Sasha almost didn't wake to the frantic rapping on her window. Her eyes cracked open into the dim light that spilled into the room from the moon outside. It wasn't even morning yet. She glanced around the room for a moment before her head cleared and her eyes focused on the window.

Outside, the crow perched on the windowsill of the small room she'd been renting. Its iris expanded and contracted as it stared at her, then rapped on the window a few more times for good measure.

"It's not even morning yet," she hissed, then rubbed at her eyes. The damn thing gone for days and this was how it came back again. Somehow that didn't seem out of character at all. 

I can allow you to sleep. It fluffed its feathers out indignantly, then preened at them with its beak. 

"I'm awake, Sasha said. She cracked the window open and the bird hopped inside, then alighted on her shoulder. 

Humans are odd things. Wishing I was there one moment, then cursing at me the next.

"What do you want?" Sasha's mouth turned into a deep frown. She left out the part where she hadn't cursed at the bird, because she certainly had in her head. It hopped down again and picked at the corner of her comforter before turning to stare at her some more.

The boy is being sent to a new place, away from the island, it said. They took him tonight to another place, and he will be leaving in the morning. We should hurry should you wish to save him. Of course, you could always find another.

Sasha's eyes widened. "What? Why? Where is he?"

It seems humans do not like when someone plays with their young, the crow replied. It hopped over to the window. Are you coming?

Sasha sighed in frustration before grabbing her things. All she had at this point was her bag, and the dagger Rosa had given her. She'd never have the chance to tell the woman thank you, and her heart squeezed when she thought about what was going to become of her. 

Surely Mantu would know. Surely he would smell the guilt on her, the guilt at betraying her family. Sasha had only known Rosa a short time, but she could already see the downcast look in Rosa's eyes as she prepared dinner and tried not to meet Mantu's. 

She has already made her decision. You must make yours.

Sasha nodded, then walked over to the door and eased it open. Outside the night air was chill, and the darkness made it look like there were ghosts following her. The lamps were smothered this late at night, and the only light spilled down from the full moon. Sasha caught the shadow of the crow's flight as it made its way down the street. This felt far too much like the last time, when Sasha had tried and failed to break Rannok out of prison. She could only hope that this time she was a little more successful, a little more quiet, little sneakier.

She had to remind herself that this time she wasn't just doing it out of duty. This time he would stay, because she was good enough. She had to remind herself of that.

Humans form the oddest of attachments. And I told you the boy would stay.

Sasha rolled her eyes and kept going down the silent street, keeping her eyes trained between the cobblestones in front of her and the crow flying above. "Where are we going?"

The constable's house. He is not very good at his job. There is an open window and no lock on the door. 

Sasha's eyebrows raised. It surprised her, somehow, that Mantu and Pirya would trust someone who was bad at their job to keep a prisoner. But then again, Rosa had stayed. Rosa had stayed with no chain on the door, no shackles, and no promise of freedom. She'd stayed because of duty and because she had nothing left.

Sasha thought back to the first time she'd run down the street in the middle of the night, looking for an open window, and understood why.

Mantu is a proud man. It is a common flaw. He does not realize the boy does not owe him allegiance like the kitchen woman does.

Sasha couldn't help but think that Rosa didn't owe him any allegiance, either. But the crow was right. She'd made her bed.

I am glad you see sense sometimes, girl.

Sasha did not dignify that with a response. The crow swooped to the right over a small, well-kept house. It wasn't as palatial as Mantu's or as small as the ones near the piers, but a large garden sprawled out in front of it, and even in the filtered moonlight the flowers were stunning. 

Sasha didn't stop to admire it, though. She followed the crow to where it swooped down beside the house and stopped in front of one of the windows.

The constable is still awake inside. We will need to be gentle.

Sasha's eyes widened a bit in alarm. The crow had made it sound like the man would be asleep. Surely even if he was terrible at his job, he would notice the sound of a window being opened and of Rannok absconding out of it. 

"How are we supposed to get out of here?" she hissed. She thought back to the smugglers. Rosa had said they were supposed to be there at the end of the week. Nowhere had she said when or where, and it was only Tuesday. She swore under her breath. 

You could swim, the crow replied.

Sasha did not dignify that with a response. For all she knew the currents around the island were fast and lethal, and there were rocks waiting in the waves to dash them to bits. And besides that, Rannok didn't know how to swim. A tiny rowboat wouldn't be much protection against the latter, but it would be something. They didn't even have that.

There are unattended rowboats on the pier.

Sasha thought for a moment before reaching into her pocket and running her hand over the metal of the dagger. She'd cut the boat free and they'd be able to push it out She didn't know how to sail, she barely knew how to pilot a rowboat. She doubted Rannok did either. But they had to try.

They had to get out of here before their chance was gone.

Sasha reached up and rapped gently on the window.