Alex froze in place. He heard Kael Talar's voice close to him as if the man were sleeping with his head almost touching Alex's feet. The elf grunted and slowly got up. His shackles brushed Alex's feet as he moved.
The young elf quickly thought about what he was going to say. Then, as calmly as possible, he said,
"I'm trying to find a way out." The words hung briefly before the mob boss laughed, echoing through the room. "Are you?" he asked, his tone dripping with irony. "I thought I had been clear. There is only one way out of here."
"Which is?" Alex inquired.
"When the city burns and the empress's head is rolling down the castle's hill, everyone will be free again." Kael's voice had a tinge of determination, the certainty of a man who believed in what he was saying. Alex admired that conviction but thought this man might be on the brink of madness. One thing is to be confident; another is to be overconfident.
