Chapter 33 - The Escape

Later that evening, the overseer Rhiannon finally left Veyran and Uiska alone in her parlor for the night. She didn’t even bother to lock the window. Her logic was chillingly simple: if Veyran had the means to enter, nothing prevented his exit. She'd take him at his word—for now. Besides, she could still hold the rest of the Shy hostage—a potent insurance policy against betrayal. And, she believed, it wasn’t like they could all easily slip out right under the guards’ noses.

Veyran himself was reluctant to leave the presence of the motherlode, now that it was within his grasp. The exertion of infiltrating the parlor, coupled with the tense negotiation with Rhiannon, had left him drained. He also dreaded facing his fellow Shy before gauging their reaction to his controversial agreement. So, he tasked Uiska to be his messenger-pika. He wrote an elaborate message on a scrap of parchment, tucked it into the pika’s harness, and led Uiska to the open window. With a whispered incantation, he cast Feather Fall on the pika.

“Go to Sylven,” he instructed, hoping the command was clear enough for the intelligent creature to understand.

Uiska carefully hopped down the sloping roof, then launched himself down into the pika hole he had waiting from earlier. Following the tunnel he had already dug from the overseer’s house, Uiska quickly emerged back into the kobold tunnel, his paws brushing against the cool, packed earth as he reached the spot below the Shy’s cabinet hole. Forewarned by the bond, Sylven was already waiting at the end of the rope to receive the delivery. He gave the pika a reassuring pat, detached the letter from his harness then climbed back up to where the other Shy were waiting. The gathering was tense, all eyes glued to the scroll in Sylven’s hands.

Sylven rolled out the scroll, some of the ink still runny from Veyran’s hurried scribbling. He had written it in formal Shy script, as small as he could, making it difficult to read even for the Sunshy, let alone the humans. Sylven’s voice was steady as he read the Deepshy’s letter aloud:

My dear Sunshy brethren,

I have struck a bargain with the overseer. I offered her knowledge of magic in exchange for access to the arclith. I believe this would greatly support our pursuit of freedom. I do this neither for myself nor the humans, but for all us Shy. I will use the arclith’s power to aid our escape—though it comes with a catch. The overseer is no fool, and I cannot risk exposing my true aim.

Here is my plan. Using the arclith lode’s considerable magic, I will shrink Vikka’s team of kobolds to pika size, enabling them to fit through the tunnel that Uiska will dig leading outside the compound. Their digging skills, maximized in a smaller form, could greatly speed up the completion of your exit route.

However, the arclith’s power is limited so I cannot accommodate the other captive kobolds. Shrinking more than Vikka’s team would either exhaust the lode’s energy or trigger a surge, alerting the overseer. I do not know how long the spell lasts but it should be enough to get them out. Signal me through Uiska when you are all ready to proceed.

Trust me. You may wish to abandon or even condemn me, but know this— my motives may be my own, but I act so we may all walk free.

Veyran

“He made a deal with the overseer!?” Brynnal spat, his shoulders trembling. “After everything we've been through, how can we go along with this?”

Sela’s voice was calm, but her eyes burned. “He’s risking everything for the arclith. If his gambit fails, we’re never getting another chance like this.”

"Or he's risking everything for us," Alvon countered, his tone measured. “Doesn’t him offering to stay behind mean something?”

Mara nodded. "Veyran has always followed his own path. But if he truly planned to abandon us, why even risk sending us this letter?"

Sylven’s grip on the parchment loosened. “He definitely isn’t the type to ask for trust lightly. If he meant to betray us, I doubt he’d tell us anything at all”

The air crackled with tension. Uiska spoke directly to Sylven through their bond. He looked... sad and scared, but also sure of what he was doing.

----------------------------------------

With the latest development, it would be a long night as the Shy decided to forego sleep and focus on preparing for their imminent escape. The tunnel from the brood barn to the workshop was complete, but the next step was far more dangerous and time constrained.

Meeting in the tunnel area below the cabinet hole, Vikka and Sylven etched lines into the dirt, planning the dig outward beyond the compound’s walls.

“Veyran made it clear that the arclith shard’s power is limited,” he explained to the kobold. “Shrinking more than your tunnel team, Vikka, would alert the humans—and we’d lose everything.”

He paced around the rough map, “Uiska will lead us in digging the tunnel toward the outer perimeter. Even at pika size, with your claws, your team can still help dig us all out faster. The tunnels will be small enough that we won’t need to shore up the walls for them to hold.”

Tibbin’s eyes widened. “Shrink us?!” He tucked his tail between his legs and stumbled back. “Ridiculous! I’m petite enough as it is!” he sputtered, his indignation sparking soft chuckles from Sidhe and Rena.

“I didn’t expect it to go this way. But thinking it over, I agree it’s for the best,” Vikka replied. “The magic better be reversible though!”

Sylven had no answer for that, so he simply changed the subject, tracing a route on the dirt. “We have a straight shot here, but the soil could be treacherous. We won’t have any time to course correct or reinforce the walls.”

“We'll need to dig deeper than Uiska may be used to," Vikka stressed. "There’ll be more of us crammed into the escape tunnel. If it’s too close to the surface, the humans could sense us."

Rena urged. "You should be in the lead, Vikka. You deserve to get out first.”

“Yes!” Sidhe chimed in, as Rena nodded. “You’re our leader and you did most of the digging.”

Vikka’s gaze turned serious. “This isn’t about pride or placement. It’s about getting out alive. Trust Uiska—he knows the compound layout better than anyone.”

----------------------------------------

The next evening, the planned night of the escape. Veyran emerged from the tunnel astride Uiska, eyes haunted but calm. The Shy and kobolds gathered, their faces etched with worry and doubt.

“Glad I could see you Sunshy off in person,” Veyran said to the group, his voice straining to sound heartening. “But… I believe this is where I’m fated to leave you,”

“I’m sure you’ll do better without me” he grinned. “Please allow me to stay to face the consequences of my brilliant ideas.”

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

Mara shook her head, eyes downcast. “You’re crazy, Deepshy… but brave, I’ll give you that.”

“Whatever happens, I’ll never forget how you gave us a better chance at freedom.” Sela gripped his arm firmly. “Thank you, Veyran.”

“Let’s do this,” Veyran asserted. “We don’t have much time. The overseer will be pissed enough when she sees Uiska’s gone.”

He patted the pika on the head. “She really spoils this furry beast. If there’s someone you must worry about being secretly on her side, it’s him!” he teased, the ill attempt at humor laced with a thread of unease.

Noticing that nobody smiled at his joke, the Deepshy sighed and stepped towards the center, facing the kobolds.

Veyran raised the arclith shard, its glow swelling in his palm, calling to the kobolds in their own tongue. “Kobolds—get ready.” Vikka and her team obeyed, nerves tight as wires, eyes fixed on the shard.

“Hold still,” he instructed, and the air took on a charge as he channeled power through the shard. A pulse of arcane energy rippled outward. The kobolds shimmered… then shrank to the size of a grown pika.

Tibbin gawked at his tiny claws. “I… I’m tiny Tibbin!” His voice, now an octave higher, squeaked in disbelief.

Sidhe laughed in wonder. “We’re like hatchlings!”

The Shy exchanged glances, then turned to Veyran in awe.

“That was some impressive quick thinking and mad magic, Veyran. I don’t think any of us would have come up with this idea,” Mara gushed as she hugged him. “We know it’s… a greater sacrifice than we can repay.”

Veyran smiled back warmly. “Just get out of here and be safe. That’s all the payment I ask.”

----------------------------------------

Leading the front of the digging efforts for the escape tunnel, Uiska’s squeaking served as a steady guide. Their amazement at their shrunken size softened the stress of working in close quarters again for the kobolds. But the grind was doubly brutal now that they faced a real, tighter time crunch. Taking what they believed to be the shortest route outside, the dirt turned frustratingly stubborn and dry. Every so often, Uiska chirped warnings as the soil above them cracked ominously.

“I’m small enough to fit in a human’s pocket,” Tibbin grumbled “Ridiculous. If Grilsha could see me now.” His high-pitched whining earned a chuckle from Sidhe.

Vikka noticed something curious. Despite being new to the team, Sidhe and Rena seemed to watch her for direction with uncharacteristic deference. When she had a moment alone at the front with Nynka, she asked her first kobold friend whether she found their quick acceptance of her as their leader to be suspicious.

"They trust you," Nynka shrugged, claws getting back into their old digging rhythms. "You’ve earned it."

----------------------------------------

Back up at the workshop, Wyatt sat before a rough map he had drawn into the dust of the floor with his finger, pointing out what the Shy would face once they were clear of the walls.

“Patrols go this way,” he said, marking a route leading to the town proper. “But here—” he pointed at a shaded edge denoting a wooded area, "—they barely check.”

Crouched beside him, Sela asked: “They don’t change their patterns?”

“They don’t look where they don’t expect trouble,” Wyatt explained. “They’re more worried about people breaking in than breaking out.”

“How do you know this?" Sela pressed.

"Chores," Wyatt replied with a shrug. "And listening.

Sylven nodded. "Good work." There was a pause, then the Shy decided to broach the subject that had been weighing them down. "Wyatt... When we’re gone… What will you do?"

The boy’s face began to crumple from the strain of keeping in his emotions. "I... don’t know. I can’t stay here. But I… can’t leave with you."

"You’ll still have one Shy left to keep you company.” Alvon remarked from the shadows, his gaze hard. “But you should make sure your story matches up with Veyran’s."

Wyatt wondered if he would even be allowed to interact with the overseer’s new pet. To avert suspicion, he made more of an effort to visibly show that he had left the workshop for the night and gone to bed in the dorms. He even went out of his way to greet the patrolling guards and his bunkmates. He wasn’t aware of a leery pair of eyes observing the variation from his usual timidity.

----------------------------------------

Inside the cabinet, the dust had no time to settle as Shy families rallied their preparation for the escape. With Eryl’s help, parents were getting children ready to leave the only home they’d ever known. It had been decided that the little ones would be at the front of the line, right after Uiska and the kobold digging team.

“Stay together, always,” Mara instructed, pairing the children up by size and temperament. “Look after each other. You do not let go of your buddy’s hand—no matter what. If you’re separated from your buddy, tell an adult right away.” Her voice, though calm, carried the weight of finality.

In the former nursery, Eryl tightened the final knots on a makeshift sled fashioned from woven fibers, wood and leather scraps.

“Nib will pull me and Laya,” the peg-legged nurse softly reassured the worried children. They crowded around their pet mouse, who now boasted his own harness. “He’s strong—and you all know he loves to race.” Nib waved his tail around and licked at their hands, clearly ready for his part.

Above, Silk the spider observed the activity from her web, her many eyes glittering. She had already spun countless lengths of thread for her carers, which the Shy had harvested and wound into much needed rope. “Thank you, Silk,” Sela murmured, pausing to acknowledge their quiet, hardworking ally before continuing her preparations. She knew it would be best to let the spider roam free with their departure.

Their resident gecko, Flick, clung to the wall near the cabinet’s edge, her eyes wide and alert. Ilkin scratched behind her head affectionately. “You good for one last night of keeping watch for us, girl?” he whispered. “We’ll miss your musical calls.” Flick’s throat pulsed, her ears alert.

Their calm night of organized preparations and poignant farewells barely lasted an hour.

True enough, the first indication of danger came from the gecko—Flick’s sharp, staccato vocalizations suddenly echoed throughout the cabinet. Ilkin’s heart seized. “Humans incoming!” he cried.

As soon as the alarm was called, all the Shy’s careful packing and planning had to be sped up in real time. The initial pandemonium shifted into purposeful motion. Hammocks were hurriedly tied into makeshift backpacks stuffed with supplies, then quickly hoisted onto ready shoulders. Sela swiftly suspended another rope from the hole down to the tunnel. It was shorter than their main rope, sliding down it meant a rougher landing with a higher drop, but it effectively doubled their escape speed. Children sought out their buddies, each clutching the other’s hand tightly, their eyes wide but determined as they made ready to evacuate.

Eryl clambered into the sled, the smallest Shy sobbing in her arms. Nib, alert and eager, took position, his powerful little paws ready to dash across the dirt. “Hold tight, little one,” Eryl rasped, her voice cracking but resolute.

Silk retreated into her new web in the workshop’s highest corners, and Flick’s calls grew frantic as she clung to the ceiling.

Outside, Ruth clucked as the gecko’s muffled call reached her ears across the walls. “So you little pests have your own little lookout,” she yelled out. “Clever… but too late!”

She pushed the workshop door open slowly, almost teasingly. The lantern she carried swung low, casting sharp lines of light throughout the room, seeping into the cabinet. She cooed as she slipped inside, voice venomously sweet. “I’m coming for you rats... Time to play...”

Brynnal and Ilkin, the last two Shy left up top, could already hear the scrape of her boots on the floor just as they slid down the ropes in tandem.

"Come out, come out! You can’t hide from me!"

The woman kicked open the lock on the doors of the Shy’s erstwhile home and prison. The blinding blaze of her lantern flooded its every corner. But when she peered inside, all she saw was an empty cabinet.

The escape had begun in earnest. But now it was also a chase.

“Stick together but stay in line,” Sylven commanded to the assembled Shy, his voice clear over the chaos. “Follow the kobolds!”

The flicker of lantern light and Ruth’s mockery pierced down from the hole: “Where are you going, my little mice? It’s just more fun for me when you run and hide!”

Mara, heart pounding, called out, “Keep moving forward! Don’t look back!”

Brynnal brought up the rear, spear ready for any pursuers.

The Shy surged forward, a desperate tide of small bodies driven by fear and hope. Sylven scouted ahead, bumping into the tails of the tunneling team.

“What’s going on?” Vikka looked back as she sensed Sylven.

“There’s a human after us. A bad one,” he gasped.

Under Vikka’s direction, the kobolds lifted the smallest Shy children onto their shoulders, maintaining their digging pace without missing a beat. By Uiska’s estimate, they were just under the outer fences.

Sela coordinated with the middle of the pack as the diggers dared to start tunneling upwards, aiming for the blind spot in the woods that Wyatt had so helpfully pointed out. The earth grew softer, the air fresher—freedom felt tantalizingly close. On the frontlines, Nib even helped tamp down the floor of the tunnel as he pulled the makeshift sled with surprising strength. Eryl’s eyes gleamed with fierce pride. “Good mouse,” she whispered. Laya had finally fallen fast asleep in the middle of all the commotion.

The tunnel shuddered as a tremor passed through the soil. Someone stomping on the surface, too heavy to be anything else than a passing human.

Sylven darted back to the rear to check on any stragglers. They could still hear Ruth’s cries from the other end of the tunnel. Her cackling was a promise of pain.

But the tunnel was now well past the walls. Vikka chirruped a command to her fellow kobolds. “Push through! Uiska, with me!”

With a final burst of effort, the earth broke open. Stars glinted like shards in the sky, peeking through a thin canopy of leaves. It was the first time the Shy children had seen such a sight.

Single file, the once captive Shy, save for one, were all heading out into the cool night air.

“The hunt is on!” Ruth shrieked one last time from inside the workshop before rushing out to alert the patrols.

By then the Shy and their kobold allies had vanished into the night, dirt-streaked and battered, but free.