cleaned up. She’d been able to buy some warmer clothes for the winter and some decent boots.
    Yeah, the pickpocketing had changed her life dramatically, but it had also changed her soul. She’d become a criminal and the pride in her ability was only a flash in the pan thing.
    Jumping the fence, Lucy followed Marlin to the spot in the woods where they’d stowed their stuff. Slumping down by the tree trunk, she leaned against it as Marlin pulled out his canvas bag. She waited while he lit the lantern, checking over her shoulder to make sure they were well hidden. She felt satisfied they were and turned back just as the area around her illuminated with a soft glow.
    “Okay, what’d you get, Cy?”
    She grinned at the shortened nickname. She’d refused to confirm she was Lucy, even though he knew she was. So it had become a game. He’d called her all manner of things for the first few weeks, making her laugh in spite of her desolation. But one night he’d cut the antics short and just stared at her long and hard.
    “Cyan.” He’d clicked his finger and pointed at her. “That’s your name.”
    She frowned and tipped her head. “Cyan?”
    “The color of your beautiful eyes. It’s perfect for