"Do you want to get out of here?" Grey whispered, his eyes glinting in the dim light of the cell.
Just like that, the arrow had been loosed, and the path to retreat was gone.
Lily froze, stunned by his offer.
What irony. That small boy, always indifferent, cold, and awkward, was harboring such bold thoughts.
She snorted with laughter. "Ha-ha, of course! And who doesn't? Seriously, Grey? What exactly do you want to hear? You dragged this out, built up all that suspense just to ask a stupid question?"
She wanted to spill out all the irritation boiling inside her. But when she looked closer at his determined face, she faltered.
A shiver ran through her. She was angry.
Grabbing him by the collar and clenching her fists hard enough to hurt, she pulled him closer until their faces were dangerously close.
"Of course I do, idiot. But I'm not so desperate that I'd crave death just to entertain the others. Are you out of your mind, Grey? You can't seriously be thinking about this, can you?"
Grey nodded firmly. "I'm completely serious. More serious than ever. Do you know what I've been doing these past few months? I've been working on an escape plan."
He noticed the contempt in her eyes at once, but he had no intention of stopping.
"I've studied the habits of the overseers and the other slaves. I know Quintilian takes Saturdays off. I know Gracchus spends his nights in Aunt Gruneia's cell. I know the guards of the soldier candidates throw drinking parties every week. I even know which slave girls Harmon prefers, and what they do."
Lily shook her head in disbelief. "Wonderful! You're observant. Eureka! I'm sure you even know how many moles Sheryl has on her ass. So what? What makes you think your escape attempt won't turn into just another suicide? Not only do you want to kill yourself, you want to drag me and Sheryl into it too?!" By the end, her teeth were grinding with barely restrained fury.
"Easy, easy..." Grey raised his hands in a calming gesture. "You're the first person I'm telling this to. Just hear me out. You can always refuse. I'm not going to force anyone."
"As if you could..." Lily cut him off.
"No, of course I couldn't," Grey said quickly, his voice faltering. "I'm just a cripple with no strength. And I really don't know how many moles Sheryl has… anywhere!"
Lily snorted, but decided to hear out her bold cellmate.
The longing for her mother, from whom she hadn't heard anything for almost a month, gnawed at her from within. Maybe something had happened to her?
Rumors about the appearance of demon servants in the Thorny Cloaca unsettled Lily.
Even though she herself was from a succubus lineage, she understood that the presence of other beings from the Dark Continent would inevitably lead to chaos. Even more frightening was the news that the Angels had sent their own representative to deal with the dark forces on Pratos.
Lily was confident in her mother's skill. Her illusions could deceive any human or even a demon.
But angels...
With their innate sensitivity to dark magic and their ruthless nature, they posed a real danger to both her and her harmless mother.
Grey's proposal, as insane as it sounded, fell on fertile ground. Despite the relative comfort of her life as a slave, Lily craved freedom.
She decided to listen, noting to herself, 'There's nothing wrong with turning him in later if something goes wrong. Right?'
Sensing that he had captured the girl's attention, Grey decided to strike while the iron was hot.
He took a deep breath and began laying out his plan:
"Look," he whispered, drawing a map on the dusty floor, "our cell is in one of the basements of the trading house, closest to Harmon's residence. Right across from us is the kitchen. To the left is the exercise yard. To the right is the work area. Further ahead is the training ground. The whole place is surrounded by a fence, with four watchtowers behind it."
His eyes gleamed as he went on:
"It might seem like our area is the most heavily guarded, since Harmon himself lives here. But that's not true.
The magic field that suppresses mana circulation here is the weakest. Near the barracks and the training ground, it's the strongest.
Who would waste resources protecting weak laborers and slave women? Better to decorate the hall to attract new clients."
"Don't ask how, but I can disable the mana suppression in our cell without anyone noticing," Grey lowered his voice to a barely audible whisper, "that's where our escape begins. Sheryl is from the rabbit tribe. She's naturally gifted at digging tunnels. Our main goal is to get access to the kitchen."
Lily leaned forward, catching every word.
Maybe this clumsy boy had actually found a way to freedom. And maybe that path would lead her to her mother. With each confident word Grey spoke, the hope in her heart burned brighter, pushing aside fear and doubt.
Noticing the growing interest of his cellmate, Grey felt a flicker of excitement.
It wasn't surprising. He had spent two months crafting this plan, working tirelessly, studying his surroundings, memorizing the overseers' schedules, and building a strategy he could rely on.
He had done all of it in secret, pushing himself far beyond his limits.
Only the thought of reuniting with his mother and sister had kept his fragile state from breaking. And now, when he had finally gathered the courage to share the plan with someone who understood him, Lily's silent approval affected him like a drug.
Grey continued, his voice quiet but steady:
"Once we get access to the kitchen, we start acting. At night, when everyone is asleep, we dig a tunnel. We'll get rid of the dirt during прогулки, and we'll cover the hole with boards and a sleeping mat. We're not that tall, so it shouldn't be a problem. When the tunnel is ready, we wait for the half-moon. On that day, Harmon holds his monthly overseers' meeting, and it usually ends in a drinking party."
"We'll mix a small dose of sleeping powder into the wine. Not enough to raise suspicion, but enough to dull their alertness. Once they're drunk, we set fire to the storage room next to our cell. The fire should spread to the slave quarters, and we'll conveniently 'burn,' giving ourselves an alibi. In the chaos, no one will notice we're gone."
The boy's blue eyes shone with excitement as he described the final part of the plan:
"We'll hide behind the barn and wait until the watchtower is left with minimal guards. You'll make a rope out of sheets to climb over the fence, and I'll disable the security runes that strike with lightning. Then we slip out of the camp and make our way to your mothers. I'm sure they can keep us safe for a while."
Grey fell silent, waiting for Lily's reaction.
"What do you think?" he asked, his voice trembling with a mix of hope and anxiety.
Lily stayed silent, thinking over what she had heard.
The plan was risky, even insane, but thorough.
She looked at Grey with new eyes. This quiet, clumsy boy turned out to be far smarter and more resolute than she had thought.
At last, the succubus broke the silence:
"Alright. Your plan is well thought out. It might even work. Let's say I believe you can disable the magic field and dull the overseers' vigilance. But why did you decide to convince me first? Sheryl and her abilities are the cornerstone of this plan. Why take the risk and tell me everything?"
Grey gave a slight smile when he realized Lily was interested.
"There are several important reasons. First, Sheryl is a coward. She would never agree to something like this without her friend's support. Second, you're wrong, Lily. Your involvement is absolutely necessary for the plan."
"Why?" the succubus asked, intrigued.
"We need to put the old man to sleep. I don't believe he'll support what we're doing. He's been a slave for a long time and has gotten used to it. I'm not saying he's a bad person, but I wouldn't trust him."
"What makes you think I can handle that?"
"Isn't it obvious? I mean, your specialty is dream magic and illusions. I've heard that succubi are experts in mental manipulation. I don't know the details, but I think it wouldn't be hard for you to put a weak old man to sleep and keep him that way, once I disable the mana suppression. Isn't that right?"
In the darkness of the night, Grey didn't notice how Lily reacted to his words.
The girl's fragile figure trembled from a mix of disbelief and fear.
'H-how does he know? I'm sure no one in this city can see through my disguise. What else does he know? W-why is he talking about it so calmly? Is he really not afraid of demons? Or is he just insanely naive?' Lily's thoughts spiraled in panic, but Grey wasn't finished yet.
"By the way, I don't want to pry into your personal life, but could you satisfy my curiosity? How did you end up in Pratos?"
"I thought demons still didn't dare to invade human lands. Or are angels no longer holding back your ambitions? Don't get me wrong, I don't care about your race. I'm surprised, nothing more. But… I've heard that succubi are highly valued even on the demonic continent. So why is Harmon so bold as to put you on display and even openly sell your mother?"
Those questions left Lily stunned. All color drained from her face, her breathing turned uneven.
Grey, lost in his thoughts, didn't notice the change in her behavior. But when he turned to look into her eyes, Lily's figure blurred, and the next moment she was on top of him.
The seemingly innocent girl knocked him to the ground and began to choke him.
Her violet eyes flared, and along with them, the mana-suppressing field lit up.
Grey froze in shock. Just a second ago, they had been calmly discussing their escape, and now his cellmate was trying to kill him. He could have understood if she had decided to report him to the overseers, but to kill him? Right here and now? What was going on?
An immense strength hid within Lily's fragile body. Grey's head slammed painfully against the ground, and all his attempts to break free proved useless. With each passing second, the lack of air grew sharper.
Grey was already about to pull the dagger from his hidden pocket to make a final stand when a drop fell onto his face. Then another…
Only when he looked closer did he notice thin streams of clear liquid running from Lily's eyes.
Without loosening her grip on his throat, Lily whispered softly:
"Why? Why? Why? How did you find out? Why you, you stupid fool? I… No one can know this secret…
I… Mom told me to keep everything completely hidden, but you talk about my secrets so calmly. I-I have to get rid of you.
I'm sorry, Grey! No, Alex, I'm sorry."
===========
Dear readers, I sincerely apologize for the delay in new chapters. In my country, internet regulations are tightening every day, and bypassing restrictions is becoming more and more difficult. Unfortunately, yes, this is the reality of living in a time of war, where hobbies and everything else are pushed to the background.
If you have the opportunity, I would greatly appreciate your support on Patreon. (Purely voluntary.) I assure you, all content will remain completely free, because I genuinely hate those kinds of practices myself and simply want to write well and for everyone.
But yes, it would mean a lot to me to see your support.
I wish you all peaceful skies, so that you never feel the need to escape reality through writing, as I do.
All the best. I will keep striving toward my dream and will continue publishing chapters as regularly as possible.