Chapter 117 – Babysitting
SebastienMonth 2, Day 20, Saturday 8:25 p.m.Sebastien’s muscles were shaking with exertion and adrenaline by the time she and Damien reached the ground again. They raced across the manicured property and scrambled over the stone wall that bordered the manor, their forms magically obscured by the darkness. She stopped to look back while hanging over the far side of the wall, just to make sure no one had seen them. While they might not get arrested at this point, it could make things worse for Ana.Assured of their success, they jogged into the night, following the road but staying well away from its light.To Sebastien’s surprise, a familiar carriage stood on the side of the road a few blocks down, motionless.“That’s Ana,” Damien said. “Do you think something went wrong?”Sebastien ran her tongue over the back of her teeth in silent thought. “Take off your balaclava and go up to the carriage.”“What? Why me?”“Because you’re a Westbay. You live in the Lilies and even if it’s strange that you’re running around at night in all black, no one will report you to the coppers for it.”Damien handed off his balaclava and the camera obscura to Sebastien, took the last swig of concealment draught from his bottle, and approached the carriage.He only got three quarters of the way there, just stepping into the edge of the light, when the door swung open. Natalia poked her head out, waving for him to approach as she scanned the darkness beyond for Sebastien. She had been crying, leaving her eyes puffy and her skin blotchy and red.Damien spoke to her for a few seconds, then turned and waved for Sebastien to follow.Sebastien hesitated, but complied. When she got close enough to see Ana within the shadows of the carriage, her jaw clenched compulsively.Ana’s left…