I waited a bit before I followed after Jay. My recon adventure had been derailed a bit. I had been trying to discover where I could find Arnold's evidence that would incriminate Seth. Instead, I found a saboteur.

I couldn't decide if that was good news for Seth or not.

Anyway, Jay headed back down to the third floor. I was worried I'd lose him, since I couldn't actually get on the platform going down alongside him.

The third floor was bigger, like it was more expanded than the fourth. This dimensionally modified spaces bullshit wreaked havoc with my ability to know the dimensions and volume of a space. There would be no way for me to recognize hidden rooms or concealed vaults in a place like this. Most of the towers I'd seen so far were the same. It was frustrating. I was hopeful I'd learn how all this shit worked eventually and be able to account for it. If I could sense or identify expanded spaces, I'd be able to find the neatest stuff that people wanted to hide.

I caught up to Jay when I heard him in an office talking to someone. Professor Cicily? Probably. I think she was the head of the tower. I thought it interesting that her office was up here while Laur and Rebecca had their offices on the ground floor. Maybe those were just public offices, and this was a more personal workspace?

Eh, no matter. I couldn't hang out in the hallway, and I couldn't slip into the room with them. And there was nowhere to hide. There were no plants, no art, nothing. Welp, I knew where her office was, and I could look through it later. This floor was too occupied for me to stick around, so off I went.

Class had ended a few minutes ago, so I headed down to the lobby. I took the long way. I wanted as good of a mental map of this place as I could get. I didn't expect to be doing an actual heist here for a while, but the day could come. For now, if Arnold had evidence here then Jay probably fucked it up too.

Security was mild. At least on these lower floors. Magic got stronger and more dangerous on the upper floors, at least if this tower worked like the Celestial Tower. Could that be why offices were down here? Why not have better security then?

Maybe they didn't consider notes and reports all that dangerous? Information security wasn't a priority in a healing tower?

Something felt off here. Jay was going to talk to the head honcho Cicily. Was this something that went all the way to the top?

Well that was a sucky thought. If the person in charge of solving the problem was also trading in it? They'd know all the ways to stall everything. Like assigning a mole to find himself. Ugh. Nothing coming out of the Circle Tower could be trusted anymore.

Jay could be an agent for someone else that was not Cicily. There was the possibility he was working for himself, but I didn't think so. Jay had a pretty strong lackey vibe.

The only real way to find out would be to listen in on what happened in that office. And I knew just the thing to do that with. As luck would have it, I would be retrieving that stone very shortly.

Seth was ahead of me when I left the tower. I cried at the door for someone to let me out. I saw no need to reveal that doors couldn't stop me. I chuckled internally at the grumbling of the student who got up to do it. Heh, even strangers can be my servants.

I was surprised to see Seth and Arnold walking together, or at least near each other, on their way to the punishment wagon. Arnold had an umbrella. Seth did not. Every now and then Arnold would spin the umbrella and send extra water flinging Seth's way.

Seth either didn't notice or didn't care. It was raining and he was wet anyway. It was still a dick move, Arnold.

We got down to the open courtyard across from the gatehouse near the obsidian Fire Tower. No punishment wagon. Ugh. Were we going to have to wait in the rain? Maybe we could hide out in the Fire Tower near a toasty fireplace.

Professor Rebecca was waiting for us. She had an arc of steam overhead, wide enough to accommodate the handful of students. It looked to me like she'd cast some sort of heat barrier that was sizzling away the rain before it could land on anyone.

That was a neat trick.

"Your attention please," Professor Rebecca called out.

This wasn't quite the same group as the other day. The girls and the guy with the deer were here, and so was Owen, but Duvessa wasn't. There was no mysterious Celestial Tower washing-machine familiar either.

"There will be no Familiar class today, or for all of next week," Professor Rebecca announced. "The Menagerie is having staffing problems and there are no instructors available."

No no no. I don't want to hear this.

"There was hardly a class last time either," one of the girls muttered.

Professor Rebecca gave her a scorching glare and snuffed any further comments. She then continued, "If a qualified instructor is not available after next week, other arrangements will be made. Until then, have a good evening. Arnold, Seth, a moment please."

Oh! Please say we are going anyway! Please! Seth can muck stalls and I can bite all the animals and get new magic and I can also collect that magic listening stone.

Michael, with the aspiring demon lord deer, griped about getting wet for nothing. Cry baby. The others dispersed, but Owen gave space while waiting for Seth.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"You both are still on probation," Professor Rebecca said quietly. "The length and criteria have not changed. You will get credit for today and next week. You both will receive special instruction here if classes cannot resume after next week, and your service hours will be waived." The Professor studied them both in turn. "Any questions?"

Yes! Can we go anyway? I want to go to the Menagerie! I need that stone. I need to practice stealing powers from animals.

"No ma'am," both Seth and Arnold said.

"Very well. Have a good evening." Professor Rebecca strode off into the Fire Tower, taking her steaming shield with her.

Ugh. My plans are destroyed. My day is ruined. Everything I ever wanted has been stolen from me in an instant. I collapsed to the wet ground as if my bones had turned to water.

I think I've been around Duvessa too much.

Arnold was staring at me. "What's wrong with it?"

I am not an it! How rude. I remained motionless on the ground.

Seth sighed. "This is what her tantrums look like. She wanted to go to the Menagerie today and is upset she can't."

I swear I heard that stupid green snake chuckling. Arnold snorted. "Stupid cat." He walked away.

Yeah, you better walk away, buddy! I'll… I'll… I have no idea but I'll think of something that won't get Seth in trouble and will still ruin your day! Come to think of it, did I have outstanding revenge to enact on anyone else? Hmm. I forgot. That's fine. When I remember, they'll get cold revenge. The best type. For sure.

"Hey, Seth!" Booth called out.

I had to move my head to see him. Booth was with Isaac. Arnold stopped to talk to Isaac for a moment while Booth approached Seth and Owen.

"I was hoping to hitch a ride on the wagon today," Booth said. "I hear that's not happening now."

Owen shook his head.

"Why would you head out into the city?" Seth asked. "I told you about–"

"Yeah, I know," Booth interrupted. "That's why I wanted on the wagon. Easier to slip out, you know? Anyway, I've got something I have to do. Do you think you both would be okay to come with? The more the merrier and all that."

Safety in numbers is what Booth was saying. He thought the Skull Gang would leave him alone if he had company, but I wasn't so sure about that. They had no qualms about accosting four students before.

"Sure," Owen said without hesitation.

Seth nodded too, but he was more hesitant. He was nervous. I couldn't blame him. Those guys had already jumped him, what, twice now?

"Thanks guys. Isaac said he'd come too," Booth said.

Isaac had been pretty friendly with everyone, and in public that included Seth. In private, he was more reserved and a bit dickish. He wasn't awful as a roommate, but he wasn't great either. He was Arnold's friend, so he was probably in the camp of 'Seth is guilty! Boot him!'

I gave up being boneless and stood up to get a better gander at Isaac. I'd never compared him to Owen before, and I did that now.

Isaac was on the bigger side, much like Owen, but not quite as tall. He was a year older than Owen, and a bit chunkier. His dark hair was cut close, the kind of cut that went well under a helmet. Owen's normally fluffy hair was more boyish, even plastered to his skull in the rain it had cute curls.

Isaac was taller than Booth too. With Owen and Isaac flanking Booth, he'd look like a crime boss with bodyguards. Poor Seth. He was the kid brother tagging after the cool kids.

I jumped up onto Seth's shoulder to show him my support and rubbed up against his face.

"Ack, Mau! You're all muddy!"

Whoops.

"This way?" Seth asked Booth after repositioning me on his shoulder and wiping his face on a sleeve. He nodded at the front gate.

"Yeah. Locked the other way," Booth answered as he led them out.

Isaac looked speculatively at them, but didn't ask.

Owen went first, followed by Seth and me. The guard at the gatehouse hadn't noticed anyone unusual around. Out in the street I didn't see anyone looking suspicious and neither did Seth, so off we went.

Booth led us on a round about way to a shop at the edge of the Magic District and East Side. If I had been awake that day, I'd have recognized this shop as where Saben had sold the cat fangs and furs. Booth asked us to wait outside for him. I knew he was fencing shit he'd stolen, even if he didn't let on to the others. As it was, I'd remember this place now. Always good to know good fences.

We weren't waiting long, but it was long enough for the rain to get heavier. It was still more than an hour til sunset yet the sky was already pretty dark.

After Booth was finished there we followed him deeper into the East Side. The boys chatted about classes and the teachers and other things. I only listened with half an ear. There were Skull Gang lookouts in places around here, and I wanted to be sure to spot them before they spotted us.

Booth knew what he was about. We wound our way into the garbage-strewn neighborhoods of Rosia's slums. The number of people huddled in doorways and under overhangs steadily increased as we went.

I noticed the color of the thatch on these buildings was slanting towards purple rather than the blue of almost everywhere else. I wondered at the significance.

There were more outside staircases on these buildings. Many of the staircases were rickety and looked tacked on with scrap. This was different from other parts of town too, where there was almost no wood anywhere. There was the bas-relief that was elsewhere in the city, but it was so caked in muck and dirt that it almost looked like it had been covered with stucco.

Every now and then, I'd think I saw something. Something dark. But with the rain and dusk, I just couldn't be sure. I tried using my whiskers to sense magic, but that was coming up empty, too. Either there was nothing magical there, or it wasn't close enough for me to sense it.

At the end of an alley behind a questionable bar, Booth finally led us to a door leading into a basement. It looked abandoned. Booth got the first door out of the way, there was a small foyer and then another door that was much more sturdy.

Once everyone was inside and the outer door was shut, Booth turned to the other boys. "So, this is where my family lives," he said quietly. "My siblings depend on me. If shit happens and I can't come check on them for a while, I wanted to ask if one of you could look in on them. Make sure they ain't in trouble."

"You're not expecting us to pay rent or anything for them?" Isaac asked.

"Of course not. This building is owned by a distant relative. My sister has a job and can mostly feed everyone. She just needs a bit of help. I won't expect you to do that. Just make sure some assholes didn't decide to move in or give them a hard time."

"If'n you need me to come look, I can do that," Owen said. "I can take out trash."

Isaac nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I can do that too."

Satisfied, Booth knocked four times on the solid door and called out, "Hey, it's me."