Sewer

Elayne and Helen sit at the table in nightgowns. Elayne scowls at the book in front of her, warmly lit by the candle.

"Read the next paragraph," Anne orders, sewing Elayne's pants.

Elayne swipes the book off the desk. "Why are we doing this!?" she screams. "I don't need to read." She springs up.

Anne grabs her sleeve. "It's inconceivable that the sage's assistant can't read. Sit down."

"Sweetie, Anne’s teaching us. Be more respectful," Helen added gently.

"No!" Elayne yanks her arm free. "What are we even doing? We’ve been stuck in this cabin forever, and Osric’s in trouble!"

"Do you understand the planning a rescue mission like this requires?" Anne scolds. "We need rations, weapons, clothes... I could go on. Caden has to completely scope out our path too. And you still need to be able to fight — or you’re not coming."

"I can fight. Better than you. I don't see you training." Elayne crosses her arms.

"You want to test that?" Anne stands, pulling a wand out of her pocket. The purple gem tip glowing.

Footsteps pound across the floor. "Anne, don't." Alec grabs the wand from her hand.

Anne plops down in her chair. "Fine. Sit. Read the next paragraph."

"Calm down, dear." Helen rests a hand on Elayne's shoulder.

Elayne blows a frustrated breath out her nose, but she sits down.

***

Drip.
The only good thing about meeting the angel was that the books seem to have given up, Osric thinks, staring up at the stone ceiling.

He's lost count of the days, but he's sure it's been a while. The pain in his knee has gone dull. It still pulses every once in a while, and to pass the time he counts them. Oh, there's another one. What am I on now? Three hundred fifty-six? What's the point of counting this?

Another one. Three hundred fifty-seven… three hundred fifty-eigh—

Footsteps echo across the walls of his cell. Osric perks up. The lantern flickers on. A girl with short blonde hair, almost yellow, stands at his cell. She's wearing a green sleeveless shirt with a deep V-cut neck, showing her massive cleavage, and leather short-shorts.

"Who are you?" Osric asks as she reaches behind and pulls something out of her knapsack.

Pulling out a key, she inserts it into the lock and opens the door. "We don't have much time. I'll explain on the way." She barges into the cell, grabbing the book and shoving it into her knapsack.

"Come on." She gestures.

Osric crawls to the wall and pushes off it, trying to prop himself up.

His body's lighter. The girl wraps an arm around him, lifting him up. Her large breasts press into his side — a heavenly feeling. The feeling doesn’t last. His bad knee gives out. He falls, taking the girl with him.

"What's wrong with your leg?" she asks, pushing off him.

"I don't know. My knee's broken or something."

She rummages through her knapsack, pulling out two planks and a bandage. She wraps the sticks around his leg in a makeshift splint.

"That should be good. Come on." She takes off.

Osric limps behind her, taking wide steps as he can't bend his knee. As they pass, lanterns along the corridor light up, illuminating the stone in an eerie blue hue.

"Hold it, lady. Who are you? Why should I be following you?" He demands.

“I’m an adventurer. Lord Angus Lumin sent my party to rescue you. My comrades are waiting outside,” she said over her shoulder.

“Grandpa?” His voice cracked. “Why did you come alone?”

“Infiltrating the castle is easier solo. My team isn’t built for stealth.”

"Castle?"

>>>

After a while of traversing the seemingly endless hallway, the girl stops. She draws a dagger and pries a loose stone from the floor, revealing a ladder leading downward. The sound of rushing water echoed up.

Osric looks down. A manhole cover.

"How did you know about this?" he asks.

“Planning and reconnaissance. You can’t storm the Demon King’s castle blindly.”

"I don't think I can climb down there with my knee."

She knelt and held out her hands. “Get on.”

With Osric clinging to her back, she descended the ladder, replacing the stone to hide their tracks. Osric tightens his grip around her shoulders. His hands slip down, pressing into her soft breasts.

He gulps aggressively. Oh, wow. Like marshmallows.

They make it to the bottom. Osric was right. They're in a sewer, water rushes in a central channel between raised sidewalks.

“Follow the water,” she said, setting him down. “It’ll lead us out.”

>>>

Osric hobbles after her in the darkness. How long is this damn sewer? 

The clattering of armor faintly echoes behind them.

The girl froze. "Hurry!" She doubles back, scooping him up and slinging him onto her back.

>>>

After more time of riding on her back. They make it to a decrepit wooden door. Setting him down, she pulls it open. Ascending the narrow staircase, Osric can see light poking through slanted cellar doors. She swings them open, and they're blasted by cold air and snow.

The girl crunches through the snow in front of him. She pulls out a compass. “South. There’s a forest that way. That’s our exit.” She points.

Osric can't help but glance back. Barely visible through the blizzard is the silhouette of a gothic castle. — the Demon King’s castle.