While all this was still going on, Joe had been busy, cutting away at Kieran’s ropes. Finally, he nodded, stepping back. Kieran straightened, shrugging off his bindings. Swiftly, he stepped up behind Albert and began picking at the knots holding his hands together. A minute later, they fell apart, and Albert rubbed at his chafing wrists, feeling the circulation come back into them. He hadn’t realized how numb they had become.

Within a few minutes, everyone was free, and they stood up, faces revealing various expressions of relief. All except Father, who remained sitting.

June handed one of the blasters to Colby, tucking the other into the back of her waistband. She turned to Father.

‘Consider this my resignation, Father. I did tell you I wasn’t cut out for politics. And we need to find Theo, fast.’

Father looked at her, and nodded silently. She turned back to Colby.

‘Well? Now what? Or do I have to do everything?’

Colby nodded. ‘All right, boys,’ he said. ‘You heard the lady. Pull those guys in here and let’s truss them up good. Gags, too. I don’t want them waking up and singing.’

While Kieran and Joe moved to obey, Albert was staring at Colby and June in turn. ‘Do you really think we can make it out of the valley?’

‘Why, of course,’ said Colby. ‘Didn’t you hear the Praetor? Vail wants everyone down in the Square. Everyone. He seemed most emphatic on that point. Which means the coast is clear for us.’ He shrugged. ‘It’s not getting out of the valley that’s the dicey bit. It’s what comes after.’

‘What comes after?’

‘Later. You done yet, boys?’

‘Aye’, said Joe, looking down on his handiwork with grim satisfaction. ‘They won’t be doing nothing but breathing till someone finds em cap’n.’

‘Good. Now let’s get out of here.’

Quickly, they all tiptoed out of the room. The tent seemed deserted—not a sound save that of their own breathing. Quickly, they made their way through room after room, till they finally exited the tent. Then they followed Colby through a tiny alleyway on the left, so narrow they could barely get through in single file. Swiftly, they squeezed through, into yet another alley. Quietly, tiptoeing, they followed him through a maze of narrow, deserted alleys, till they were standing in the shadows of a group of tents at the side of the valley floor. There was a sharp, acrid smell that filled the air. From behind them, plumes of smoke rose up—greyish black, noxious to look at.

Colby grimaced. ‘We would come out in front of the smelting fields.’

‘Well, we made it this far,’ said June. ‘Now what? Into the tunnels?’

‘Where else?’

‘And then? What do you plan to do?’

Colby frowned, glancing sideways at his men. ‘Are you thinking what I’m thinking, boys?’

They looked at him for a moment, then at each other.