6. A Chase to the Clock Tower

Theo smiled and immediately let me go. “You can decide where.”

I looked behind me at the soft, warm glow of the inn’s fire flooding the cool, dark outside world. I whistled to Onyx, who immediately swooped down to rest on my shoulder, and I chuckled a bit when Theo flinched at her large presence. I pulled a piece of crumpled paper from my pocket and pricked my finger to scribble a quick message onto it, ensuring that Isobel and William wouldn’t burn the town down trying to find me—or worse, discover I was with Theodore rather than just taking a stroll outside. “Take this to Isobel,” I whispered to Onyx, who cawed in agreement and then flew off with the page between her talons.

When she was gone, I looked to Theo and tilted my head to the side as I scrutinized him. He was tall, muscular, confident—a far cry from the small, beaten child I once knew. “How good of a climber are you?”

“A what?” he asked amusedly, but rather than answer, I decided to turn away. If he truly wanted this night, then I’d ensure it was not one that would come easily.

I grabbed Charis from the nearby stable and looked at him quizzically. “You have a horse, do you not?”

“Just give me a minute,” he said, rushing off to the stable and bringing out his own horse. My lips parted at the beautiful, black and white mare that whinnied quietly as it trotted beside my Charis, then shook my head and forced myself to focus.

“Come, girl. Let’s leave them in the dust,” I whispered into her ear, and Charis took off.

My laughter sang with the rushing wind as Charis sped down the cobbled street. I loved the sound of her swift hoofbeats against the strong road; the feel of the cool, biting breeze that laced its fingers through my hair; and the freeing sensation of the world racing before me while simultaneously being left in the dust. When we made it to the small, sleeping town not far from the inn, I pulled Charis’s reins and had her slow just beside the town’s tall clock tower. I hopped off and tied the reins around a small, sturdy tree branch that was close enough to the ground to be comfortable for Charis and then immediately began my ascent along the rough, rocky side of the tower.

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“You’ve got to be joking,” Theo commented once he rejoined me.

“If you want to talk, you can meet me at the top,” I called back, refusing to slow my pace even for a second. My fingers ached as I climbed higher. I should have grabbed the grappling hook from William’s bag before I came, but I just sighed and continued climbing. Near the top, one of the jagged edges cut my finger, and I winced in pain but managed to pull myself onto the wooden ledge just beneath the clock’s bell.

As I swung my legs over the side, I stuck my bleeding finger in my mouth and looked down at Theodore, yelping when I realized how close he was. He chuckled the moment he climbed onto the ledge, then laid himself down and sighed. “Do you often climb random towers in the middle of the night?”

“Sometimes,” I said. “Most of the time, it’s houses.”

“May I?” He asked, gesturing toward my bleeding finger while his brow creased once again. I held my breath, forcing my thoughts away from the memories of his tender care and creased brow all those years ago.

“It’s just a cut,” I said dismissively, but offered him my hand nonetheless.

He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wrapped it around my hand with far more care and gentleness than I would have anticipated. When he finished, I pulled my hand back and scooted away from him, pressing my back against the splintery beam of the bell tower and watching him carefully. He didn’t seem to mind. His intense gaze remained fixed, unchanging, as though he’d seen a ghost.

“You know, Cat, I never thought I’d see you again.”

“Likewise. I’d assumed, hoped even, that you were dead.”

Theo winced. Maybe that was too harsh. “I don’t blame you, Mous—Cat. So, tell me. How’d you end up with the Shadow Guild of all people?”

I shrugged. “It’s not like I had very many options. I was alone and starving. They gave me food, a place to stay, and happened to share a common enemy with me.”

Theo sighed and let one of his legs fall over the ledge while his gaze stayed firmly on me. “I know you see us as enemies, but I’m just happy you’re alive. Not just alive, but doing well. You seem happy.”

“It’s not like it’s an ideal life, Theodore.”

“It’s better than the cage my father tried to keep you in or the—” he shook his head and let his voice trail off. “You know I don’t agree with anything he does, right?”

“But you’re still there. Why didn’t you just leave with me? We could have figured it out together.”