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“That’s because corpses guard them,” Lumi said, appearing next to him.
He jumped before smoothing his hair. Never would we have attempted a heist with a completely new crew, as afraid of each other as the target.
Maksim, quiet and calm, adjusted his glasses, then climbed the coach as well to study the wall.
“The Guild has been repairing the palace sigils for months. They should be pristine, not crackling.” He swung down, facing our crumbling faces. “Some remain. I don’t think the Spirits can go inside yet.”
“So, there’s still time,” I said.
“Not much.” Maksim shook his head, shoulder-length hair dancing. “It’s incredible they’ve lasted this long. Something patched is not like new. And it’s not like we can get inside this way either.”
“I could burn them,” Pyre offered, flames dancing over his knuckles.
“And have us arrested or killed before we cleared the courtyard?” I shook my head. “There are living guards somewhere, ready for an uprising.”
There must be a way inside. A gate the guards were not watching. Somewhere hidden and forgotten…
“This way,” I said, already rushing along the western wall.
The others followed, demanding an explanation.
“Is this your usual idiocy?”Lumi said in my mind, but there was a lightness to her voice.
I’ve missed you, I thought, while answering, “I’m improvising,” out loud. Like I had been from the start.
I always thought best on my feet. Movement was freeing, the pent-up stress melting as I ran.
Behind us, shouts rose in protest, and I knew they soon would turn to fear. Anger flared. Drums pounded inside me. The last summer heat wrapped around us, refusing to let go. The city was finally boiling over.
By the time we cleared upper Midtown, the Archive and our old home all swishing by, the others had given up on their questions. I sprinted in the gold dress, praying to the Wishmaker and Goddess, we would not be too late. One bell until midnight.
I was running back in time.
We retraced my steps the day of the fire. I was back at the first time I escaped the palace, rushing to ensure Lumi had made it. Back to being a thief, ready for a job.
But this time, I was not alone. Not going to steal. Not coerced.
My feet remembered the street. I did not know its name, but I knew I was where I needed to be. This was the path Ealhswip had set me on, and like all curses, it contained its own destruction.
Breaking open the door and ignoring the people’s shouts inside, I started up the stairs while gulping in enough air to explain.
“There’s a rope hanging from an unbreakable hook on the palace wall. It reaches the roof.”
There would be no tree to climb down on the other side of the wall, but we would figure it out.
Two floors left.
Orsopuffed beside me as we broke out onto the roof.
I barely recognized it. During the fire, the sky had been gray, the place desolate. Tonight, paper lanterns in the colors of the rainbow and rose garlands greeted us. As did twenty or so festive people.
We stared at each other.
In our party finery, we were dressed for the palace, not a Lowtown celebration. At least we did not look like thieves or robbers.
“I’m sorry,” I stammered. “We’ll be gone soon.”
Frantically, I searched the dark for the rope. Had they removed it?
