Night was well set in as Pandora led Va’lis and Carrie around with Carries eyes still looking everywhere in awe, while Va’lis only looked straight ahead. So lost in his thoughts, he didn’t realize Pandora had stopped until he ran into her back. With a shake of her head and a gesture for silence, she pointed to a window set high above the ground.
“Cherry is in that room” she mouthed while he nodded. The nerves, quickly rising back again as she gave him a quick hug for good luck. It was her turn to buy him time, and she set off briskly with a letter for Esme. Whatever she planned to do, Va’lis knew he couldn’t concern himself fully with it. He had a short window, and only one shot.
Dragging Carrie, he inched alongside the wall slowly. Doing his best to avoid being seen, he pushed her down to her knees and hands. Looking up in a mixture of shock and bewilderment, it faded quickly to annoyance as he used her as a stepping stool. Grasping the next ledge and hauling himself up onto the balcony.
He could see her, sleeping in the bedroom wrapped in a blanket and facing away from the balcony door. A moment passed with his eyes closed, and before his nerves gave way again he went to open the door. And it was locked.