She had to tell herself that this simple walk around the Castle was not a patrol, as Cecile liked to call them. She was just out and about, enjoying the evening. She passed by the inn, the quiet laughter of people enjoying themselves floating through the evening. She noticed a single light on in the upper floor and paused. It would be rude to just pop in suddenly, but it would be equally as rude to be in the area and not say hello. It had been a couple of days since their return from Vinay del Zexay and she figured that enough time had passed that maybe it was time for them to plan their next move. She stepped into the inn and nodded politely to Sebastian, who was finishing up the day's books. Up the stairs, first room on the right and she knocked softly in the way she knew Clive would recognize.
At the bedside, Clive lifted his head. He tensed at the first knock on the door, a brass case still held in his hand, but upon hearing the soft raps that followed it he relaxed. Only one person he knew knocked like that.
He threw the case onto one pile and stood up. An outline of candlelight glowed around his hair as he padded towards the door, moving silently. After a pause to unlock the door he drew it open a little ways, then stood back so that the woman standing on the other side could enter.
"Elza," he said in a quiet voice. "You're up late."
After a customary glance to the left and to the right, she nodded at him and entered. "I couldn't sleep. Been thinking things over." She motioned towards the pile of cartridges that looked as if they had been painstakingly worked on. I see you've been thinking too?" She sat down and watched him patiently as her eyes evenly met his.
With his hand still resting on the knob, Clive grimaced. Elza knew him all too well.
For a moment his only reply was to slowly press the door shut behind her. On the bedside table the candle flickered in the draught. The room was dark, quiet. A black cloak lay draped across the end of the bed.
"Yeah, I guess so," he said, and turned. Clive walked back to the bed and sank back down upon it, his hands gripped over his knees. His expression was grim, his gaze lowered. "About... things. Like what to do now. I don't think it's safe here."
"We know better than anyone that when the Guild is involved, there is no place in the world that is safe from their reach." Elza sat silently for a moment before she took a heavy breath and released it.
"There's only one way, Clive. Just one." Her glance caught Clive's again and she could see that he knew exactly what it was she meant. All the same, the words needed to be said.
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*tap tap-tap tap tap*
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He threw the case onto one pile and stood up. An outline of candlelight glowed around his hair as he padded towards the door, moving silently. After a pause to unlock the door he drew it open a little ways, then stood back so that the woman standing on the other side could enter.
"Elza," he said in a quiet voice. "You're up late."
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For a moment his only reply was to slowly press the door shut behind her. On the bedside table the candle flickered in the draught. The room was dark, quiet. A black cloak lay draped across the end of the bed.
"Yeah, I guess so," he said, and turned. Clive walked back to the bed and sank back down upon it, his hands gripped over his knees. His expression was grim, his gaze lowered. "About... things. Like what to do now. I don't think it's safe here."
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"There's only one way, Clive. Just one." Her glance caught Clive's again and she could see that he knew exactly what it was she meant. All the same, the words needed to be said.
"We've got to go to the Tower."
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