Thank you so much for the reviews, guys. It really means a lot. I will try to make my chapters longer now, but that does mean I won't update as frequently, so take your pick! Also, I'm in camp this week and next, so that'll also delay updates, sorry. But I'll write a bunch over the weekend.

Reynie

After Kate left abruptly, he went over and sat down next to Constance. This was an awkward endeavor, as she gave no acknowledgment that he was there, not even when he said hello.

"Can I help with the puzzle?" he asked.

She grunted, then sighed at his expression and shoved a pile of pieces across the floor to him.

Doing puzzles with Constance, Reynie knew already, was not a very self esteem-boosting affair. You may think you're the best puzzler of your years, but sit down with her and you'll feel bumbling and stupid. Still, this was something Reynie was willing to risk in order to, well, avoid going up to see Sticky.

It wasn't about Sticky, though. No, it was about Kate, and he knew it. For whatever reason, he simply felt that it was best to give her a wide berth, at least until dinner. After all, she'd been the one to abandon their conversation, he reasoned, and it would only make sense that she would be the one who would resume speaking to him.

"You're horrible at this," Constance commented cheerfully.

"That's not nice," Reynie protested. "At least I'm helping you."

"Only because you can't be with Kate."

He looked up at her. She was contentedly humming and filling in the spot where a rose was supposed to go. "What?" he asked, sitting up and putting down the two pieces he'd been attempting to fit together. She didn't answer, so he repeated, "What?"

"Hm?" she said distractedly, now onto the bush part. "Oh, you mean, the thing I said about Kate."

"Yeah."

"What about it?"

"What did you mean by it?"

"It was perfectly obvious, Reynie. Gosh, I make one plain statement and you get all worked up –"

"Stop it, Constance. I'm not worked up. You still haven't told me what you meant by it."

Constance sat cross-legged but now looked straight and searchingly at him. Despite his instincts to run, he maintained eye contact. After a moment, she sat down with a satisfied, "Hmph."

"Well?"

"You like Kate, don't you."

"What do you mean? We're friends, sure, but –"

"Don't interrupt. You like Kate, she likes you, it's all perfectly obvious, so I suggest you go find her and sweep her off her feet and get married, or something." And, with a complacent smirk, she returned to her puzzle.

"Constance! What in the world are you – I don't know what you think – you're – that's ridiculous!" spluttered Reynie. "How do you even – who are you to judge anything about me 'liking' Kate? What does 'liking' even mean?"

"Alright, how do you feel about Sophie?"

"Um…" How did he feel about her? He remember their trip into town – the first one, of course, not the one when Mackenzie was staring at them – and how pretty she looked. The feeling he got in his stomach, the thoughts flashing through his head.

"See?" said Constance. "That's what liking is. I don't know what other word to use."

"But… I feel that way about Sophie," said Reynie, confused. "I don't understand how I could – why I would –"

"I think that's up to you to figure out," said Constance thoughtfully.

"What is?" asked Kate brightly, jumping down from the ceiling. She yanked the rope down, coiled it up neatly, returned it to her bucket, and, standing on the arm of the couch, slid the tile back into place.

"Nothing," said Reynie hurriedly, avoiding her inquisitive gaze. "Is dinner ready soon?"

"Constance, stop it," said Mr. Benedict firmly as, for the fourth time, she attempted to hypnotize him into giving her thirds on dessert. "You should know by now that I am, to some extent, rather impervious to your remarkable talents. At least when not taken off guard, and these attempts have become increasingly predictable."

"Fine," said Constance, turning to Reynie.

"Constance, would you like to help me clean the dishes?" asked Miss Perumal quickly. "There's a cake batter bowl that needs licking."

Constance bounded out of her seat and followed obligingly.

Rhonda cleared her throat. "Children," she said quietly, "we need to talk to you."

They leaned in, exchanging excited looks. Was this it? Would they finally tell them the full truth of what they'd discovered?

"I'm afraid things are much more serious than we suspected," said Mr. Benedict. "You see, we've run into some complications and it would seem that Mackenzie is not the only one on the loose."

"You mean McCracken escaped from jail," blurted out Kate. "Sorry."

Mr. Benedict gave a frustrated sigh. "Constance told you that. I know, I know, don't try to deny it. It's fine. However… there is a reason that we've directed her attention elsewhere for the duration of this conversation. The thing you must understand about her talent is that she can only perceive what is on our minds. This does not mean she perceives the truth of a situation; rather, she can read our fears and racing thoughts. In this case, our fears turned out to be correct, but I don't wish for her to continue to try and read us now, because we're fearful of many things, none of which are of your concern."

"If you just told us what was going on, we wouldn't have to rely on Constance," pointed out Kate. "Please?" She looked at Milligan, but he shook his head.

"Perhaps we're being overly cautious," spoke up Rhonda. "It's just that we value the safety of you children beyond reason, and thus far the evidence against the McCrackens has been nothing remotely positive or reassuring, so you must try to understand why we can't allow utter transparency. All we can say right now is that you're safe as long as you remain in the house."

"I get it," Sticky said quickly. Kate and Reynie looked at him. "What?" he said defensively, staring at his lap. "I just think that we ought to stay in the house if the adults… I don't want to…" Appearing frightened, he started over. "I don't want to get into danger again. I don't want to fight, I don't like fighting and finding clues and – and…" He trailed off feebly.

Milligan began to say something, but Kate butted in. "You know what?" she said loudly and confidently. "I don't blame you. And I don't want to fight anymore than you do – trust me, I don't – but you want to know the reason I don't seem so scared about it?"

Sticky nodded.

"Because I have my bucket. And guess what?"

Sticky leaned forward, looking slightly more hopeful."What?"

"You won't even need one, because starting today, I'm going to teach you boys how to live like Kate Wetherall. And Constance, too, if she wants." She sat back, arms crossed defiantly.

Mr. Benedict smiled. "Am I to understand that you're going to host a seminar on how to climb up rafters and jump off buildings?" he asked in amusement.

At this, Kate's eyes widened and she jumped out of her chair, all but shouting, "You mean I can jump off the house?"

Chuckling, Mr. Benedict shook his head. "Don't be too disappointed, though," he said.

"So you'll let me do other stuff, like if it's inside the house?"

He looked at Milligan and Rhonda. They all nodded and shrugged and nodded again at each other. "Yes," said Mr. Benedict. "As long as it doesn't severely injure anybody, and it's on a purely voluntary basis… yes. You can."

Sticky looked simultaneously petrified and thrilled. "Do – do you think I could really learn how to jump down from ceilings like you?" he asked tremulously.

Kate looked at him kindly. "I think you could probably start by jumping off chairs and tables."

The adults laughed at this and called Miss Perumal and a very satisfied Constance back into the room, and spent the rest of dinner peacefully making light conversation.

Reynie couldn't help being impressed with Kate. Her ability to jump in and ease the situation was more valuable now than ever, between Constance's prophesies and Sticky's anxiety and the overall ominous mood that was slowly creeping over the atmosphere.

He didn't want to fight and be put in danger – who does, really? – but if they were, and with the Society danger felt inevitable at this point, Kate was the person he'd want to learn from. After all, Kate was amazing, and funny, and kind, and just such a good, honest, earnest person, and… He felt himself flush suddenly, and hastily looked up to make sure nobody had noticed. Thankfully, they hadn't, and, even more thankfully, Constance was concentrated on a pile of candy that Kate had snuck her beneath the table. He was safe.

I hope you liked this chapter! It looks like Reynie and Kate might have some one on one time while she's "training" the Society. They have to do something before trying their skills out on the field, right? Let me know what you thought of this in the review section, and thanks for reading!