They waited, eyes fixed on the entrance to Theo's apartment building, willing the hulking Thracian to emerge.

Minutes stretched into hours. Lucian's eyelids grew heavy, his head nodding forward as exhaustion set in. Just as he was about to drift off, a sharp smack to the back of his head jolted him awake.

"Ow! What the-" he hissed, rubbing the sore spot.

Mira glared at him. "Stay alert, you idiot. We can't afford to mess this up."

"You could have given me a heads up," Lucian grumbled under his breath but forced himself to focus.

The streets had emptied, leaving only a few stray dogs and the occasional drunk stumbling home from the taverns.

Finally, as true night settled over the city, the door to Theo's building swung open. The massive Thracian stepped out with his bronze armor. He paused to adjust his helmet, then strode off down the street.

Mira's hand clamped down on Lucian's arm. "There. He's meeting up with his soldier buddies. Now's our chance."

Lucian eyed the retreating figure. "Let's make this quick. I don't fancy getting caught by that walking battering ram."

"Stop whining and do your thing. We need to get inside."

With a resigned sigh, Lucian closed his eyes and reached out with his senses. He felt the presence of the stray cat they'd spotted earlier, still lurking nearby. In a heartbeat, his consciousness slipped free of his body and merged with the feline's.

Blinking his new cat eyes, Lucian looked up at Mira. She nodded. "Good. Now, find us a way in through the back. There's got to be a key somewhere."

Lucian flicked his tail in acknowledgment and bounded off, weaving through the darkened alleyways behind the building. His enhanced night vision picked out every detail - crumbling bricks, scattered refuse, a rusted door with a heavy padlock.

He prowled along the base of the wall, searching for any sign of a hidden key. Nothing. Feline ears swiveled, catching the sound of deep, rumbling snores. Following the noise, Lucian peered around a corner to see a slovenly caretaker slumped in a chair, fast asleep.

And there, dangling from the man's belt, was a ring of keys.

Lucian's whiskers twitched as he considered his options. He'd need to be quick and quiet to avoid waking the snoring oaf. Gathering his haunches beneath him, he sprang forward in a silent leap.

His first attempt fell short, paws swiping uselessly at the keys. The caretaker grunted and shifted in his sleep. Lucian froze, fur standing on end, but the man settled back into his drunken stupor.

Taking a deep breath, he tried again. This time, his claws snagged the key ring. With painstaking care, he worked to untangle it from the caretaker's belt. After a while, the keys came free with a muffled jingle.

Lucian snatched them up in his mouth and darted away. He raced back to where Mira waited, tail held high in triumph.

"About time," she muttered, scooping up the keys. "I was starting to think you'd gotten lost or caught."

Lucian meowed, but Mira ignored him as she tested keys in the lock. On the third try, it clicked open.

"We're in," she said with a grin. "Now, get that furry ass of yours up to Theo's room and keep watch. I'll handle the rest."

As they slipped inside, Lucian couldn't shake a growing sense of unease. This plan had too many variables, too much that could go wrong. But it was too late to back out now. All he could do was play his part and hope they didn't end up in chains - or worse.

With silent steps, cat-Lucian padded up the stairs ahead of Mira, alert for any sign of danger. The hallways were empty as they made their way to Theo's quarters. Mira produced a set of lockpicks from somewhere in her clothing and set to work on the door.

Lucian's tail lashed as he kept watch, ears straining for any sound of approaching footsteps. After a couple of fiddling, the lock clicked open and Mira eased the door ajar.

"Keep an eye out," she whispered. "I'll find the necklace."

As she rifled through Theo's belongings, Lucian settled into a watchful crouch just inside the doorway. His senses were on high alert, whiskers twitching at the slightest disturbance.

Minutes ticked by. Lucian's anxiety grew with each passing moment. They were pushing their luck staying this long. He was about to meow a warning to Mira when a triumphant "Got it!" came from inside the room.

She emerged, a delicate golden chain dangling from her fingers. "Let's get out of here before-"

The sound of heavy footsteps on the stairs cut her off. Lucian's fur stood on end as he recognized the familiar tread.

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Theo was back.

As the heavy footsteps grew closer, Mira's eyes widened in panic. Without a word, she scooped up cat-Lucian and dove back into Theo's room, sliding under the bed just as the door creaked open. She pressed a finger to her lips, silencing Lucian's startled meow.

The floorboards groaned under Theo's considerable weight as he entered. With a weary sigh, he removed his helmet and tossed it aside. The bed springs squeaked as he flopped onto the mattress above them.

For a moment, all was quiet. Then, a thunderous rumble shook the air, followed by an unmistakable fart. Theo shifted, sitting up with a groan. Another explosive blast ripped through the silence.

"Fuck," he muttered. "Shouldn't have eaten that dodgy lamb at the tavern."

Mira's face contorted in revulsion as the stench intensified. She glanced at Lucian, only to find the cat's eyes crossed and his little pink tongue hanging out in disgust.

Suddenly, Theo leapt to his feet. "Oh shit, oh shit," he chanted, dancing from foot to foot as he stumbled toward the door.

The sound of his rapid footsteps faded as he rushed to the bathroom down the hall.

As soon as he was gone, Mira and Lucian crawled out from their hiding spot, gasping for fresh air.

"By all the gods," she wheezed, fanning the air in front of her face. "I've smelled corpses that were less offensive."

Lucian, still in cat form, let out a pitiful mew of agreement. His whiskers drooped, and he looked like he might be sick.

"We need to get out of here before we suffocate," Mira said, struggling not to gag. "I'd rather face Theo's wrath than endure another round of... that."

She crept to the door, pressing her ear against it to listen for any sign of Theo's return. Hearing nothing but distant groans from the bathroom, she motioned for Lucian to follow.

"Come on, furball," she hissed. "Let's make our escape while he's... otherwise occupied."

They slipped out of the room and down the stairs as quickly and quietly as they could manage. Lucian's sensitive feline nose wrinkled with each step, the lingering stench seeming to follow them.

As they emerged into the fresh night air, Mira let out a relieved laugh. "Well, that was certainly an adventure I never want to repeat. Who knew the mighty Theo had such deadly bowels?"

Lucian, still unable to speak in his cat form, simply glared at her. His tail lashed back and forth, clearly conveying his irritation with the entire situation.

"Oh, don't give me that look," she said, rolling her eyes. "We got what we came for, didn't we? And we have one hell of a story to tell. Though perhaps we'll leave out some of the more... pungent details."

They crept back to where Lucian’s unconscious body lay hidden. With a gentle touch, the cat's paw connected with Lucian's forehead. In an instant, his consciousness snapped back into place, leaving him disoriented for a moment as he readjusted to human senses.

He sat up, blinking. "Alright, you've got your precious necklace. Can we please get out of here before something else goes wrong?"

Mira nodded, a rare genuine smile crossing her face. "I have to admit, I'm impressed. We make quite the team when we're not at each other's throats."

Lucian opened his mouth to retort, but froze as the sound of heavy footsteps and muffled voices reached them. A group of men, clad entirely in black and armed with short swords, entered the apartment building.

Without a word, he grabbed Mira's arm and pulled her behind a large tree, pressing his back against the rough bark. He strained to hear what was happening.

Suddenly, shouting erupted from upstairs, followed by the sound of shattering glass. Lucian's eyes widened in horror as Theo's massive form came hurtling out of the window, crashing to the street below with a sickening thud.

Mira let out a strangled gasp, but Lucian clamped his hand over her mouth, muffling the sound. He dragged her deeper into the shadows, praying they hadn't been spotted.

Theo's lifeless eyes stared blankly in their direction, a trickle of blood running from the corner of his mouth. Lucian felt Mira trembling against him, her breath coming in quick, panicked gasps.

The group of men emerged from the building, their dark clothing blending into the night. One of them spat on the ground in frustration. "It's not here."

Another replied. "It might be at the other target. We need to move quickly."

Without another word, they melted into the darkness, leaving Theo's broken body behind.

Lucian's mind raced. Assassins? But what were they after? And who was this other target?

He waited several long minutes, ears straining for any sign of the killers' return. When he was certain they were gone, he slowly released Mira and stepped out from their hiding place.

"What... what just happened?" She whispered, her face went pale.

"I don't know, but I've got a bad feeling about this. Those men were professionals - hired killers. But they were looking for something specific."

"What could be so important that they'd murder a Thracian guard captain for it?"

"I don't know," Lucian replied. "And frankly, I don't want to get involved. I've got enough problems already without adding murder to the list."

Mira glanced back at Theo's body. "We can't just leave him there like that."

"We don't have much of a choice. If someone sees us carrying a dead body, we'll be the prime suspects. We need to get out of here. Now."

After a moment's hesitation, Mira nodded. "You're right. Let's go."

They took off running, putting a distance between themselves and the crime scene. The cool night air whipped past them, carrying away the stench of death that clung to their clothes.

Suddenly, Mira skidded to a halt. "Stop!"

Lucian stumbled to a stop beside her, panting. "What? What is it?"

Her hands clenched at her sides. "I... I have to confess something."

"What is it?"

She took a deep breath. "Theo... he's not really my ex-boyfriend."

"What?!" Lucian exclaimed. He lowered his voice to a harsh whisper. "Then who is he?"

"He's a rival bandit leader. Like me."

"I thought he’s the leader of the Thracian guards?"

"He is, but he sidelines as a bandit from time to time."

Lucian felt as if the ground had dropped out from under him. "But... but what about the necklace? You said it was a family heirloom."

"It's not. It's Theo's family heirloom."

"Then why in Hades did we steal it?"

Mira shrugged. "I..I thought I could sell it for a tidy profit. Competition's been fierce lately, and I needed the extra coin."

This is unbelievable. All the risks they'd taken, the close calls, the dead body left behind - all for a lie. He opened his mouth, then closed it again, loss for words.

Finally, he managed to croak out, "You used me. You put both our lives in danger for... for what? A quick payday?"

"Look, I'm sorry I lied. But you have to admit, we made a pretty good team back there."

"That's not the point, Mira. You manipulated me, got me involved in a murder, all based on a lie. How am I supposed to trust you after this?"

"I…I really have no answer to that question."

"So those assassins, when they said ‘it’s not here’ they were referring to that necklace are they?"

Before she could respond, the sound of shouting in the distance made them both freeze. The city guard, no doubt alerted by the commotion at Theo's apartment.

"We need to move," Lucian said. "But this conversation isn't over."