The morning sun shone brightly over Venice, highlighting the water and bouncing off golden towers.

Hornet skipped along the edge of the canal, avoiding wet patches on the stones. She didn't realise that someone was shadowing her from behind; she couldn't have because he was so inconspicuous, even Victor and Scipio would marvel at his handiwork. Plus, she was hidden deep into her own thoughts.

As she turned into an alleyway, Prosper was the main thing on her mind.

Last night they had stayed up late, sitting on her bed, talking about anything that came to mind. It had been fun, something that good friends do. But afterwards, he had done something which made her feel confused about how she felt.

Prosper had said goodnight, but than he had leant over and gently kissed her on the cheek, leaving the room bright red. Hornet could remember her heart fluttering like a trapped butterfly, the shock and the happiness she felt mixing together to make some new emotion.

Was she in love?

But before she had long to ponder on this, a hand was carefully slid over her mouth, and another grabbed her arms and held them behind her back. Hornet tried to struggle, but a heavy boot was slammed onto her feet, and she couldn't move any part of her body. No one was there; no one could see what was happening!

Hornet was dragged off down the alley, where a large group of men were stood, all with stubble and messy hair, dirty clothes which stank. She received a hefty punch on the side of her head and everything went black.

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Prosper entered the kitchen, dragged out a chair from the table, sat down and yawned widely. Ida raised her eyebrows.

"What sort of time do you call this?" She tutted, pulling up her sleeve and showing him her watch. Prosper squinted at it, the little numbers blurring before his tired eyes.

"Noon…?" He muttered. Damn! He looked around the kitchen, but it was empty apart from Ida, who immediately started to cook Sizzling sounds and the smell of bacon wafted through the kitchen. "Where is everyone?"

"Bo's out playing with Victor and Scipio, Riccio, last I heard of him, is pressed against the cake shop and Mosca's fiddling with his boat." She answered, turning around to look at him.

"What about Hornet?" He mumbled; sleep still fogging up his brain. "Where's she?"

"Fancy you noticing Hornet's not here!" Ida smiled as he blushed. "She went to the book shop. Talking about new stories for Bo, or something like that."

"Figures," Prosper smirked. "So tomorrow morning, when she finally gets back…"

Ida pretended to smack his arm. "At least she has better things to do than stay in bed until noon!"

"I was tired!" Prosper protested, sleepily. He gave a huge yawn, trying to hide it with a cough. Ida wasn't fooled.

"Bed!" She ordered sharply. "Now! I'll get Lucia to wake you up when its dinner."

"But-!" Prosper tried to protest, but went silent as Ida pointed to the staircase with the frying pan full of bacon. "Fine!"

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"Prop?" Bo whispered, shaking his sleeping brother slightly. "Prop?" He scowled as he got no reply, and whacked him across the chest. Prosper sat bolt upright.

"Ow, Bo!" He gasped, rubbing his chest slightly. "What is it? Is it time for dinner?"

"Its half one in the morning and Hornet isn't in her bed!" Bo told him, wide eyed with worry.

"She'll be downstairs reading," Prosper shook him off. "Goodnight, Bo."

"No, Prop, you don't understand, she never came back from the shop!" Bo cried desperately, tugging his brother's hand.

Prosper rolled over, and gave him a strange look, trying to read his face. "Really?"

"Really!" Bo whimpered. "Where is she?"

"I – I don't know," Prosper bit his lip. "Have you looked everywhere?"

Bo gave a nod.

"Even the dark room?" Another nod. "Well then…we had better tell Ida…What did you want her for anyway?"

"Nightmare," Bo said shortly.

"Oh, ok," Prosper climbed out of bed and propelled his brother to the door with an arm around his shoulder. "Come on,"

Ida was snoring loudly, when Prosper hesitantly entered with Bo trailing behind. She immediately sat up and switched the lamp on when the door to the bedroom creaked loudly.

She glanced between Prosper's apologetic face and Bo's worried one. "What is it?"

"Hornet…" Bo trailed off as a wave of sobs threatened him. He buried his face in Prosper's waist and sniffed loudly.

"Has she come back from the book shop?" Ida asked, looking suddenly worried. Prosper shook his head.

"Bo can't find her anywhere!" He explained to her. She swung her legs out of bed and ran past them, shouting: "Wake the others!"

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