Yuqi waited until she could hear the Minister’s snores before sneaking down to the torture chamber.

“Who goes there?” one of the guards outside the door shouted. He raised his spear threateningly. Yuqi stepped into the glare of a torch and he relaxed. “Oh, it’s just you, Yuqi.”

“Hello, Lucas and Mark. I thought you two might get lonely down here so I brought some food and wine.” She displayed the bundle she was holding.

“Food? You’re an angel!” Mark exclaimed as she knelt before them and started undoing the knot.

They fell upon the cakes like wolves. Yuqi uncorked a bottle of wine and handed it to Lucas who took a hearty swig before passing it to Mark. She felt a slight twinge of guilt when she thought about the sleeping draught she slipped in a few minutes before.

“Those cakes were delicious! Did you bake them?” Lucas asked as he slumped heavily against the door. Mark already started drooling with his eyes closed. “Ahhhh, Mark…did you try the cakes? Mark? What’s…what’s going on…,” Lucas muttered, his voice trailing off. Yuqi counted to ten as Lucas’s eyelids drooped and finally fluttered shut. She held her breath and deftly pulled out his bundle of keys. Studying them intently, she unchained the right one. She inserted the key into the lock and turned it. The door creaked open and she slipped in.

“Shuhua?” Yuqi called softly.

“Y-Yuqi?” came a weak reply.

Yuqi grit her teeth as she surveyed Shuhua’s raw, bleeding back. Shuhua lifted her head an inch and gave her a small smile.

“I’ve looked better.”

Yuqi felt hot tears prick her eyes. She pulled out the small vial she had hidden in her skirts. Breaking the seal, she brought the vial to Shuhua’s back and let