Ashya couldn’t help glancing curiously in Loic’s direction at the boy’s frantic words. Despite their situation, it was amusing that the boy thought being locked in a closet with a mage all night was as terrible as breaking a lock and shattering those expensive potions, but she had little time to dwell on it. “I don’t think he’s seen you,” she whispered, keeping her voice low despite the fact that the door was so thick the templar wouldn’t be able to hear them unless they shouted.
“If we run he won’t see you, silly!” she added, as the templar seemingly gave up thumping on the door uselessly. She turned and impatiently flung her hair back before pressing her ear flat to the door, holding her breath in anticipation. Through the door she could hear, slightly muffled, the familiar clanking of armor getting fainter as the templar stalked away, no doubt to fetch Owain and possibly more templars. They were going to be in so much trouble if they were caught, she agreed with Loic on that point…well, she was going to be in trouble anyway…so the important thing was to ensure Loic wasn’t caught.
“Let’s go, c’mon!” the girl pushed herself away from the door enthusiastically, and opened it as fast as she could without letting the door slam back on its hinges. If the templar heard the door slam open he’d backtrack faster than they could skitter away down the opposite corridor. She poked her head out, looking first one way and then the other, and brightened – the coast was clear. Time to make their getaway.
Ashya reached back and grabbed Loic’s arm, half pushing, half pulling him out of the dark stockroom and into the lit corridor. “Run, hurry!” she said, whispering loudly in her excitement, and bouncing from one foot to the other.