We dashed through the prison, abandoning all pretense of stealth as we navigated the maze-like corridors. Erlinda guided us through the labyrinthine passages with quick turns. Her rapid pace tested the limits of my endurance, and I knew her "Swift Step" spell control became even more erratic when pushed to its extremes. "This is insane, she's getting faster." My lungs were burning as I chased after her. It was like watching a full sprint, yet she was merely walking, her form blurring at the edges as the magic coursed through her.

Determined not to lose her, I conjured a fireball, feeling the heat sear my palm as I sent it sizzling ahead of her path. Erlinda halted abruptly, wheeling around with inhuman speed. She leaped back, landing in a defensive crouch, her eyes wild and her hair whipping around her face in an unseen wind. Her eyes widened, jaw dropping as she recognized me. A weak chuckle escaped my lips between gasps for air. "Really?" she snarled at me, her eyes darting around for any signs we'd been noticed. "That was stupid."

"Not as stupid as losing you in here," I wheezed, leaning against the cold stone wall, taking a deep breath, and noticing her pacing back and forth, manifesting a constant, swirling breeze around her. Stray pieces of straw and grime danced in the air near her feet. "You need to regain control," I urged. Erlinda stopped moving and closed her eyes, drawing in a deep breath. The air suddenly stilled as she tried to gain some control over her magic. Each second felt stretched as Erlinda tried to control her magic. "She's trying." The air around her began to settle and her face softened slightly.

With a subtle release of breath, she opened her eyes, smiling. "Better," I said as she sighed from exhaustion. "Okay, where to?" I asked, looking around. The prison, designed to thwart escapes, presented a labyrinth of corridors. "This way," Erlinda said, turning to one corridor, then she started walking, though it was much slower than before. "Onward." Walking beside her, we moved quickly until we found a corridor that was covered on both sides with cells. Erlinda's steps were now deliberate and cautious, the earlier burst of speed and magic control left behind.

Suddenly, a sound echoed through the corridor—a distant clang of metal on stone. Erlinda and I exchanged a wary glance, our senses on high alert. "We need to find a way out of here," I whispered to Erlinda. "Not before we rescue him," she said, scanning the area. I looked at her. "Who?"

Erlinda put her fingers to her lips in a gesture of silence as four guards ran past us into one of the corridors. After a minute, she turned to me. "One of Darwin's guys is in here. They're going to kill him in the morning, and I told him I'd get him out after I found you." It took a second for my mouth to close, but before I could say anything, she started moving.

"Come on, we're almost there." After a minute, we entered a room with dimly lit cells that seemed different from the others. They were more heavily fortified, and the bars bore signs of recent tampering. I approached the cells, following Erlinda. One of them had a man's hand stretched out. "Let me out and I can help you," he said. Erlinda moved towards the cell. "I'm here," she said, waving to me.

As we got closer, I saw a man who had clearly seen better days. He was covered in mud and blood, but the smile he wore was full of hope. "Erlinda, you came back," the bandit said, his eyes moving to me. "And you must be Lucas, the man she was looking for. Did you get the keys for the cell?" Erlinda smiled. "Yeah, I got a key from an office." She reached into her pocket and removed a beautiful-looking key. Trying it in the lock, she frowned as it clearly didn't fit. "What's wrong?" the bandit asked, watching her struggle.

"I thought you said the warden would have the key," Erlinda replied. "I got this key from the warden's room, and it was the only one." "Damn," the bandit muttered. "What are we supposed to do now?" I thought about the keys I'd taken from the guard near my previous cell. "Lindy, try these," I said, taking the keys from my pocket and handing them to Erlinda.

Frowning, she asked, "Where did you get these?" as she examined the keys. "I was in a cell when I tricked a guard into thinking I was sick. He came in and I knocked him out before taking them. Don't know if they'll work or not." "Let's see," she said, trying the first of the keys. Four keys in, and the lock came undone, falling to the ground with a loud thud.

"Free at last," the bandit said, relief evident in his voice. "Let's get the hell out of here before the guards come looking this way for us." "Agreed," I said as we started moving down the corridor.

"Wait," Erlinda said, holding out her hand. "I know where the exit is and it's not that way." Turning around, she pointed to where we came from. "It's this way, but be quiet. There were guards there when I snuck in." We followed Erlinda's lead, our footsteps now light and cautious as we retraced our path. The sound of distant shouts and footsteps served as a reminder of the danger we were in. As we moved closer to the prison's entrance, the air got colder, and the moonlight glimmered through a barred window. Erlinda's eyes darted back and forth as she searched to make sure we didn't run into guards. Erlinda maintained her lead, her footsteps precise and silent as a shadow. As we made our way to the main lobby, a faint clank of metal echoed through the corridor, causing us to freeze.

My heart sped up as I looked to Erlinda, who motioned for us to stay still and pressed her ear to the stone wall. She stood for a tense moment before moving again. "They are moving away from us," she said with a frown on her face. "I don't like this."

"So what?" the bandit scoffed, looking for guards. "As long as they're not coming our way, I don't care."

My head dipped slightly, mirroring the bandit's words. We continued following Erlinda, keeping a safe distance between us. Erlinda led us through a narrow passage that opened into a dimly lit courtyard. The night air felt refreshing against my sweat-drenched skin, but there was still an underlying tension in the atmosphere. As we crossed the courtyard, I couldn't help but glance at the high walls that enclosed us, serving as a constant reminder of the prison we were escaping. Erlinda pointed to a crumbling stone wall ahead. "There's a breach there," she whispered. "We can slip through and get closer to the outer gate."

As we moved towards the breach, loud sounds could be heard from deep in the prison. "Uh oh," I said, looking back. "Looks like they figured out we left the building."

"No, I will not be caught again," the bandit said as he ran towards the breach. "Wait," Erlinda said. "This is probably a trap."

"She's right," I said, my voice tense. "They are looking for both of us, and it makes sense for them to have guards in front of the prison."

The bandit stopped in his tracks, eyeing the breach warily. "So, what's the plan, then?"

Erlinda scanned the courtyard, her eyes narrowing in thought. "We can't go back, and we can't go through the breach without knowing what's waiting for us. There's got to be another way out of here." I spotted a narrow alley to our left and pointed. "How about that alley? It might lead us to a different exit."

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The alley looked like it turned to the left, which was the direction where Erlinda wanted us to go. She looked at the path I'd pointed to and back at the breach. "Maybe," she said. "I came from the breach, but that path does look like it goes where we need to go." The bandit moved towards the alley, stopped at the shadows of the tower, and moved towards the alley.

"Wait," Erlinda said, but it was too late. The bandit had already disappeared into the alleyway. "Come on," she said, moving towards the alley. "Stay low and stay quiet. We don't want to draw any more attention."

Nodding subtly, we progressed quietly, praying the bandit escaped detection and didn't raise the alarm among the guards. The narrow alley twisted and turned like a labyrinth, with shadows and moonlight intensifying the palpable fear of capture. Leading the way, Erlinda navigated us through the dimly lit passage, the tension escalating in the night air. In the distance, blaring alarms reverberated, and distant shouts served as a reminder of the prison.

As we delved deeper into the alley, the towering buildings overhead cast elongated shadows, their dance harmonizing with the flickering light of distant torches. After what felt like hours of relentless running, Erlinda brought us to a sudden halt in a small courtyard. Surveying the surroundings with narrowed eyes, she pointed towards an iron gate at the courtyard's far end. "This way should lead us to the outskirts of the city."

Glancing around, I couldn't help but voice my concern, "No, we can't head into the city, Lindy. They are actively searching for you."

Erlinda's eyes darted to me, her head barely turning as we walked. "What do you mean, they are looking for me?" Her smile faded, eyes growing distant as she spoke in a hushed tone. "Darwin got us into a massive mess."

The bandit's nostrils flared, his fingers curling into fists at his sides. "That's an understatement. First, he takes a job from some noble woman to steal something, then we get attacked by the royal guards, leaving almost all of us dead." Shaking his head in frustration, he added, "Don't even know what he stole."

"I know what was stolen and who hired Darwin as well as a lead to where he was last seen," I said. Erlinda gave me the most intense stare. Glancing at Erlinda, I debated with myself whether to disclose what Darwin had taken and who the noble woman was, fully aware that it would inflict pain on her. Catching her eyes, I hesitated before deciding not to.

"What, where is that bastard hiding?" said the bandit as he moved towards me. He gave me a look, as if not speaking up would result in him striking me, causing me to move my hand towards my sword. "Not here, we're still running from the guards. Let's ditch them first, then we can talk."

The bandit's gaze wavered, his adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed hard. "I've been in that cell for four days. Four days since that failed job. Four days of watching men that I've lived with, my friends and family, dragged off to die. And one of the people responsible for leaving me in there is missing, and you want me to wait?"

Erlinda stepped between us, her words tumbling out rapid-fire as she glanced back and forth. "Enough," she demanded, her voice cutting through the courtyard. "We can't afford to draw attention here. Let's focus on getting out of the city first."

Teeth gritted, the bandit retreated a step, his knuckles white around the hilt of his weapon. I shared a glance with Erlinda, who gave me the most conflicted look I have seen in a while. Moving toward the iron gate, Erlinda checked for any signs of guards or patrols. Satisfied that the coast was clear, she pushed it open slowly, revealing the outskirts of the city bathed in the soft glow of the moon. "We can't return to the hotel," I said, looking at the city. "We need to find a place to go and hide so we can think of a plan."

"That's the second time you've mentioned that," the bandit said, staring at me. "Mentioned what? That the guards are looking for us in the city. It's where I would start looking," I said, looking at the bandit who kept glancing at Erlinda.

Pointing at her, he asked, "Why are the guards looking for her? She was not involved in the job, and she just joined up." "Are you asking now when there are guards chasing us?" I said, glaring at the bandit. "We need to move away from here." "No, I'm not going anywhere until you tell me why the guards are looking for Erlinda," the bandit said, folding his arms. Erlinda leapt forward, her hands outstretched and eyes wide with alarm. "We need to move. Discuss this later."

The air crackled between us as neither the bandit nor I dared to blink or look away. Erlinda stepped in, her voice measured but urgent. "We don't have time for this. We need to get to safety first. We can sort out the details later." The bandit looked at Erlinda, took a deep breath, and asked, "Why are the guards chasing you?"

Erlinda's chin lowered briefly, her eyes never leaving the speaker's face. "I don't know. Maybe because I'm close to Darwin." Her smile faded, eyes growing distant as she spoke in a hushed tone. "I really don't know." The bandit shook his head. "I know you don't." Pointing a finger at me, he accused, "He does."

"Yeah, I know something, but this is not the time or the place," I said, my gaze steady. "We've got to move, figure out a plan, and sort out our differences later. The guards are not going to wait for our little drama to unfold." The bandit's nostrils flared, his fingers curling into fists at his sides. "I'm not moving another step until you spill it," he insisted.

Erlinda stepped between us, her words tumbling out rapid-fire as she glanced back and forth. "Listen, we're all in this together, and standing here arguing won't change anything. We need to move." The bandit's gaze wavered, his adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed hard. "I'm not sticking around for this mess. I'm heading into the forest," he declared, turning away. "I've been betrayed once too often," the bandit muttered, his eyes reflecting a mixture of anger and vulnerability. "I can't risk it again. Erlinda, you may have freed me, but I won't stay if it means capture. I want to live even if it means going my own way."

Erlinda's brows furrowed, her lips pressing into a thin line as the bandit announced he was leaving. "No, we need to stick together!" But he didn't listen. With a run, the bandit disappeared into the dark foliage, leaving me and Erlinda. As he vanished, I made a decision. "We can't stay out here. Let's head into the city, find a place to hide, and figure out our next move." Erlinda nodded, her gaze lingering in the direction the bandit had gone. "I thought the guards are looking for me in the city," she said.

"They are, but splitting up like this might give us a chance to find a place to go," I said, looking at the city. Erlinda exhaled slowly, her shoulders rising towards her ears as she crossed her arms. "Fine, let's go. But we need to find a spot quickly." We slipped through the gate, navigating the shadowy alleys of the city. The distant sounds of the nightlife buzzed around us as we kept to the darker paths.

Erlinda's eyes darted to me, her head barely turning as we walked. "You better start talking once we're safe. I need to know why the guards are after me." I nodded, acknowledging her demand without committing to an immediate answer. After a few turns, we found a rundown building with people hanging around it. They were prostitutes, making the motel a good place to hide for the night.

Moving past the women who made passes at me, we walked to the counter and saw an old woman. She had a lot of makeup on that didn't help her face and a gaudy dress. Her blonde hair was in a bun that had two sticks coming out of it. She looked at me and smiled, but it vanished when she saw Erlinda. "What do we have here?" she said, her voice trying to be deeper than I imagined.

"A room for the night," Erlinda said, her tone confident and direct. The old woman's eyes lingered on Erlinda for a moment, sizing her up. "The night is 5 bronzes."

Erlinda nodded and handed her the money. The woman then called for a girl about 17, who wore a dress that was a size too small, makeup that made her look older, and shoes that made her taller. "Take them to room 15," the madam, as I realized where we were, said to the girl.

The brothel was shabby on the outside, but the inside was decorated with a cozy feel. The dim glow of flickering candlelight revealed a haven of clandestine indulgence, where the air was thick with the heady perfume of exotic flowers and the muted murmur of hushed conversations. Rich, burgundy velvet curtains adorned the windows, their heavy folds cascading to the floor in a dramatic display of faded grandeur. The walls, once perhaps a muted shade of cream, now boasted layers of deep, velvety wallpaper adorned with intricate floral patterns that had stood the test of time. Gilded frames encased paintings of unknown artists, their subjects lost to the ages but their allure undiminished.

After walking for some time, the girl pointed to a door. "Here we are," she said, taking out a key and handing it to me. She held on to my hand while smiling. "If you need anything, just look for me," she said before sliding her hand out of mine and winking as she walked away. I stared for a moment before turning around and going into the room. Erlinda was already sitting on the bed with a frown and arms crossed. "Okay, you've flirted enough. Talk."