Charlotte gave Birch a long look before saying, “Ash cut himself on purpose.”
“He did what?” Birch gaped at her.
Scoff stumbled back and almost fell off the dock. “That’s why I had to use the cannon? I thought you’d just riled them up.”
“Well, we had,” Charlotte told them. “But it was the blood that did the riling.”
Birch paced the width of the dock. “So very reckless. Why on earth—”
“For Jack,” Charlotte cut in. “To give him time.”
Jack’s name pulled Birch up abruptly. He looked at Scoff and Charlotte and then up at the stairs Ash had rushed to climb.
“Where is Jack?”
“He didn’t come back with us,” Scoff said. “I still don’t know why.”
“I don’t know either,” Charlotte added. “Did you know anything about a separate mission for Jack on this run?” she asked Birch.
“I knew nothing of the kind.” Birch frowned. “And I’d never suggest sending someone into the Heap alone. What was Ash thinking?”
Charlotte took Birch’s hand, pulling him to the staircase. “Let’s find out.”
“Wait just a minute,” Birch said, hauling her back. “I need to check out my beauty first. Make sure everything is as it should be after her voyage.”
“You can tune up the ship later,” Charlotte said. “Ash and Jack are up to something, and I need you to back me up.”
“Back you up how?” Birch stopped tugging Charlotte backward.
“You know Ash won’t listen if it’s just me,” Charlotte told him. “He’ll tell you if you ask.”
“You want me to play the pawn when you’re controlling the board?” Birch laughed.
Scoff pushed past them, running to the stairs.
“Where are you going?” Charlotte called after him.
“To get Pip,” he shouted. “She won’t want to miss this.”
“Oh, dear.” Birch sighed, but he followed Charlotte up the winding staircase. When they reached the tunnels, he asked, “Do you even know where Ash went?”
“No,” Charlotte said. “But I can guess.”
Jack had said he’d meet them back at the Catacombs. There was only one other entrance by which he could return.
When they arrived at the platform and found it empty, Charlotte kicked the railing in frustration. Jack wasn’t here yet. The more time that passed before he returned, the less likely he’d ever come back.
“Why is he in the wheelhouse?” Birch asked, frowning. “There aren’t scheduled arrivals today.”
Charlotte peered at the wheelhouse, and sure enough, Ash was inside, looking harried. At least her brother was as anxious awaiting Jack’s appearance as she was.
“This is an unscheduled arrival,” she muttered to Birch. She stepped behind the tinker and pushed him toward the box. “Go on, then.”
“You’re not coming?”
“I’m just going to stay back a bit.” She tried to muster a reassuring smile, but Birch snorted at her before he went to the operator’s box and stepped inside.
Ash, who’d been bent over the controls, started at the unexpected company. Watching as their mouths moved in a conversation silent to her, Charlotte inched toward the wheelhouse. She stopped when Birch began to gesture wildly. Ash watched him solemnly, nodding every so often.
Birch abruptly burst from the wheelhouse, storming away.
“What happened?” Charlotte asked as he brushed by her, heading for the tunnels.
“Can’t talk,” he blurted out. “Too much to do. Preparations.”
He bumped into Scoff, who was coming out of the passageway, but didn’t stop then either.
Scoff had Pip with him, and to Charlotte’s surprise, Grave had accompanied them too.
“What did you do to Birch?” Scoff asked Charlotte.
“I didn’t do anything to him.” She pointed at the wheelhouse and found that Ash was glaring at her through the glass barrier. “He went to talk to Ash and then he just ran off.”
“That’s odd,” Pip said. “Birch never gets mad at anybody.” She glanced at Scoff. “Unless they steal his tools.”
“I was borrowing them,” Scoff said. “And it was only once.”
“What’s this all about anyway?” Pip asked her. “Scoff said there was going to be a spectacular surprise.”
Scoff’s brow crinkled. “I said we didn’t know what was going on.”
“Which means we’ll be surprised,” Pip told him. “And I’m hoping for spectacular.”
Charlotte was hoping to find out what had happened to Jack, but was bothered even more that she continued to be excluded from whatever scheme her brother had hatched. Now Birch knew something secret as well, and that irked Charlotte more than an itch she couldn’t quite scratch.
“You’re safe, then?” Grave’s quiet question caught her off guard.
“I’m sorry?” She looked at him, noting that he was as pale as he’d been the previous day. He did look more at ease, though.
Grave glanced at Pip. “She told me that you were out scavenging. And that scavenging is horribly dangerous.”
“Pip.” Charlotte put her hands on her hips. “That is not exactly the type of introduction to our home that Grave needs.”
Pip twirled her pigtails in her hands. “Of course he does. And it is dangerous.”
Charlotte smiled gently at Grave. “There are always risks when we cross into New York. But we have to do it, and we’re fine.”
“Are there really man-eating rats?” Grave asked in a hushed voice.
Charlotte glared at Pip again.
“It’s not my fault the Empire feeds prisoners to the rats so they’ll want to hunt trespassers.” Pip shrugged.
“Why are you spending time with Pip anyway?” an exasperated Charlotte asked Grave. “Where’s Meg?”
Pip stuck her tongue out at Charlotte. “I’m more fun!”
“Where’s Meg?” Charlotte asked again.
“She’s teaching the small children.” Pip sounded bored. “You should know that. And she asked me to keep Grave company.” She elbowed Grave, and he winced. “Come on, Grave. Tell her I’m good company.”