I spent a few minutes speaking to each cat in turn. ‘I’m not abandoning you,’ I assured them. ‘I’ll be back later.’
They mostly ignored me, apart from She Who Loves Sunbeams who purred deeply and She Without An Ear whoyawned and rose from her cushion. She stretched and jumped down to position herself by my bag.
I eyed her. ‘What do you think you’re doing?’
She blinked at me slowly.
I tilted my head. ‘Really?’
Thane ambled up beside me and slung an arm loosely around my waist. ‘What’s going on?’
I gestured towards the silent but clearly determined tabby. ‘She wants to come along.’
He raised an eyebrow and nodded approvingly. ‘Not a bad idea. The vamps can’t object to a cat.’
I thought about Lady Penelope’s reaction when I’d asked her about cats in the Understream. ‘I wouldn’t be too sure about that.’
‘You went through a traumatic near-death experience only a few hours ago.’
I grinned. ‘True. The vampires owe me.’
I regarded She Without An Ear; usually it was He Who Roams Wide who chose to accompany me on my adventures. She Without An Ear was considerably less malleable than her sleek black stepbrother, and she’d never make an effective emotional support cat, but it would be nice to have her along. And, as Thane had pointed out, she might prove useful.
‘Very well,’ I told her. ‘But you have to be on your best behaviour.’
She sniffed to suggest that the mere thought she would be anything other than perfect was outrageous. She’d get on well with Lady Penelope. I picked up my backpack, swung it onto my shoulders and adjusted the straps. The cat leapt up and perched next to it, adjusting herself until she was sure of her balance.
‘Take care, Kit,’ Thane said.
‘Of course.’
‘I mean it.’
I planted another kiss on his mouth and squeezed his arse. Mmm. ‘I’ve got this.’
He returned my arse squeeze with one of his own. ‘Love you.’
I exhaled and the last few lingering dregs of my post-battle tension ebbed away. I looked into his eyes. ‘I love you, too.’
Although clamberingdown the long ladder into the Understream was difficult with a cat on my shoulder, I reached the tunnels far more quickly than the previous night because I had a better idea of what to expect. As soon as my feet landed on terra firma, I pulled out the witchlight. It would provide enough light for now; I’d save my big guns for later.
‘I know where we’re going,’ I said to She Without An Ear. ‘We’re on the trail of a worm called Nicola so we’ll avoid the marketplace underneath Crackendon Square for now and…’
Before I could finish my sentence, the tabby cat bounded off my shoulder and launched herself forward. The witchlight only extended a couple of metres in every direction so within seconds, she’d been swallowed up by the darkness.
‘Oi!’ I yelled. ‘I did not bring you down here to play chase all afternoon!’
There was no response. I heaved an irritated sigh and jogged after her. To be fair, I had half-expected this so I could hardly complain about it now, but I was bruised and aching after my encounter with the monster the previous night. A little sympathy and understanding from my own damned moggy would have been nice.
I followed her for quite a distance. I didn’t have time to pause and check the map but I was reasonably certain that shewas leading me in the same direction that Lady Penelope and I had taken the night before.
I knew from first-hand experience that cats possessed a strong sense of smell; it was a constant irritation to me that the skill didn’t transfer when I was in my usual human form. Still, it would be beneficial to me now because it appeared that She Without An Ear was following the scent trail I’d inadvertently created. If she was, it would cut down on our journey time, so I crossed my fingers in the hope that my theory was correct.
When I reached a crossroads with a faint aroma of lavender and spruce blowing in from the left, I breathed a sigh of relief. I’d been here before and I knew where I was.
When I glanced in the opposite direction, I spotted She Without An Ear sitting in the centre of the tunnel as if she didn’t have a care in the world. I set about scolding her immediately. ‘You have been very unhelpful! You promised me your best behaviour.’
She flicked me a disinterested glance.
