The cell doors are enchanted. They will lock. Prove you are loyal. And you shall be rewarded.”“Mistress,” he groaned, rising, his chest heaving ...s he stood. He went to the two men, Thushin cradling his broken arm, Issanik unconscious, maybe dead.I moved to Lucy. I knelt down beside her, setting the dagger on the stone. My back was to Bakiir. A wild thrill shot through me. What if it was an act? He could try to kill me right now. We would have to struggle again.Men grunted in pain. “Got to teach. Her favorite park, because of the encounter so long ago with her mystery man. Meredian Hill was elevated on a mesa, on the outskirts of town. The park was all stunning vistas, wide open sky. It was her place to feel free, the only place she could imagine what the mystics felt–free and held, all at once. She could look down on the city–and see there the naked ambition, all the fear and anxiety, the rush and the mayhem. One car, after another, one office, after another. In this park, here in her. She would graduate in another month, but would love to start part time nights as soon as possible. She was running low on scholarship money, and needed some extra cash to pay her bills until she was working full time. She worked part time in a restaurant waiting tables, but the pay was really lousy. I was really liking this girl, she seemed to be a hard worker and nice to be around."Miss Fields, I want to make you an offer of this job, think about it and give me your decision when you have. " What's she done then?" the sergeant asked.My captors passed uncomfortable looks between them. "Outraging publicdecency, Sarge." Circumstances?" We found her urinating in middle of Cemetary Road in Ellerbank." You bring me this tonight, lads!" She refused to provide her name, address or date of birth." It's all true," I said, trying to be helpful. They'd been decentenough, after all."She's the lass the transport police were looking for earlier, the onethat made off from that signalbox. Summat.