To the gardens

"We'd better make it all the way out as soon as possible." Adam's words were grim, and as much as Winlay thought the frail man that she and Mika were supporting needed a chance to rest she kept silent. The tunnels were high enough that Mika and Winlay were able to walk almost completely upright, but Adam who was a full head taller than the girls had to crouch as he walked.

Despite the foul smell of the sewage that flowed by their feet, the air was still breathable, in fact periodically they came to vents that blew fresh cool air into the tunnels. Were it not for these vents Winlay was sure she would have passed out after only the first hundred feet.

Walking was not as treacherous as Winlay had feared it might be. The floor was slippery but smooth. The walls too were perfectly formed as only the Landers had the skill to make; seamless except for the air vents and where openings from above dripped more of the waste from the convent buildings. One of the first passages they came to showed signs of more recent construction, the tunnel had been walled off with a thick wall of mortar and bricks and only a small iron grated opening on the bottom about twenty centimeters high allowed the flow of sewage.

"That leads to the Templar hall," wheezed the Oracle as they passed it. "Remind me sometime to tell you about what they are hiding over there." The further the quartet walked the deeper the filth in the tunnel rose until at times they were wading knee deep in the trash of the convent. As they passed under the dining hall the waste included heaps of peelings from potatoes and carrots as well as all sorts of other unrecognizable food wastes. Shortly after that a sudden flow of warm sudsey bathwater splashed onto their feet. By now the strain of moving through the sewers was effecting all of them. No one spoke, and the only sounds they could hear was the constant dripping of waste from above and the labored breathing of the Oracle. At last Winlay couldn't stand it any more, she could feel the old man's strength ebb to the point that Mika and her were all but carrying him as they moved.

"We have to stop soon to rest." Winlay's whisper seemed as loud as a shout in the oppressive atmosphere of the tunnels.

"Soon" Answered Adam, "Mika, we may need your skill with locks again in just another minute." As Adam spoke Winlay could see a hint of sunlight ahead, and as they followed the tunnel around a smooth curve she saw the light of day shining from an opening less than thirty meters from where they stood. Before she could do more than sigh in relief Adam turned and held a finger to his lips,

"If we are where I think we are, there may be people around." He moved to the Oracle's side and lifted the nearly **** man's arm from around Mika's neck. "Go take a look Mika, if it’s clear see if you can get us out of here." Mika nodded and stepped away from the rest of the tired fugitives, moving slowly forward using the deep shadows to hide her approach. As she moved away Winlay became suddenly aware of Adam’s hand between her body and the Oracle's.

Adam's arm circled the Oracle’s back supporting him securely in his strong arm and taking much of the load off Winlay's aching shoulder. But in this position his hand was sandwiched between the emaciated ribs of the Oracle and Winlay’s right flank. Even through the thick robes Winlay could feel the back of Adam’s fingers pressed against the side of her breast and she could feel her nipple puckering in response. At least in the dark tunnel Adam wouldn’t be able to see the color that flooded to her cheeks, but Winlay could feel the warmth on her face stretching all the way down to where his fingers had ignited the fire. Winlay tried to shift her position subtly, but that only had the effect of brushing his fingers along the side of her now throbbing tit. Crews, if he had that effect on her without even trying Winlay couldn’t even imagine how she’d react if that strong hand was cupping and squeezing – Pushing the thought from her mind Winlay started a devotion to Xelta quietly praying that she not humiliate herself.

“Don’t worry Winlay.” Adam must have sensed her fidgeting or perhaps heard part of her silently whispered prayer. “If anyone can get that lock open, it is Mika, she has the most sensitive fingers of anyone I’ve ever known.” Winlay could only nod in response as she wondered how Adam could know how sensitive Mika’s fingers were. An unwelcome image of Mika and Adam lying on a great bed with Mika’s fingers lightly caressing Adam’s ear and neck and then sliding over his broad shoulders and chest towards his – STOP IT! Winlay deliberately turned her attention to the Oracle. His breathing was labored and eyes were now completely closed.

“He needs to rest, Adam” She said not trusting herself to look at the man who had caused the unexpected thoughts to overwhelm her. “Or he may not make it.”

“I don’t know anyone I can trust in the convent. We have to get him to the Captain I was telling you and Mika about earlier.” Winlay could not imagine how they could get all the way from the convent to the harbor covered as they were in raw sewage and dragging a nearly dead man with them without attracting attention.

“There is someone.” The Oracle’s voice was so low at first Winlay thought she was imagining it but Adam too stared at the Oracle in surprise. His eyes were still closed, but his lips moved again.

“Take me to …”