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"E…," murmured Winter "E for execution Earth Evret Eer "E for escape"

Scarlet groaned "E for unhelpful"

"No, that does not work"

Scarlet spun on her and the princess came to a hasty stop The back of her skirt was dark with blood, and ss, even her face In fact …

Looking down, Scarlet saw that she had a fair amount of it on herself, as well This would not help to lowering at the princess "Do you knohere they are or not?"

The princess scrunched up her face and pressed her bloodied palht she was going to cry

"No Yes I don’t know" Her breaths shortened, her shoulders beginning to quake

"Princess," warned Scarlet

"I think so The docks … yes, the docks With the mushrooms"

"Mushrooms?"

"And the shadows that dance Port E E for escape"

"Yeah, E for escape" Scarlet could feel her hope slipping through her fingers There was no way this was going to work "Hoe get there?"

"We take the rail To the edge of the city"

"The rail All right Hoe get there?"

"Down, down, doe go"

Scarlet could feel her patience unraveling "And hoe go down?"

Winter shook her head, apology swi her if she hadn’t siure it out Co they would stuht of stairs or an elevator Servants had to get around quickly, didn’t they? Surely they would find--

She rounded a corner and screeched, nearly colliding with a girl, a maid who couldn’t have been more than fourteen years old Winter crashed into Scarlet and she grasped the princess’s ar in her ears The maid stared at Scarlet for a heartbeat, then at the princess, covered in blood, then dropped into a nervous curtsy, clutching the linens in her ar her teeth, Scarlet grabbed the knife out of the scabbard and lunged for the girl, pinning her against the ith the blade against her throat

The girl squeaked The linens tuet to the rail that will take us to the docks Quickest way there Now"

The girl started to shake, her eyes round

"Do not be afraid," said Winter, her voice singsong and delicate "She will not hurt you"

"Like hell I won’t Hoe get to the docks?"

The girl raised a finger "D-down this hallway, to the right The stairs go down to the sh-shuttle platforrabbed a white tablecloth from the fallen stack and ushered Winter down the hall without looking back