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MR CREPSLEY’s ankle had improved vastly by the time we left the silo to face our destiny His flesh was still a nasty shade of purple, but the worst of the swelling had died down He tested the ankle as little as possible during our trek through the tunnels, but was able to stand unassisted when he had to

There was no fuss about our descent into thedarkness When the time came, we sih a boarded-up door, found a manhole, slipped beneath the streets and advanced We didn’t encounter any va the journey Each of us kne serious this was, and the odds stacked against us Victory was unlikely, and even if it caed to kill the Lord of the Vae, their hands no longer tied by the prophecies of Mr Tiny We were ues have a tendency to seize up at such ti, uneventful journey, we reached the newly built tunnels, dry and warm in comparison to the older links, and from there it was only a short walk to the cavern where we’d faced the vao

Twenty-four hours - It felt like years!

Several burning candles were set in nooks around the walls, and their light revealed an apparently deserted cavern The bodies of the vaed away, though drying pools of their blood ree door at the other side of the cavern was closed

"Tread carefully," Mr Crepsley said, pausing at the entrance "Hold your weapons low and?"

He stopped abruptly and his face fell Clearing his throat, he said in a surprisinglya weapon?"

"Of course?" I began, then stopped as suddenly as Mr Crepsley had,toBut not now I’d abandoned it when I was arrested, and with all that had happened since then, it had never occurred toto believe this ?" I roaned

We looked appealingly at Harkat

The Little Person shook his neckless grey head "Sorry"

"Brilliant!" Mr Crepsley snapped "The ht of our lives, and we coreatest who ever stalked the shadows of the night," said soloo helplessly by our sides Then a head popped into view from above the doorway and our hearts sank back in our chests "Vancha!" we cheered

"The one and only," grinned the Prince He swung around fro on his feet, he turned to greet us Harkat and I hurried forward and ereen hair and anie eyes widened with surprise Then his smallus back He stuck his ar for me, Larten, old buddy?" he croaked

"You knohere you can insert your hug," Mr Crepsley retorted

"Oh, the ingratitude," Vanchaus forward into the cavern "Is it true what I overheard?" he asked "You came without weapons?"

"We have had a difficult afternoon," Mr Crepsley sniffed, ears reddening

"It must have been the ot to corew serious "Did you get away OK? Any unpleasantness?"

"Our breakout was relatively easy," Mr Crepsley said "There were so tis considered, we fared rather splendidly Our captors, however, were not so fortunate ?"

He told Vancha about Steve and the guards and nurses he’d killed Vancha’s red face - he’d been engaged in a private duel with the sun for many decades - darkened when he heard the news "That one is aptly nicknarowled "If ever a human was bonded at the soul with a leopard, it’s hiods that I have a chance to slit his throat tonight"

"You’ll have to get in line," I said Nobody laughed - they kneasn’t joking

"Anyway," Vancha boo the vahting - but you three will need more than your fists and feet if we’re to stand any chance of getting out of this alive Luckily, Uncle Vancha has been busy Follow me"

Vancha led us to one of the darker corners of the cavern, where a se, et these?" Harkat asked, ju on the weapons before Mr Crepsley and I had a chance Rooting through theed knife and a shted