Kildare stifled a yell as he spun, kicking his leg free. He drew his other foot back, looked down.

Mock stared up at him, finger pressed to her lips, her eyes wide.

Kildare immediately stepped backward out of her reach. He pressed the heel of his hand to his chest, willing his racing pulse to slow.

“Kil?” Fir whispered from the stairway.

Kildare motioned him down into the room as Mock rose to her feet, finger still pressed to her lips.

Mock used her free hand to sign. Follow.

Kildare shook his head. He shouldn’t have chosen to use fireworks. Of course Mock would be suspicious. He tensed, leaning forward slightly, ready to grab at her if she decided to shout for the guards.

Mock rolled her eyes, then suddenly jumped and glanced over her shoulder.

Kildare strained his ears and caught the faint sound of footsteps in the hallway.

“Pox,” Fir hissed, starting to push past Kildare.

Mock waved them back. She turned to a cabinet. The hinges squeaked as she yanked it open and withdrew a pottery cup. She glanced over at Kildare and motioned again. Down. Then she crossed the kitchen to the sink.

“Do as she said.” Kil kept his tone barely audible. He pushed down on Fir’s shoulder.

They ducked down behind the cabinets about five feet away from Mock. Kildare crouched on one knee, hand pressed against the floor. If she tried to betray them...

Mock twisted, holding the handle of the water pump and watching the door.

The footsteps came closer.

She pushed the handle up and down, the hinges of the pump squeaking. Just as she tipped the cup under the water, someone spoke from the doorway.

“What are you doing up?”

Mock jumped, dropping the cup into the sink. There was a cracking, chinking sound. She turned. “Jerome! You startled me!”

“You shouldn’t be out right now, Mockingbird,” the guard said shortly.

“I’m sorry, I just...I was getting a cup of water. Clover was thirsty.” She turned back to the sink and began scraping up the shards of the pottery cup. “I’ll get this cleaned up and then head straight back to my rooms, I promise. What are the fireworks about? I saw them outside the window.”

“Don’t know yet,” the guard grumbled. “I’m going out to talk to the captain—see that you hurry up.”

“I will. Whatever you say.”

The guard grunted again, and his footsteps clunked down the hallway away from the kitchen.

Mock grabbed another cup from the cabinet, then reached down and held her hand out to Kildare.

Kildare stared at her fingers for a moment, then took a deep breath and grabbed her hand. She gripped around his wrist as he stood, her fingers brushing the feather charm on his bracelet.

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Fir straightened, eyes narrowed.

“Where’s Snitch?” she whispered. “How did you—”

“Later.” Kildare glanced around. “We need that puzzle box, Mock.”

She shook her head. “I can’t—”

Fir stepped closer, fists clenching. “Where is it, Mock?”

She shoved her free hand through her hair, then spun, pulling on Kildare’s arm. “Come on. I know a place where we can talk.”

Kil stumbled forward a few steps before halting himself. “We’re waiting for Serene and Snitch.”

“Serene?” Mock winced and glanced over at Fir. “So Snitch was right.”

Before anyone could say anything else, Serene spoke from behind Kildare. “Yes, Snitch was right. And I’d appreciate you unhanding my husband at once.”

Mock’s face turned scarlet, and she dropped Kildare’s wrist like it had burned her. Kildare turned around.

Serene crouched on the countertop behind them. She must have slipped through the window during one of the fireworks exploding, otherwise Kildare knew he would have heard her.

Serene slid off the counter and stepped up beside Kildare, shoulders back and chin lifted, staring at Mock.

Mock straightened and stared back, no sign of her discomfort besides her slowly fading blush.

Kildare waited until Snitch had crawled through the window and shut it, then pressed his hand against Serene’s back. “You said there was a place we could talk privately,” he said to Mock.

“Who cares about talking?” Snitch hissed, shouldering past Kildare. He grabbed the front of Mock’s tunic and yanked her close.

She stiff-armed him, keeping him at a distance, her eyes flickering into anger. “Let go of me.”

“You betrayed me, Mock!” Raw pain laced Snitch’s voice. “You used me and you betrayed me. When you told me about your plan, I thought—”

“What, that we had something special?” Mock’s voice rose. “Rot you! You used me just as much as I used you, Snitch! You didn’t care about me, otherwise you would’ve stayed out of the brothels like I told you to! How dare you think—”

They were getting far too loud.

Kildare grabbed the back of Snitch’s tunic and yanked him away. “Rot you both! If we get caught I’m not bailing you out this time, Snitch.” He glared at Mock. “And if we get caught, you’re going down with us this time.”

Mock pushed past Serene to the sink and pumped more water into the cup. She turned, cradling the pottery against her midsection. “If you want an explanation, we need to find somewhere else to talk. Maybe I can help you. But I’m not going to risk standing here any longer.”

She shoved past them and headed out the door.

Snitch snorted. “Does she think we’re going to fall for that?”

Kildare stepped forward, brushing past him. “She heard a guard coming and told us to hide, and she didn’t rat us out then. I don’t think she’s going to now.” He glanced back at Serene. Would she agree?

Serene looked him in the eye, then raised her chin and nodded.

Kildare followed after Mock.

As they reached the landing for the second story, Mock motioned for them to stop. Kildare held his breath as she stepped from the stairwell and walked down the hallway. Was she going to alert the guards?

Halfway down the hall, Mock stopped and cracked open a door, then motioned for them.

“One at a time,” Kildare whispered, nudging Serene forward.

“If it’s a trap?” she whispered.

“Then fight, scream, and I’ll have your back,” he whispered back.

She balked a little, but dashed down the hallway, the thick, plush carpet muffling her footfalls. She dodged into the room and disappeared.

Kildare held his breath.

No sounds.

He nudged Snitch next. The human disappeared just as quickly as Serene did. Kildare was about to motion Fir forward when he heard the creak of armor from around the corner. He pushed Fir back down the stairs and crouched so that he could just barely see the hallway.

As four soldiers rounded the corner of the hallway, Mock pretended to be pushing open the door to her room.

“Mock,” one of them snapped. “What are you doing out?”

Mock turned, cradling the cup of water close in one hand. She bobbled it a little. “The noise woke us up, and Clover was thirsty.” She frowned. “Do you know what those fireworks were about, anyway?”

The soldier grunted. “No, but we’re checking into it. Probably some idiot kids who stole them from somewhere.”

Mock nodded. For a moment they stood there, quietly, then she said in a forcefully cheerful voice, “Well, good night. Sorry to worry you.” Mock stepped into the room and closed the door behind her.

The guard turned to one of the men beside him. “Lock her in,” he ordered, then turned and walked away, two of the others following him.

The remaining guard swung an iron bar across the door, securing it on one side with a padlock. Then he sat down, putting his back against the door, and laid his drawn sword across his knees.

“Rot,” Kildare whispered. “Rot it all.”