“There’s a lockpick for everything.”
I dropped my gaze to the pick still in his tail. “Where did you get that one?”
He opened his mouth, and his snake-like tongue slithered out and curled up, revealing a pouch with a jumble of lock picks. “I always carry these around in case I need them.”
“Remind me not to kiss you. . .” I murmured as I leaned out between the bars as far as I could. “So, how are you getting out of the jail? Or at least to Marc?”
He nodded at the corner opposite ours. “Through there.”
I squinted and noticed a small black hole. “What is-” My question was answered before I finished, as a large rat stuck its head out. The creature wriggled its nose before it halfway across the hall and surveyed us with hope. We were a new source of food. I only hoped it was considering just our plates and not us.
“That’s the signal for me to get out of here,” Ramaro told me as he looked me up and down. “You’ll be okay until I get that fool out of the deeper dungeon?”
“I’m sure I’ll be fine,” I replied, though I didn’t take my eyes off the red-eyed rat. “How did he know to find us?”
“My scent. And don’t mind him, he’s just my guide,” Ramaro revealed as he slipped through the bars. The rat squeaked and turned tail, running toward the hole.
I lifted an eyebrow. “Your guide?”
Ramaro stopped at the hole where the rat had already disappeared through. “He works for cheap cheese. I’ll be back soon.” He dashed into the hole, leaving me all alone.
I sighed and plopped down on the hard bench that was the only bed. My eyes roamed the small room and discovered only dust, cobwebs, and a really disgusting lack of hygiene around the discolored chamber pot. I turned my face away and sighed.
“Please hurry, Ramaro. I really don’t want to use that thing. . .”
It felt like an eternity before I heard footsteps, followed by the rattle of keys. I shot up and my head snapped to the empty cage. My heart pounded in my chest as I yanked off my coat and threw it over the carrier.
The guard appeared and paused, a questioning look in his eyes as he looked at the coat. “What’s that for?”
“My pet was frightened, so I threw it over him,” I told him.
The guard shrugged before he unlocked the door and opened the portal. “Get out.”
My pulse quickened as I stood. “Why?”
“Somebody’s here to take you to the Admiral. Seems you’re pretty important to him, now get out.” I stooped to grab the cage. “Leave it. You can come back for it.”
All the better. Nobody would bother it there. I slipped through the door and was led down the hall to the front desk. All my hopes were dashed when I saw who stood at the desk.
It was Theo.
Chapter 37
Theo bowed his head to me. “Good evening, miss. I’m a representative from the Admiralty office, come to escort you to the admiral.”
That announcement rattled my brain, along with his strange disconnection toward me. The short man at the desk was reading a short letter in front of him. “You sure this checks out?”
Theo turned to him with a smile. “Is there any doubt?”
“Well, everything looks okay,” the man mused as he raised the paper to a nearby lamp. “I’m just surprised they worked that fast. What does he want with the woman, anyway?”
Theo shrugged. “I’m afraid I couldn’t say. I’m just the escort.”
“Why’d he choose the prison doc, too?” the jailer questioned him with a sharp look.
Theo gestured down at himself. “I believe it’s because you know my appearance, and thus there would be no issue with the prompt letter.”
The jailer scowled, but tucked the letter in a drawer. “Alright, take her. It’s your skin if you lose her.”
