Excerpt: Escapement

This early on autumn mornings the streets were mostly empty of people but filled with cats and low lying fog. Steam rose from the sewer grates, bringing with it the fetid morning breath of the city. Frost still coated the stones of the streets and walkways, subliming into the fog when the wan and sleepy light of the sun touched them.

Prudence tilted the scrap of paper in her hand to catch the faint light and double checked the address. She wasn't familiar with this neighborhood, being so close to what was coming to be called Chinatown, and the looks she was getting from the few people on the street made her cautious. Her companion had long passed cautious to verge on frightened and seemed headed for terrified at a reckless pace. "Do calm down Sarah, you're like a fidgeting mouse before a houseful of cats."

Sarah, who, it might as well be said, did resemble a mouse in some ways, squeaked in startlement and briefly looked over her shoulder at Prudence before returning to her wary scanning of their surroundings. "Could you have not come later in the day? We could have brought along Micajah if you had."

"Cage wouldn't be available until nearly noon. I will not waste half a day because you think going to a new part of the city when it is most crowded is wiser than going when most of the residents are busy preparing for the day." Prudence snorted, earning a quick glare from Sarah for her lack of lady-like graces. "And we're not as helpless as you seem to think."

"Because drawing a weapon in self defense makes everything better." Sarah snapped back before covering her mouth with her hand in embarrassment for her sarcasm. Or for speaking back. Prudence was inclined to believe the latter motivation.

"No matter," Prudence reached the corner and turned to the left, "this is the street. Now we just need to find number twenty-three and one half."