In the dark, Nic clutched the fine woven fabric of Falken’s coat, following him as he led the way through Divinity Castle’s network of secret passageways. His exceptional night-time vision made him an ideal leader here, she had to give him that. Her memory of the Contarini maps was perfect, but it didn’t do her any good in complete blackness. Only the rare pinprick of firelight beamed through peepholes fashioned in the walls. The knowledge of who did what in the privacy of their rooms was always useful, but in Silen, especially so. Falken slowed before those beams—good practice in case anyone was awake and listening. They followed the outer corridors, just as the map had indicated, to a ladder leading both up and down. It was here that she passed Falken and climbed first. If anyone was to be the tip of the dagger emerging in the chambers of the Grand Divinus, it should be the assassin. Besides, her earthsight eyepatch would give them the information they needed before entering. She headed up the ladder. There was no monitoring to do, since they had to go all the way to the top. Just the slog of several floors before arriving level with their destination. How many assassins and thieves had ever made it this far? Climbing the ladder to the Grand Divinus herself? She’d never heard of any, so either their successes had been kept secret by the Divinity, or… or their bones had been magically reduced too little but dust. Hopefully the former. She and Falken had discussed what to do in case either of them were caught: run. Anyone apprehended by the Divine Guard would surely be executed, and there was no sense in both of them failing their goals and dying. If he was caught, she’d run. If she was caught, so would he. That was their agreement. And yet… that same pleasant shiver danced down her spine as it had earlier, when his arms had surrounded her, when his gaze had held hers, when his lips had met hers. A finger tapped on her boot—Falken—and she swallowed, resuming her ascent. It had only been a kiss. That was all. The plan hadn’t changed. The contingencies remained the same. The ladder finally ended, letting out into a corridor that barely allowed for her height, let alone Falken’s. But according to the Contarini maps, this would take them where they needed to go. With sangremancy being against the Divinity’s laws, the Grand Divinus would have the vials of blood with her or in the privacy of her chambers. It would be here. It had to. Crouched, Nic crept along the corridor’s path, searching ahead through the earthsight eyepatch. Nothing. No one. She bit her lip, frowning. The Grand Divinus wasn’t sleeping in her own bed? The only figures of bright anima were distant. The chamber had to be empty. It was perfect, really. She could find the vial and then hide here in wait until the Grand …