Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 89379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 358(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 358(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
“Everything okay?” he asked, turning his head slightly. Had he sensed me looking at him?
“Yes, I’m okay. Don’t look,” I replied.
“People in this dimension are so odd about nudity,” Sven said, handing me the final item, a dark green hat. He kept his eyes averted, thankfully. I gathered my hair up before shoving it under the hat. My hair was my most recognisable feature, so hopefully, the hat would help shield me from being singled out. I had to pray that none of the guards who’d seen me when I arrived were on duty.
“You can look now. I’m decent,” I said, and Vasilios turned around to survey me. He pressed his lips together, then took a step closer.
“The tie is a little crooked,” he murmured as he reached out to straighten it. His knuckles brushed my throat while he quickly fixed the tie, and I swallowed thickly. He noticed, a brief curious expression on his face.
Why did I have goosebumps again? Ugh, I hated myself sometimes.
“The colour suits you,” Vasilios continued, stepping back to survey me.
“Let’s go,” Sven said, already climbing into the laundry cart. Vasilios glanced at me one last time, reaching out to touch my shoulder. He gave it a soft squeeze. “You can do this,” he whispered.
“I know I can,” I said, unsure why I was suddenly overcome with emotion. Maybe it was because he was putting his trust in me, and he still didn’t know the truth. He didn’t know that I wasn’t a real convict.
They hid under a pile of dirty shirts, and I headed for the door. I opened it and entered the hallway, pushing the cart in front of me. To my relief, it was empty, and I rolled along, hoping not to bump into anyone.
“Look for signs that point to an exit,” Vasilios whispered from beneath the pile of laundry.
“Hush. I know what to do,” I said as I passed by what appeared to be a break room. Several guards were sitting at tables and talking amongst themselves. My pulse pounded so hard I thought it was trying to beat itself out of my chest. Thankfully, none of the guards paid me any notice.
Then I came across a familiar area. It was the hallway I’d been marched down when I first arrived, the one that led to the tattoo room. So far, I didn’t see any exit signs, but the building was old, and most people who worked there probably knew their way around.
That would make things a little bit more difficult.
“What’s going on?” Vasilios whispered, peeking out from beneath the laundry. I grabbed a towel and tossed it over his head.
“Didn’t I tell you to hush?” I asked in annoyance.
“It’s official,” I heard him say, his words muffled. “She’s drunk on power.”
I suppressed a grin that was immediately dissolved by the sight of Serg being escorted into the tattoo room. His gaze met mine, and my heart sank all the way into the too-big boots I wore. Those dark eyes of his glittered like he’d just stumbled upon something incredibly interesting. And he had.
The guard told him to keep walking, and he entered the tattoo room. With the guard behind him, Serg knocked into one of the shelves holding the bespelled ink, and a pot fell off, shattering all over the guard’s boots.
“Aw shit, man. I’m sorry. You better go clean that off fast. You’re a warlock, right? That ink is bespelled to block magic, and if it gets on you, it could take weeks for your powers to return.”
The guard, clearly frazzled, looked about and spotted me immediately. “You!” he bellowed.
“Yes?” I replied, my heart pounding.
“Watch this inmate until I return. I won’t be long.”
He hurried away, eager to get the bespelled ink off his boots, while Serg slinked toward me. “Thought you’d gone for a nap,” he said. “But this, well, this is far more interesting than a nap.” I didn’t know what to say. The words were stuck in my throat.
Serg approached the laundry cart and pulled aside the piles of clothing. “Well, would you look at what we have here? I should’ve known the horny boys were planning an escape. You two always look like you’re conspiring about something.”
Vasilios and Sven wore identical expressions of impatience.
“Either shut up and return to your tattoo parlour or come with us. You’ve got two seconds to decide,” Vasilios said.
“Oh, you better believe I’m coming with you. What’s the plan?”
I scratched the back of my head. The guard’s hat was too tight, causing my scalp to itch. “Um …”
“Where’s the nearest exit?” Vasilios demanded, and Serg pointed a thumb over his shoulder. “Follow me.”
They climbed from the cart, and we hurried down a hallway lined with doors. It was nowhere near the large entrance I’d gone through when I arrived, and I briefly worried Serg might be leading us astray. Speaking of Serg, I was apprehensive about him joining our escape, especially since I still had no clue what crimes he’d committed. I could be letting some violent rapist or murderer loose on the world, one with the ability to shapeshift into an as-yet-unknown animal form.