Masterful Trickery

XXIX. Thorne of Events

"My words are as good as Osegod's, gentlemen. Release the woman and the child."

The guards looked at each other until one of them nodded and the other reluctantly stepped forward to unlock the cell door. Sophia jumped away and back into the shadows when the child hidden in the dark started crying again. Ralph saw her scoop the child in her arms but they both remained in a dark corner until the guard swung the cell door open.

Durley turned to give Ralph a look. It was not one that asked permission. It seemed more like, "I am about to commit another crime and you cannot arrest me." Before Ralph could even send an answering glare, Durley said, "Cover the child's ears, Sophia, and close your eyes."

His words caused the two guards to flinch in alarm and as Durley lifted his hand, Ralph did the only thing he could and pushed him away. As Durley stumbled, Ralph pulled his hand out of his pocket and shot the guard close to him on the thigh and before the man fell on the floor, he shot the one by the cell door on his right arm. "No more killing for you, you bastard," Ralph said, pointing the weapon at Durley.

Durley's murderous eyes bore into Ralph's. Ralph cocked his pistol and Durley lifted his hand holding his gun. It was enough for Ralph. He turned to the two guards and kicked the other guard's weapon down the corridor when he attempted to reach for it. Pointing his pistol at the two men who seemed both confused and furious, he said to Durley, "Get Sophia and the child."

Durley did not need orders for he was already rushing inside the cell to guide his sister out the door. Sophia stepped back into the light and out the cell door, a child in her arms. One quick glance and Ralph was certain the child was Aurora's. The little girl was crying, her features not like any child Ralph had ever seen. Her facial features were coarse and even her cry sounded hoarse. As far as Ralph knew, the child could now be aged nine, but at her small frame, she looked younger. The rest of the Town had reasons to not want a child who looked like this one, but Aurora must have had her own reasons to keep hers.

Taking his eyes off the crying child, Ralph ordered the two guards to enter the cage while Marcus grabbed his sister close and wrapped her and the child in his arms. "I found you. I found you," he kept murmuring in his sister's shoulder.

Sophia had finally let her tears be heard but it was not as loud as the child's. As Ralph locked the two guards inside, Sophia leaned away from her brother. "She is not well," Sophia brokenly said. "Marcus, she needs her mother. Where is Aurora? Thank goodness she found Nick!"

"We shall talk the moment we are somewhere safer," Ralph said, stepping away from the cell.

Sophia turned to him with a frown. Her tears traced a clean line down her face. "Ralph?" she asked, squinting to see more of him.

"Yes," he said with a sigh.

"Where is Nick?" she asked, her hand smoothing the crying child's hair.

"Currently in a bloody mess, but unfortunately very miserably alive," Durley answered impatiently. "We must go."

"But the other prisoners—"

"They shall be dealt with after we take you away from here," Durley said, voice insisting. "Come, Sophia." He turned to Ralph. "Go and get the bandit."

Ralph's jaw tightened. He hated to leave Durley alone with the two guards still alive inside the cell, but he also hated the thought of Alex alone inside that bloody cage.

He nodded and ran to get to Alex before more guards could discover their presence here.

*****

Alex carefully stepped out of the cage, her heart hammering hard against her chest.