“But how…?” I stuttered, but Master silenced me with one of his many looks.
“Don’t question, just hold still.” He removed three hairpins from his sleeve, & within a matter of seconds I’d fallen gratefully into his arms.
I could barely contain my joy, but I had to; our lives depended on it. I squeezed him tightly, try as he might to halfheartedly squirm out of my embrace.
“Now what?” I asked.
“I thought you’d have thought of something by now,” Master replied frankly, knowing full well that I hadn’t. If anyone else had said those words at a time like this, I would’ve murdered that person.
“Is this one of your ‘teaching moments’?” I asked with a groan.
“Yes, this is one of my ‘teaching moments,’” he answered matter-of-factly.
Hm. I pondered. We needed to get out of here in one piece, but rescue Cricket before he lost it; I personally wanted to get Lin out of here too, but after I’d disposed of the tempting price on my head.
“I got it,” I declared in a whisper to Master, “but I’ll need your help.”