Gerda disappeared through the door to the right, and then Hina was alone in the dining room with Kai, for the first time in a long time.

She hope that sound didn't carry to the adjacent rooms, that nobody was listening in secret. But she couldn't be sure. She couldn't hear anything from the other rooms, which was something, at least.

They'd have to risk it.

"I'm so glad you're okay," Hina said, speaking low and leaning in close. "When you disappeared—how did you even get here?"

Kai wrapped his arms around her, and Hina hugged him back. "I'm okay. I'm okay," he matched her volume. "You, you're okay too?"

"I'm fine. I was so worried about you. Olivia—her mother said you were dead. That we had to leave you behind."

Kai shook his head. "You should have." He looked down. "You shouldn't be here."

"What happened, Kai?"

"Bruce and Gerda came to see me while you were off with Olivia," Kai said. "They said I had to come with them. That if I did, I might be able to join the House, and that would solve all of our problems: they'd forgive your debt, make sure you got to the academy, get the authorities to let you go if you needed it.

"And I'd get to learn how to fight, get to explore the corridors, find treasures, fight monsters. See—see the world. Other worlds. They said that I'd get to see other worlds, Hina."

"And—"

"I thought that sounded pretty good. Like exactly what we needed. What I wanted. I said yes."

"But you haven't—haven't joined the House yet? You haven't made a pact? Gerda said—"

"Not yet. They wanted me to wait first. Until I was sure. That it was what I wanted. That it had to be my decision."

"What happens if you decide not to join?"

"I have no idea. I don't think—I don't think they're going to let me go."

"Do you think they're telling the truth, about all of that stuff?"

"I don't know," Kai said. "They're scary. All of them are scary people. But it's different from when we met Gerda in the woods—different from when we met Bruce, too. I feel like I'm safe here, like I'll be okay. So long as we don't betray their trust.

"Hosp—the rules are a big deal here. They take them seriously, even if they won't tell you what they are—you've gotta work them out yourself. But nobody will hurt either of us, or allow anything bad to happen to us, so long as we don't break faith first."

Hina nodded slowly. "I think I understand. Do you want to stay? Is this really what you want, Kai?"

"It's not that. It's just that I think this is what we need. I think this is what I need to do. So we can both be safe."

"But it's not what you want."

Kai shook his head. "I don't know."

"Have they killed anyone else? While you've been here."

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Some people. Soldiers in the corridors below. Beast-people, mostly—I think they're people, right?"

Hina shrugged.

"And Bruce—"

"He's pretty terrifying," Hina said. "Ellia was... she was found dead at the campsite. I found her body when I was looking for you."

"I know." Kai sighed. "Or I was pretty sure. I've been trying not to think about it. About her. I—I really liked her. She was nice to me." He sniffed.

"I'm sorry."

"They're—it's not too bad when you're on the same side," Kai said. "You can almost forget that they're monsters. That they kill people."

"And Nora? She's been looking after you?"

"I like Nora. I think she's like Bruce, though. I don't want to get on her bad side. But Nora is nice to me. She's been showing me how to fight. She gave me an axe—a big one on a pole, and she's been teaching me how to use it."

"Did you have to fight anyone? Beast-people?"

Kai nodded. "It was like when we were in—the other place. Scary, but over pretty fast. I think I killed one of them."

"And you're okay with all of that?" Hina gestured widely. "All of this?"

"No! I don't know. I just—I don't know if I can do anything about it. Not right now. I need to get stronger, to learn how to fight properly. And to learn how to use power. And I can do that here, I can learn to do all of that. It's just so much."

"Kai, I'm sorry." The funny thing was, she almost felt exactly the same way. It was just wrong, coming from Kai. Worse, somehow. "I'm sorry I left you alone. I should have—I should have brought you with us."

"It's not your fault. I chose to come here. I chose this."

"If I hadn't—if I hadn't brought you here from Grambe—"

"I wanted to come. We talked about this, it was bad for me there too. You know that, right? I couldn't stay." He sniffed. "We left for me as much as for you. You know that. We both do."

"Still. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I'm not mad at you." His voice was thick. "I'm just—I'm just scared."

"I know." Hina paused for a moment. "If—if I had a plan, for getting both of us out of here, would you want to try it?"

"No." Kai shook his head, shook it again. "No. We can't. No—what is it? What's the plan?"

"I know the way out," Hina said. "The plan is: you come to my room tonight, and then we run away. And we kill anyone who tries to stop us."

"That—" He gave a half laugh. "That's not much of a plan, Hina."

"Best plan's a simple plan." Hina shrugged. "It's what I've got."

Kai hesitated for a long moment. "If they—if they catch us, they'll kill us. For sure this time. They won't try to talk us into joining the House—we'll be dead." He paused. "The people they fight down there, they take them somewhere if they can. They don't kill them right away. They use them for something. That will be us."

"We'll just have to make sure they don't catch us," Hina said. "And—I have a few new tricks now. We won't go down without a fight. Promise."

"That's not—" Kai shook his head. "What happened to Olivia? You said you met her mother? And Bean? Are they—are they okay?"

"They're safe. They're both safe. Olivia will meet up with us in the city. She, uh. Her parents—after you went missing and we got the note. They made her go with the caravan the rest of the way to Walton. She's catching the train to the city."

"What happened?"

"She tried to ask them for help. It didn't work out. But we'll see her again later."

"And Bean?"

"He's outside. Didn't want to come inside the House. He's waiting for us."

"I get that. It feels—it's strange in here, heavy."

"Yeah." Hina paused. "What do you think?"

"Do you think it'll work? If we try your plan?"

"I don't know. If we can get out of here, I think we can make it the rest of the way to the city on our own. And we should be safe from them there." Hina shook her head. "You heard what Gerda said about the city. Someone there will be able to help us, I'm sure of it.

"I don't know if we can do it, but I think we should try," Hina said. "I don't think being here is good for you, or good for anyone. We have to try."

"What's the worst that can happen, right?" Kai's voice sounded brave, but his eyes were wide. "We die?"

"Exactly," Hina said. "I'd take death over service—eternal service—to this place any day." It felt true in the moment, at least. "I'm getting you out of here, Kai."

Kai nodded slowly. "Okay."

"Okay?"

"Let's do it."

"Tonight?"

"I'll come to your room around midnight. Be ready to leave then."

"I'll be ready. You know how to find it?"

"Which room is it?"

"Outside the door there's a painting of a plate of food, with tenacles chopped up on it, ready to eat. Do you know the one?"

"I know where that one is. I'll come and find you."

"Which room are you staying in?"

"Uh, it's a painting of a tree-house, on fire. But it's a long way from here—about six turns. I dunno how to explain it."

"You better not be late." Hina wiped her face, which was wet. "I'll be waiting."