To Karen's credit, she's rallied quickly. She's staying quiet, but she's glaring at the door.

But we're in trouble, there's no doubt about that. And... Ugh, that was a scummy thing to suggest, mister mouthpiece.

Not important. We need to get out of here. Shuffling my way to Karen, I look at her. "Hey. You know any magic?"

She grimaces. "How would I know magic, that's not taught until your body's deemed ready, and that's nearly always at 12!"

Oh. Well, that's a problem. I only know water magic, and... Is she pouting? I lean toward her shoulder and knock it, and she looks sideways at me.

"'snotfair you got to learn."

Aww, that's kind of cute, actually. But this isn't helping, and I don't want to bring her down, so I think a bit more. Leaning back, I look at how Karen's tied. My hands are palms inward, and so are hers. It's... Possible we could untie each other, but... That knot looks pretty complicated, and if it got tighter... Still, I decide to ask.

"Hey, Karen, take a look at the knot, is that something you could untie?" I lean forward, but her eyes widen.

"What the hell kind of knot is that? No way I'd be able to do that!" She strains to look behind herself angrily "Have they put that kind of knot on me too? BA-"

She at least manages to catch herself this time, and I smile approvingly. "Probably. Okay, lemme think of something else."

Our legs are bound too, and the knot's behind the ankles, so that's not an option. And I only know water magic, and just basic controlli-

Water.

Water...

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Water's a funny thing, you know. I remember seeing a saw... That used high pressure jets of water. Like, really high pressure. Water can do a lot of things. You just have to use it right. So, self, how am I going to use water to get us out of this mess?

Fray the rope? I don't have that much fine control, and how the hell would that even work, anyway? Push the knot apart? I can't muster that much force yet, I'd probably faint before we got anywhere. But I can sense water, I can make a little, I can move it slowl-

"Karen, I'm going to feel that knot. Your wrists are going to get a bit wet, so don't cry out, okay?"

She blinks "Wha? Feel the knot? You're not- hiii!" She jumps a little, but she manages to muffle herself. And she stares daggers at me as I giggle a little.

Okay. Concentrate. Eyes closed. Feel the water. See the water. Let it soak into the ropes a bit, so I can see the whole thing. Feel it... See it...

Oh wow. I'm going to have to thank Liz, and earnestly. Because I can see it, just like she taught me. Well, she taught me, but I've only been able to do it now... Something something emergency situations?

And I was right, it's a devious creation. Pull the wrong part, and it makes more work for whoever's untying it, and likely hurts when it tightens. In the background, I vaguely hear Karen, but so long as she doesn't disturb me, it's fine. Now... Pull the water back... Focus it on one place, one protrusion... And...

"Hey! Hey, don't sleep, you've got to do something!"

Sigh. Karen... If you'd done that a little earlier, I'd have had to do that all over again. I fix her with my best tired glare, and she relents. A little.

"Turn your back towards me. I've figured out that knot." Her eyes narrow, but she does it... Okay, turn my back toward her... Strain... This hand... Feel for it... Yes, that's the wet part, and... Pulll!

"Ahahahaha! You-" She looks toward the door, and I sigh again. I really hope she's going to be able to keep her mouth shut. Otherwise, we're sunk. I turn my back to her, and close my eyes again.

"Karen, watch carefully... I'm going to make the bit you need to pull really wet, but you have to wait until it's just one part, okay?" Looking back, I can see her nod. We're going to have to feel out the ankle bindings by hand, because I don't have enough mana for a third try, but we're getting somewhere.

Ugh, that water's cold, it almost broke my concentration! Still... Feel. See. Shift... There.

And, just like that, our arms are free, and I turn back to Karen and smile.

It takes us both a few minutes to work out the knots on our ankles, but soon enough, we're rubbing our legs and smiling.

"So... Now what do we do? I'm tough, but that lady... She's scary..." Karen's thoroughly demoralised, and, to be honest, I don't blame her. She is scary. How can someone that young shatter a wooden chair, and a sturdy one, too? But I put a hand on her shoulder, and smile as reassuringly as I can.

"It's okay... We don't have to fight them. We just have to get out without them spotting us. A window'll do." Karen's already starting for the window, and I grab her shoulder hard. "Not that one, look, we're too high up, alright?"

She looks like she's going to be all high and mighty for a second, all "I can take it!", but she nods. She may think too highly of herself, but she's got sense.

That's good. I think we're going to need it.