Page 105 of Charmless
“No,” he interrupted. “Creating such chaos will only make things worse.”
“A bit of chaos is exactly what we need. We won’t have to waste time arguing with the Chief Warder before Florian gets here and I am not sure how much longer Mal can endure being on his feet.”
“Don’t worry about me,” Mal said. But even with Horatio’s support, Mal looked ashen and shaky. Ryland hastened to brace him from the other side.
Before Horatio could protest further, I was out the cell door, hobbling down the corridor with my ungainly limp-step, my single heel clicking loudly. The guard that I had terrifiedwas long gone, but his shrieks had roused the other prisoners. Frightened, desperate faces peered at me through the cell bars as I passed by. I hated abandoning these unfortunate souls in this awful place, but I had no choice.
“Don’t worry. Somehow, someday, I will find a way. I will come back to get you,” I said.
I guess such vows coming from a headless woman were far from comforting. The inmates shrank to the back of their cells, cowering away from me. I gave over my efforts to reassure them, heading toward the arch that led up to the guard room.
Despite my awkward gait, I had far outstripped my three companions. Supporting Mal between them, Ryland and Horatio had to move at a much slower pace.
“Ella!” Horatio growled my name, ordering me to stop and come back, but I ignored him.
The ascent up the curving stair required all my concentration. It was even more perilous than coming down had been when I had had two glass slippers to keep my balance. I managed by clinging to the wall and placing most of my weight on my bare foot.
By the time I reached the top, I was sweating and panting from my efforts. Lurking in the shadows of the archway, I fought to still my breath as I peeked inside the guard room.
The burly guard who had come to Mal’s cell was still shaking from the fright I had given him. His teeth chattered as he tried to convince the other two guards who were still engrossed in their card game.
“B-but I s-saw it, I t-tell you. A specter with no head.”
“What was it doing? Riding a purple dragon?” One of the guards looked up from his cards to jeer.
“You’ve had too much ale, Smedley,” the other one said. “You better sober up before the Chief Warder tosses you in one of the cells.”
His words faltered to silence as I appeared from the shadows. Raising my arms, I pronounced in deep sepulcher-like tones, “Villains! Where is my head?”
The card-playing guards froze, their jaws going slack. Smedley whimpered, trying to disappear behind his two companions. I heard a rustling from Mimsey’s cage as the pixie emerged from her bed of straw to see what was happening.
I stepped further into the chamber, emitting a blood-curdling howl. “I want my head, or I will take one of yours!”
“Aieee!”
I never realized grown men were capable of such high-pitched screams. Smedley sobbed in terror. The other guards bolted to their feet, upturning the table. Cards and tankards of ale flew everywhere.
Shoving and knocking each other aside, the guards fled in the direction of the prison yard, leaving the outer door gaping open. Mimsey Peasecod doubled over, her thin shoulders shaking with laughter. But she sobered quickly, gripping the bars of her cage.
“Well done, you clever girl. But the Chief Warder is made of sterner stuff. It won’t take him long to corral those cowardly fools and force them to return. Release me and I can help you with my magic.”
When I hesitated, Mimsey cried, “You promised me!”
I glanced toward the arch that led to the dungeons. My companions had not yet managed to catch up with me, but I could hear Horatio and Ryland struggling to get Mal up the stairs. If I acted quickly, there was surely enough time to keep my pledge to Mimsey.
“All right.” I fished the bone pick out of my pouch and then dragged a wooden stool close to the cage. But the stool was a bit rickety. Between its instability and balancing my weight on one high heel, I realized there would be slim chance I could avoid taking a tumble.
There was no help for it. I needed to risk removing my shoe. Easing off the glass slipper, I climbed atop the stool which wobbled beneath me. I shifted my weight. When I was sure I was steady enough, I opened the lock. So eager to be free, the pixie all but knocked me over as she shot out of the open cage door.
I managed to land on my feet as the stool slipped out from under me. Mimsey appeared to be suffering from the effects of her long confinement. Fluttering over my head in a series of lopsided spirals, she stretched her arms and flexed her wings, trying to recover her equilibrium. A hint of color returned to her pointed little face which was more than I could say for my poor Mal.
My friend looked on the verge of collapse as he finally reached the top of the stairs. His featured contorted with pain, Mal slumped between Horatio and Ryland. Horatio compressed his lips as he did his best to shore up Mal and keep his weight off his broken ankle. But as Horatio gazed upward at the open cage and the pixie flitting about the room, his determined expression turned to one of horror.
“Ella, what have you done!”
Surprised by the vehemence of Horatio’s reaction, I stammered, “Why, I released that poor creature.”
“Poor creature!” Horatio exclaimed. “Mimsey Peasecod is one of the most dangerous and ruthless criminals in all the kingdom, lining her coffers with the illegal sale of the magic dust, enslaving other pixies and forcing them to work for her.”
