“And me,” said Seth.
“You’re mad, all of you,” Master Talik whispered, shaking his head as he fell back in the chair.
“Count me in,” said Erith.
“They don’t get to juststealfrom us and not suffer the consequences,” said Anika. “Yes, I’m in, too.”
“I guess I should consider myself lucky to even be in a position to do something about it…” Cook looked up at Master Talik. “Right, Master Talik?”
The question hung in the air like smoke.
The old Timekeeper looked like he was about to explode. His eyes were bloodshot, his hands in tight fists.
“Right, young man,” Kohen answered. “And it is brave of all of you to offer, but unless Master Talik allows it, nobody will go near the Great Clock.”
“Sure, we can,” Levana said, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “I’ve admired those women my whole life. I wanted tobethem—and they are stealing from my home?No.We’re going.”
“Youcan’t,” said Kohen. “Without a Royal Timekeeper, you wouldn’t be able to get through the first locked door.”
“Areyoua Royal Timekeeper?” I asked, but Kohen shook his head.
“Not for a long time now, no.”
“Calren is,” Silas said.
“Calren is unconscious,” said Master Talik, then looked like the words slipped from him involuntarily.
“Then we’ll wait for him to wake up,” Silas said.
“And when he does, he’ll need time—” the Timekeeper started, but I was no longer as patient as I’d have liked to be,so I said, “Thenyouwill come with us. You will help us. It’s your duty, isn’t it?”
The way he stood up made March step a little closer to me—but I wasn’t afraid. Not in the least.
“Don’t talk to me aboutduty,young lady,” he said.
“But I will. This is our chance. We’re all here already, and?—”
“This isnotthe right time! The whole realm is looking for you, and you showed your face all throughout the Court of Hearts so recklessly?—”
Heat on my cheeks and my chest and my gut.
“Actually, my friend, this might be exactly the right timebecauseof that,” Kohen cut him off this time.
Master Talik stopped. Turned to the other Timekeeper. Blinked.
“Everyone’s looking for them, and nobody will think to look for them in the tower of the Great Clock. And if someone spotted a suspicious couple in the Court of Hearts, even better. They’ll be looking for themthere,not here.”
“And it will be three o’clock at night,” Silas said. “No search party will be looking for us then.”
“Fifty-seven minutes, Master Talik,” I said. “Less than an hour, and it will be over.”
“Everythingwill be over. All this misery…” Kohen’s voice trailed off.
“Changes.Realchanges will happen,” Mimi said.
“So, you’re all willing to die for this—is that what you’re telling me? You’re willing to lose everything for this?” Master Talik sounded in disbelief. “Because the chance that we’ll make it out is very,verylow. They will either catch us and kill us—or the Great Clock will.”
Die,he said, and I didn’t bat an eye.
