For hours, Luca sat on the uncomfortable coal, frowning to the floor and the ceiling. However, Ruby marched around the shed, knocking on walls to make sure they were sturdy.

She lingered near the hole in the wall, checking is she could push out any bricks and fit through the gap, but it was fruitless. Ruby tried kicking the door, but it only shook and was too secure. This place was inescapable. The she tried to throw coal at the door, but was faced with terrible results.

Frequently, Ruby would bellow at Luca at the tope of her voice, saying” Instead of lying there like a log about to be chopped , you could at least help me find a way out!”                                                                        However, Luca remained still and sad, his devastation consuming him. So, Ruby began to dig through the coal piles, to find anything that could somewhat help. Ultimately, it came down to the barely- reachable windows. Ruby spent ages jumping up to see if there was a sign of life.

Frustrated, Ruby gently span around and directed her bottled rage at Luca, “Well, you could at least help, couldn’t you? I’m not the 0nly one trapped here, am I?” Luca didn’t respond.                                         “It’s pointless. We’re trapped and not escaping,” he eventually replied.                                                              “But at least I’m trying. Why can’t you?” Ruby hissed , tapping her foot and her face going red with wrath.

They stopped speaking. Ruby huffed and puffed intolerantly and let her blood burn and boil. There was no apparent escape route and, to add on, Luca was now hopeless. It was now deep in the night. Inside darkness sprawled itself across the shed and worsened Ruby’s vision. Outside, the sky was now sparkling with the distant light of joyous stars and the hazy gleam of the full moon beamed over Steelpass.

Before Ruby could nod off, a noise awoke her. From outside, a rustle of chatting leaves. Instantly, the pair jumped to their feet and lifted each other up to catch a glimpse of what created the noise outside of the window. A thrilling howl shattered the night’s peace and a shaggy outline of the something edged closer. Alexis jumped up through the window and into the shed.                                                                          “W-w-wind m-m-zppt-me u-u-up-zppt,” he buzzed.                                                                                                 Ruby stoked him and then reached for his neck so she could get Alexis’ key and wind him up

Alexis soon recharged and was now more jumpy and energetic. He shook his fur and dropped a gold key.

“Let’s get movin’,” he droned. He cracked his knuckles on the floor, as if he was preparing to fight.

With care, Ruby pushed the key into it’s hole and twisted it. For a hope-drenching second, the key did not move but then there was a click and a snap and the door was miraculously open. Ruby and Luca gazed outside. The coal shed was near the drawing room, but no sound came from it and all the lights were out. Moments later, they were vaulting across the field and to the gate. Alexis lead the pack, sauntering ahead.

Half an hour later, they were sat in a stable, taking refuge in it. Ruby informed Alexis on everything while he attentively listened and collected the information, picking dirt out of his fur. He had evaded the scene just before Goldfinch took the papers. By now Luca had lit a fire and prepped hay beds that were comfy enough to catch some sleep. They were safe at the moment, but they didn’t know where the necklace or the papers were. Where was he information? Where was Ruby’s Papa? Where was Peter Stanford.