The climb up felt like it took three times as long as their descent. They kept a fast pace, only taking brief rest breaks when absolutely needed. Tate’s legs were burning by the time they approached the sentry station separating the Deeps from the main building. The sentries’ reactions to their sudden appearance weren’t entirely surprising as the four moved to block Tate’s party, two drawing their swords while the other two maneuvered to press their back against the door.
Tate’s group painted quite the picture; torn clothes splattered with blood, some of them sporting visible wounds. That didn’t even touch the fact that their escort was no longer with them and in her place was a prisoner so feared they’d thrown him to the deepest, darkest place in the hopes of forgetting he ever existed.
That was why Tate didn’t take umbrage when the guards brandished their weapons and ordered them to halt.
Tyne’s grin turned sly as he played with his bone sword. He took a single step forward only for Ryu to grab his shoulder and yank him back.
“Don’t even think about it.”
Tyne pouted. “You used to be so much more fun.”
Tate ignored the interchange, trusting Ryu would keep Tyne under control. She faced the guards, ignoring the way their grips tightened on their weapons. She understood their jumpiness, but if they took it too far, she’d act accordingly.
Of course, she hoped that wasn’t necessary. It’d be somewhat hard to explain to the Lord Provost why some of his men’s limbs twisted in the wrong direction.
“You’re going to want to get your boss,” she told them. “This is well above your pay grade.”
For a moment the four didn’t move, until finally, the two in the rear shared an uncertain look. The one on the right, knocked softly on the door. After receiving an answering knock, he opened it before slipping through.
Seeing that, Dewdrop slid to a seat on the stair where he’d been standing. “Don’t worry. We’ll wait.”
The remaining three guards didn’t react to his taunt, their expressions vigilant and their weapons still raised. Tate pursed her lips, discarding the urge to warn them of how tiring their stances would become if their warden didn’t arrive soon. However they chose to wait was their business.
In her mind, Dewdrop had the right mindset. Why stand when you could sit—especially after the day they’d just had.
Tate didn’t waste time joining him on the hard steps. She put her back against the wall and stretched out her legs in front of her before giving the stair beside her a longing glance. She could just lay down fully. No one was stopping her. It might be a little cramped but that had never bothered her in the past.
She debated for half a second before rejecting the idea. Although she didn’t think the guards would do anything given her and Ryu’s status, you never knew. Some people were simply too stupid to live. There was no reason to give them an opening.
Tyne, on the other hand, didn’t have such reservations, as he found his own stair to stretch out on. He turned on his side, used his arms as a pillow, seemingly unbothered by the hard stone underneath him. There was no sign of discomfort. But he was accustomed to sleeping on cold, hard rock.
Putting the former prisoner out of her mind, Tate looked up at Ryu who was the only one left standing and nodded at the stair next to her. He might as well get comfortable since the rest of them already had.
His lips quirked as he took the seat Tate indicated. When he was settled, she let her weight rest against him, breathing in the smell that was uniquely him. The scent of thunderstorms wrapped around her.
He moved his arm, pulling her closer. Tate closed her eyes and leaned her head against his shoulder, letting herself relax into his comfort and warmth. Something she never thought would happen while sitting in a prison.
Too soon the door opened again and a tall man with a barrel chest and the face of a boxer walked through. His nose was wide and mashed looking. His ears stuck out from his head and looked swollen and deformed from a condition known as cauliflower ear. It usually resulted when the ear was repeatedly subjected to trauma and was a known ailment for fighters.
For the warden, those ears and his face made him look a bit like a brute. A rather smart brute who somehow inspired the loyalty of his subordinates.
“What is going on here?” he barked, sweeping an impatient gaze over Tate’s party before locking on Tyne. The warden’s face flushed with anger. “What is he doing out of the incarceration level?”
“Gregory, I’ve missed you,” Tyne said yawning and stretching. “How long has it been? A decade?”
“Thirteen years,” Gregory said through gritted teeth. “The day you stopped being a man of honor and became someone willing to soak your hands in the blood of friends.”
Tyne whistled. “It felt shorter.”
Gregory focused on Tate and Ryu. “Are you responsible for breaking him out of his cell?”
Dewdrop used the wall to stand. “Broke him out, my ass. Look at us. Do we look like we broke that asshole out of his cell because we wanted to? No. Your shitty prison attacked us first and we had no choice but to defend ourselves. What kind of prison does that, huh?”
Gregory’s harsh eyes narrowed on Dewdrop. “You look familiar?”
Dewdrop put on an innocent expression, tugging at his ear lobe. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Gregory nodded slowly as if remembering something. “The little thief said to be responsible for the blossom job down on Tierny Street. The one who belongs to the Lucius’s. You’re on my list.”
