She was afraid of that. She didn't have any patience for torch puzzles, and her purse was still outside the barrier if she wanted to get any matches. Pulling it in might be possible, but it felt so much farther away than when she last checked.

She stepped through the portal, digging her nails into her palms to brighten her glow so Nepeta could see, and waited for her to step through behind her before letting it close. "I suppose that saved us some time, but not as much as I'd like. The climb could be endless from here, and aside from that obnoxious voice, this entire palace seems dead. Almost as if it's been forgotten. Or simply the inevitably isolating product of very unfriendly architecture."