Ven kept his head down and his ears open over the next few nights. Initially, he'd hoped to derive more information on what had happened that night in the woods, but a changing of the guard had occurred shortly after he and Gio returned to their rooms. Gone were the Lumanlisc women, replaced by grim-faced and unfamiliar soldiers who were visibly armed and far more reticent. Ven had witnessed some of the prisoners attempt to interact with them, only to be brushed off with visible hostility. He'd heard a few muttering about how reconciliation had been a lie, how they'd been lured into tranquility and were now facing the end of a muzzle. That was stupid. They'd been facing the end of the muzzle the entire time. As much as he found the heretics here deplorable, betrayal and subterfuge was in their nature. If anyone had let their guard down, they only had themselves to blame.

The prisoners were still allowed out onto the grounds, but their area of free movement had been drastically reduced. It was really just a small circle of grass that they could traipse around or sit upon. The Hold was closed, as were the fields and the greenhouse and the surrounding facilities. At least no one had taken the bathrooms away, he thought grimly. Most people spent their time locked up in their rooms.

He and Giovanni had been perched inside their bunk, reviewing what little novel information they'd collected in the last few days, when a shuffling sound started outside. Something scraped along the bottom of the door, clearly trying to get in.

"She wants me to meet her." He examined the note, turning it over in his hands.

"Doesn't say. It could be a trap."

The rabbit thumped the ground angrily, hopping to keep pace with him as he strode out. Venenzio sighed, wondering what his life had become, as he followed after them.

Roo paced upon her balcony, lips pressed together. She couldn't even cross her arms because one was in a cast. Outside her door was a guard, and she hadn't been let out of the house in the last three days. Had Gio gotten the letter or had it been intercepted? They were on a time crunch, if her numbers were right. Forget the artifacts and the Conjunction; more dire matters had found their way home, and if she couldn't get out of here, she couldn't do anything to help

A white crow, as Roo had indicated, fluttered its wings on the balcony and fixed its eyes on them. Ven had taken stock of it but the people of Altair weren't druids; the crow was a crow, nothing more. Unfortunately, the area around them didn't provide as much cover as he'd hoped for. He'd have to make do with a tree and hope the guards didn't look up and the Lumanliscs didn't look down. "Keep her off the balcony and I'll be fine. If you're not out in fifteen minutes, I'm coming in."

As Giovanni vaulted over the balcony railing, the white crow gave him a wide-eyed look and warbled in a low voice. Moira hopped around down below, then darted off into the trees.
The door creaked open and out poked an equally wide-eyed gaze, though this one belonged to a girl. "Oh," Roo exhaled, stepping aside to let him in. "You made it. How did you climb up that wall? I wasn't sure you'd be able to, when I sent the message, but I was hoping... well, I figured if you could bypass the gates, then you should be able to make it up one wall. Though, maybe that's not a good thing..."

Rhea nodded in confirmation as he finally eased out the door, the lock clicking shut behind them. Hyquaria followed and gave the knob a twist, just to make sure. "Well," she said. "We're stuck here. He could get us the supplies or he could do the easy thing and grab the guards, turn us in, cripple Altair, become a national hero..."
"Rommer wouldn't do that." Zynfi said quietly. Hyquaria scoffed. "Wouldn't he? We're not exactly driving a hard bargain."
She took a shuddering breath and admitted, "He loves me."

Rhea and Hyquaria both stared at her. "Did he say that?" Rhea asked, dread pooling in her stomach.
"Do you feel the same way?" Quarry goaded.
Zynfi looked to the ground, lips pressed together, and did not respond.

"Good question. I'll open the door myself; I have a key. Demons can't do that, they have to be invited in as per the wards in your foyer."

Jia’s eyes got wide as saucers and she ran up the stairs a little more quickly, Remi and Sten following close behind. Feo left them in a daze of luxury, with the boys rubbing their cheeks against Pari’s velvety blankets and gowns, and Jia combing through her jewelry with a starry expression.

"You could say that," she panted, trying to avoid slipping on wet leaves or tripping on wayward roots. "How far do you think we are?"
A caw sounded above them and then the crowd fluttered into view, beating its wings in time with their steps. The brush on the other side of Roo shuddered to reveal silky white fur - the doe from before, keeping pace as well.