The Orphan and the Thief

Chapter 23: To Save a Thief

Toad groaned as he came to. It took a moment to understand why he was sitting on the floor and why his arms were tied to the leg of a table. The goose-egg sized lump on his head from where Ogg had hit him pulsed. He gritted his teeth against the pain and tugged his arms, but the knots didn't give. He craned his neck, trying to see if he was alone — if in fact Ogg was preparing to 'take care of him' — but the room was dark and quiet, lamps extinguished. Toad strained his ears. Under different circumstances he'd say he was the only person in the whole house, but he knew better. Somewhere in a room — perhaps directly below him — sat Owl, waiting for Fletch to bring him the ingredients.

If Melena was hurt ... if she were killed ...

Again Toad tried to twist his wrists free, but it was no good. He slumped against the table leg, sick with dread, watching the darkness falling outside the room's windows, ticking his life away. He couldn't escape this. He would be dead in hours, moments even, and there was no way to warn Melena of the danger she was in. Why hadn't he told her from the very beginning? Why had he been such a bungling idiot?

Voices rumbled somewhere through the floorboards and Toad's heart clenched.

As he sat trembling in the dark, waiting for the door to swing open — would it be Ogg? Cutter? Owl himself? — Toad thought of Melena and her lost brother. If she somehow miraculously managed to dodge Owl, would she find her brother on her own? What had his name been?

The voices grew louder. More distinct.

Morgan?

The softest of vibrations traveled through the floor, as if someone was running.

Miles?

There was the dull sound of a crash and a few odd plunks of a piano.

Milo, thought Toad with satisfaction. That was it. Milo. How could he have forgotten?

A voice shouted very close by, taking Toad by surprise. A second later the door was flung open and he tensed. Light spilled into the room, but Toad couldn't see who stood in the doorway for the table blocked his view.

"Toad!"

Toad was so startled that he was rendered speechless.

"Toad!" Melena shouted again, voice cracking in desperation. "I don't see him — oh, Joe, you said he wasn't dead!"

"Quite," said Joe. His voice was muffled and an image of Joe in the depths of Melena's knapsack sprang into Toad's mind.

"Then where is he?" Melena cried in panic and frustration.

"Hey — hey! Over here!" Toad yelled. There was a gasp, a frantic pattering of feet and Toad was suddenly encased in a rib-cracking hug while Hazel circled over their heads, yowling with delight and Joe cried from within the knapsack, "Greetings, Master Toad!"

"Are you all right?" Melena demanded, holding him at arm's length. "They didn't hurt you?"

"No," said Toad, breathless. He was overwhelmed by the sight of her. "Melena, what are you doing here? You can't be here — Owl —"

"I know all about Owl," said Melena, her face growing uncharacteristically dark. "I ran into Cutter —"

"Cutter?" Toad gasped. Then, like she had done him, his eyes searched her for injuries. "And you're all right?"

"Yes —"

"How did you —"

"We don't have time," Melena interrupted. "I'll explain everything, but we've got to get you out of here." She pulled out a knife that Toad had never seen with her before. She began to saw at his bindings.