Kael remained silent for a few moments, staring strangely at the hand reaching out to him. A child's hand—thin, fragile… but held out with confidence. A gesture of support.
He blinked rapidly, as if to dispel an illusion. Was it just another mirage? A dull, lifeless dream? He lowered his head slightly, hesitating. Part of him whispered not to trust. And yet, he no longer had the luxury of refusal.
He slowly raised his own hand, a silent acceptance, and clasped Ley's firmly.
— First of all, I want you to tell me what you know. You seem pretty confident we're stuck in this hellhole for a while.
Ley, who had been looking at their handshake like it was an invisible pact, looked up with a sly grin.
— I know a lot of things, to be honest.
Kael frowned, annoyed.
— Go on?
— We're in agreement… So, what do you have to offer in exchange for my information?
Kael stood there for a moment, dumbfounded. He had nothing. Nothing to offer, nothing to trade. So why this deal? His gaze slid to the almost provocative smirk on Ley's face.
I'm going to kill him too. Seriously. Maybe even before I deal with the guards.
He clenched his teeth but forced himself to stay calm. Then, after a brief moment of thought, he replied:
— What if I offer my full cooperation in exchange for your intel? Your plans are worthless without an ally, right?
Ley's eyes widened slightly. He had expected a plea, not a counter-offer. Odd… but bold. A wider smile stretched across his face.
— Very well. Deal.
He took a small breath, then lowered his voice to avoid waking the others—or attracting unwanted ears.
— We're in a tunnel dug between the kingdoms of Arhan and Euclésia, back during the old conflict, about a hundred and fifty years ago. A forgotten underground network, apparently repurposed by these people to move discreetly from one kingdom to another.
Kael said nothing. He was trying to absorb every detail carefully. If Ley knew of its existence, then the major powers must too… So why was nothing being done?
Ley continued, as if reading his thoughts:
— The question you should ask yourself is why no one intervenes if they're aware. Maybe they don't know these tunnels are still in use? Unlikely, when you think about it.
He paused, trying to read Kael's expression. But Kael remained impassive.
— The real reason is that they allow what's happening here for two main reasons. First, we're people who don't matter. Disappearances that are tolerated… as long as they generate profit.
Kael's jaw tightened.
For money, huh? All this… for money…
— And second, even if they wanted to dismantle this trafficking ring, it would cost them too much—in men, time, and resources. These tunnels run through an area saturated with spiritual energy. Just below the desert of Oz.
The desert of Oz… I'm so far from home… though I suppose I no longer have one.
— And—
A shadow flickered beneath the cell door. Ley immediately stopped talking, now speaking with as few words as possible. He grabbed Kael by the shoulders to ensure he had his full attention and said quickly:
— Okay, I've got a plan to get us out of here, but I'm going to need your help… Anyway, you've already given me your full trust—too late to back out. When I give the signal, you'll have to create a diversion for me. Got it?
Kael, caught off guard, still had a thousand questions to ask. But pressed for time, he stammered:
— W–What signal? And what's your plan?
Eyes burning with determination, his eternal smile still on his face, Ley replied:
— You'll know when it happens… I don't really know yet, to be honest. And as for the plan… We're in a high spiritual density zone. Anything could happen, I guess.
He doesn't know a thing. I swear I'm going to lose my mind with this guy… assuming death doesn't get me first.