Mika finally returns (Winlay's POV)

The longer she waited the more concerned Winlay became. Winlay had hoped that Mika might join her during lunch, but she ate alone wondering what the penalty for her infraction might be. She returned to her room immediately after eating but her unspoken desire to see Mika perched on her bed was dashed by the silent emptiness of the small chamber. Really Mika wasn't even that late, Winlay reminded herself as she ran through the mental calculation one more time, fifteen minutes with the High Priest, another fifteen to leave the great Holy Palace, forty minutes to climb back through the city streets to the Convent ... and then suddenly Mika was standing in the doorway.

“Mika!” Winlay jumped to her feet and hugged her happily. “I was starting to get worried.” Even though Mika was grinning happily, Winlay sensed something was very wrong. She pulled away from her pretty room mate and studied her eyes carefully. “What happened Mika?”

“Do you trust me Winlay?” Mika asked searching Winlay's wide brown eyes hopefully. “I mean really trust me, enough to do what I ask without question?”

“Of course, I do Mika.” Winlay answered solemnly wondering what could have so happened that had changed Mika so drastically. “I've only known you for a couple weeks Mika, but your one of the most trustworthy people I've ever met.” Mika smiled encouragingly and gave Winlay a quick hug.

“The next few minutes are going to be very odd.” Mika said as she led Winlay to the door. “Please just remember that you trust me and that what I'm doing is for both of us, and hold your questions until we are safe.” Winlay nodded silently doing her best to push away her questions and doubts. What had Beldan said or done to Mika?

Mika led Winlay out to the gardens past Sister Margaret's small cottage and past the greenhouses to the sewage pool near the Convent walls. Winlay was of course familiar with the convent gardens from yesterday, but she was surprised when Mika led her through the gardens without hesitation; she seemed to know exactly where she was going. The pair soon arrived at the composting area. The pool of foul smelling waste was screened by a hedge of evergreens that helped mask the unsightly view and some of unpleasant sent.

Mika moved to the large cement opening that led from the bowels of the Convent buildings. The drainpipe was 1.5 meters in diameter and secured by a sturdy iron gate locked tightly to keep both the curious and larcenous out of the sewers. Winlay gasped in surprise when Mika pulled a small packet of picks from the small gap between her breasts and quickly opened the locked gate. Winlay had heard of lock picks and on the thieves in big cities that could use the slivers of steel to open locks but she never thought she'd meet one of those thieves. Certainly not Mika!

Winlay had to remind herself again that she did trust Mika, and that she believed in her. It became clear that her friend intended to lead her into the stinking drainage pipe she hesitated hoping for some kind of explanation. Mika must have sensed her doubts because she smiled at her encouragingly and offered Winlay her hand.

“Almost there Winlay, this last part is going to be nasty, but soon I'll answer as many of your questions as I can.” The smell coming from the dark hole was foul, but Winlay was becoming curious too. With a sigh and a private prayer that she was doing the right thing she allowed Mika to lead her into the concrete pipe.

Winlay's curiosity was further peaked when Mika produced what could only be a vault-tech light that sent a cone of white light forward as the pair moved deeper into the sewers. Where were they going and what had happened between Mika and High Priest Beldan? Twice again Winlay tried to ask Mika what was going on, but both times Mika evaded her questions before she even was able to phrase the words.

“I'll tell you what I can Winlay, but I need to know how much trouble we are in before I can answer your questions.”

Finally, after almost a quarter of an hour Winlay saw a small light matching her Mika's was moving towards them in the dark sewers. This must be who Mika had brought her here to meet, but who was it and why were they hiding in the convent sewers?