Ravi was okay with this, as he didn’t want his unexpected ally to get in trouble. But he had to ask, “If I give you a phone number, can you call someone?”
Nikki shook their head. “They won’t let us near phones. Or a computer, even. I get to watch TV, though, because I can’t communicate through it.”
“Damn, they are thorough.”
“Yeah. Unfortunately. But I can try to get hold of someone’s phone. You think you can call and tell your mate where you are?”
“That’s the plan. Well, actually, Alric’s—ah, my king. His is the only phone number I have memorized. Mostly because I have to fill it in on paperwork over and over.”
“Oh. But you can just call up your king?”
“Yeah. We’re not really a formal bunch. And I’m the king’s retainer. One of them, anyway.”
Nikki’s expression cleared up. “So, you’re important to your clan. I can see why you’re so sure they’ll come after you.”
“Heh. Not the reason, trust me. They’d come for any member of the clan.” Ravi knew that truth down to his bones.
Nikki looked wistful again, as if Ravi were telling them some sort of fantastic fairy tale. They helped Ravi finish off the sandwich and the water bottle before packing it all—including the soft blankie—up again into the basket.
Ravi let them go without protest, as Nikki was clearly nervous about being in here much longer. And they knew better than Ravi how to time things in this messed up clan. He felt elated, though. An ally here changed things. And whether Ravi broke out first or his clan found him, he’d make sure to take Nikki with him.
Nikki and all those like them.
Damn the Jaeggi. Damn them to the ninth circle of hell and back. Greed surely had its limits. And they’d far surpassed it.
Nikki stared at the cuffs through narrowed eyes, chewing absently on their bottom lip. “This is really convoluted, what they’ve done. And you won’t believe the elements they’ve used to do it.”
The young mage had returned a short time later, after Thomas had stuck his face in the little window to glare at Ravi. The Jaeggi leader didn’t say anything but seemed to be checking on him as he turned over new, evil plots in his twisted brain.
Ravi was glad that he’d left again so quickly and Nikki was back. He still had a sense of Sora’s worry and pain, but also a hint he might be drawing closer. Ravi needed to be free before his clanmates finally discovered his location. He needed to help his clan fight.
“I might. It’s irritating my skin, and my dragon is seriously pissed off.”
“I’m seeing powder from a harpy’s eggshell, black sand from a wasteland, and shadow of an eclipse embedded in these cuffs.”
A shiver wracked Ravi from head to toe. “Ugh, disgusting. I’m not sure I wanted to know that.”
“You know what that means?”
“Five hundred years of living with mages, you pick up things. I’ve either guarded them on trips or helped them gather elements for most of my life. Don’t ask me to mix anything up, I’ve got no idea what I’m doing, but I can tell you good elements from bad.”
Ravi kind of regretted that knowledge in this moment.
But the curious part of it was not his own knowledge, but how Nikki knew all of this.
“I know I suggested you try to get me out of the cuffs, but you recognize the design?”
“Sorta. They never trained me, but I would pick up textbooks and read them. Past couple of years, I started reading more, trying to find spells that could help me get out of here. And deal with acne. You know, the vital stuff.”
“Ah.” That did make sense. Skin care was important, too. “So…can you get me out of these?”
Nikki relaxed, no longer standing on tiptoe, their mouth scrunched in a manner that didn’t indicate anything good. “So, here’s the thing. The cuffs are locked in such a way that it’ll take someone’s magical signature to unlock them.”
“They bio-coded them?”
“Basically. I think it’s only Thomas and maybe two others who can unlock you. It’s hard to tell from the design, but that’s my guess.” Nikki looked disheartened at this. And strangely determined. “I do have an idea, though.”
“Please tell me it doesn’t involve cutting off someone’s hand.”
Nikki made a face like they were considering it before they shook their head, allowing Ravi to breathe a little easier.