Thanks so much for the reviews! I hope you're having a good time here. There are just a couple more chapters, and they were fun to write, but this is my favorite.

Joseph stood aside, allowing Clarisse to step into his room. He knew it was wrong, but he relished the giddy feeling buzzing in his abdomen. He closed the door behind them, then went to his nightstand, pulled open the drawer, and retrieved a small but powerful and weighty flashlight. When he had it in hand, he watched her turn back toward the door.

"Where are you going?" he teased her.

"I thought we only came back for the flashlight."

"Yes, but it just so happens this is where we need to be."

"There's a passage from your room?"

He didn't answer; rather he walked around to the other side of his bed and paused in front of a tall, slender bookshelf. He looked over at her. "Well? Are you coming?" As Clarisse approached, he saw in her a mixture of nervousness and excitement. "Just stay close behind me," he said by way of reassuring her.

She nodded once and stood near his shoulder. He ran his hand along the edge of the shelf where it met the wall, and pushed on a bracket. Then he stooped down and did the same to another bracket near the floor. He straightened up and carefully dislodged the shelving unit from the wall. It swung open to reveal a narrow opening. He turned around to face Clarisse, and since she had been sticking close as instructed, he found himself almost nose-to-nose with her.

Yes, she would have to remain near to him as they picked their way through the passage. He might even need to hold her hand.

He should have thought of this years ago.

"Ready?" he asked in a low voice, doing his best to sound dramatic. "You can still turn back."

"Don't be silly, Joseph. Let's go already." She inclined her head toward the open space in the wall. "I suppose you'll insist on leading the way."

"Do you suppose?" he asked sarcastically. He clicked on his flashlight and stepped inside. She started after him, but he held his hand up. "Just a moment. It's been awhile." Aside from some cobwebs and a thick layer of dust, everything seemed as it was the last time he had been through here. He and David occasionally walked through the hidden thoroughfares, making sure they were still viable as escape routes should the unlikely scenario of a palace siege come to pass.

No such thing as being too cautious.

After shining his light into the immediate corners and down the path a bit, he motioned for her to follow. "Stay close," he said again.

He waited until she stepped over the threshold, then he held out the flashlight to her. She took it, wordlessly questioning him with her eyes. He pulled the earpiece and microphone from his pocket and shook the kinks out of the cords before attaching them to his person. Once he felt connected – he did have the Queen, after all, and someone might want to know where she was before their little adventure was over – he turned his attention to the bookcase. As he felt around for the latches that would allow him to pull it shut, the back of the furniture piece was suddenly illuminated. He smiled his thanks over to Clarisse for shining the light for him, quickly found the latches, and pulled.

"Do you need to pull it all the way shut?" Clarisse asked casually.

"Yes, in case someone comes into my room while we're gone." He took the light back from her and started down the passage before realizing the implication of her question. He turned back and shone the light in between them so they could see each other. "Worried it won't open again?" he asked with a grin.

"No," she said haughtily. Then, after a moment's hesitation, "It will open though, won't it?"

He smiled. "Don't worry, it will open."

"I'm not worried," she said with only the slightest waver in her voice.

"I can tell."

They continued on in silence for a few minutes, making their way slowly through the cramped space. After a time, they came to a ladder.

"Let me take a look first, just to make sure everything is still stable and secure. Then you can go and I'll follow."

She eyed the ladder warily, watching to see that it held his weight as he climbed up high enough to shine the flashlight into the space above them. "You are just being overcautious, aren't you?"

"Always," came his muffled reply. He backed down amid puffs of dust, and she sneezed. "Bless you. See? Told you this would make you sneezy."

She was covering her mouth and nose, and her eyes were wide. After the dust settled, she moved her hands away from her face. "Can you really hear through the walls, or were you just saying that?"

"Actually," he said, holding his hand out to guide her to the ladder, "you said that. And no, I don't think it's possible. Pounding against the walls or shouting – maybe. But not the delicate little aristocratic sniffs you call sneezes."

He ignored her affronted glare, and spotted her as she climbed up the ladder. He handed up the flashlight before following her. He made a show of pretending to be turned around.

"Hmm, let's see… I think it's this way."

"The Queen is not amused."

"Alright, alright, I know it's this way," he chuckled.

He was glad for a rough patch of terrain; he crossed the uneven boards and held his hand out to help her over. She made it across with her usual aplomb, but retained her hold of his hand as they continued. He kept his face forward so she wouldn't see him smiling like a schoolboy with a crush.

"Joseph, earlier I heard music coming from your room."

"Oh?" he replied absently, intent on making sure the path was clear ahead, his remaining attention still fixated on her hand in his.

"Yes, and I thought you were listening to the radio, but it stopped as soon as I knocked. Was it you? Playing the guitar?"

He cleared his throat self-consciously. "Oh, that. Um, yes. That was me."

"I knew you played, but you always made it sound as though you picked out songs like an amateur. I had no idea you were so talented."

"Not really," he laughed modestly. "I just play around with it some evenings to unwind."

"You're being too humble. It was lovely." A pause, and then: "Would you play for me some time?"

In the darkness, engaged in an illicit quest, her hand tucked cozily in his – how could life be better? Perhaps it could be improved by her inviting herself to sit in his room some evening and listen to him serenade her? He was certain heaven itself couldn't hold more perfection than this moment in a dusty old passageway.

"I suppose. I mean, if you don't think you would be disappointed," he said, throwing a self-effacing smile over his shoulder at her.

"I doubt that's possible."

Distracted, he almost missed their destination. He stopped short and she bumped into him. When she backed off, she didn't leave nearly enough space between them to be considered respectable.

"Here we are." He handed her the flashlight again, and pointed where to shine it. These handles were stiffer, but he had them moving before she had a chance to worry.

With one firm shove, the door swung out.

to be continued...