It was time to do or die. I hadn't planned for this. My six-month time frame was far too long. I wasted too much of my time and now I was backed into a corner. Fine. I looked at the group of kids. When I said that we were leaving tomorrow, some of them cried tears of joy while the others were devastated.

"I can't protect you if you stay here, I don't have anything the mistress can't take by force. That's why you all need to run. I'll cause as much of a distraction as I can."

The Mistress was toying with me like she always did. Well, I was tired of being controlled. I just wanted to win once, I wanted to lord my victory over her with my dying breath. It fell far short of my grand dreams of revenge but I realised now that I was too idealistic.

My muscles were barely functional, Olma gave me one last training session. She knew that we might not get a chance to finish, so she made sure that I understood the principles of the Karkarin path's final steps so that I could walk it alone. She also gave me a gift, a small golden key, the same one that locked our door. I asked if it was a trap but she shook her head, for now, it was under my pillow. I flopped out of bed clutching my sheets and crawled along the floor to an open space. Olma probably wanted me to escape while I could but I had other plans.

"Cala, Exa! Can you spread this sheet over here?"

They looked sad, concerned and confused, yet they did as I asked without question. The floor was made of dark wood and any marks on its surface didn't show up very well. Once the white sheet was spread I asked Cala, Exa and Art to hold down the corners while I got to work. I bit through the tip of my finger a couple of times until there was a steady drip of blood.

The potion that I had been abusing all of this time regenerated my body from even the most horrific wounds. Hopefully, it would produce enough blood to stop me from passing out too soon. I drew a crude map of our current floor, the blood wanted to spread so it was extremely messy, some of the smaller rooms looked like blobs. Overall the proportions were terrible but it was probably just good enough. Any areas that I hadn't seen I marked with a question mark, I also marked the doors that led into the unknown areas if they had no other options.

"This is the second floor, this is where we are."

I marked our room with a heart.

"Come on guys try your best to learn this while I make the next one. Cala, Exa move this sheet over to the back. Art, get me another one."

Most of the kids looked at the bloody map with apprehension or disgust.

"Are you going to be okay?"

Strangely those words came from Art.

"I should be fine. I think the potion's doing its work. I don't feel dizzy yet."

He fetched me another sheet but when I reached out to grab it he yanked it away. He spoke in a low voice to make it hard for others to hear.

"I meant with this stupid plan. What happened? Why was this the best you could come up with?"

"I've lost all bargaining power. She knows I'm bladeless and has got something planned for tomorrow. You guys need to move as soon as you hear any sort of commotion. There's a key to the door under my pillow."

"You're bladeless?"

He said somewhat shocked.

"It's a little more complicated than that if you escape research blade tenders. Now, give me the sheet."

Once again we spread out and held down my makeshift canvas. While the rest studied my map, I started drawing what little I knew of the first floor and then finally I drew the ground floor.

I hadn't seen a majority of this building so there were many large blank spots but from what I remembered there were four doors into the reception. Even if not all of those doors led into the main building at least two did. I marked those special doors with a circle.

"If you can get to these. Then you should be able to escape, there might be other ways out but I don't know them. The receptionists might be too startled to stop you if you run straight for freedom."

One of the little ones hugged me. She was only about six years old and was a very vocal participant in our songs. I patted her head.

"There, there. When you all get out, find the stew grandpa or a priest you'll be safe with them. I promise I'll be out right after you guys."

Olma would have killed me if she heard that promise but it didn't matter. I just needed to say whatever I could to get them to leave. Art gritted his teeth and walked over to my bed, he retrieved the key and hid it under his tongue in a swift and practised motion. It was extremely casual, to an onlooker it looked like he just fluffed my pillow and yawned. I regretted not trying to know the kids better. Art seemed like he had interesting stories, Cala was fun to be around and Exa seemed to have a thing for the oblivious Art, constantly finding excuses to touch or hug him. If all went well I wouldn't see any of them again. Wetness rolled down my cheek but I wiped it away and rubbed my eyes. Maybe I liked our time together. Maybe that's why I was too slow to find an escape. My heart wasn't in it.

That night my sleep was restless. I tossed and turned but no matter what I couldn't drift off. A lot of the others were in the same position as me, a few used this time to study the maps some more. The mournful song came to mind again. It seemed appropriate in this situation but I didn't want to lower their spirits. Instead, I hummed the head priest's jaunty tune and tried to add a little levity till daybreak.

"Rise and shine Little Rose! A little birdie told me that you have a big day today!"

Ms Average shouted. The few kids who were asleep jolted awake at her sudden announcement. Olma was with her, just like the first time, she was to be my escort. She searched the room and when she saw me still there she looked disappointed.

"Ah, tall and handsome come over here. Would you like to play a game? I'll give you a really good prize if you win."

Ms Average wore a wicked grin and beckoned towards Art, I didn't need to know what she was planning. All I needed to know was that she was an obstacle in the children's escape. I reeled back and let loose the strongest punch I could muster. Directly into her face. Right up until the impact she didn't see it coming, she didn't think that I would actually hit her. I felt something crack and it wasn't my steel-like bones, as blood flew from her face and her head snapped back.

"What are you doing?!"

Olma restrained me but I didn't struggle.

"Were you ordered to not let me hit her?"

"No!?"

"Then it's fine, I'm not resisting, I'll go with you. I've really wanted to shut her up for a while now."

Art intuitively picked up on the situation and dragged the unconscious woman onto a bed and tucked her in. He looked like a perfect gentleman. Olma hoisted me under one arm and walked over to retrieve the key from Ms Average before she stopped for a moment,

"What about mine?"

"I didn't want to use it."

"Then where is it?"

"I don't have it anymore."

Olma just let out a frustrated sigh and carried me out, locking the door behind her,

"When she wakes up that boy is in trouble."

"From the sounds of it, he was already in trouble. I just delayed it."

Olma nodded, then she took me through the various halls until we arrived back at the grand staircase once more. I dreaded what might await me at the top but I was far past the point of no return. Art was right, my plan was terrible but I had to go through with it. Once we climbed the steps we were outside of the double doors that led to the mistress' chamber. Olma knocked three times and called out,

"Mistress, we've arrived."

"Enter!"

The response was almost instant. Inside was just the mistress, alone on her giant bed in the red cloth-covered room, it looked just as extravagant as I remembered. On one of the tables that used to contain a bowl of fruit lay several strange objects. Alessia's knife was among them!

"The final preparations are almost finished. Have a seat my Little Rose."