The prisoners gathered in the middle of the room. I hadn’t considered my stomach to be sensitive until now. The sight of so many people damaged by birth and human cruelty sent me into childhood flashbacks of my own. Now wasn’t the time for a breakdown. Tonight, safe in my bed, I could let everything go and cry out my sorrow. Right this minute, I had to be strong.
Justin squeezed my shoulder and kissed my cheek as if he could feel my inner struggle. “I’ll be fine,” I whispered, not wanting the others to hear. A flailing baby foot smacked my shoulder. I waggled his leg in response.
“I know you will be.” The confidence in Justin’s voice warmed me. I’ve only had a few people in my life who supported me. They were both in this warehouse.
I stepped away to help a woman and child, then continued helping everyone along until we all made it out of the building and onto the street. My nerves stretched to the breaking point. I searched the area for signs of trouble. Things had gone too well. My pessimistic little heart couldn’t handle flawless execution.
Thorne was in his element as if he were directing fresh troops, while Oss offered a well-inserted sarcastic remark from time to time. It took us several minutes and many frayed nerves before we reached the door to the tunnel.
Oss had never had such an awed, attentive audience. Within minutes, he had the hatch open. “Everyone inside.”
Luckily, this entry led straight into a tunnel and not to a ladder. If we had to climb one, not all of them would be able to finish the trip.
“Do you know where to go from here?” Thorne asked Oss.
Oss snorted. “Of course.” He walked ahead and waved everyone to follow.
At this level, we didn’t have to worry about the gear moles. They only became active farther down. I’d hate to imagine the devastation those creatures could cause on our injured party. I had to hope that any added protective measures remained on the lower levels.
For a large group, they were eerily silent. Other than a few hastily stifled groans and gasps, none of them made a sound. Not even the children. Tears dripped down some of their cheeks—whether in relief or because they were worrying over the next phase of their life, I couldn’t tell.
“You all right?” Justin clamped a large warm hand around the back of my neck.
“I’m just worried about these people.”
“They’ll be fine.” Justin’s confident tone didn’t allow room for argument as if by his will alone he could make things all right.
“What is it like down there?” a woman asked, her voice timid and subservient.
Others turned to listen. I could understand the curiosity. I wouldn’t want to go into a strange situation without knowing anything about it, especially if I had just escaped captivity. No one wanted to exchange one prison for another.
“It’s amazing. There are public gardens between the houses so there is plenty of food and you smell flowers everywhere.” The more I thought about the City of Magic, the more the memories became clearer. “I haven’t met a lot of the people, but the ones I did seemed nice.” I didn’t mention the dragon. No sense to start a panic.
“We’re here,” Oss’s grim tone brought me back to the present. This was the second most perilous part of our plan. If we couldn’t make it to the City of Magic before the magistrate was alerted, we could all end up in jail despite my illustrious companion.
“Everyone stay together!” Oss shouted. “We will be leaving in small groups.”
It took longer than expected to get everyone back outside. I kept waiting to hear a shout or a gunshot. My nerves were stretched thin and ready to tear like the well-worn fabric of my favorite shirt.
Justin’s reassuring presence kept me sane even though I wished we were still cuddled up in my bed and not huddling in a cold and damp tunnel, waiting for the all-clear.
Eventually it was our turn, and we left the tunnel. Justin went first, then reached a hand to help me out. I ignored Oss’s snort of laughter at the thought of me needing assistance. Oss didn’t understand gentlemanly behavior. I’d caught him giving Thorne strange looks when he did the same thing. How we ended up with gentry was a greater mystery than the Gear Master’s workshop.
I blinked at the sun’s brightness. My eyes watered a bit, but I blinked back the tears and remained alert to my surrounding.
“Walk as quiet as you can and follow me,” Oss said.
It was a good quantifier. Some of the people in our group made a slight clatter when they moved. Loud enough to attract the wrong kind of attention.
We remained alert as we walked, keeping to the less traveled paths. Affie remained Oss’s silent shadow. It was like watching a butterfly fluttering its way through a garden. You’re attracted to the colors, but you aren’t sure if you want to shoo it away or capture it when it flaps too near your face.
The streets were filled with merchant carts and tradespeople. Early enough for shops to just be opening, but late enough the evening guards were at the end of their shifts and no longer vigilant. Our timing couldn’t have been better.
Oss marched through Lock Tower as if he owned the building and planned to kick out its deadbeat renters. After spotting Thorne and Justin, the soldiers made no motion to intercept us. We were only a short hallway from our destination when we were finally stopped.
An enormous guard blocked our path with his wide shoulders. His vicious smirk faded a bit when he saw Thorne. He brushed off his concern and confronted Oss. “What are you all doing here, gutter rat?”
“That gutter rat is the ruler of the City of Magic,” Thorne said. His deep voice resounding in the chamber. “Who are you to block him from his rightful property?”
