“It’s a good story,” she said. Once again, she was close enough that her breath tickled his cheek.

“Sorry,” Gyre said. “I didn’t mean to—”

“Tell the truth?”

He smiled faintly. “Something like that.”

“It’s not something you should regret.” She pulled away. “I’m going to check if those sentries are still waiting for us.”

Gyre nodded, pointlessly. Kit’s footsteps padded away, vanishing quickly into the shadows and stillness.

*

It felt like an eternity before they left the tunnels.

Kit had come back to report that the Legionary was still in place, so they settled in for another round of waiting. This time, she’d volunteered a story about traveling with a scavenger band who’d had their mounts and packs stolen, which turned extremely bawdy very quickly. Gyre was laughing by the time she narrated her triumphant return to town, naked but swaggering, her embarrassed companions scuttling along in her wake.

“Is any of that true?” he said when she was finished.

“Some of it. Probably,” Kit said. “The good parts.”

Topping that would have been difficult, but fortunately they were interrupted by the sound of the Auxies moving out in a storm of shouted orders and recriminations. They waited a few minutes after silence fell, then crept along quietly just in case someone was playing games with them. But the soldiers had really gone. They must not like sitting around these tunnels any more than we do.

“Chalk one up for plan B,” he muttered to himself as they climbed out of the depths.

“Hmm?” Kit said, leaning on his shoulder from behind.

“Nothing.” He shook his head. “Hopefully Yora found a way out, too.”

“Hopefully,” Kit agreed, but there was a flat sound to the word that Gyre didn’t like. “What now?”

“We should stay together until we hear something,” Gyre said. “Unless things have gone very wrong, we should be safe at my place.”

“Oooh.” She leaned closer. “Does this mean you trust me now?”

“I’m fairly sure you’re not working for Raskos, at least.”

“Do I get to know your real name?”

“It’s Gyre,” Gyre said after a moment’s hesitation.

“Gyre.” Kit grinned mischievously. “And where do you live, Gyre?”

He took her, back out through the noisome tunnel-slums, past the more respectable district close to the entrance, and finally into the open air via the trapdoor in the old stable. When they reached Lynnia’s, Gyre made Kit wait while he circled the building, trying to spot any lookouts. When he was satisfied, they went in through the basement door.

The alchemist was waiting, as Gyre had expected. She spun in her swivel chair to face him as he came in, then froze at the sight of Kit behind him.

“Sorry,” Gyre said. “I couldn’t think of a good way to warn you.”

“Warn me?” Lynnia crossed her arms. “Where the plaguing fuck have you been? Nobody knew anything!”