After taking a long moment to check his escape routes and steel his nerves Wilt edged his way carefully towards the manor and an ornate window only held closed with a simple latch. When windows are on the second floor people tend to be more lax with their security and a sheer stone wall had never slowed Wilt down. His fingers and toes found purchase in cracks that his eyes couldn’t see as he shimmied up to the window ledge. He slipped the thin edge of his blade between the window panes and lifted the latch from its hook, climbed through, and then reset it behind him. For a moment he paused, checking that he hadn’t been noticed. The sounds in the house didn’t change; all was as it should be.

The smell of leather and parchment stirred old memories that fizzed uncomfortably in his chest and unexpected tears threatened before Wilt pushed them back down. He had work to do and couldn’t afford to be distracted; he had a book to find.

“Why is it that people who collect old rare books always collect so many other books as well?” Wilt whispered to himself as he scanned the numerous shelves in the light filled library. So engrossed in his search that his focus tunnelled and he completely lost his awareness of the other noises in the house. He didn’t even register the sharp clack of heels on the wooden floor or the rattle of the door knob turning.

A sudden loud knocking sound rang out through the house and crashed through his awareness. Startled he almost yelped aloud, in fact he wasn’t a hundred percent sure that he didn’t. Tensed and still he listened to the sounds of the house. He expected that any minute the alarm would be raised and his presence discovered; but after a long wait the clack of heels receded down the hall and away from the library. Wilt released a silent breath he didn’t even know he was holding before he realised someone had been just outside the door.

“Damn,’ he cursed himself for his own complacency before continuing his search. He had just finished searching his fifth row when a dark green cover caught his eye three shelves over. Excitement coursed through his blood and he was halfway down the stack when the door to the library swung open.

Without making a sound Wilt dropped to his stomach, heart beating through the floorboards. He was seriously off his game today, and although he could hear voices talking in the library he couldn’t help but slink forward, towards that green book. Each foot stepped slowly and carefully so as to not make a sound and he kept low to the ground as he weaved through the shelves. Wilt was so focused on not being heard; but forgot to check if he could be seen. He slid up to the end of the shelf and was reaching out to check the book when a tingle ran down his spine.

The world spun into slow motion as Wilt looked up and locked eyes with an oddly familiar face.

“What are you doing here?” Wilt mouthed, but before he could get any sort of answer a shrill scream pierced the tension.

“Robin, Roberts there’s an intruder!” The blonde woman shrieked from the ground level before she grabbed an ornate letter opener from the desk and waved it in Wilt’s direction. He didn’t need any more incentive than that. In one clean motion he snatched up the book and bolted for the nearest window. Wilt popped the latch with the flick of a finger and after suspending his belief in gravity he leapt from window.