"ARREST THEM!" Without a second thought, my feet hit the pavement running away from the guards after Teddy and I. I see a small opening and weasel my way in, only to find there is a fat chimney blocking my path to go any further. Seven hells.

When i turn around, two guards are peering into my hiding place, and I move to Plan B:

"Good sirs, why on earth are you chasing me?!" I ask with exasperation.

"Orders, miss." He responds. I explain that as a girl who grew up in Flea Bottom, when I hear the words 'arrest them', it is purely instinct to run, but convinced them that I barely know the others in my party, and that I've been running standard errands for the Alchemists for years, that this just seemed like a typical day in my work, had it not been for the loonies ahead of me. Whatever I said worked, because the "brave soldiers" (HA) not only let me pass, but wished me well on my way.

I scurry across the main road, not wanting to draw attention to myself, but as soon as I am tucked into another alley, out of sight of the guards, I break back into a sprint. Bobbing and weaving through the tight passages between buildings, I don't even bother to look at the townspeople or my surroundings. Escape is the only thing on my mind, and I head in the opposite direction of where Teddy was being chased. I'm making good speed until I'm stopped by a stack of barrels blocking the road. The King truly does not anyone milling about.

Frantically, I reach for edge of the top barrel to climb over, leaping again and again. It is only after a few hapless tries  that I realize panic is clouding the solution in front of me. I reach for a lower ledge, hoist myself upon it, and climb to safety.

It is then that I see Teddy, and we agree it must be our top priority to escape the city. Remembering to our entry at the Iron Gate, we hatch a plan to use the information we learned at the Dragon gate to walk out with the permission of the guards…and the "King".