Mika leads her to the harbor district

A dozen questions clamored in Winlay's mind but Mika didn't give her a chance to ask any of them. Moving swiftly and surely the pair left the private wing of the Holy Palace and out through one of the side doors. Three times they passed sets of guards, but Mika's Herald's robes worked like a passkey and they found themselves out in the city night. Only then did Mika remove the white clerical robes and distinctive red cords stuffing the garments into a satchel that hung over her back. Winlay had never seen Mika wear anything other then church robes and was surprised to see how different she looked in the tight leather bodice and leggings. It was not the type of clothing worn by proper folk, certainly not by young women, but it looked good on Mika. The black-leather fit her lithe form perfectly and when she moved she had both the cat-like grace of a dancer and the dangerous look of a cutthroat who'd knife you just for fun.

"Where are we going?" Winlay finally asked after several minutes of this hurried pace.

"Somewhere safe, Winlay. At least as safe as anywhere we can think of in Telnon." The cryptic answer was enough to satisfy Winlay for now although the neighborhood that the pair were heading into looked both rundown and dangerous. Several times she saw groups of drunken sailors staggering past them who eyed the pair with questionable intent, but Mika barely reacted to their crude comments and the men let them pass without any other harassment. Soon after the third of these encounters they arrived at a brightly painted house with gilded windows and dozens of lanterns that lit up the street despite the late hour. The two huge men wearing exotic silk pants and black leather boots guarded the double doors with ebony-shafted pole arms that gleamed in the lamplight.

Winlay's guide ignored the broad steps to the main door guarded by the two bare-chested giants. Instead she took Winlay through a small locked door hidden behind a ragged stand of bamboo that reeked of urine. As Mika locked the door carefully behind them Winlay had a moment to take in the abrupt differences between the two sides of the wall. Instead of the scraggly bamboo and muddy uneven cobble stones of the street, inside the walls were beautiful flower beds and the citrus trees laden with fruit. From this side of the high garden wall none of the squalid smells or harsh sounds of the street marred the tranquility of the surroundings. The grass under feet was soft and cool and music and laughter drifted from the open windows of the three storied house, it was like stepping into a fairy-tale.

"What is this place?" Winlay asked as she gazed up at the large building. "I don't understand Mika, who are you?" Before Mika had a chance to reply a woman approached from the terrace steps.

"Welcome to the Hook Line and Sinker, Sister Winlay." Her guide smiled warmly taking Winlay's hands in hers and squeezing them tightly before dropping into a courtly curtsy. "My name is Wanda Breaudine, and I'll be your hostess for the next few days at least, perhaps longer. Thank Xelta you found her Mika, Adam and I have been on pins and needles since you left." Mika nodded happily and for the first time since she had appeared in Beldan's room Winlay saw a flash of a mischievous smile that she was so used to. "Beldan's going to go mad when he realizes he's lost Winlay too. I just wish ..."

"There'll be time enough for that later." Interrupted Madam Breaudine. "For now let's get you inside and up to the girl's rooms." She took two silk robes that had been draped over her arm and handed one each to the two girls.

"You both have to change my dears." The woman said not unkindly, "Those initiate's grays would certainly attract attention in an establishment like mine, even if half the city wasn't looking for them by morning." Winlay still understand almost nothing of what was happening, but the lady seemed so assured and relaxed that she let her slide the robes over her head and quickly cover her naked body with the beautifully embroidered red and gold robe. "and you Mika, dressed like that I can think of a half dozen men who'd would pay whatever it took to have you sent to their rooms. It would strike them as odd if I refused to let you work. There," she said a few moments later as she admired the way Mika and Winlay looked in the silk robes that barely covered half of their thighs "that's much better, my dears. You two will blend in perfectly."