Thea put her hand to her chest and sighed once the door closed behind Gina. She had no idea why her brother had gone along with her explanation, but she was grateful. That should buy me a little more time with her at least. However, one look at her brother’s expression undid all her relief.

“So, who is this child and what's this about helping out a family close to ours by being his guardian?” Timetheo crossed his arms and leaned on the circulation desk.

Thea opened her mouth then closed it again before thinking that perhaps it would be best if she spoke about this without Luin close by. She didn’t want him to feel like he was in trouble or at fault, even though she might be getting lectured.

“Luin, why don’t you find a book you want to read? I'm just going to speak with my brother and the commander for a while, okay?” Thea waited as Luin took his time answering. His hand was holding tight to one pleat of her skirt while he stared critically at the two men in front of them. Is he worried about me being alone with them? She couldn’t help but think that was adorable. “I’ll be just fine. Don’t worry. I just need a few minutes.”

At her insistence, Luin let go of her skirt and looked up at her. “Alright. I’ll go read in the chair you showed me before.” He kept glancing out of the corner of his eye at her though.

Thea took a deep breath and began to explain, “Well, this is what happened….” She told him the truth as simply as she could. When she was done, Timetheo’s head was in his hand.

“Look, I get why you didn’t want to just turn the boy out on the streets again. But why did you not take him to the temple? That would have been the responsible thing to do. Do you even know how much goes into taking care of a child, even one as old as he is? Isn’t all your focus on books and not much else?” He gently rapped on Thea’s head with his knuckles as he shook his head.

She rubbed her head where he’d tapped her, though it hadn’t been hard enough to hurt, and frowned. “Yes, I know–in theory. But Luin has been so well behaved so far and easy to take care of that I actually worry a bit. And he’s extremely bright. I couldn’t just leave a gifted orphan to rot in the temple doing menial chores until they were indentured to some wealthy house, could I?” She put on her best pleading expression. “Please, Tim. I know it may be temporary, at least until I find another good option, but try to understand.”

Timetheo recoiled from her pleading, the memory of him giving into her time and time again clear on his face. But before he could say anything, it was the commander that chimed in.

“She is an adult, Tim. And she seems to know her limitations. Is there really anything to be done about it now?”

Thea felt her cheeks warm as she was reminded of the commander’s presence. The fact that he had taken her side, or at least helped her somewhat, only made her more self conscious. “Thank you, Commander," she said, then turned back to her brother. "I’m not trying to get in over my head here or doing this just to be stubborn. I truly want to figure out how to do what’s best for Luin, and in the meantime, I’ll take care of him.”

Timetheo looked from Thea to Cyris and back again and groaned. “Fine, but I think it would be best if Father, Mother, and Darcin were made aware of this. You may need their assistance after all.”

Thea swallowed and slowly nodded. While the thought of springing this onto the rest of her family put a knot in her stomach, it was true that she might need their help eventually. Her father’s contacts alone could help her find a way to help Luin quicker than if she tried searching on her own.

“Well, the commander and I need to get going, but how about you and the boy come to the estate for dinner? I’ll let Father and Mother know to expect you with a guest, but you’ll need to explain it to them yourself, alright?” Timetheo’s face held a trace of sympathy for Thea, but his conditions were more than fair.

“Right. I think that’s fine.” Thea bent her knees in a quick curtsy to the commander and then gave her brother a quick embrace before they headed towards the door. But just before they headed out, Timetheo turned around.

“Oh, and I’m inviting the commander to dinner as well. Just wanted you to know.” Then, he slipped out the door, leaving Thea’s mouth hanging open slightly.

If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

As the bell on the door chimed, Luin appeared by her side. She glanced down at him, only to see him staring with a frown on his face at the door. “Don’t worry,” she told him. “It may be awkward, but I think everything will be fine. My parents and brothers are good people. They may tease and lecture me, but they’d never blame you, Luin.”

“But what about Commander Hollendale? Is he a good person?”

“Yes, I think he is, but some think he isn’t. Ah…it’s complicated. But you don’t have anything to worry about concerning him.” Luin looked far from convinced but said nothing else.

Thea found Luin another small stack of books to read and started on some purchase paperwork at the circulation desk, but she was strung as tight as a bow string. Her hands went through the familiar motions while her thoughts were elsewhere.

How are Father and Mother–and especially Darcin going to take this? And how did this day go from buying clothing to having dinner with Commander Hollendale!

***

Cyris shaded his eyes as they stepped out onto the sidewalk, his instincts prickling at him that something was off about that child. He’d listened to Lady Thea’s explanation, but something about it still pulled him to it, like the momentum of reaching for two puzzle pieces that you just knew should snap together.

The boy, Luin, showed up in the Eastern District the evening after the whole incident at the clock tower. Not that a street urchin wandering into a library was unique, but the timing, plus the sharp look in the boy’s eyes, and his odd behavior–very un-childlike–was like a constant itch in the back of Cyris’s mind.

“Commander?”

Cyris turned to Timetheo, who he had just realized had been speaking to him. “Forgive me. What were you saying?”

Timetheo didn’t miss a beat, completely used to Cyris being lost in thought. “I was saying that I hoped you didn’t mind me imposing a dinner invitation onto you for this evening. If you think you’ll need to be somewhere else, you’re free to decline. It was just to tease my sister a bit really.”

Cyris wasn’t sure how to feel about his presence being used to tease Lady Thea, or why that would even work as teasing. Perhaps Thea’s nervousness earlier around him was why? Maybe Timetheo was trying to continue to make her feel nervous. She wouldn’t be the first person who was uncomfortable in his presence and certainly wouldn’t be the last. But she had thanked him for his input earlier, so she didn’t seem adverse towards him at least.

But the matter of the child still bothered him. It was a ridiculous thought for sure, that this child had anything to do with the incident that occurred at the clock tower in a completely different district. Even at a stretch, it was hard to say the boy might even have been a witness to something odd, but it couldn’t hurt to rule it out when everything in his Prelude visions was so strange and nearly unbelievable.

“I’m not otherwise needed anywhere unless our investigation today comes up with something, so I don’t mind joining the Cronwright household for dinner,” he said as they crossed the street.

“I thought so. Thats–” Timetheo stopped stiff, nearly stopping the street before hopping onto the sidewalk before a carriage came by. “Wait. You’ll come?”

“That’s what I said. You weren’t hoping I’d decline were you?” The corner of Cyris’s mouth lifted as he teased Timetheo a bit.

“Ah, no. But I just thought you’d probably be busy.”

Cyris looked around the area, keeping the library in view, as he searched for a good spot to use his skill. “We still may be, but if I’m close by you and something happens this evening, I won’t have to go looking for you at least, or vice versa.”

“True enough.” Timetheo shrugged. Then a grin spread across his face. “Well dinner should be entertaining.”

Cyris ignored his companion’s comments as he found a clear alleyway that still had a view of the library. It was perfect for what he wanted to attempt. He was pushing himself, he knew, but at least he could be more cautious using his skill this time around. He wouldn’t force it quite so much. He was taking a bit of a gamble, but he felt it was necessary. If the boy was connected to what happened, his liaison’s sister might be in danger–and not just the imagined danger of a worried brother.

“Keep watch and don’t let anyone come down this alley for a bit.” He ducked around the corner without waiting for Timetheo’s answer. Once he was well within the shadows of the alleyway but still able to see across the street to the library, he took off his glove and put his hand to the cool stone wall and thought, Activate Prelude. As the image of himself walking backwards out of the alleyway began to play in his mind, he pushed just enough to speed up the process.

He saw Lady Thea and the boy come and go from this morning, then night time plunged the street into darkness except for a few street lamps. He saw a carriage stop in front of the library, and Thea and Luin stepped out of it backwards, and then they went into the library. Soon, he saw the library door open again and the boy stepped out. He boy stood there talking to Thea for a moment before she shut the door and went back inside.

Cyris slowed things down now, which decreased the strain on himself, thankfully. He watched Luin knock on the door, and then stand there looking at the building and then the sky, as if looking out for something. Strange that he’s looking at the sky instead of the streets around him, Cyris thought.

Then, the largest owl Cyris had ever seen flew backwards from the roof of the library building and circled Luin from above. As soon as the sunset reversed enough that the evening began to lighten, Cyris saw the owl glimmer and then vanish with only the faintest distortion of the light to show where the large bird of prey was. The odd pair, the nearly invisible owl and the boy, moved backwards slowly across the street and down past the entrance of Cyris’s alley until he could no longer see them.

Prelude Conclude.

Cyris tugged his glove back on and walked out to where Timetheo waited on him. He said nothing of what he saw. Yes, dinner would be interesting indeed.