Later that night, after hours spent trailing Amos, who did, indeed, smell like vegetables and moved like a depressed ox, polishing wine glasses, dusting statues of long dead Aldergraves, and being elbowed by a girl named Nora who absolutely would bite someone for taking her spot, Veyn returned to the dorm.
He collapsed onto the top bunk, sighing. The mattress hadn't gotten any thicker since morning.
He stared at the ceiling. Counted the cracks. Replayed the layout in his head.
'North Wing, guards stationed at both ends. Only two usable corridors. East Wing, back staircase led directly to the pantry. No lock on the dry stores door. West Wing. The study contained locked cabinets, brass key required. Observed Mr. Hask using it on a lanyard. And valuables? Oh, plenty.'
He rolled over. Just as his eyelids began to drift, the dormitory door creaked open.
Boots. A familiar, exasperated voice.
"Wonderful." The voice said sarcastically "My bunkmate finally arrived."
Veyn opened one eye. A suitcase thumped onto the floor. Then a sigh.
Then a mutter. "I swear, if it's some kid who doesn't take his job seriously."
Veyn grinned in the dark.
Gideon Brackett looked up, squinting into the gloom. His face twisted.
"You?!"
Veyn leaned over the bunk's edge with a sleepy grin. "Small world."
Gideon dragged a hand down his face. "Listen, I'm sorry about what happened in the street, it was all a misund-"
Before he could finish, he was interrupted by a laugh. "Come on, we both know I was messing with you"
"Thought so," Gideon replied, sliding off his boots and thudding down into the lower bunk. "I tried to play it safe with that apology, but it looks like my suspicions were right."
"And just what were your suspicions?"
"That you're trouble," Gideon muttered, voice muffled by his blanket. "The kind that ends up pocketing the silverware on day three."
"No comment," Veyn said with a yawn, arms folded behind his head.
The room settled into quiet, broken only by the ticking of a warped wall clock and the groan of wood contracting in the cold.
"Goodnight, bath guy," Veyn added, voice smug.
There was a pause. Then, dry. "I'll be watching you."