“Just a little farther,” he said. “I promise the trip will be worth it.”
He produced a brass key from his vest pocket and shoved it into the door’s keyhole, then turned it over.
Lothar pulled on the squeaky door. A circular stairway led downward. More torchlight shone from the depths; the sounds of a faintly cracking bullwhip and distant screams wafted up the stairs. The stench rising to meet them was nearly overpowering. Lothar beckoned Mary across the threshold and onto the mildewed landing.
Lothar locked the door behind them. The brass key went back into his pocket. Without further ado, he started down.
Having come this far, Mary knew she could never double back against the jailor’s will. Wondering whether she would ever be heard from again, she reluctantly followed him down the stairs.
Mallory shook Scarlet’s shoulders gently. At Seven Seasons of New Life, Scarlet was the youngest among them. “Wake up!” Mallory whispered.
Rubbing her eyes, Scarlet scowled sleepily. Ariana busily awakened the other five girls. Once they were all on their feet, Mallory told them to crowd around as she explained the plan. Several of them started to jump up and down and squeal with delight.
That was the last thing Mallory needed. Putting a finger over her lips, she hushed them. For once, even the disagreeable Magdalene obeyed.
“Do you all know what to do?” Mallory asked. Eager nods came from all around.
Mallory looked anxiously toward the door. She had waited until the guard passed by before waking the girls. He was due back soon. Less than an hour ago, there had been a change of shift. To her dismay, the guard patrolling the hall was now the same filthy brute who had abused her earlier. At first that had unnerved her. But now she planned to use it to her advantage. She looked anxiously at Ariana.
“Are you ready?” she asked.
Ariana nodded, but there was a worried look in her eyes. “Be careful,” she whispered. “We will have only one chance at this!”
Mallory took Ariana’s hands into hers. “I know,” she answered. “Be sure they’re ready to move at a moment’s notice!”
Mallory walked to the door. She was trembling. Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm herself. Ariana had done her part; now it was her turn. She had to be convincing, no matter how much it disgusted her.
Mallory soon heard the guard’s footsteps returning. She hiked up one side of her skirt, then grabbed the door with both hands. As the guard neared, he leered at her. Mallory forced herself to smile.
“Why don’t you stop for a while?” she asked coyly. Suddenly it was all she could do to keep from becoming ill. Even so, she moved her smiling face nearer to the dirty bars.
The skeptical guard stopped, then glanced toward the cell’s far wall. The other girls looked fast asleep in one corner, huddled up against each other as they tried to stay warm. Turning his furtive eyes back to Mallory, he looked her up and down lasciviously.
“What do you want?”
Mallory edged closer. She could smell his stink again, but she held fast.
“I want more of what you did yesterday,” she whispered. “I liked it.”
She looked back to the girls like she was making sure they were asleep. When she swiveled back around she suggestively rubbed one hip against the door.
“Don’t worry,” she whispered. “Nobody will see. This time it will be just you and me.” She temptingly spread her legs. “Come closer,” she said enticingly. “I’ll let you do whatever you want.”
The guard couldn’t believe his good fortune. His predatory eyes shining, he leaned toward the door.
Mallory quickly summoned the craft, then used it to treble her strength. Shoving the door open with everything she had, she slammed its iron bars straight into the guard’s forehead.
To her horror he simply stood there for a moment with an amazed look on his face. Blood ran into his eyes. Then his eyeballs rolled up in his head. He fell flat onto his back, unconscious.
The girls ran to her. Mallory looked into Ariana’s eyes.
“Does any of your power remain?” she asked urgently.
Ariana shook her head. “Not much,” she whispered. “But I’ll do what I can!”
Mallory looked at Magdalene. “We three will lead, and the younger girls will follow us. Do you understand? All right, then,” Mallory said to everyone. “Let’s go!”
The younger girls following along behind them, Mallory, Ariana, and Magdalene stepped out into the hall. Wondering what might await them, they summoned whatever powers they had left.
Mallory looked first to the left, then to the right. Both ways looked the same-dark, looming, endless. She stepped over the guard’s body and started leading the girls leftward, down the hall.
May the Afterlife watch over us, she prayed.
WHEN MARY REACHED THE LAST STEP, SHE LOOKED DOWNthe hall to see an intersection looming up ahead. Five separate hallways branched away from its center. It was illuminated by wall torches. The torches’ flames cast spectral shadows across the floor and walls.
A guard sat there at a desk. He seemed bored, half asleep. When he saw Lothar approaching he quickly cleared his throat and sat upright.
The cracking bullwhip and the desperate screaming seemed much louder now. Mary found herself fervently hoping that Lothar’s route wouldn’t take them past the torture session. That was something she wasn’t prepared to see.
Just as they neared the desk, a strange-looking streak of blue lightning came out of nowhere to hit the guard squarely in the chest. He was propelled backward with such force that he was lifted into the air and slammed against the rear wall. He hit the floor hard. Blood ran from his ears and nose. Smoke drifted lazily from his burned skin and clothing. Stunned by what had just happened, Mary and Lothar simply stood there, staring. As the smoke cleared, the guard looked dead.
Calling out for help, Lothar started running toward the stricken guard. Suspecting that Lothar had just made a mistake, Mary wisely stayed back.
As Lothar reached the desk he turned to look down the facing hallway. His eyes went wide with surprise. Before he could react another blue bolt came streaking through the air. Like the first one, it hit its target squarely in the chest. The bolt slammed his great bulk into the air.
Lothar landed hard on his back atop the desk with his arms and legs dangling limply toward the floor. His eyes were closed, and his tongue protruded from between his teeth.
Not knowing what to do, Mary stood frozen in the moment. From behind her she heard the sounds of voices and running footsteps. She quickly turned to look.
Far down the dimly lit hall, she could barely see a group of guards charging toward her. They were shouting angrily and carrying torches. When she turned back to look at Lothar, her eyes went wide.
Eight dirty girls stood squarely in the intersection. All of their eyes were locked on her. They looked like starved, desperate animals. What remained of their filthy clothing looked oddly like some type of school uniform. Mary watched as the blond girl in the front narrowed her eyes and pointed one arm at her. Suddenly, Mary understood.
These were the girls Lothar wanted to sell to her. They were of the craft, and trying to break free. And they believe I’m with Lothar!
She immediately went to her knees, then put her hands into the air. From behind her the sounds of the guards’ boots were getting nearer by the moment.
“Don’t hurt me!” she screamed. “I’m not one of them! I want to leave here as badly as you do! But without my help, you’ll never find your way out!”
When the blond girl slowly lowered her arm, Mary rose to her feet and ran to Lothar’s body.
The girls watched skeptically as Mary gingerly fished about in his vest pockets. His clothing still smoked from the blast. Praying that Lothar’s brass key hadn’t melted, she finally found it. To her relief it looked intact. Then she felt herself being spun around by the shoulders and stared directly into the blond girl’s eyes. The girl’s strength had been amazing.
“Who are you?” the girl demanded.
“There’s no time!” Mary answered. She held the key before the girl’s face.
“More guards are coming!” she protested. “Our only chance is to help one another! You command the craft,
