Page 77 of Imprisoned with the Vampire King

"What happened?"

"I didn't plan for how many times I'd have to send the elevator up. I've only been thinking about one. I might have enough magic for two trips, but I have a hundred people. I can't fit fifty in that thing."

There was a moment of silence.

"Alright. What are our options?" He sounded like he was trying to keep himself calm, which I appreciated.

And the way he said our made me feel slightly less alone.

Me and my guard reached the wagon first. I started passing out the plates, hoping it would take a while, but other people took over immediately as I called out, "Don't break those, or you're staying here."

"I could do one trip, and make a wall between me and the innocent prisoners who won't make it in. I'd have to leave them here and come back later. But all of these people are in awful shape; there must be some kind of gang war going on or something."

"Not ideal. What else?"

"I could tell them the situation and let them choose. I think it'll turn into a blood bath if I do that, though."

"It would."

"There's not much time, but if I started unweaving some less essential part of the prison's magic, I might be able to get enough magic out of it to get everyone up. I won't finish before the cells unlock, though. The solitary confinement magic would give me the best results, and if there's a war going on…"

"Reaper will come to you as soon as the cells unlock. Can he break through a wall if you create that?"

"I think so, but it would probably take him some time."

Dante let out an audible breath. "Alright. Send the first batch up. I'm coming down with the elevator afterward. We'll get everyone to the surface, even if I have to deal with Reaper myself."

"Dante…" My protest was weak.

"That wasn't a question, Ophelia. Load the elevator as fast as possible. I'll take charge when I'm down there, so you can focus."

The order would've made me warm, if I hadn't been in the fucked up situation I was in.

I used my magic to get the elevator's doors open, quickly.

"Pile in," I called out. "As many people as we can safely fit. If an alarm goes off, the last person in steps out. Anyone who pushes, shoves, or otherwise fights stays down here. I'll be here until you're all up there, so there's no rush."

"We're running out of time before the cells unlock," someone called out, toward the back of the group.

"I know. There's a plan."

"How sure are you that the plan will work?" someone else yelled.

"They're ready in the elevator," someone called out.

"Just… wait," I shouted to the person who'd asked me if my plan would work, and stepped up to the edge of the elevator.

Unhappy murmurs echoed behind me. They didn't trust me, obviously. Why would they?

"All of you need to break your plates, one at a time. Start here. Count to twenty before you follow. Raise your hand when you're done," I ordered the fifteen men and two women who had crowded into the elevator.

The first guy did, and I had the magic bound to him before the next guy raised his hand.

"Count to fifteen," I corrected, hands in the air as I wove the magic rapidly.

It wasn't fast, but it was as smooth as it could've been. A few minutes later, the elevator doors slid shut.

It felt like everyone around me took a breath in, waiting for the sound of the box rising.