She heard him come down the stairs to take her plate.
“Look, Millenia, I’ve taken a huge chance to keep leaving this key for you. Don’t you want your freedom?”
She had learned to pretend to be asleep when he came around, so she didn’t have to deal with his heckling. She could do with some conversation, but not his kind.
“Okay, I'll tell you what. I will leave it here, in the lock for the last time. If you don’t use it now, I will take it away and never bring it back again.”
“Why? Why would you want to help me? What punishment is waiting for me if I step out of that door?”
“Because they’ve taken your magic. In my opinion, that was enough punishment. Look, no trap or punishment is waiting for you. I’m really trying to help you. When you get out, there is a door to the right just as you
