C10 The Warning on the roof

Before Vespera could fully process the discovery of the copper key, a sharp scraping noise echoed across the roof slates directly outside her bedroom window.

She snatched the ancient key from the rug, shoved it into her coat pocket alongside Corin’s iron key and the parchment list, and hurried to the window.

A figure stood on the narrow, rain-slicked roof, clad in a dark, hooded cloak