Duck8: I'm glad you feel I did okay on the describing the secret passage scene. I love describing but describing doesn't love me, lol.

On top of Cloud 9: glad you enjoyed the last chapter and hope you had a good time in Oregon

HyperKathryne: Welcome, new reviewer :-) And in answer, Serrina's nearly 13 years old this year

SpectralLady: I promise the meeting between Numair and Kyra is coming in the next chapter and that it'll be posted up quite soon

Apologies everyone for taking so long to post up the new chapter. Good news is that I'm storing up the next few chapters to have ready to post up more regularly. And now, here is Chapter 12 of Conte's Secret

Chapter 12

Her dark hair stroked back until it was hidden beneath the hood of her wine-red cloak, she gained a few curious looks, which she met with calm gazes, her eyes filled with such strength that people looked away after a moment, strangely guilty.

"How is she, Stefan?" she asked, entering the stable. The groom was picking out the hooves of one shadow-grey mare who looked rather down-hearted. Going to the mare's head, the girl stroked her mane gently, began murmuring soft words. "And what is wrong with this little lady?"

"Took a tumble," Stefan said without preamble, looking up only briefly at the thief lady. "I heard you sent out a challenge. The ladies'll be after yer blood. What're you thinking of?"

For a moment there was only the sound of the metal pick scraping dirt from the mare's hooves, directed by Stefan's deft fingers.

"I suppose I feel I've been running from it long enough," Serrina Sneak said finally.

Stefan looked at her, an amused twinkle in his clever eyes. "Sneak, you've run with the pack of pickpockets since you were old enough to walk. You stole everything you wanted and needed until your da was fair despairing of you. In what way have you been running from it?"

She didn't realise he'd been watching her, she'd been concentrating so much on fussing the mare. She was fair-distracted, feeling like she was two people now. "I've run," she said finally, "ever since Dad died. Going to look for Kyra...was putting off what I need to do. I need to be the Lady of the Thieves. I need to know I can protect Dad's people, my people."

"And you asked how Kyra was," Stefan remembered. "The little lass is being tested for magic today."

Serrina blinked, eyes lighting up in the darkness of the stable. "Today? I thought it was tomorrow. Oh, bother." She sighed softly and gave the mare one last stroke, put her hood back up and stroked her hair back again out of her face.

"Take the library way," Stefan called after her as she slipped out from the stable.

"No," she called back. "I'll take the cellar way. It isn't blocked any more. I need to talk to someone else anyhow."

Stefan gave a knowing grin. "George isn't around."

"But Myles is," Serrina said calmly. "I don't always need advice from the King of Thieves."

"George?" Stefan laughed loudly. "Him the King of Thieves? He gave it up, remember? He has another job."

"And I said that he's not the one I'm needing to talk to. It's his father in law," Serrina replied. "Myles is an historian and must know plenty about the man I'm trying to find out about." With that, she left the stable and hurried across the courtyard, around to the kitchen gardens. Truth be told, she was anxious. It wasn't just the rumours she was hearing. It was the dark, twisting feeling in her gut that something was becoming very, very wrong.

"Sneak!" a boy shouted at her from the kitchens. He was mixing up a dough with some herbs, enthusiastically pounding it with his large hands. Serrina Sneak fought to remember his name. "Eel," she said finally, it was a half-guess and was rewarded by the wide grin that spread across his reddened face. "I'd come out," he shouted, "but I'm earning my money! Are you free this evening?"

Secretly, Serrina cringed as she remembered exactly why she wished she didn't remember him. He'd always tried to court her and every time she agreed, it was interrupted by his mates coming along to collect debts. It had been Father who told him finally to get his act together, stop gambling, get a job and get straight or else leave the Thieves.

No Da to protect me now, Serrina thought mockingly and looked Eel straight in the face. "No thanks, Eel."

His face fell and he stopped shaping the dough. "Sneak, I've changed just like you. Please give me a chance." He had very sweet brown eyes and a too-delicate nose. She also guiltily noticed his lips, before forcing herself to look at the dirty ground.

"And what I have to tell you," Eel added seriously, "is very important."

"Isaac!" someone yelled. "Stop nattering, that dough's going hard!"

Isaac Eel flushed and returned to pounding the dough, then pulling it into pieces, taking one and shaping it into a long thick thread that he began coiling deftly. Serrina watched, fascinated despite herself.

"It's about the rumours," Eel said, watching the dough as he coiled it as tall and round as possible. "It's about Kyra."

"This evening then," Serrina said abruptly.

"The library," Eel said. "Not the Dove." Serrina blinked in surprise but nodded then left, going around another corner. A girl brushed past Isaac Eel in the kitchen, going past him and taking the same path as Serrina towards the weapons room. Her cloud-pale eyes were intently focused on Serrina's back.

"Lena," Eel said, still shaping a handful of dough in his hands as he nonchalantly stepped out of the kitchen after her. "Are you planning to challenge Sneak?"

Lena turned, startled. "Oh. You." Then she nodded, eyes narrowing. "Are you going to tattle?" she demanded and stroked back her sleek dark hair.

Eel shook his head. "Serrina would kill me if I tried to take a fight from her."

"Her dark knight," Lena sneered. "Stalking her. I've seen you look at her. Her Da told you to stop dreaming of her. He told you Sneak would never ever want you, not even a kiss!"

Eel drew a shuddering breath and focused on the dough. "Do what you like, Lena," he said in a queerly calm voice. "Try." Then he spun on his heel and went back into the clamorous kitchens, though his thoughts were quiet and nervous. It was enough: Lena had lost sight of Serrina. She gave a roar of frustration, raced forward and stopped abruptly as though losing the will to try and find Serrina.

"The Lady of Thieves," Eel whispered, "must be sly and cunning. Patient and wise. Courageous and clever. She sees all the stars in the sky, not just the darkness."

He really hoped that Serrina could meet that challenge.