[ Thunder rolled overhead as they wove through the narrow streets towards the crumbling old tower. The rain and damp and cooling air was making a foggy mist start to rise up from the cobblestones, and everyone else out was wearing slickers or cloaks, moved fast through the rain.

One last cut through an alley and they came to the tower's base, nestled near the back gardens of the homes facing out to the street. The base was made of big old grey fieldstones, repaired in some spots with brickwork, with moss grown up between them. The heavy door was padlocked, and Cain ignored that, rounding the square structure to one of its sides, where some ship's discarded jacobs' ladder had been let down from some window or opening at the tower's top.

He pushed Julian toward the rope webbing. ]

Start climbing. I'll come up real close behind you and keep my arms on the sides of your waist, make sure you don't fall and get yourself killed.