r worn shawl tighter around her shoulders as she hurried toward home, the dim flickering of lanterns guiding her path.

d refused to let go of the unease she'd felt as she left. That shadow, that figure she'd

view. The place where she and her family had scraped by for as long as she could

Inside, her younger siblings huddled around a dim c

he silence as she rushed over, wrapping her t

brushing back her sister's m

eldest of her siblings, asked, h

lly, breaking the bread and sharing it with the others. Watching them eat tugged at

painful reminder of how little time they had left. Renee knew her illness was gett

he narrow alley outside. She couldn't shake the feeling that someone had

his face serious beyond his years. "You

him, her brow fur

it's weird... they say the thief's been taking strange things-jewels, yes, but also book

wned. "Why would a

"I don't know. But people are scared. And... I heard Lad

she was setting a trap. It wouldn't take much for the market to turn against

," Renee whispered, more

firmly, "but that w

ng them both. Renee froze, her heart pounding. It was la

. This time,

mmy whispered, fear c

d her ear against the wood, trying to listen for any clues, but all s

ugh the crack of the door, making h

quickly replaced by concern. Maren never came to the

let her friend slip inside. Maren's f

ren gasped, out of breath, c

, dread tightening

saying you were spotted near Lady Vivienne's st

mered in her ches

ssed, her eyes darting nervously around the

my fa

orse," Maren insisted. "We'll find a way to k

ir eyes wide with fear. The last thing she wanted was to leave the

steady despite the fear in

hands trembling as she wrapped it around herself. With one las

pulse quickened as they hurried through the narrow alleys, the shadows

nee whispered, her breat

nd nervously. "There's a place outside the market district-a safe hou

e's eye. She turned just in time to see a figure disappea

grabbing her friend's arm.

yes widen

d Maren? Will they make it to the safe house,